Purifying the Earthly Body of God: Religion and Ecology in Hindu India
Book Specification
| Item Code: | IDD198 |
| Author: | Ed. By. Lance E. Nelson |
| Publisher: | D. K. Printworld Pvt. Ltd. |
| Language: | English |
| Edition: | 2000 |
| ISBN: | 8124601550 |
| Pages: | 375 |
| Cover: | Hardcover |
| Other Details | 8.8" X 5.8" |
| Weight | 640 gm |
Book Description
From the Jacket:
Examining the relation between religion and ecological concern in Hinduism from textual, theological, anthropological, feminist, and eco-activist approaches, this volume brings together an international, interdisciplinary groups of scholars. The book covers the relevant aspects of the Hindu tradition, searching out the ecological implications of pilgrimage and sacred geography, earth and river goddesses, the beliefs and ritual practice of villagers, castes consciousness and Vedanta, Tantra, and Goddess theologies.
"The book considers, in a thoughtful and analytical way, a timely issue: how important and basic traditional ideas like asceticism, karma and rebirth, and purity and impurity influence contemporary Indian thinking about the environment. It has an impressive and diverse array of contributors, and there is a nice balance of theory and fieldwork. It shows well how India is 'sacred ground (and water)'." - Observes ANDREW O. Fort, Texas Christian University
About the Author:
Lance E. Nelson is Assistant Professor of Theological and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego.
| Acknowledgements | Ix | |
| Introduction | 1 | |
| Part I: Theological and Textual Perspectives | 11 | |
| 1. | Toward and Indigenous Indian Environmentalism: Christopher Key Chapple | 13 |
| 2. | The Ecological Implications of Karma Theory: Harold Coward | 39 |
| 3. | Attitudes to Nature in the Early Upanishads: Arvind Sharma | 51 |
| 4. | The Dualism of Nondualism: Advaita Vedanta and the Irrelevance of Nature: Lance E. Nelson | 61 |
| 5. | Sacred Immanence: Reflections of Ecofeminism in Hindu Tantra: Rita Dasgupta Sherma | 89 |
| 6. | Models and Images for a Vaisnava Environmental Theology: The Potential Contribution of Srivaisnavism: Patricia Y. Mumme | 133 |
| Part II: Views from the Field | 163 | |
| 7. | Sin and Rain: Moral Ecology in Rural North India: Ann Grodzins Gold | 165 |
| 8. | On the Ethics and Aesthetics of Recycling in India: Frank J. Korom | 197 |
| 9. | Learning the Story of the Land: Reflections on the Liberating Power of Geography and Pilgrimage in the Hindu Tradition: David Kinsley | 225 |
| 10. | Theology and Ecology at the Birthplace of Krsna: Bruce M. Sullivan | 247 |
| 11. | The Earth Goddess Bhu Devi: Toward a Theory of "Embedded Ecologies" In Folk Hinduism: Vijaya Rettakudi Nagarajan | 269 |
| 12. | Idioms of Degeneracy: Assessing Ganga's Purity and Pollution: Kelly D. Alley | 297 |
| Conclusion: Lance E. Nelson | 331 | |
| Contributors | 345 | |
| Index | 349 | |
