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The book presents a comprehensive account of the six Indian classical systems and the Carvakas, and of their texts and their exponents. Unfolding a panorama of the Hindu divinities, it also discusses Jainism and Buddhism as religions and philosophies.
In India, philosophy and religion are linked intimately, inseparably. Barring the Carvakas materialistic school, every other school has concentrated not just on the spiritual way of life in the here-and-now, but on the eventual spiritual salvation of man in relation to the universe. However, notwithstanding the centrality of its spiritual concerns, Indian philosophy has not altogether glossed over materialism; rather it has known it, overcome it, and has accepted idealism as the only tenable view -whatever specific form that idealism might take: mythological, popular or technical. Offering a brilliant prefatory discussion on the nature and thematic importance of the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita, Padhis book tries to capture Indias fabulous philosophic genius, with comprehensive, at once objective account of all the six classical systems: the Nyaya, the Vaisheshika, the Samkhya, the Yoga, the Purva Mimamsa, and the Vedanta; and, in addition, of the Carvakas: the crass materialists. And of their numerous texts and their exponents: classical, medieval, and modern. Also unfolding a panorama of the Hindu pantheonic divinities, the authors present Jainism and Buddhism: both as religions and philosophies -with focus on their world- views of ethics, major doctrines and significant metaphysical theories, among other aspects. Uninfluenced either by the idealistic/eulogistic studies of certain Indian scholars, or by the damaging critiques of their Western counterparts, the authors aim to achieve utmost objectivity in their presentation. Which, together with extensive bibliographic references and glossary of Sanskrit terms, makes the book an authentic guide for the discerning readers of Indian philosophy, religion and mythology.
This book extensively treats the subject of Indian temple jalas or grilles with an in-depth discussion basd on Vastusastra, for the first time with the aid of line drawings and illustrations. It brings within its purview Islamic screen and Gothic traceries also, for comparing and contrasting.
The present monograph is unique in that it, for the first time, extensively treats the subject of Indian temple jalas or grilles together with an in depth discussion in the light of relevant medieval vastusastra passages in Sanskrit on Indian architecture. Besides identification, classifica-tion, and description of the different grille types as well as their forms, features, and ornamentation, it investigates their purpose and their relationship with the environment as well as their functional engagement with the building of which each example is an integral part. It likewise traces the origins or at least the earliest incidences together with the development, wherever discernible, of the Indian grilles. While maintaining the thrust of writing towards the ancient and medieval Indian grilles, it brings within its purview the Islamic screens and the Gothic traceries for comparing and contrasting their characteristics with the earlier Indian. In the process, it also dwells on the factors of concept, form, function and, above all, aesthetics. The visual appearance of the jalas developed in each of these three architectural systems considerably varies due to environmental, creedal, cultural, and hence stylistic differences. The text of the monograph is elucidated by carefully drawn 55 line drawings and 348 photo illustrations. Being scholarly and, as a result, of academic disposition, it will not have the privilege of the company and prestige of coffee table books. It likewise cannot be a companion book for the icono-graphers who in India dominate the field of ancient art and pass as art historians, nor is it useful to the modernists and lovers exclusively of contemporary arts and literature. What is more, in orientation, treatment of theme, and the tenor of discussion, it adheres to the methodology of art history proper and, by the same token, not that of neo-art interpretatory, a different and new discipline which their protagonists, the Newtrendians in the West and because of them the Newtrendianoids in India, claim and proclaim as New art history, just as they look down at the other/original one by qualifying it as conventional, traditional, old-fashioned, and outmoded. They are largely unconcerned about history and chronology, socio-religious and cultural background, and ignore style, inherent concepts, philosophy, metaphysics, and aesthetics.
It is a socio-cultural study of the contemporary Indian society in the context of the invasion of the culture of technology. Analysing the reactions of Gandhi, Aurobindo, etc., it offers a futuristic assessment of the problem.
