*World Oceans Day: Pujya Swamiji Delivers a Message of Compassion and Responsibility Towards Water**“The oceans are the lungs and life-force of our planet. If they become choked with plastic and pollution, humanity’s own breath and future will no longer remain secure.”*— *H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati JI**Divine Presence, Blessings and Inspiring Address at the Ramcharitmanas Katha**During the sacred Ramcharitmanas Katha being eloquently narrated by Sant Shri Muralidhar Ji Maharaj, H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati Ji and Sant Rameshwaranand Ji Maharaj graced the gathering with their divine presence, blessings and inspiring addresses.**Inauguration of a Cooling Water Station**On the occasion of World Oceans Day, H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati Ji inaugurated a public cooling water station (Pyau) dedicated to serving devotees, pilgrims and passers-by.*Rishikesh, 8 June: H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati Ji, President of Parmarth Niketan, marked World Oceans Day with a powerful message for humanity, stating that today the lungs and life-support system of our planet, its oceans, are silently sending forth a cry of anguish. This call is not meant for one nation, one community or one generation alone, but for the entirety of human civilisation.On the divine occasion of the Ramcharitmanas Katha being narrated by Sant Shri Muralidhar Ji Maharaj, H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati Ji and Sant Rameshwaranand Ji Maharaj blessed the gathering with their sacred presence. Addressing the devotees, Pujya Swamiji said that while we are listening to the nectar-like story of Lord Shri Ram, the ocean of devotion, love and compassion, the world’s oceans are simultaneously suffering under the burden of pollution caused by human insensitivity.Pujya Swamiji said, “The oceans are not merely vast bodies of water. They are the breath of the Earth and produce nearly 50% of the oxygen we breathe. They are the lungs of our planet and the foundation of life as we know it. If the oceans become filled with plastic, chemicals and waste, humanity’s own breath and future will no longer remain secure.”He further stated that humanity has gained comfort and convenience in the name of development but has lost its sense of sensitivity and responsibility. We may use a plastic bottle for only a few minutes, but its harmful consequences are borne by the oceans and marine life for hundreds of years. The plastic discarded into the sea eventually breaks down into microscopic particles and re-enters our bodies through the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Nature’s law is clear: whatever we give to the Earth ultimately returns to us in one form or another.Referring to the ancient story of Samudra Manthan (the Churning of the Ocean), Pujya Swamiji said that our scriptures describe the ocean as the source of priceless treasures. Fourteen divine jewels emerged from the cosmic churning of the ocean, along with Amrit, the nectar of immortality, and Goddess Lakshmi herself. Yet today, our culture of excessive consumption and self-interest has transformed the oceans into repositories not of treasures, but of plastic, pollution and environmental crises. This is not merely pollution of the oceans; it is a crisis born from the pollution of human consciousness.He emphasised that what is needed today is not only the cleansing of the oceans but also the cleansing of our mindset. Until our inner being is freed from greed, overconsumption and indifference, external pollution cannot truly be eliminated. The environmental crisis is, in essence, a spiritual crisis. Saving the Earth requires not only policies and regulations, but also compassion, gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility.Pujya Swamiji further noted that wherever sacred spiritual discourse takes place, an atmosphere of love and harmony is created, sensitivity awakens and people reconnect with nature. If every individual resolves to avoid single-use plastics, respect water and live with gratitude towards nature, a global movement for the protection of the oceans can emerge.He said, “The ocean should not be the final destination for our waste; it is the original source of our existence. If the oceans survive, the Earth will survive. If the Earth survives, humanity’s future remains secure.”Utilising the sacred significance of World Oceans Day, Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati Ji called upon citizens, youth, policymakers and spiritual institutions to regard nature not as a resource to be exploited, but as a living system to be nurtured; not as an object of consumption, but as something to be revered. He urged society to move away from the ‘Use and Throw’ culture and embrace a ‘Use and Grow’ culture, where development means preservation rather than destruction.Concluding his message, Pujya Swamiji said, “Whenever you look at a river, an ocean or any body of water, do not see it merely as water. Within it flows the life of future generations. Protecting the oceans is not only about protecting the environment; it is about protecting humanity itself.”