Blog Layout Three

प्रस्तुत समग्र विश्लेषण से अब यह बात निश्चित है की भारत में ‘इतिहास लेखन विधा’ का प्रचलन था | केवल इस विधा की शैली भिन्न है, इतिहास का अर्थ एवं विचार भिन्न है | यही कारण है कि आधुनिक इतिहास लेखन विधाने भारतीय इतिहास को शास्त्रीय स्थान प्रदान नहीं किया है | किन्तु राष्ट्र का स्वभाव, लोकमानस,चित्त एवं परम्पराओं का विचार करते हुए धर्म के आधार पर लिखी गई नैतिकता की कथाएँ यह भारत का इतिहास है | इसमें मूल्यों के विश्लेषण हेतु स्थान, काल, व्यक्ति एवं घटनाओं का प्रयोजन है | अर्थात ‘इतिहास’ यह भारत की अपनी परम्परा है |

Not provoking any eternal heavenly pleasure for after-life , Hindu philosophy has been always concerned with reducing suffering and promoting well-being that can be actualized in this material world. The ancient Indian scriptures always encourage us to make a positive impact on the world through various modes of charity. Millions of people are there in this world, who are in worse conditions than us. That might be not their fault or beyond their ability to change or prevent. Here, let us see, how the Shiva Purana reminds us that we are social creatures and that the noblest way for us to advance is by helping those who are unable to help themselves and sharing with others.

... the land for agriculture should not be scratched or hit with the plough then. Besides, shaving is also prohibited and a self-controlled life is to be lived. Since she takes care of us throughout the year, hence, we must also keep on paying attention to her- and let her blessings bring wellness to everyone.

The Hindus have always regarded the act of giving as a noble Karma without any expectation of phala or “return or reward”. This is also a path for enlightening the soul inside, in this due process. Hence, the Hindu way of charity can be considered to be the greatest virtue of humanity. The following Chapter titled “Giving away of Charities” from the Kurma Mahapurana deals with contributing towards spreading light to the needy, making life better and coming close to other souls by the dint of charity

The story shows how for the Hindus a good king also means a good protector. And, balancing both the sides who are deprived and offering equal justice is also an essential part of dharma. Also, the event highlights how birds and animals are given equal respect alongside human beings in Hinduism. The ancients understood long before that it is vital to balance both mankind and nature and sustain biodiversity. The narration of the entire event by Lomash Muni also kept on resonating in Yudhisthira’s mind. His heart filled with immense pride on realizing to be born into such a line of righteous rulers. What an epic scene of sacrifice indeed! Its truth continuously floated clearly in front of his eyes for a long time. After prolonged suffering, now all the Pandavas were charged up enough to spread their wings for the upcoming future.

Water is the foundation of our existence. Every advanced and ancient civilization developed along waterways. Besides human survival and developing a healthy ecosystem, it provided both economic and political strength to the societies. Above all, being at the core of sustainable development, water lay at the heart of adaptation to climate change in the ancient days, serving as an important connection between climate system, environment and society. The Hindus were ahead of their time in making proper plans for water conservation and were well aware of how to keep water bodies stay clean. The following section of the grand Shiva Purana specifically prescribes and promotes water management, keeping in mind the serving of water to the needy, agricultural management, digging tanks, overall land use planning and forest resource utilization.

From the very first, it was a part of the ancient Indian’s philosophy that they appreciated the importance of generating finest possible food products besides helping people to grow also. Moreover, apart from sustainably intensifying food production, they also believed in contributing in the best ways possible, leaving no issue of landfills and thus supporting communities and saving all the resources utilized to produce that food from going to waste. This is because, in the Hindu mindset, providing access to healthy and sustainable food for others was a part of their Karma and Dharma. Thus, they paved the way to protect and feed people and animals and sustain the Mother Earth. Keeping the above benefits in mind, let us see in the following content what the Shiva Purana talks about the glory of feeding people and other forms of charities.

To paraphrase French philosopher Ernest Renan, Muslims and Christians are the first victims of Islam and Christianity. To liberate the Muslim and Christian from his religion is the best service one can render him. Seen in that light, gharvapasi is a humane and constructive activity. Its success depends not so much upon the attitude of Muslims and Christians as upon the ability of the Hindus to digest them. It is time for Hindus to shed delusion and show heroism.

Let us assume that you have decided to make a difference in the world with your own hands but not sure from where to begin. Undoubtedly, we all need to play our own part in whatever way we can. Now you may come across some people who may advice to make a charitable donation. Is that a feasible solution to achieve happiness, experience more pleasure, reduce poverty and protect public health? And, for this will you not undertake some research to choose the perfect recipient? However, as you are ready to make charity, are you aware of what are the positive consequences of the donation?  Let us see what the Hindu scriptures have to say about making the world a better place. Long ago, the ancient Indians already found the answers to the above questions and they proved how charities can also help communities become sustainable. Here, the specific portions chosen from the grand Padma Purana will help to understand this subject matter better.

Currently, the need for sustainable resource management has become increasingly urgent with the rapid rise in demand for commodities as the world’s population is increasing. Here, sustainable livestock sector works as one of the pillars of the global food system and a contributor to poverty reduction, food security and agricultural development. However, long before the ancient Hindus realized its deep connections with economy, society and biodiversity and their scriptures make it clear how this sector can work as a contributor to poverty reduction, food security and agricultural development. From the very first, India possessed a huge livestock population reared under diverse production systems and agroclimatic conditions. And, it reflects in their texts how they started sustainable livestock development through cattle rearing, especially bull and cows, balancing wide array of demands and resolving various environmental challenges. No doubt, it is well understood from the scriptures like Padma Purana, how and why at the extreme end, these domestic creatures were given a divine status and always given special respect in the Hindu society. Here, some selected portion of the Padma Purana is chosen to highglight the importance given to bull and cow farming.