Indological studies gained momentum in India in the 18th Century of the Christian era. An impetus was given to Indology - a study of India its history, religion(s), spiritual tradition, its philosophical systems and above all its people in the year 1784 by the establishment of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, now the Asiatic Society, Calcutta by Sir William Jones with a view primarily to study the language(s), literature, history and people of India in their various aspects. With the passage of time the sphere of Indology has been broadened and alongwith history, religion, literature language(s) and philosophy Anthropology, Linguistics, Archaeology, Paleography and historiography and their modern developed forms and offshoots have been added to the spectrum of Indological studies.
Beginnings of Indology reflect its Jesuit impressions apparently with a view to undermine the glorious religio-spiritual traditoin of India but to-day, with the advent of time, scholars have begun to maintain that like other traditional cultures of the globe, the Indian tradition also imbibes into itself the philosophia perrennis the spiritual auto-experience, the cultural theme and philosophical grandeur handed down from generation to generation which in its subtle from continues even to-day. This is termed sanatana dharma in our national tradition.
The following pages contain fifteen essays originally written on various themes of Indological interest-Indology, literature, philosophy and Buddhist and Jaina studies and presented before national and international gathering of scholars during the past three decades. These papers delineate some essential features of Indian culture enshrined in our ancient texts.
While the first paper entitled 'Indology in the next Millennium (2000) was presented at an Asiatic Society Scholars' congregation who direct on the theme, two papers relate to the spectrum of Buddhist Studies (1978, 1982) and circulated before the International Buddhist Conference (1978) and as a Presidential Address to the Pali and Buddhism Section of the All-India Oriental Conference, Jaipur Session (1982). The article on the character of Bharata in the Valmiki Ramayana' was broadcast on the All-India Radio, Gorakhpur Station and the last paper entitled 'Siddhas and the Nirguna Hindi, Poets' was written for the Sixth World Hindi Conference, London (1999). The paper on 'A Buddhist Rresponse to the Modern Socio-Ecological Imbalances' presented at the International Conference on 'Rethinking Indian Culture: Challenges and Responses' at Cuttack (1999). Other papers were presented at the various sessions of All-India Oriental Conference. While the paper entitled 'Modern Indian attitude towards Sanskrit Literary Tradition' was presented at a Sahitya Akademi Seminar on Contemporary Trends in Indian Literature, Ujjain (1986). Other papers were presented at some national seminars organised by some Universities/Institutes.
The author is thankful to the authorities of the D.D.U. Gorakhpur University for their generosity in granting a sum of Rs. 15000/- for the publication of this book out of the UGC unassigned grant during 1999-2000.
Vedas (1182)
Upanishads (493)
Puranas (624)
Ramayana (741)
Mahabharata (354)
Dharmasastras (165)
Goddess (496)
Bhakti (242)
Saints (1503)
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Shiva (370)
Journal (187)
Fiction (60)
Vedanta (362)
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