Indian Society: A Historical Perspective

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In the present work some of the best minds of the Indological world discuss the formation and evolution of the ideals and patterns of Indian society. Dedicated to Professor S. R. Goyal who was Professor and Head, Department of History, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, the work throws welcome light on the various fundamental questions related with the social and ideological foundations of Indian culture, a subject which was so dear to Professor Goyal. It has been enriched, among others, by the scholarly contributions of such eminent historians of India as Professors G.C. Pande (Allahabad), R. S. Sharma (Patna), Irfan Habib (Aligarh), Romila Thapar, Kesavan Veluthat and Kumkum Roy (New Delhi), R. Champakalakshmi (Chennai), S. N. Dube (Jaipur), K.K. Thaplyal (Lucknow), T. P. Verma and M. V. Singh (Varanasi). The volume also contains an Introduction on Professor Goyal's own contribution to the study of ancient Indian social institutions and ideas by the editor. It is earnestly hoped that it will be received warmly by scholars interested in the history of Indian society.

Shankar Goyal, M.A., Ph.D., D. Litt., is the retired Professor of History, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and one of the well known authorities of ancient Indian history and historiography. Apart from about 150 articles published in reputed journals, he has authored more than 50 voluminous works including Recent Historiography of Ancient India, Marxist Interpretation of Ancient Indian History, Contemporary Interpreters of Ancient India, Ancient India A Multidisciplinary Approach, 175 Years of Vakataka History and Historiography, Harsha: A Multidisciplinary Political Study, The "Medieval Factor and the Age of Harsha: A Cultural Study, Harsha Revisited: A Re-interpretation of Existing Data, The Significance of Yuan Chwang in the Context of the Seventh Century: A Critical Assessment, State, Society and Culture: Early India and The Classical Age: A Study in Feudalization. His books and many articles brought him encomiums from scholars such as Professors R. N. Dandekar, G.C. Pande, R. S. Sharma, Irfan Habib, Romila Thapar, R. Champakalakshmi, Shireen Moosvi, Kumkum Roy, A. M. Shastri, S.R. Goyal, Bardwell L. Smith (Minnesota, U.S.A.), Walter M. Spink (Michigan, U.S.A.), Maurizio Taddei (Napoli, Italy), P. K. Mitra (Rajshahi, Bangladesh) and others. In 2009 Professor Goyal presided over the Cultural History Section of the XXIX Annual Session of the South Indian History Congress, in 2012 he was elected General President of the XXXVII Annual Congress of the Epigraphical Society of India, and in 2016 he was invited to preside over the Historiography Section of the XXIII Annual Session of the Tamilnadu History Congress. Recently in December 2017 he presided over Section I (Ancient India) of the 78th Session of the Indian History Congress held at Jadavpur University, Kolkata (Bengal). He was also invited by the Organising Committee of the 16th World Sanskrit Conference, 2015, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, to participate in the deliberations of their Epigraphy Section to promote Indian epigraphical studies on the world forum. He has also been invited to deliver some prestigious endowment/memorial lectures in various conferences, including U.P. History Congress and Place Names Society of India. He has travelled extensively in China, Thailand, Australia, Canada, United States, Brazil, Europe, Sudan and Egypt.

Social philosophy seeks to find out the philosophical implications, meaning and purpose of social phenomena. It is not only the study of social facts, it is also a study of social ideals and value systems. A student of social phenomena enquires into the significance of social values; but for this he must have an understanding of social values in general and also of the ultimate values of human life which a society seeks to achieve. In his writings Professor S.R. Goyal has tried to examine the fundamentals of ancient Indian social system with a view to understanding their inner significance and meaning. Though mainly a scholar of political and religious history, he has shown equal brilliance in dealing with the history of Indian social ideas and structures specially of ancient period. He has written on these subjects primarily in connection with Indian religious and political history, but that does not minimise the originality and significance of his contribution to them. In his writings Goyal has covered almost all the aspects of ancient Indian society and basic concepts which have been accepted through the ages, quite frequently giving novel interpretations and suggestions. He has dealt with the concepts of man, society, community, dharma, caste, karman, saṁsāra, etc. and has also examined the role of religion as a factor of social change in ancient India. He has raised such problems as are discussed below and tried to provide their answer within the ambit of Indian historical and cultural tradition. His contribution to the study of Indian society and social philosophy is, therefore, quite significant.