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It studies iconic representations of gods, godlings, demons, witches and tyrants of Hindu mythology, focussing on the concretized form of each pantheonic figure and exploring the iconic language of Hindu images.
Beginning with a few aniconic symbols, like foot prints, a throne, the Bo tree or stupas, in the prechristian Indian art, Buddhism came to evolve a variety of picturesque representations of a Self-Existent, Superimmanent Principle: in myriad forms and emanations that range from the superbly magnificent to sheerly grotesque. Endowed with diverse iconographic attributes, Buddhist deities/saints/demons have grown, over the rolling centuries, into bewildering numbers, legions. Which all, leave alone the neophytes, not even the best of scholars can recognize! The names of the divinities and their cultural/regional perceptions owing largely to the plurality of Buddhist pantheons, have only gone on to further complicate their identification. Unveiled, for the first time, in the pages of this Encyclopaedia, is a panorama of Buddhist deities, demigods, godlings, saints and demons, with spotlight on the concretized, recognizable forms and the subtle symbolism they involve. In its nearly 8000 alphabetically arranged articles of varying lengths, it mixes gods and demons, bhiksus and btsans, the aesthetic and the grotesque in fact, nearly the whole range of good and evil forces which the inspired among the adherents of the Buddhist faith conceived so ingeniously! Professor Bunce has painstakingly marshalled a wealth of data from authoritative language sources, notably, Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Newari/Nepalese, Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese, Siamese/Thai, Annamese/Viet Namese, Javanese, and Sinhalese, in his effort to capture almost the entire framework of Buddhist divinities: a multi-pantheonic framework, together with its classes, groups and hierarchies, ranging from Adi-Buddha to Arhats and yet beyond. Himself a distinguished scholar of Oriental/Buddhist Art, Dr. Bunce incorporates, in scrupulous detail, the iconographic attributes of deities: like colours, heads/eyes, hands, objects held, body, feet, asanas, mudras, ornaments, vahanas, emanations, and whether calm or wrathful which, with a generous supplement of illustrations: about 300 elegant line-drawings and several colour plates, highlight the distinctiveness of each individual figure. Also included in the Encyclopaedia are users guide, glossaries (of asanas, mudras and attributes), identification charts, a hierarchic table, and bibliographic references. Growing from years of Professor Bunces persevered research and study, this compilation is certainly the first ever to draw together most of the Buddhist divinities/mythological characters, in their distinctly recognizable forms. And is, therefore, indispensable to both the specialists and non-specialists trying to identify each from a whole host of these figural representations.
The book deals with silviculture and the management of spruce and silver fir forests in western Himalayas, along with the history of artificial regeneration methods developed and implemented, the detrimental factors that affect regeneration, and effectiveness of dedicated efforts undertaken so far.
Spruce and silver fir forests play a quintessential role in environmental conservation in the eco-sensitive zone of western Himalayas forming catchment areas of many important rivers originating from and flowing through these mountainous areas. Working these forests under different silvicultural systems tried to develop suitable silvicultural treatment for these forests did not prove satisfactory, and appropriate silvicultural and management practices remain to be developed.
Overexploitation of these forests in several areas resulted in serious soil erosion and environmental problems. Sustainable management of spruce and silver fir forests is critical for environmental conservation in this region.
The book deals with past management of spruce and silver fir forests in western Himalayas, problems in regenerating these forests and artificial regeneration methods developed and adopted. It also vividly analyses the impacts of different management practices on the effectiveness of these forests in environmental conservation. The book should enthuse environmental conservationists, nature lovers and researchers interested in the study of the Himalayas.
This book presents a panorama of Sri Aurobindos philosophy from different perspectives. It is an enquiry to decide the domain of metaphysics by ensuring its difference from the realm of physics. Its aim is to understand the nature of Sri Aurobindos mystic, yogic, spiritual experience. This is a search for the divine life.
This anthology is a collection of eleven papers written by the distinguished scholars from different parts of India and abroad. This book presents a panorama of Sri Aurobindos philosophy from different perspectives. An endeavour has been made to explain Sri Aurobindos view regarding Integral Metaphysics, the system which accepts the ontology of both material world and consciousness.
