A unifying vision between Samsara and Nirvana has been presented in this study by placing human beings at the centre of the universe. Once this is accepted, the role of God turns to be nothing. This fact is not acceptable to most of the schools of Indian philosophy because of their strong faith in Brahman (God) as the creator of the universe. In that, this study raises the fundamental question. Why Brahman, being the creator, sustainer and dissolver of the universe, has taken such a long time of more than three billion years after the solar system to provide the conditions for the evolution of human life? Since the first cause of universe is the most difficult question, it is suggested to see the creator on the creation itself.
An inference has been drawn that the action (karma) of human beings cannot be treated as ignorance, once it is accepted that human beings are at the centre of the universe. We human beings have nothing else except the freedom of action (karma). In fact, karma itself is freedom.
This volume, in a way, an offshoot of the author’s earlier work, Science of Consciousness draws the inferences based on the different systems of Indian philosophy and the philosophy of the West.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR V.N. Misra
Virendra Nath Misra got his M.A. degree in Anthropology from Lucknow Universityin 1957, and Ph.D. in Archaeology from Pune University in 1962, under the guidance of the eminent archaeologist, Prof. H.D. Sankalia. He has carried out extensive archaeological explorations in Rajasthan, M.P. and U.P., and has discovered more than a hundred archaeological sites. He has excavated Mesolithic sites of Bagor and Tilwara, several Palaeolithic sites near Didwana, and Chalcolithic and Early Historic site of Balathal in Rajasthan, Palaeolithic and Mesolithic rock-shelters at Bhimbetka,and Palaeolithic site of Samnapur in M.P. Misra’s studies of Quaternary deposits in western Rajasthan and excavations at Singi Talav and the fossil dune at 16R, Didwana, jointly with Prof. S.N. Rajaguru, have significantly contributed to understanding the evolution of environment and early human colonization of the Thar desert. His excavations at Balathal have thrown ample light on the lifeways Balathal have thrown ample light on the lifeways of the Chalcolithic farmers and early historic iron workers of Mewar. Misra has conducted ethnographic studies among the hunting-gathering communities of Bhils, Van Vagris, and Kalbeliyas in Rajasthan, Kanjars in U.P., and Pardhis and Kuchbandhias in M.P. He has supervised Ph.D. research of 25 students in different branches of archaeology, and has authored or edited, singly or jointly, 10 books, and over 120 research papers published in leading journals and edited volumes. Misra has been editor of Man and Environment, Journal of the Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies from its inception in 1977, and was co-editor of Eastern Anthropologist. Besides, he has been associated, as a member of the editorial advisory boards, with Journal of the S.C. Roy Institute, The Anthropologists, Journal of World Prehistory, L’ Anthropologie, the Holocene, The Asian Perspectives, and Geoarchaeology. Prof. Misra has been recipient of Pandit Jagpal Krishna Gold Medeal of Lucknow University; Homi Bhabha Fellowship; Leverhulme Visiting Fellowship at ANU, Canberra; Senior Fulbright Fellowship at UC, Berkeley; Corresponding Membership of IsMEO, Rome; Visiting Fellowships at Allahabad University and NEHU; National Fellowship of ICHR; Emeritus Fellowship of UGC; D.N. Majumdar Memorial Medal of Indian Social Science Association, and V.S. Wakankar Award of Indian Archaeological society. He has taught Anthropology at Lucknow University and Archaeology at Deccan College Post-Graduate & Research Institute (Deemed to be University), Pune. He was Director of the Deccan College from 1990 to 2000.
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