Drawing on India's ancient roots, Prime explores the possibility of applying old-world knowledge to new-world problems. Discover the environmental perspective put forth by the Vedas and how environmental activists and thinkers are applying it today. The author presents his own conclusions about high thinking and simple living, as well as interviewing prominent activists including scientist Vandana Shiva, Satish Kumar, Banwari (editor of Jansata, a Hindi daily newspaper) and prominent environmentalist Sevak Saran. Includes over 45 illustrations.
| |||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Ranchor Prime works as a freelance writer and broadcaster and as an advisor on religion and conservation to the Worldwide Fund for Nature in Britain and India. He is the author of Hinduism and Ecology and Ramayan: A Tale of Gods and Demons and contributes to many books on religion and the environment.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent--I keep buying this book and giving it to friends,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Vedic Ecology: Practical Wisdom for Surviving the 21st Century (Hardcover)
Vedic Ecology is divided into three parts, "Learning From the Tradition," "India in the Balance," and "Campaigning for the Future." Ranchor's discussion of tradition starts with two chapters on forests. He explains, "At the outset of the nineteenth century India was well endowed with thick forest land. To meet the British Empire's needs during the nineteenth century, the forests were gradually nationalized and the Indian Forestry Department set up to exploit them." He says that huge areas of virgin forest were felled for shipbuilding, railways, industrial fuel, etc. However, he quotes Sevak Sharan, noted Indian environmentalist, who describes how, by redeveloping India's spiritual culture and environment side by side, human society and the environment can be saved. Sharan says, "human beings are part of the forest splendor and should therefore, in their natural state, love and respect it. [...] If we are not kind to the tree, the ant or some other animal or plant, we are not environmentalists. We have to see Krishna in every being. This is one of the requirements for the environmentalist."
Ranchor continues his tradition section of Vedic Ecology with a chapters on the Sleeping Creator, Cosmic Person, Ten Avatars, and Krishna, the Forest Cowherd, Who honors the hill, sun, trees, and cows. In his second section, "India In the Balance," Ranchor presents Gandhi's vision in a chapter entitled, Village Economics. His next chapter, Life of Sacrifice, is an interview with Satish Kumar, founder of the first international college devoted to teaching a spiritual approach to the environment. Satish says, "Whenever you take, eat, or consume, you must consider whether you have left something for others--for God, for nature, for the poor and for future generations. This is sacrifice, or yajna." In the last five chapters Ranchor encourages his readers to join him by "Campaigning for the Future." He first discusses Balbir Mathur, a successful businessman who became disillusioned with Western culture and founded Trees for Life. Mathur quotes the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.22.33-35), "The whole life of a tree is service. With its leaves, flowers, fruits, branches, roots, shade, fragrance, sap, bark, wood, and finally even its ashes and coal, it exists for the sake of others." Ranchor interviews Sunderlal Bahugana, follower of Gandhi who fights to save the Himalayan environment, and Vandana Shiva, world-renowned environmental philosopher and activist. Ranchor crafts his interviews into concise summaries that reveal his affection for his environmentalist collaborators. His summaries communicate high philosophy, folklore, practical wisdom, and most of all, appreciation for nature from a spiritual perspective. In 160 pages, he entertains, teaches, fascinates, and nudges us to action. He concludes with a short chapter of Prabhupada's vision for An Alternative Society, and a chapter on Restoring Krishna's Forest.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring, Timely Spiritual Approach to Ecology and Personal Action,
By Vanamali Ashram "Hari Aum" (Heartwood, USA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Vedic Ecology: Practical Wisdom for Surviving the 21st Century (Hardcover)
What an important, inspiring synthesis. The Vaishnava vision of sustainability is presented with lucidity and depth. Gandhi's teachings are so timely, and so insightful. The examples of the lives of Satish Kumar and Balbir Mathur empower each of us toward action. I plan to give this book to my grandson, he loves nature & he loves Krishna.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
