The Bhāgavata Purāṇa and the Environment

Abstract

Valpey examines how the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, especially in its narrative richness, conceptualizes the natural world not just theologically but as a lived environment. From sacred rivers and forests to the intimate presence of flora and fauna, Valpey proposes that the Purāṇa embeds ecological sensitivity in devotional life. His analysis covers mythic storytelling, poetic imagery, and ritual practices that uphold the earth as sacred, urging a reevaluation of ancient texts as ecological resources.