Whether it is the wild beauty of a forest, or a neatly maintained garden, we are all drawn to the beauty of plants, trees and flowers. All these are God’s gifts to us. And Nature, in many ways, reminds us of God. The bounty of Nature is like His abundant mercy.
The depth of the ocean is like the depth of His love for us. Huge mountains remind us of His greatness. So we can see God in Nature. And this is how men of God have seen Nature. They have seen in every aspect of Nature, God Himself, said Sarala Rajagopalan, in a lecture.
When a man is in love, everything he sees reminds him of his love. So it is in the case of a woman in love too. In the same way, great saints are moved by their love for God, and they see God in everything. Saivite saint Thirunavukkarasar sees Lord Siva in the gentle notes of the veena, in the pleasing moon, in the gentle breeze, and in the pond surrounded by buzzing bees. When he sees a cow with a bull, he is reminded of Goddess Parvati in the company of Lord Siva.
Thirunavukkarasar describes Lord Siva as being like a flame, and he describes the Lord’s feet as glittering like gold. To the true devotee of God, the only wealth is the Lord’s feet. Naturally, therefore, since Thirunavukkarasar sees the whole world as belonging to God, and since he sees God in everything, he does not care for the power and might of kings.
He is able to say boldly that he is nobody’s slave. Nor is he afraid of death. He will bow to no one. He has nothing to fear, not even hell. Lord Siva is the Lord of the Universe, and Thirunavukkarasar says he is a slave only to that Omnipresent Lord.
Gnanasambandhar sings of Lord Siva as the One whose ears are adorned with studs. His body is smeared with ash and He is the One who has stolen Gnanasambandhar’s heart. Thayumanavar says he sees God in every flower. Vallalar is moved to see wilting crops, because crops too are God’s creation. He is likewise saddened to see those who have to beg for food, because they too are God’s creations. Thus, the thoughts of God’s devotees are always about Him and so they see Him in every creation of His.
