Jesuit Priest, July 25, 1973, London: […] Is that tree alive?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Jesuit Priest: Has it got life?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Jesuit Priest: Are you doing anything wrong when you cut it down…?
Prabhupada: We don’t cut down trees unnecessarily. Unnecessarily. […]
I have asked this question to so many people, that “Why you are killing although it is prohibited, ‘Thou shall not kill.’?” They cannot give me any satisfactory answer. Full Conversation
Old-Growth Banyans Face Destruction
Written by Dinanath das
Thursday, 17 February 2011
This is an urgent message to anyone and everyone. Between 15,000 and 20,000 giant, ancient, sacred old-growth Banyan trees are to be cut down on the road from Bhuvaneshvar to Jagannath Puri beginning this week.
Some of these trees were planted by King Prataparudra himself on the request of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Millions and millions of pilgrims have sat, meditated and worshiped under these trees since time immemorial, and now they will all be cut down and destroyed if we don’t act now. These trees will be destroyed starting this week unless we rally to save them.
Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, “Of all trees I am the sacred Banyan tree,” so please try and understand the crisis which we are facing. These are not ordinary trees. I was out there taking photos last week, and some of these trees are larger than two or three buses put together. It is one of the most sacred old-growth forests in all of India, and borders the Parikrama Marg from Bhuvaneshvar to Jagannath Puri. There is nothing ordinary about this situation; these trees are 500 to 1,000 years old or even older, and have been the protectors of the Holy Dham ever since.
A banyan already marked with white paint and intended for destruction.
I truly believe that at this very moment, under the circumstances, this is the most important Krishna-seva there is. While an unwanted bridge in Vrindavan can always be torn down, you cannot bring back to life thousands of thousand-year-old trees.
By the will of Krishna I found out about this on February 1, so I’m trying absolutely anything to stop these horrific crimes. What I need is for you to do absolutely anything in your power to help. If you’re good on the computer then please pass this information on to others, contact the media, contact the government, contact environmental groups, contact everyone.
At this moment I am trying to mobilize a ground force to surround and protect these trees. and also to convince the locals to join hands around these trees to save them, but by myself I can do little. I need your help. This is not an ordinary event. This is the tide of Kali-yuga coming to vandalize the Holy Dham of Jagannath Puri. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.
The road to be widened at the cost of ancient shade trees along its route.
In ten, 20 or 30 years people will look back with shame at letting one of the most magnificent old-growth forests in the Holy of Holies be cut down, the ancestral trees of our great acharyas. I will never be able to forgive myself if I don’t do everything I can to save them, so please help. Please help, please. I can be reached at 0958 340 4456 inside India, and outside India at 00 91 958 340 4456.
Banyan trees being uprooted in large numbers” in The Hindu, September 23, 2008.
Dear Dinanath prabhu, Pranams and glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I’ve been waiting to hear news about this crisis since I organized the Aaina TV news to do our clip. Did you see on the news? I heard it increased awareness at least in PURI and around Orissa. I got the unedited version of that news clip from my friends at Aaina and now Ive posted on fb and youtube. Tomorrow, Im giving to various TV channels in Delhi with a wicked toothache. Im so sad about this and the recent violent, horrific beating of our dear Nitai das in Vrndavana, who has been the pujari at Radha Gokulananda for 20 yrs! The Dhamas are being challenged by the influence of KALI. Harer Nama…Hare Krsna..I will keep doing what I can. Is Jai Caitanya das still helping you along with the other prabhu who spoke such nice Hindi in the clip. I didn’t know his name when news channel needed, so I called him Jagannatha das:) Your Bengalli was wonderful too! We all came off as at least sincere foreigner bhaktas who are very concerned about these Banyon Trees. “Of all trees, I am the Banyon Tree.” (Bg 10.26) Plz keep me posted. Ys, Mahadevi dasi
I’m appalled by this. It’s so serious, for so many reasons.
It will destroy the traditional, peaceful, sustainable way of life. Cows & Horses reproduce, Cars & Tractors & Trucks do not. The recent events in Japan, or the BP oil spill in the Gulf, or Shell in Nigeria, or the oil fields on fire in Libya – all show us, oil is fast running out. Why destroy a system that has worked very nicely for 1000’s of years, just before the new 100 year old system is about to collapse? Madness..
The Banyan Tree is sacred. Sri Krishna states this in Srimad Bhagavad Gita, as Mahadevi says. To destroy dozens, hundreds or thousands of them like this, is extremely inauspicious. I personally think in these days of Hadron Colliders, Sun flares, Wars & Nuclear Power Plant explosions, a pious (& coastal) state like Orissa really should have more sense.
These particular trees have special significance, being planted (many of them) by the Royal Dynasty of Sri Pratap-Rudra Maharaj, who was a personal associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. How do the Government of Utkal-desh expect to bring auspicious good fortune on themselves by butchering such sacred trees? Are they willing to risk hell & damnation for a few pieces of folding paper, or shiny cars? How long can they enjoy this wealth? To quote Lord Jesus, “What profit a man if he gain the whole World, but lose his immortal Soul?”
Has anyone set up a petition on Facebook or elsewhere about this? Please contact me, and let’s act on this, ASAP. I’m sorry to have taken so long already to get on board. Let’s bring this tragedy to the attention of the devotees worldwide, and the environmental groups such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, WWF, Wilderness Society, Green Party, etc etc. I think it’s time India had its own Green Party too – over 1 billion people, whether rich or poor, still depend on clean air, water, land & food for their survival. And Cows & Trees! We can’t eat nuts & bolts..
Hare Krishna! Please contact me on trees@shyam.org.uk
Jaya Nrisimhadeva! Gaura-Nitai!!
y.s., Shyam das (London, UK)