This anthology is an enquiry to decide the domain of metaphysics by ensuring its difference from the realm of physics. Its aim is to understand the nature of Sri Aurobindos mystic, yogic, spiritual experience. This is a search for the divine life. It is an attempt to justify the instrumental value of evil as it helps to uplift us from this mundane world atmosphere. It determines the status of evil which is contrary to the Divine God, though emerges from that ultimate Real.
To focus on the aesthetic value of Sri Aurobindos poetic language Essays on Sri Aurobindo has included the discussion of his Savitri. It depicts Sri Aurobindos view about ideal woman who possesses the virtues of care, love, devotion and is also capable to rationally justify her opinion. This book represents his theory of education which emphasizes on learning of application, rather than gathering information. At the same time discussion of his humanistic approach helps us to realize our true self.
As this anthology encompasses different aspects of Sri Aurobindos thought it will satisfy the purpose of the academicians and scholars who are interested to understand his philosophy.
Presenting a comprehensive product profile of Orissas forests, the volume studies reasons for underutilization of the states essential forest produce by tribal communities and proposes measures to help tribals reach this forest resource and thus strengthen their economy.
This volume is the 4th in the ongoing Man and Forest series a series trying to highlight the relevance of indigenous knowledge of various tribal communities in the sustainable management of forests and local resources more specially against the growing challenges of economic development vis-à-vis environmental hazards and a declining resource base. Orissas forests, covering a little over 57,000 sq km (or 36.72% of the states geographical area), are known to have a profusion of minor forest produce (MFP) which has been upgraded due to its importance for tribal livelihood and is called Essential Forest Produce (EFP) through the book. It comprises simple fodder and fuelwood to baffling medicinal herbs, besides numerous economically important plants yielding dyes, tannin, fibres, flosses, essential oils, edible fruits, seeds, leaves, honey among many other items. Yet, despite its enormous economic potential, about three-fourths of this forest wealth has so far been unutilized by the tribal communities largely because of its inaccessibility. With a holistic product profile of Orissas forests, an eminent anthropologist here looks for the rationale behind the vastly deficient utilization of its EFP identifying the entire range of causes: from the tribals incapacity to reach this forest resource to their exploitation by middlemen/traders/moneylenders to the larger forest policy issues. Dr Patnaik also proposes measures which would help tribals not only to actualize the inherent potential of EFP but, in turn, strengthen their economy as well. It is a painstaking empirical study of interest to social anthropologists, environmental activists, foresters, development economists, forest resource economists planners and policy-makers.
This work on the essentials of Hinduism focuses on the anthropocosmic nature of the religion the cosmic law of nature and culture on which it is founded. It balances social reality and scriptural description with a dynamic analysis of the interacting elements to remove many popular misconceptions about Hinduism.
Many misconceptions circulate about Hinduism, mainly because scholars have relied exclusively on popular sources or political slogans of Hinduttva. The Eternal Hinduism, which is fundamentally a study of text and context, balances social reality and scriptural description with a dynamic analysis of the interacting elements. It cannot be understood on the basis of non-rational factor of one God, the Almighty. As an anthropocosmic religion, Hinduism has a great beauty. It can be understood by reading the cosmic law of nature and culture. This book sums up the essentials of Hinduism. It will be useful to a range of readers scholars of Hindu religious thought and philosophy as well as general readers interested in understanding the essential Hindu religious thinking and belief.
The present anthology is a collection of eleven articles on distinguished thinkers of contemporary India such as Krishna Chandra Bhattacharya, Sri Aurobindo, Binoy Kumar Sarkar, Manabendra Nath Roy, Balaram Hadi, Ramendrasundar Trivedi, Muhammad Iqbal, Debendranath Tagore, Keshub Chandra Sen, Sister Nivedita and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar.
The present anthology is a collection of eleven articles on distinguished thinkers of contemporary India about values in general written by the members of the Value Group, Centre of Advanced Study in Philosophy, Jadavpur University. The eleven thinkers whose perspectives are elaborated in this volume are Krishna Chandra Bhattacharya, Sri Aurobindo, Binoy Kumar Sarkar, Manabendra Nath Roy, Balaram Hadi, Ramendrasundar Trivedi, Muhammad Iqbal, Debendranath Tagore, Keshub Chandra Sen, Sister Nivedita and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar.
