Thread by @vakibs

Good question. Ecology & sustainability are hard to translate into Sanskrit or other Indic languages, not for lack of words but because of too many choices & very rich Indic understanding compared to cruder English words.

I suggest Svāstika स्वास्तिक for ecological/eco-friendly.

https://twitter.com/tshrinivas/status/1438129782156414977

Svasti स्वस्ति means “well-being, prosperity, healthiness”. That which derives from “svasti” is Svāstika स्वास्तिक, a Taddhita word. It is beautiful because it is also related to “Svastikā” स्वस्तिका, that which produces svasti, which is the alignment to Rtam ऋतं, cosmic cycle.

The word “ecology” is from Greek roots : oikos (home, habitat) logos (knowledge). It can be translated into Sanskrit. “Vasus” are the deities related to space where everything is placed. Earth is “vasudhā” वसुधा. Ecology can be translated Vāsajnāna वासज्ञान. Ecological वासज्ञ.

We can also create “suvāsada” सुवासद - that which gives a beautiful habitat. “Ecological” can be translated with a Taddhita word “Sauvāsada” सौवासद. Sanskrit scholars should check if my derivation is correct. 😀

What I want to say is, there are many beautiful words in Sanskrit.

About “sustainability”, it is really directly connected to “Dharma” धर्म. Sustainability is a key aspect of it, though it cannot cover all of the aspects of धर्म. So “Dhārmika” धार्मिक is equivalent to “sustainable” (and far more). Another possible word “Dhārayaitavya” धारयितव्य.

Please don’t use the English words into Indian languages. We are slowly killing our brains and our commonsense through these imports. Many of these words came about in English by direct inspiration from India and other earth-rooted cultures and translations of concepts therein.