Our journey through life as passing pilgrims is an extraordinary inward journey of the Spirit seeking answers to fundamental questions like: Whence have we come? Where are we bound? What is our duty and relationship with the external world and its creator?

The entire world is one order and we are not isolated individuals but participants connected in four ways with the sentient and insentient world of the creator. First, we are connected with the world of matter: the earth, mountains, oceans, sun, rain, wind, etc. Secondly we relate with all the living creatures, animals, birds, insects, trees and our fellow human beings. The third factor is our self, our being, the mind, our desires, hopes, jealousy, anger, imagination, a whole subjective inner world. And finally, we associate with the Being that has created all these factors. In the end, how we relate ourselves to each of these factors determines how smooth or rough our journey in life will be.

The veneration of God finds expression in the veneration of nature and all her elements. The Bavarian mystic Jacob Boehm said, "Everything represents God, everything is the symbol of the Eternal." Our great Upanishadic seers have stated, "Ishavasyam idam sarvam, yat kinchit jagatyam jagat" - All things whatsoever in the Universe that move or moves not is indwelt by the Lord. One cannot look at the sky, the sun, the stars, oceans, mountains, rivers and the scenic beauty of nature without seeing the secret of what constitutes the body of the Lord revealed majestically on a magnificent scale. In the Geeta, the Lord says, "Whenever you see greatness, beauty or glory, O Arjuna know that to be a bit of my glory". That is why perhaps we in India revere nature, the snow peaked Himalayas, the roaring Ganges, the Cauvery, the Godavari, as symbols of the ever flowing energy of God. Even trees like the giant banyan, the peepul, or the tiny tulsi plant have a religious significance for us.

At the second level, the righteous attitude towards our fellow beings and other living creatures has been promoted by almost every religion through certain ethical and moral values for the upliftment of humanity - the yama and the niyama of Patanjali, Manusmriti, the eight-fold path of Buddhism, the Ten Commandments of Judaism, the sermon on the mount by Jesus. The first principle is compassion to all creatures. Vyasa reveals this in the simple but profound aphorism, "paropkaraya punyaya papaaya parapidanam", doing good to others is a virtue, harming others is sin. Sri Satya Sai Baba has succinctly said, "Help ever, hurt never". The compassionate Buddha at the time of his departure said to his Bhikus, "Walk the highways and the byways of this great land of Bharat for the happiness and the welfare of the many - `bahujana hitayacha, bahujana sukhayacha'."

Thirdly, our attitude to the subjective inner self requires us to be in control of our faculties - our senses, mind and its emotions - which must not lead us astray through undesirable thought. By controlling our inner being through discipline we must seek to attain purity of thought, work and deed. "Ma gridah kasyaswid dhanam"; covet not another's wealth, says the Isha Upanishad - but create wealth by the right means. Do not hoard it but hold it in trust, for it belongs to the community and must be share with them.

And lastly, we come to the Being that has created the entire Universe, including the five elements - air, earth, fire, water and space, and everything contained therein. They play a vital role and contribute to our existence - without expecting anything in return. This marvellous phenomenon of creation stands as a testimony to the supreme power of God.

What can we offer in return unto Him who is the lord of the countless worlds, the source of existence and from whom everything is derived? Even in our daily worship we are only offering what He has given us. We can therefore proffer only our love in gratitude. Love is manifested in many ways. We can only offer what is truly ours - our ego, our mistakes, our pride, anger and jealousy. We can also offer our heart with the flowers of truthfulness, honesty, simplicity, purity, forgiveness and compassion. "Yad yuad karma karomi, tattad akhilam sambo tavardhanam", said Sri Sankaracharya: whatever I do, they all are worship of Thee, O Lord.