In this volume all the authors, in their own ways, are interested to look into the viewpoints of some of the renowned contemporary Indian thinkers to understand their perception of values and their suggested remedies for the elimination of social evils. Each author of this volume has endeavoured to interpret a thinker of his or her choice meticulously and essays are written in plain and simple English.
These profiles should attract the attention of a wide range of audience: from general readers to those of sociology, history and philosophy.
It explores the contributions of the great thinkers of modern India regarding the value system of our country. The perspectives of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Dwijendranath Tagore, Tarabai Shinde, J.N. Mohanty and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa have been discussed in detail.
The present volume of Ethics and Culture contains six articles of renowned teachers of Philosophy who are also the members of the Value Group, Centre of Advanced Study in Philosophy, Jadavpur University. In all these articles authors have explored the contributions of the great thinkers of modern India regarding the value system of our country. Here the perspectives of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Dwijendranath Tagore, Tarabai Shinde, J.N. Mohanty and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa have been discussed in detail as all of them have a distinct view and faith on the traditional cultural beliefs of India and also have taken a critical approach to judge the mundane, orthodox attitude of people.
The authors have explained the views of these great thinkers as their unique interpretations about Indian tradition can be used as a weapon against cultural encroachment and intolerance. The book, thus, helps to revive the true essence of our culture which is veiled by many socio-political factors of the present world.
The book discusses the history and importance of ethnobotany with specific reference to certain tribes of the Odisha state. It provides the cross-cultural comparative ethnobotanical descriptions of 210 species of plants used by the communities for various purpose.
Understanding the ecological knowledge of tribal and rural societies is necessary to conserve and sustain natural resources. This volume discusses the history and importance of ethnobotany with specific reference to four tribal communities of Odisha, India. It begins with an account of the nature of the tribes involved in the study. Based on participatory fieldwork, it presents an insider’s account of the tribal culture and its relationship with plants. It provides the ethnobotanical descriptions of 210 species of plants belonging to 77 families, presenting their local names, origin and the medicinal, cultural, culinary, economic, ecological uses of the species. It takes up study of the plants used by tribes in the drug-based and spiritual healing processes elaborating the philosophies behind knowledge transmission such as divination, hereditary, discipleship and kinship. Related aspects such as disease diagnosis, diet restrictions and rituals are depicted in detail. There is a special chapter on forests and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) that details the efforts of communities in forest conservation, their land-use patterns, forest classification systems, list of NTFPs and their harvest-consumption patterns. It also deals with the role of NGOs, middlemen and government agencies in this. Throughout, the emphasis is on the philosophical relationship of the communities with their ecosystem.
The book would prove extremely useful to policy-makers, academicians, social workers and general readers looking forward to accompany the tribal communities towards ethno-sensitive development.
The Ever-Transcending Quest was the only way to explain Sri Chinmoys Beloved Supreme and the continuing evolution of consciousness. It was the interdependence between the Supreme and the human that captivated the author. This book is a tentative exploration.
A quarter century ago I recognized the intensely personal but also revolutionary nature of Sri Chinmoys writings on spirituality. Never before has anyone dared to suggest that the divinity Himself is evolving and transcending. This was a spirituality that soared above the divisions of religion, and potentially rendered religion obsolete! A spirituality eminently suited to our times. His explanations of the different levels of consciousness that jostle for predominance inside each individual; perceptions of the Ultimate Goal of life, and the Higher Consciousness that permeates the universe simply made sense, even seeming to pre-empt the direction of quantum physics.
The broad scope of his work was exhilarating philosophy, literature, music, artworks and the importance of physical fitness to receive the higher light of meditation into the body, departing from the usual portrayal of a Guru and path to enlightenment. It was clear that it would take many decades to understand and absorb his teachings, and by 2007, his oeurve had more than doubled.