The book is a brilliant socio-cultural study of the contemporary Indian society in the context of the invasion of the culture of technology. The recent spate of technological advancements involves much more than the mere use of lifeless mechines. It is an inculcation of a constellation of values and ideas a new culture. In a tradition-bound society like India the culture of technology is looked at with panic and suspicion. The phenomenon of dehumanisation and the erosion of human values associated with this culture seems to confuse the Indian mind. Yet, India has not been able to withhold the march of this culture. Dr. Johnson makes a penetrating analysis of the Indian predicament with reference to the reactions of Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo and Jayaprakash Narayan; and offers a futuristic assessment of the problem. He argues that the solution lies not in dismissing the culture of technology but in incorporating it within the fabric of tradition, so that India can keep pace with the time. He tackles the problem by delving deep into the intracies of the matter of tradition and technology; and spells out the changes required in our traditional way of looking at things. The book is very contemporary in its approach and reflects a rare kind of optimism about Indias potentialities in facing the problem.
This volume is collection of eight lectures delivered by Dr Kapila Vatsyayan on different occasions, some in the memory of four eminent persons and another four on critical issues related to culture.
This volume is collection of eight lectures delivered by Dr Kapila Vatsyayan on different occasions, some in the memory of four eminent persons such as Ancharlott Eschmann, an art historian; Dr C.D. Deshmukh, founder of the India International Centre and former Chairman, University Grants Commission; Prof. Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya, eminent writer social worker andformer president of the Sahitya Akademi and Dr D.S. Kothari, the doyen of science and a dedicated Gandhian, and the remaining four on a few critical issues related to culture.
These lectures delve upon crucial terms and topics like shastra and prayoga, and marga and desi in the study of Indian arts, other social systems and the sociology of religion; interface of culture and development; role of arts in social transformation; a modern rishi, the eco-cultural cartography of South Asia; the oral and written systems of knowledge transmission; the different aspects of Indias cultural heritage and identity; and Hinduism as a religion of divine immanence, where concepts like purusharthas and varnashrama-dharma are all part and parcel of the all-encompassing Sanatana Dharma.
This book thus enables readers to enlarge and nurture Indias cultural heritage and its allied features. In a fast-changing world, one should know his cultural past and thereby prepare himself to absorb what is needed, without losing his identity and existence.
The thought-provoking articles contained in this volume present insights into the Hindu religious vision for nourishing mutual appreciation and respect among the various religious traditions. They also make up a presentation of Vedic and Upaniùadic ideas of understanding and ahi§sà to address some of the most urgent global problems of today.
The conference papers make up a presentation of Vedic and Upanishadic ideas of understanding and ahimsa to address some of the most urgent global problems in todays world. The scholarly articles elaborate on principles of ahimsa as practised by the Buddhist and Jain traditions and by the Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Scholars from India and other parts of Asia as well as the West here explore the scientific and systematic nature of life of the Vedic people. They examine aspects relating to linguistics, the Indian epic literature, and advaita, and study many individual topics like states of consciousness in Indian philosophy and concept of time in Indian heritage. They delve into the meaning and message of the Upaniùads as extremely relevant to us in the present century. A study examines festivals to determine the correlation between annual festivals and natural factors and conducts a scientific analysis that establishes a relation between lunar phases and human physiology, and more generally the relation between calendar and culture.
The thought-provoking papers present insights into the vision of Dharmic traditions for nourishing mutual appreciation and respect among religious traditions. They also reveal the abuses and distortions that the tradition has suffered from within over the ages. They call for a scientific analysis of human traditions so that their time-tested values can prove relevant to the present day.
This Volume is the first attempt to cross-fertilize palaeography and linguistics in the ongoing research on Brahma and its daughter scripts used in the present-day India. The palaeographic papers cover the main issues in the decipherment of the Indus Valley script, and the linguistic papers explore the issues of the roots of the orthographic unit akshara in Vedic phonetics. Palaeographers epigraphists, linguists and computational scientists, will find this volume interesting and useful.
This volume presents the advances in the ongoing research on Brahmi and its daughter scripts used in the present day India. It brings together two main trends: evolutionary-historical development and linguistic grounding. This is the first attempt to cross-fertilize palaeography and linguistics. The palaeographic papers cover the main issues in the decipherment of the Indus Valley script, the origin and evolution of Brahmi, and the palaeographic methods and considerations employed in the decipherment of scripts. These present different trends and arguments of writers on the origin of Brahmi as having been around the Mauryan era or at a much earlier stage, relate to broader historical and cultural issues. They also deal with the need for the use of established and more current palaeographic techniques in classifying regional and stylistic variants of scripts. The linguistic papers in the volume explore the issues of the roots of the orthographic unit aksara in Vedic phonetics, its claim as a minimal articulatory phonetic unit, and the properties of Brahmi as a generative writing system. The philosophical and linguistic underpinning of the concept aksara is shown to thread its use in the varieties of treatises, from the Vedas to phonetic texts. The papers help in providing linguistic evidence for historical accounts of the script as an invention at a given time or as an evolving evolutionary system, apart from relating the development of the script to the linguistic history of India. Palaeographers epigraphists, linguists and computational scientists, will find this volume interesting and useful.
