Dharma and ecology of Hindu communities : sustenance and sustainability / Pankaj Jain.

1. Introduction -- 2. Theoretical Propositions for Indic Traditions and Ecology -- 3. The Swadhyaya Movement -- 4. The Bishnoi Community -- 5. Sacred Groves of Bhils -- 6. Modern Organizations Adapting to Ecology -- 7. Dharma as Religious and Environmental Ethos -- 8. Conclusions -- Appendices. A. Translation of Jambhesvara's sabdas -- B. Hindu Myths in Jambhesvara's Sabdas -- C. Bishnoi Saṃskāras ("Rites of Passage") -- D. Translation of Jambhesvara Darsana by Brahmanand Sharma -- E. Athavale's Ecological Inspirations -- F. History of Benesvara, a Bhil pilgrimage center.

In Indic religious traditions, a number of rituals and myths exist in which the environment is revered. Despite this, India's natural resources are under heavy pressure with its growing economy and exploding population. Presenting the texts of Bishnois, their environmental history, and their contemporary activism; investigating the Swadhyaya movement from an ecological perspective; and exploring the Bhil communities and their Sacred Groves, this book applies a non-Western hermeneutical model to interpret the religious traditions of Indic communities.