Mumbai, Feb 1 (IANS): Bollywood actress and ardent animal lover Raveena Tandon has spoken up for her furry four-legged friends. She said that for every Shiva Bhakt who drives dogs away from temples and buildings by tagging them as impure, she would like to remind them that they are driving away the ones placed there to protect them.

Raveena took to Instagram, where she shared a string of pictures and videos from her visit to Pashupatinath Temple with daughter Rasha. She also shared several videos of rescuing an abandoned dog.

She explained in the caption section: “Pashupati, also an incarnation of Shiva, is the “lord of the animals”. The earliest claimed evidence of Pashupati comes from the Indus Valley civilization (2500 BCE to 1750 BCE), where the Pashupati seal has been said to represent a proto-Shiva figure.”

“Humans over the years in their greed, have decided that the earth belongs only to them. Any other life form is to be eliminated unless it serves some monetary function.”

“For every Hindu and Shiva Bhakt out there, who drives dogs away from societies, temples and office buildings, calling them impure and a menace, I like to remind them that they are driving away the one who was placed there to protect them and ensure that they have no fear. Only then will there be space for bhakti in their hearts,” she added.

She said that it pleases a man more if you buy a gift for someone he loves than buying it for him. She then urged all to feed a dog as long as one can afford.

“This Mahashivratri pledge to feed a dog for as long as you can afford to. You’ll have acknowledged that you are just one form of many and humility is the start of the journey to find the Lord within. || Om Namah Shivay || our latest rescue , thank you picking up this baby. @vantara @_thedogmother #drmanilal.”