The book deals with evolution of Mughal architecture (ad 1526 to 1658) and explains the distinct characteristics of Mughal art the use of architectural material by the Mughals, their roofing techniques, their dome and the special features of the Mughal jharokha. Prof. Nath delves into the concepts and customs the Mughal architecture involved, discussing examples of monuments in detail.
It deals, extremely briefly, with the evolutionary process of Mughal Architecture, practically from Babur to Shah Jehan (1526 to 1658 ad). Instead of being an exotic phenomenon, as it is largely misunderstood, Mughal Architecture, like the Gupta art, was deeply rooted in the soil and it grew and developed not only on indigenous forms and techniques, but also on its concepts, customs and beliefs. It was owing to the decisive participation of native sources, in its development, that such a wonderful monument as the Taj Mahal could be built in India, and nowhere else. The Land, the People and the Culture have made it what it is, which is why it is so diametrically different from any other art of Islam. Written in a simple language, without the research jargon, and adequately illustrated, the book gives an authoritative appraisal of the subject with landmark examples.
The volume highlights the relevance of indigenous knowledge of South Asian tribal and rural communities in sustainable management of forests and local resources. With case studies, it shows that collective initiatives at the grassroots level and locally accepted patterns of livelihood of these communities can help address challenges of economic development vis-a-vis environmental hazard and a declining resource base.
Reflecting the latest findings of a large research project that began about a decade ago this volume, the 5th in the ongoing Man and Forest series, highlights the relevance of indigenous knowledge of various South Asian tribal and rural communities in the sustainable management of forests and local resources more specially against the growing challenges of economic development vis-a-vis environmental hazards and a declining resource base. Not only the volume reiterates the relevance of indigenous knowledge as a development tool in this age of standardized, modern know-how applications, but also illustrates its enormous impact on the social development in tribal and rural areas. Not just in India but in the adjacent countries of Nepal and Bhutan as well are analysed forest policy issues. In these countries, particularly in the current scenario of regulation, the authors emphasise of both collective initiatives at the grassroots level and securing the locally accepted patterns of livelihood for the tribal and village communities. The volume includes widely varied case studies on the role of indigenous knowledge in forestry, community living, and joint management of local natural resources. This book consists of 17 papers, based on cross-cultural, interdisciplinary investigations of well-known scholars of forest management, ethno-botanists, social anthropologists and of the members of several local NGOs involved in either community forestry or village development programmes.
The National Mission for Manuscripts, through its nationwide documentation efforts, is engaged in preserving and rendering accessible India’s knowledge cultures. The Mission’s Seminar Series, Samrakshka, which began in February 2005, presents various regional and local practices employed in the creation and preservation of manuscripts.
The National Mission for Manuscripts was established as a five-year project in February 2003 by the Department of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India. Its purpose is to locate, document, preserve and disseminate the knowledge content of Indian manuscripts. The Mission, through its nation-wide network and documentation efforts, is engaged in preserving and rendering accessible India’s knowledge cultures, seeking to link the ideas and visions of the past with the future. The Mission’s Seminar Series, ‘Samrakska’, began with a Seminar in February 2005 on Oral Traditions and Indigenous Methods of Preservation and Conservation of Manuscripts. Papers presented during this Seminar deal with the various regional and local practices employed in the creation and preservation of manuscripts. They provide valuable information on old and indigenous techniques which, over the years, have been relegated to the margins of contemporary conservation practices and deserve a revival. Conducted over a period of three years, the Seminar provided ample opportunity to the participants to share their ideas and experiences, discuss the merits of various alternatives and formulate plans in the area of manuscript conservation for the future.
The book studies the evolution of euhemeristic deities of the Vedic period mainly Indra, the Rbhus, the Asvins and the Maruts. It explores the rationale behind the euhemerism and the historicity of events leading to their mythologization.
