Paper Title: Agni Purana and Environmental Awareness
Author:
Abstract:
Among the commonly available eighteen Mahāpurāṇas, the Agni Purāṇa stands out as the most authoritative. The speaker of this Purāṇa is Agni (the Fire God), and the listener is the sage Bṛhaspati. The Purāṇa gets its name from Agni, as it is referred to as the Agni Purāṇa or Agnīya Purāṇa. The Agni Purāṇa is often regarded as an encyclopedic compilation of Indian knowledge, covering a vast array of topics. It is a repository of various branches of knowledge, including Ayurveda, tree-based medicine (Vṛkṣāyurveda), mathematics, astrology, equine and livestock sciences, and architecture (Vāstu-śāstra). However, notably, it also addresses environmental concerns in great detail. Specifically, it discusses awareness of nature and the environment, pollution prevention, tree planting, excavation of water bodies, and water conservation. It also emphasizes the importance of keeping roads and pathways clean and maintaining general hygiene. Thus, it is clear that the sages of the Agni Purāṇa were far ahead of their time in terms of environmental awareness, making a compelling case for ecological consciousness centuries ago.
Keywords:Mahāpurāṇa, Agni Purāṇa, encyclopedic knowledge, Ayurveda, Vṛkṣāyurveda, tree planting, environmental awareness, pollution control, ecological foresight.
DOI Link – https://doi.org/10.63431/AIJITR/2.IV.2025.75-86
Review By – Dr. Amrita Dutta, and Amit Adhikari