But how else has any of the city developed? Even the place we are sitting and the cellphone on which we are typing is built on the grave of many an animals. Can we even take a step in life or breath without a million creatures dying in the process? So should one stop eating and breathing or go back to the forest, live in tree houses, and lead an animal like life? Though even animals devour other animals and, if a situation arises, would devour man himself.
In fact Khandava prastha was full of the deadliest snakes and Dandakaranya full of deadly Rakshasas who would have surely been a threat to other animal life as well as human around. The Pandavas had no choice since Khandavaprastha was the only place handed over to them through a grossly unfair deal by Dhritrashtra. They could have either fought a gory war and challenged the verdict or accepted the dark offer. But if you look impersonally they did turn a forest infested with snakes into a beautiful place coveted even by the gods. Is that a mean achievement? As to Sri Rama clearing the Dandakarnya of the Rakshasas who had become a menace to the civilised world around. As far as I have read Rama did not destroy any forest. Rather he protected them by giving it back to the Rishis who were very conscious of the environment and the life around them as is evident if you read the Vedas. It was the Rakshasa who had a lifestyle that was a threat to both animal and human life around them much like the Naxals and Maoists of our times. Rama, as the Kshatriya warrior as well as representing the high noble values of the lineage of Raghou was dutybound to protect the Rishis, humans and the other forest dwellers Vanaras and Riskshas against the menace of the Rakshasa. I do not see how your remarks hold true even on the mere facts of it unless you have read some other Ramayana than Valmiki’s which deliberately tries to twist the tale for vested interests.
Of course no doubt man, the mental being has done much harm to nature. But a more apt and contextual example of that would be modern China which is destroying native life, environment and culture of Tibet or the Islamic invaders who plundered and destroyed beautiful temples, palaces as well as the culture, or even the Western world that looted and freely destroyed natural places to build modern cities that are far from being eco-friendly.
No doubt man with his mind has done much damage to the world and material nature. These are problems created largely in the wake of the scientific and industrial revolution. But to see and judge the issues, problems and challenges faced by humanity during the times of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata through the lens of modern issues is both illegitimate as well as waste of time. Those people were not facing issues of environmental pollution or carbon footprints. They were struggling with other serious issues, especially the direction that the human race was to take, the noble godlike way or the way of the hyperambitous egoistic titan. Though even with regard to material nature, Rama and Krishna teach us how to treat the rivers, hills, animals and humans with respect which is a lesson for modern man. But to write all that would require time and go beyond the limited scope of the question.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
