Battling Serpents, Marrying Trees: Towards an Ecotheology of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa

Abstract

With its Vedāntic metaphysics and devotionally rich narratives, the Bhāgavata Purāṇa can provide valuable models for ecological care and preservation. Throughout the Purāṇa, we find narratives that can be harnessed in service of the environment, whether it be Kṛṣṇa battling the serpent Kāliya or Varāha lifting the Earth from the depths of the cosmic ocean. This article, however, will focus on a little-known narrative found in Book Four, namely, the Pracetās’ destruction, and eventual protection, of the Earth’s trees. The Pracetās’ narrative is significant for several reasons: (1) instead of simply venerating nature, the story demonstrates the challenge of balancing human needs and the needs of other life forms; (2) it accords agency to the Earth by giving the forest a voice within the narrative; and (3) it bridges the boundary between human beings and the natural world by building kinship relationships between them. This article will explore the ways in which Vaiṣṇava commentators have interpreted this episode as they attempt to negotiate the question: who has priority—humans or nature?