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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

 

 

Ecology in Puranas

 

 

 

 

 

ENVIRONMENT IN PURANAS Proceedings of the Seminar Organized During the

Sanskrit Year Celebrations: Prof. K. T. Pandurangi Editor; Pub. by Dvaita

Vedanta Study and Research Centre, 33/163, 10th B Main, I Block, Jayanagar,

Bangalore. Rs. 300.

 

THE VOLUME under review is a compendium of 18 essays written by different

scholars highlighting the need to protect environment against pollution,

exploitation and devastation.

 

The need of the hour is to realise that the rich organic components of the earth

are too valuable to be destroyed in a split second, which took millions of years

to set a balance, and provide wholesome ingredients to upgrade genetic

components.

 

Our ancestors knew that there are many planes of existence and they extended to

each plane subconsciously interlinking each one of them. They knew that the five

elements govern our life.

 

The Vedas and Puranas throw ample light on this. The advancement of science and

technology has only resulted in making this beautiful planet more vulnerable to

pollution.

 

Gas leaks, dumping highly carcinogenic material into the sea and contamination

of drinking water by oil slicks due to sheer human negligence, naturally have

serious repercussions on environment. Scientists are warning us of the alarming

degree of global warming, global climatic change, melting of glaciers and rise

in the sea level and such other dangers.

 

A difference of even one to two degrees in global temperature is enough to have

a terrible impact on our environment.

 

Out of the 18 articles in this volume, 11 are in Sanskrit and the rest in

English. The Sanskrit portion highlights the awareness of environmental

importance present in the Vedas, the Mahabharata, Puranas like the Vishnu,

Markandeya, Harivamsa, Bhavishya and the Bhagavata.

 

The English section contains important articles on the biotic factor of ecology,

thoughts on environment in the Atharva Veda, vegetation analysis using the GIS

remote sensing technique etc.

 

Prof. K. T. Pandurangi, a very distinguished scholar and also the editor of this

volume, has written a few articles.

 

This book throws ample light on the importance of environment which was well

recognised in ancient India, and how people should now rise to the occasion by

preventing pollution at all levels and make this beautiful planet worthy of

habitation by all living beings as intended by its creator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

M. NARASIMHACHARY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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