let us have a look at the religion (dharma) of the Bishnois, a community of
north India, which is described by Bishnoi and Vishnoi (2000: 247) as a ‘religion
born out of environmental compulsions and convictions’. The basic philosophy of
the Bishnois is that all living entities – plants and animals – of different
types have a right to survive and share in the available resources. Founded by
Guru Jambheshwar-ji Maharaj, fondly known as Jambho-ji, Bishnoi dharma has
solely contributed to much of the greenery in arid Rajasthan. Wild life has
been able to sustain itself because of the attitudes of Bishnois towards it. It
is well known that the twenty-eighth principle (niyam) of Bishnois prohibits
its followers from eating non-vegetarian food (mans nahin khana). Bishnois know
that armed with lethal technology and weaponry, human beings can unleash terror
in the world. They can kill animals not only with the intent to eat them but
also for sport, as enjoyment, to prove their supremacy over the world and its
beings. They can uproot trees not only to meet their needs of fuel and
house-building material, but also to prove to themselves that they can
transform the environment in the way they want. If this attitude continues
unchecked, both animal and plant life will be imperiled. Keeping this in view,
the Bishnoi dharma contains maxims that promote the sentiments of compassion
and sympathy. The tenth principle (chama sahanshilta rakhna) submits that human
beings should pardon others. They should also develop in themselves the
capacity to tolerate and bear. According to the eleventh principle (daya
namrbhava se rahna), Bishnois should be kind and approach all around them – the
floral and faunal world – softly, patiently and compassionately. When strong
sentiments for living and non-living beings have developed, then only would one
have feelings for them and would serve as their guardian and vanguard. In
principle number eighteen, it is clearly stated that one must shower compassion
on animal life (prani matr par daya rakhna). It is closely connected to the
twenty-third principle (bail ko badhiya na karna) that forbids Bishnois to
castrate the bull as it causes pain and injury to the animal. With this,
another principle of Bishnois (i.e. thath amar rakhna) preaches that they
should take care of goats, sheep and other benevolent (paropkari)animals.Bishnoism
let us have a look at the religion (dharma) of the Bishnois, a community of
north India, which is described by Bishnoi and Vishnoi (2000: 247) as a ‘religion
born out of environmental compulsions and convictions’. The basic philosophy of
the Bishnois is that all living entities – plants and animals – of different
types have a right to survive and share in the available resources. Founded by
Guru Jambheshwar-ji Maharaj, fondly known as Jambho-ji, Bishnoi dharma has
solely contributed to much of the greenery in arid Rajasthan. Wild life has
been able to sustain itself because of the attitudes of Bishnois towards it. It
is well known that the twenty-eighth principle (niyam) of Bishnois prohibits
its followers from eating non-vegetarian food (mans nahin khana). Bishnois know
that armed with lethal technology and weaponry, human beings can unleash terror
in the world. They can kill animals not only with the intent to eat them but
also for sport, as enjoyment, to prove their supremacy over the world and its
beings. They can uproot trees not only to meet their needs of fuel and
house-building material, but also to prove to themselves that they can
transform the environment in the way they want. If this attitude continues
unchecked, both animal and plant life will be imperiled. Keeping this in view,
the Bishnoi dharma contains maxims that promote the sentiments of compassion
and sympathy. The tenth principle (chama sahanshilta rakhna) submits that human
beings should pardon others. They should also develop in themselves the
capacity to tolerate and bear. According to the eleventh principle (daya
namrbhava se rahna), Bishnois should be kind and approach all around them – the
floral and faunal world – softly, patiently and compassionately. When strong
sentiments for living and non-living beings have developed, then only would one
have feelings for them and would serve as their guardian and vanguard. In
principle number eighteen, it is clearly stated that one must shower compassion
on animal life (prani matr par daya rakhna). It is closely connected to the
twenty-third principle (bail ko badhiya na karna) that forbids Bishnois to
castrate the bull as it causes pain and injury to the animal. With this,
another principle of Bishnois (i.e. thath amar rakhna) preaches that they
should take care of goats, sheep and other benevolent (paropkari)animals.
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