Air Conservation (वायुसंरक्षणम्)

Air conservation (Samskrit: वायुसंरक्षणम्) elaborates on the importance and conservation of air as seen in the Vedas.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Air is one of the five great elements or Panchamahabhutas. Atmospherically, air is a mixture of several gases, dust, smoke and water content. Out of which, about 21 percent of its total volume is oxygen. This oxygen is known as Prana Vayu. And without this, life cannot exist.

वायोः महत्त्वम् ॥ Importance of Air

In the Atharvaveda, mentioning the importance of air, it has been said that air helps in transporting water everywhere, which brings prosperity.

उत्समक्षितं व्यचन्ति ये सदा य आसिञ्चन्ति रसमोषधीषु । पुरो दधे मरुतः पृश्निमातॄंस्ते नो मुञ्चन्त्वंहसः ॥२॥ utsamakṣitaṁ vyacanti ye sadā ya āsiñcanti rasamoṣadhīṣu । puro dadhe marutaḥ pr̥śnimātr̥̄ṁste no muñcantvaṁhasaḥ ॥2॥

Meaning: Those who carry the water through the air here and there in many ways, who bring essence into medicines, I keep such Maruts (air deities), born off the mother in the form of antariksha, in my vicinity. Such air deities release one from all sufferings. The Vedas offer respect to the air deities, known as Marut Ganas, and pray that they protect everyone.

त्रायतां मरुतां गणः ।...॥५॥ trāyatāṁ marutāṁ gaṇaḥ ।...॥5॥

संरक्षणस्य अवश्यकता ॥ Need for Conservation

It is not possible for us to survive without breathing in pure air, so it is very important to concentrate on conservation of air.

AIR CONSERVATION IN THE VEDAS

• To know the importance of air in Vedas; and

• To understand the basic spirit of air conservation in the Vedas.

IMPORTANCE AND CONSERVATION OF AIR IN VEDAS

In the imbalances happening in nature, there is a prayer in the Vedas against the rage form of air i.e. the storm, the loss which occurs from the storm; that O Lord of the Gods, our prayer is that you should always be friendly with everyone.

मरुतां मन्वे अधि मे ब्रुवन्तु प्रेमं वाजं वाजसाते अवन्तु । आशून् इव सुयमान् अह्व ऊतये ते नो मुञ्चन्त्वंहसः ॥१॥ marutāṁ manve adhi me bruvantu premaṁ vājaṁ vājasāte avantu । āśūn iva suyamān ahva ūtaye te no muñcantvaṁhasaḥ ॥1॥

(Atharvaveda 4.27.1)

That is, I will always remember in my mind the destructor of the air (wind). May that wind bless me and make everyone happy and capable to be able to give food. I have called beautiful winds like fast moving horses for my protection. May those winds grant us freedom from all sorrows.

Here the sage is requesting air (wind) to remain good.

Pointing to the concern of environmental security, the sage says that air (wind).! Do not harm the fields with trees (Annadi), tree-

यत्सीमन्तं न धूनुथ ॥६॥ yatsīmantaṁ na dhūnutha ॥6॥

(Rigveda 1.37.6) Air protects us from many types of disorders occurring in space. That is why the sage of the Rigveda prays that O Pavan protect us from the disturbances in Space

सूर्यो नो दिवस्पातु वातो अन्तरिक्षात् । अग्निर्नः पार्थिवेभ्यः ॥१॥ sūryo no divaspātu vāto antarikṣāt । agnirnaḥ pārthivebhyaḥ ॥1॥

(Rigveda 10.158.1) In the Atharvaveda, air has been described as a destroyer of filth and suffering.

अपेतो वायो सविता च दुष्कृतमप रक्षांसि शिमिदां च सेधतम् । सं ह्यूर्जया सृजथः सं बलेन तौ नो मुञ्चतमंहसः ॥४॥ apeto vāyo savitā ca duṣkr̥tamapa rakṣāṁsi śimidāṁ ca sedhatam । saṁ hyūrjayā sr̥jathaḥ saṁ balena tau no muñcatamaṁhasaḥ ॥4॥

(Atharvaveda 4.25.2)

That is, O air and Sun God, both of you together remove the filthiness here. Cure the diseases and remove the sufferings because both of you mix with spiritual satisfaction and with physical force. Therefore, give us freedom from sufferings and sorrows.

In this way, we see that oxygen has been called the pranavayu (deathbed) in the Vedas and it has been ordered that we should keep trying to conserve air i.e. to keep the air in pure form. We should not pollute the air and whoever pollutes such air, its crime is unforgivable.

Stating the importance of air, it is said that air provides purity to all other things. It purifies the water. Therefore, the Vedas instruct us not to do any act which makes the air impure. We should keep our daily routine in such a way that we conserve air and we should not let even the least amount of air pollution happen.

The Vedas have been prayed to protect the Earth from ultraviolet and other poisonous gases coming into space.

In short it is said that, Vedic literature has placed a lot of emphasis on maintaining the purity of air.

• Importance of air in Vedas

• the main way of conserving air in Vedas