Bhagavad Gita and Environment

About The Book

The survival of the planet earth is threatened due to man's deleterious activities resulting into loss of bio diversity and smooth functioning of the ecological cycle. An action line is the need of the hour. The book enjoys the opportunity of looking into the various factors through Gita to analyse these factors and to provide possible solutions to mankind. An innovative attempt has been made through this book to discuss the verses of Gita with reference to environmental perspective. The verses of Gita have also been interpreted with respect to behaviour, ecology, evolution, genetics etc.

This book act as a guide for intellectuals, researchers and students of reasons who value science and religion as one. It is through the amalgamation of these two that can bring well-being to human race and make the smooth functioning of environmental cycle possible.

About The Author

Dr. K. K. Dua, Reader, Department of Zoology, Dayalbagh Education Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra has more than 25 years of teaching and research experience. He has been a recipient of young Scientist Award from NESA. He has undergone training on Environmental education from International Centre for conservation Education, UK. He has also been a visitor to Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Centre, USA. He has published several papers on "Environmental issue". His work on Bhagavad Gita And Environment has been widely appreciated.

FOREWORD India sits at the centre of Asia, the centre of the world. Indian people have settled across the subcontinent in great diversity of land, seascapes and environment. The empires and territories of early rulers have faced invasions of the Moghuls and British and other colonizers. Through this they have gained and shared a variety of ethical world views.

Under the diversity of communities, and languages, there is the Gita. Young and old still follow the guidelines laid down by the ancestors and their wisdom. Another survivor of the human heritage is the environment and agriculture that has been sustained here for many millennia.

This pioneering book assembles the work of Dr. Kamal Kumar Dua in a modern presentation of application of Bhagavad Gita to basic questions we face in the human relationships with other attributes of the environment. How can we follow a good life ("eubios" as I call it)? The issues include Nature Conservation, Bio-diversity, Succession of Life and Evolution. How universal are these words and principles? What are the roles of genes? How can we face and overcome human selfishness which pervades all places of our planet, India not excluded?

In the scientific age, we have to re-examine the way we have lived in the environment. Industrialization has given many local challenges like pollution and global ones like ozone depletion. We need to develop bio-ethical principles, extending concepts we have received from the past and developing new ones. The debate is cross-cultural and international, and we have to include all views.

PREFACE

First of all I must admit that without the Grace and Blessings of Lord Krishna, it is not possible for a mortal man to write even a single line about Bhagavadgita. The Bhagavadgita is a symposium of all the principles governing the ethical and spiritual life of man. The Lord's supreme motive is to make these teachings available to all aspirants. The life of man would rise to the stature to the extent these principles are imbibed and put into practice. However, the sacred science will serve no purpose to flippant people, therefore, it should not be told to them. Gita is like sun, its verses are its radiation. These radiations can be utilised by man for infinite purposes. The coded verses can be used by man at all times for infinite purposes. The message en courages a living being to follow the path of knowledge and action so as to attain perfection.

INTRODUCTION

Obeisance to Lord Krishna, Guide and Teacher of the world, Son of the world, Son of Vasudeva, Chastiser of Kamsa and Canura, and Devaki's supreme delight.

Srimad Bhagavadgita occupies a significant position among the scriptures available in the world. It contains themystic and divine message having been emanated from the lips of Lord Krishna to Arjuna, the representative of a living being in general and to mankind in particular. Through Gita, the Lord has projected unique ideas which are inaccessible, unfathomable and infinite.

The Lord through shlokas/verses has narrated the divine message in Gita. A scripture is the basic desideratum for any religion as it provides guidance for the attainment of perfection in life. Further, a faith or religion devoid of gospel, gets lost in a series of transformations and finally disintegrates and looses its identity. The integration of scripture is a holy development and with authoritative statements narrated in an effective manner provide anchorage in the form of divine message for mankind at all times.

**Contents and Sample Pages**