India: Whirlpool of Ideas and Social Changes (Maharajadhiraja Kameshwar Singh Memorial Lecture Series-4)

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Reflecting upon the contemporary challenges faced by Indian society and the society of Mithila, various scholars from across India have expressed their concerns, their ideas and their visions for present and future. A collection of lectures delivered by eminent scholars, administrators and activists under the aegis of M.K.S. Kalyani Foundation, this book may generate further debate on various issues which need our immediate attention for the betterment of our society.

Dr. Sushant Kumar Mishra is a teacher specialising in linguistics, literature and comparative studies. He has Long been associated with various universities like English and Foreign Language University, Banaras Hindu University, Indira Gandhi National Open University and Jawaharlal University in Various teaching positions. He has several articles books published in his area of specialisation. Presently he is working in Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The present volume is a collection of lectures held under the aegis of Maharajadhiraja Kameshwar Singh Kalyani Foundation over several years. Eminent scholars, thinkers, social activists have been requested to contribute to this volume as they had gracefully accepted to deliver lectures organized annually. In the present volume there are seven lecture-articles (I may be allowed to coin and use this term as I could not find a better term to explain the content and purport of chapters included in this volume). The first article is by the eminent Nyaya scholar Prof. V.N. Jha who discusses the linguistic modeling of the world in the context of Nyaya-Vaisesika system of Indian darsana systems. It is important to note here that the Indian traditions have been involved in understanding the world through language based modeling of the universe since long. It is not a mere chance that out of the six Vedangas, four are related to language studies. Bhartrhari clearly says, sabdasya parnamoyamityamnayavido viduh/chhandobhya eva prathamametadvisvam vyavartata, i.e., in simple words, 'this jagat reality/universe) is a consequence of sabda (language formations). Even the poetic creation is considered to be equivalent to the creation of the universe by Prajapati. Anandavardhana writes (also cited in the Agnipurana): Apare samsare kavirekah prajapatih. We may notice here that even in the original Greek language, the word 'poet' or 'poetry' is derived from the verb 'poeien' which literally means to 'create' or to 'make. So, the ancient societies often thought in this way that the creation in language is like 'creation in/of nature. Professor V.N. Jha touches various texts and thought systems of India to illustrate this in the context of Indian thought systems in general and then delves deeper into the Nyaya-Vaisesika system to illustrate the linguistic modeling of reality and universe. This is a process which appears to be establishing the relations between the epistemological processes and ontological realities in a way unique to the Indian intellectual traditions. Prof. V.N. Jha, a renowned Naiyayika of our times, explores this relation citing the original texts of the Nyaya-Vaisesika systems.