SIGNIFICANCE OF TREES: ECOCRITICISM IN SELECT SANSKRIT AND PALI TEXT

Abstract

Objective: The following study, which is grounded on ecocriticism, uses text analysis to identify the significance of trees in ancient religious texts (Pali's Jataka Tale) and nonreligious texts (Sanskrit's Panchatantra Tales). Method: According to the ecocritical theory, it provides new insights into how people think about non-humans like Plants, fairly and legitimizes their subject positions within the lens of eco-critical concerns for improving the environment and requirements for evolution from “eco-awareness to eco-consciousness.” Result: The tree nourishes and protects us and it also keeps the environment green which gives us many aesthetic values. Therefore, we must do everything to protect trees and save them before they disappear completely, additionally, scholars Tisnawijaya & Kurniati claimed that “Trees are Mother Earth.” However, the reality is that Mother Earth is currently facing various ecological problems. Conclusions: Literature from the past teaches us how to have happy lives in harmony with the natural world. These eco-literary masterpieces speak eloquently to the interplay and interdependence between humans and the environment, which is a central subject in eco-literature. The more ecocritical literature is read and discussed, the more man will come to understand how-to live-in harmony with nature and address the current global environmental crisis.