Kanak Sharma

Polyphonic relational epistemology in the Upanishads emphasizes that truth is shaped through multiple voices and perspectives, highlighting the importance of dialogue, shared reflection, and community. The term Upanishad—signifies sitting close to the teacher, quieting the mind, and dispelling ignorance through knowledge. Each Upanishad begins with a shared invocation of peace, underscoring that knowledge is relational and requires harmony and joy in learning. Drawing on relational epistemology (Gergen, Thayer-Bacon, Code) and Bakhtin's theory of polyphony, this paper argues that the Upanishads exemplify a transformative epistemological framework: truth as co-constructed, dialogical, and inclusive. Their polyphonic weaving of metaphors, prayers, and unity of Self and world resists reduction to a single perspective, offering enduring relevance for education, care practices, and pluralistic knowledge-making.

This paper explores the classical Advaitic concept of Nididhyasana (deep contemplation), tracing its origins in the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad and examining its potential applications in contemporary philosophical counselling. Nididhyasana transcends mere meditation; it entails the profound assimilation of truth, following the stages of Sravana (hearing) and Manana (reflection). The Upanishadic dialogues, particularly those between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, serve as rich templates of experiential teaching that stand the test of time. This paper positions Nididhyasana as a potent tool for existential transformation, particularly in contexts where philosophical clarity and ontological anchoring offer a viable path beyond modern psychological frameworks. Through a comparative and applicative approach, the paper advocates for Nididhyasana as an experiential modality, bridging the gap between metaphysical truth and practical life, and intriguingly shifting the focus from problem-solving to ontological grounding.

This paper outlines some flaws of the faddist social forestry movement that is currently sweeping Canada's volunteer NGOs. Typically, these include: Canadian NGOs' ignorance of tropical ecology; their inability to adequately communicate with the Third World clientel because of the socio-cultural barriers; a propensity to undertake numerous development projects and thus seek to bloat their organizations so as to claim federal government grants; and most of all, complaints of alleged racism against NGOs by Canada's ethnic minorities who are kept out of the development field. Impacts on the Third World development of each of these flaws are briefly noted. The paper concludes by offering some recommendations for improving Canadian volunteer NGOs' performance in social forestry in the Third World