World Environment Day in Sanskrit

Sanskrit and its literature have always respected and celebrated the environment. Take this Shloka from Atharvaveda as an example; it establishes a sacred connection between mother nature and us (humans), setting a very deep precedent for how we should be treating our fellow earthlings. Happy Environment Day to you!

माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः।

Transliteration:
mātā bhūmiḥ putro’haṃ pṛthivyāḥ।

Hindi translation:
ये धरती हमारी माता है और हम इसके पुत्र है।

English translation:
Earth is my mother and I am her child.

शैले शैले न माणिक्यं मौतिकं न गजे गजे ।
साधवो नहि सर्वत्र चन्दनं न वने वने ॥

Transliteration:
śaile śaile na māṇikyaṃ mautikaṃ na gaje gaje
sādhavo nahi sarvatra candanaṃ na vane vane

Hindi translation:
हर पर्वत पर माणिक्य नहीं होता, हर हाथी में मोती नहीं होता ।
सज्जन सब जगह नहीं मिलते । चन्दन का पेड़ हर जंगल में नहीं होता ।

English translation:
Rubies are not found in every mountain; nor is a pearl to be met with every elephant.
Good people are not found everywhere. A sandalwood tree does not exist in every forest.