The question was how to investigate such vast material. An overview was needed to begin some sort of dialogue with a man who had reached the summits of transcendental heights, and was, in a way, too far beyond our understanding. The Quest theme seemed to fit, and yet even that fell short. Sri Chinmoy always smashed through barriers, and so too an even higher view of the Quest was necessary the Ever-Transcending Quest was the only way to explain his Beloved Supreme and the continuing evolution of consciousness. It was the interdependence between the Supreme and the human that captivated me. This book is a tentative exploration.
This book is an indispensable guide for an up-to-date system of values. What once used to be deadly sins threatening human salvation have now become socially acceptable; envy and greed are the driving forces behind a ruthless economic world. The deadly sins are as relevant today as ever before and it would be advisable not to leave the field open, but rather to counter them with a foundation of values that are up to date.
This book is an indispensable guide for an up-to-date system of values. What once used to be deadly sins threatening human salvation have now become socially acceptable; envy and greed are the driving forces behind a ruthless economic world; there are outbreaks of anger on the streets and in the football stadiums. The name of the game is manifold: stubbornness, impatience, narcissism and disloyalty.
Notker Wolf has taken an look at an interesting development. He finds examples in the Bible, in the ancient myths, in current affairs. His conclusion: the deadly sins are as relevant today as ever before and it would be advisable not to leave the field open to them in our (western) economic and social systems, but rather to counter them with a foundation of values that are up to date. Readers will recognize themselves and our day and age in the mirror of this book.
This book vividly analyses the Islamic legal theory and its development in varied phases, encompassing various regions, intellectual approaches and social practices, making it an appropriate legal system. It also features the great jurists of Central Asia and their monumental works.
Central Asia, since eighth century ce, has remained as one of the heartlands of Islam. Mawara al-Nahr (Transoxiania) is a name to reckon with in the annals of Islamic history and jurisprudence. The Abbasid rule (ce 7501258) in this steppe region paved the way for setting the Islamic culture, and the reflection of positive results and Islamic ideology in all facets of life, nourishing the Islamic tradition and immensely contributing to the various socio-political institutions as well as diverse fields of knowledge. The early development of Islamic sciences and the involvement and contribution of Muslim intellectuals of Central Asia in their further growth remain as a splendid chapter of the Islamic history.
This book represents Islam as a constructive force that nourished scholarship in varied Islamic sciences, especially in Islamic jurisprudence. It vividly analyses the Islamic legal theory and its development in varied phases, encompassing various regions, intellectual approaches and social practices, making it an appropriate legal system. Central Asia, along with other Islamic intellectual centres like Baghdad, Basrah, Kufa and Madina, maintained the lure of standardized scholarship.
This volume, while featuring the great jurists of Central Asia and their monumental works to the Islamic jurisprudence, initiates a debate on the relevance of Islamic legal theory and its interpretation in the contemporary socio-political scenario, thus providing certain possibilities of rediscovering Islamic jurisprudence for the present times. A book of high academic value, it should impress all in the field of Islamic history and legal system.
This volume attempts to present a systematic and comprehensive history of historical writing in ancient and medieval India. It discusses the beginnings of historical tradition, Buddhist and Jain traditions of historiography, writing of historical biography, chronicles, va§÷àvalã, and the tradition of historical writing in all states of India.
In India, historical writing was a tradition that evolved in different ways in the ancient, medieval and modern periods of history. Several traditions of historiography evolved during the centuries. This volume is an attempt to present a systematic and comprehensive history of historical writing in ancient and medieval India based on many original sources and works written in the modern times.
A well-researched, painstaking study, the book broadly discusses the beginnings of historical tradition, Buddhist and Jain traditions of historiography, and writing of historical biography, chronicles, vamsavali and other historical works, as well as the tradition of historical writing in South India. One of its main concerns is to bring out the contributions of people of different religions to the evolution of the tradition of historiography. It sheds light on the historical and semi-historical works of ancient and medieval historians of Indians to dispel the argument that ancient Indians had no tradition of historiography. It shows that ancient Indians had indeed a clear conception and perception of history, taking history as the soul of the nation. It states that conscious of the fact that the culture and civilisation of a country got reflected through its history, they took pains to preserve the historical records of the past.
The book will prove extremely useful to fill the vacuum existing in our knowledge about historians and historiography in ancient and medieval India.
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