In deities : whether in anthropomorphic or symbolic forms, the Vedic sages conceived a transcendent principle, which is far too subtle, far too abstract for the ordinary minds to grasp. And likewise, they concretized as divinities the various forces of nature recognizing the indispensability of rain and thunder, of the sun and fire for human survival. Alongside the material representations of the cosmic order or of nature and nature-related phenomena, mankind has also mythologized some of its exceptionally great personalities (like, for instance, the Buddha, Mahavira and Jesus), who were believed to incarnate superhuman qualities or the highest of human ideals though these deities of our times were veritably the magnified men of real history. Dr. Uma Chakravartys book investigates this phenomenon of euhemerism: the deification of historical personages, from among the divinities of Vedic writings. It is the first, all-exclusive study to look into the evolution of euhemeristic deities of the Vedic period and how these mortals-turned-gods came to have varying deific positions on the hierarchic scale of the Vedic pantheon. Meticulously describing Indra, the Ribhus, the Ashvins and the Maruts together with the connotations of their names and epithets the author not only explores the rationale behind the age-old euhemerism, but even the historicity of the events leading to their mythologization. Supported by extensive bibliographic references, the book is a brilliant effort to demonstrate the complementarity of history and mythology. And is, thus, invaluable to the scholars of Indology and its kindred disciplines.
In the context of current knowledge situation, when every discipline has something to contribute to interdisciplinarity, it seems quite apposite and opportune that philosophy should reinforce and reassert its traditionally cherished role of integrating human knowledge. The Book at hand is an attempt to that end. It is set to take the readers on an enthralling journey across disciplinary boundaries and inspire them to reach a comprehensive conceptual framework for human knowledge at large.
The book delves into the idea and the philosophy of interdisciplinarity, and then unravels the genealogy, dynamics, and myriad configurations of the highly complex phenomenon. It goes on to assess impact, advantages and critical issues involved in interdisciplinarity, while outlining an Indian view of it. The book, thus, explores the conceptual connections, fundamental issues and intrinsic implications of a myriad variety of interdisciplinary study and research, within and beyond academia. The book also attempts to develop necessary theoretical perspectives and a broader conceptual framework in this connection. Ultimately, it seeks to reach, as far as possible, a systematic conceptual account of varied and variegated interdisciplinary studies and researches by integrating them philosophically.
The present work is thus, intended for a wider audience, and not only for the practitioners of philosophy as an academic discipline. It is a must read across the intellectual spectrum, regardless of one’s disciplinary affinities and affiliations. It is wide-ranging in its concerns, far-reaching in implications, and highly resourceful and relevant for generalists as well as specialists, scholars and scientists, researchers and curriculum developers, educational administrators and policy-makers.
Questioning modern methods of development, this volume discusses from the complex issues of cultural identity to the worldwide human problems stemming from the development-planners unmindfulness of endogenous cultures.
From the post-World War II decolonization to about mid-1980s, mainstream development thinking has focussed on economics, on the one-dimensional abstraction of homo economicus, to the exclusion of all else: specially the socio-cultural context in which development might take place. This divorce of development from culture, however, was poor economics a hard fact, which the international community has come to discover gradually. experientially. The United Nations too was not found wanting in its shared concern for culture. On 21 January 1988, it launched under the aegis of Unesco The World Decade for Cultural Development in its effort to chiefly (a) strengthen awareness of cultural dimension of development, and (b) enrich cultural identities the world over. In the Indian capital, the Indira Gandhi National Centrel for the Arts (IGNCA) has initiated a multidisciplinary discourse on development issues vis-a-vis the whole range of cultural variables and definitions. Which its newly-introduced series: Culture and Development proposes to cover in entirety. Integration of Endogenous Cultural Dimension into Development Volume 2 of the Culture-and -Development series takes the discourse on: from the complex issues of cultural identity to the worldwide human problems stemming from the development-planners unmindfulness of endogenous cultures. Carrying 17 presentations of a Unesco-sponsored workshop : 19-23 April 1995 at IGNCA, New Delhi, it questions the modern methods of development which, evolved from the experience of the industrialized world, have brought about neither peace nor harmony, neither alleviation of poverty nor socio-economic equality .Thus arguing why current development processes call for serious rethinking, the authors spell out not only the urgency of integrating endogenous cultural dimension into the paradigms of development, but also the relevance of linking development with the ethical basis of life and living. Also included in the volume are several case studies, with special reference to the Asian situation. The contributors to this volume are reputed scholars, planners and grassroots-level social workers from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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