All this talk about animals got me all thinking about getting some pets but....no, we´re not going to get any real ones. We´ll stick to the ones that look nice on the shelf. The turtle does have meaning in Hinduism though. In Hindu mythology the whole world is thought to rest on the backs of four elephants who stand on the shell of a turtle. Kurma ( which is the most widespread name ) is a tortoise who carries the world on his back, upholding the Earth and the sea.
We just had to get an elephant to go with the turtles after this new knowledge.( in fact I need to get some more )
So how come the elephant is important ?As you all know elephants are big animals with small eyes and huge ears. They have a good memory and hardly ever forget the places they have been, never repeating a path that once proved itself to be dangerous. They live in groups and they look after each other carefully. Hindus have worshiped the elephants for many centuries but the true philosophy behind the animal worship , is not the animal itself but rather what it represents - obedience to dharma (the master´s call ), ability not to repeat past mistakes, and respect and care towards their peers.
A short version of what I learned so far about Hinduism is that you should live in harmony with nature and recognize that divinity prevails in all elements, including plants and animals.
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