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Good morning. On waking my old friend Dr Rajan used to say a prayer to Mother Bhumi, earth personified, before he left his bed. His prayer asked permission to step on Mother Earth hoping not to injure her. I later found out that many Hindus quietly say this prayer.

When Hindus embark on a building project they most often perform a Bhumi puja, a ceremony asking permission to dig into her soil and asking that she sustain the structure. Mother Earth, Bhumi, is called mother because, like our mother, she serves us so fully, and so humbly.

The epic poem Ramayana, a story relevant to these days of Diwali, is full of God’s interactions with Mother Bhumi, with her mountains, rivers, trees, and herbs, as well as animals, birds, and even insects who come to serve God. The story is set mostly in forests, where Rama is the Lord of everyone, and displays no hint of racism, or sectarianism, or even speciesism. He accepts everyone’s service equally, giving no special privilege to humans, animals, or plants. He values all creation as being interconnected and interdependent, and all living beings as equal citizens of his state, and deserving of his protection, especially mothers, like Bhumi.

It may seem that such legends don’t translate for a modern world.  But the fact that earth is seen as a person gives her a face and helps us pause before we abuse her, as we wouldn’t abuse our mother. I admire this thoughtful approach to the world, exemplified by Lord Ram, seeing the Earth as one of our mothers, from whom we get food, shelter, beauty, and satisfaction, as a person we should be grateful to – and  then think how we could serve her better. Hare Krishna 286