Insects in Hinduism - do they matter?
Insects in Hinduism - do they matter?
You’ll be surprised to know, so here’s the tea.
We usual see big animals & birds acting as vahanas or divine vehicles of our Gods in Sanatan Dharma, Garuda for Vishnu & Nandi for Shiva.
But in Sanatan culture, we see every jiva as part of the same cycle in this samsara, having an equally important atman or soul. Come to think about it, we’ve all journeyed through insect yonis, too, before taking birth as humans, so it just makes the case for insects to be treated with dignity.
Not just that, they’re deeply connected to our beliefs, too. At Srisailam’s Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, you have Bhramaraamba as the Goddess, who in her Bhramari form defeats the demon Arunasura using a swarm of bumblebees. Our God of Love, Kamadeva, also has his bowstring made of bees.
Second, coming to ants, our Upanishads say the Pipilika is as eligible for moksha as is Brahma. The Pillaiyaar erumbu or Ganesha Ant is sacred to Tamilians, who consider it the messenger of Vinayaka. Sugar, rice & jaggery is left near anthills & colonies, that are doubly sacred because of the the snake pits that emerge nearby, dear to Lord Shiva.
The closely related termites or valmis living in their termite mounds are considered sacred to Bhumi, the Earth Goddess. Not to mention we have the lore of Rishi Valmiki from Ramayana, who got his name from the intensely long tapasya that led to termite mounds being formed around him.
Third, we Chelamma, the Scoprion Goddess from Karnataka, and in fact, Anjana Devi, Hanuman’s mother, also has the scorpion as her mount in some depictions. Jogulamba Devi in Telangana is also considered a Patron Goddess of scorpions, lizards, frogs, etc.
Fourth, the spider, too, is revered in Advaita philiosophy, to explain how just like it spins out webs from its own body, the Brahman creates the world from its existence, but its ultimately the same thing. We have Srikalahasti temple & other Shiva legends connected to this same tiny animal.
Even worms & leeches of the soil are well-respected in Ayurveda for cleansing procedures, and Maharashtrian Vidharbha’s Gond tribe healers have been seen carrying the Praying Mantis as a pet.
Given all these lives, the Mahabharata & other epics leave us with the message that while our very existence & agriculture indirectly hurts these small creatures, it is still our Dharma is to minimise our damage to these living beings by not damaging the environment intentionally.
And that’s the beauty, isn’t it - Hinduism accommodates every living being in the same cycle. Where else will you find such an idea?