The book —"Ecology : Indian Literature Perspective" exhibits a new dimension of understanding the concept of ecology through Indological thoughts by presenting a remarkable accumulation of various literature associated with various Indian literature. Study of Indic knowledge is widely accepted as Indological study which includes literature, philosophy, history, religion, anthropology and many more contexts. This book is an attempt to focus on the literary sources dealing with the literature of the Veda, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puran-s, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Vaisnavism and Islamism respectively. Vedic literature is replete with the values of discipline, conservation, peace, harmony and non-violence which seem to have direct bearings upon the modem concept of ecology. In the same tune the post-Vedic literature also depicts similar thoughts which shall be analyzed. Ecological or environmental philosophy is branch of study which can be obtained great insight from our ancient literature. If philosophy is understood as the very basis of the principles of a system then one may say that the philosophy of ecological science can be gleaned at through the study of our ancient cultural heritage preserved in the form of literature. The basic philosophy seems to be that everything has come out of one singular source and hence, each and everything in this universe is related with each and everything else. We should be cleared that it is not a scientific study, in the sense that this study has no claim whatsoever as to make so far as ecology as far as a science is concerned. To explain, this study doesn't necessarily deals with the problems of imbalance etc. in the natural elements caused by various factors which are basically rooted in the ecological imbalance or it doesn't give either of any theoretical solutions to such problems, but it is a study of human awareness and that of human behavior towards nature reflected in Indian literature right from the Veda to later Vedic periods. It has been suggested that the study of literature concerned with various Indian literature from the angle of ecology which may give insight to many aspects of human treatment to environment.
Dr. Niranjan Jena is born in 1973 in Balasore, Orissa, India. He did his Graduation in Sanskrit Honours from Fakir Mohan College in 1992, Post-Graduate in Sanskrit having Vedic Specialization from P.G. Department of Sanskrit, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, in 1994. He has been awarded Ph.D. Degree in Sanskrit (in Veda) from Pune University, Pane in 1997. He is qualified in UGC (NET) in 1997. Dr. Jena has worked as Research Associate for five years and worked in various projects under University Grant Commission under Centre of Advanced Study in Sanskrit (CASS), Pune University, Pune. He has worked in various institutions and research centres in India, such as- TheCentral Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Saranath, Varanasi, Deccan College, Dictionary Section, Pune. He is continuing his teaching and research in the Department of Sanskrit, Pali&Prakrit, Visva-Bharati (A Central University of Govt. of India), Santiniketan, West Bengal, India. A number of Ph.D. and M. Phil. scholars have been awarded their degrees and some are continuing their research under his supervision. He has written some books concerned with his field of study. One of his books is - "Ecological Awareness Reflected in the Atharvaveda". A number of articles and research papers have been published in various indological national and international journals to his credit. Dr. Jena has attended and presented more than hundred papers in the national and international seminars and conferences in India and abroad. He has chaired numbers of academic sessions in the national and international seminars and conferences and workshops. He has coordinated and organized various national and international seminars and conferences. He is also member of various academic institutions and organizations of Oriental Studies in the country. He is also member of various academic committee and boards. His is continuing his teaching and research especially in the Vedic Literature. Moreover, he is member of various academic and research institutions and organizations like -Life member of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, Life member ofAll India Oriental Conference, India, Member of Nikhil Banga Sanskrt Sevi Samiti, West Bengal, India etc.
Ecology is affiliated to various branches of studies. However, ecological awareness is only being aware and being alert about ecology. The ecological study can have many branches e.g. the ecological study on plants deals with plant ecology, that on animals concerns with animal ecology and the study on man deals with human ecology. Ecology arises from the personal intuition that one's self is part of the world's environmental wholeness. It basically deals with the relationships between human beings and their surrounding natural elements. The oldest Indian literary monument the Veda deserves a unique position in the history of world literature. Vedic literature is replete with the values of discipline, conservation”„ peace, harmony and non-violence which have direct bearings upon the modem concept of ecology. Moreover, Environmental Philosophy is a branch of study which can obtain great inside from our ancient literature. If philosophy is understood as the very basis of the principals of a system then one may say that the philosophy of environmental science can be gleaned at through the study of our ancient cultural heritage preserved in the form of literature. What is it that we should know about our environment? What is it that relates as with our environment? What is our relation with our environment? etc. are the questions which man has been interested to probe into. Our oldest literature namely; the Veda has ample references which reflect the thinking of Vedic people. The Vedas also contain various aspects of man's relationship with the environment. The basic philosophy seems to be that everything has come out of one singular source and hence each and everything in this universe is related with each and everything else. In the some sequences we also come across in our Indian literature right from the Rigveda upto contemporary age viz., Sarnhitas, Brahmans, Aranyakas, Upanisads, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism and Vaisnavism so on so forth. These literatures depict environmental thoughts in wider sense. We, however, are more interested here in looking into the ancient concept of ecology and man's thought concerning the same. The ecological history of India is not very different from any other country. In Indian writings right from the Vedas, Epics and Purana-s etc. we find many references to ecological thoughts. Many ancient writers in Sanskrit described the importance and significance of vayu (gasses and air), jala (water), data (topography) and time in the regulation of life, similarly, the concept of pancahatattva (five elements) namely, earth, water, air, fire, sky reflect the idea of circulation of materials. Indians have always respected plants and animals. In this country cutting green tree has been considered asin and planting tree is a charity. Scanning through the above Indian literature and collecting relevant references from it, we would reflect upon the available data. We aim at giving reflections to the notions of world's ancient efi-s (seers) about the conservation of life and nature and about the fractions of nature as different godheads. Their process of personification and deification of nature has much to say of the ecological values which are relevant in contemporary age. There are ample references in these texts which reflect the above mentioned subject matter which has been analyzed in the concerned chapters. However, in this present book an attempt is made to focus en "Ecology Indian Literature perspective" which shall be analyzed. In this study the very first step is to highlight the meaning of ecology, the ancient concept and modem one etc. according to various authors on the subject. I hope this book will be helpful for all researchers. I take this opportunity to acknowledge my gratefulness and thanks to all scholars ancient as well as modem. I am grateful to all my teachers who have contributed to my academic growth right since my primary school. I specially convey my sincere thanks and gratitude to Professor Satyanarayan Chakraborty, Former Professor and H.O.D. of Rabindra Bhereti University, Kolkata who has been always instrumental for me for inspiration and blessings as a father to his son. Indeed I am obliged towards him and to his family members. A great deal of inspirations and encouragement came from a large number of my friends. I thank them all for the same. I am indeed indebted and it is my sacred duty to acknowledge my deep debt of gratitude to Prof. V. N. Jha and Prof. Ujjwala Jha (Pause), My Ph.D. Guide, Centre of Advanced Studies in Sanskrit, Pune, whose effective guidance, timely valuable suggestions helped me in achieving my target and giving me proper shape to ideas. Their personality will ever be perennial source of inspiration and guiding light for me throughout my life. I sincerely thank Professor Puma Chandra Sahoo, Post Graduate and Research Institute, Deccan College, Pune and his family members for their valuable suggestions and encouragements in my life.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist