Environmental Sustainability in Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy

Abstract

Contemporary mythological writers reinterpret traditional myths to engage with present-day debates on environmental degradation, sustainability and ethical responsibility. Their works reimagine rivers, forests, mountains and other natural elements as active participants in human history, reinforcing the indigenous belief that environmental well-being is inseparable from human prosperity. Such narratives resonate with the aims of environmental humanities, which advocate interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and addressing ecological crisis through cultural and literary perspectives. This paper examines how Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy constructs ecological ethics through mythological retellings and investigates its relevance to contemporary environmental sustainability. Although the Shiva Trilogy has garnered significant attention for its mythological reinterpretations and philosophical dimensions, its ecological consciousness has received limited critical attention. The trilogy reinterprets Hindu mythology to construct an ecological ethic that critiques environmental exploitation while advocating sustainable coexistence between humanity and nature. Through the symbolism of the Saraswati River, the ethical dilemmas surrounding Somras, environmental justice, and Shiva’s evolving understanding of dharma, Tripathi argues that human prosperity depends on maintaining harmony with the natural world. The analysis reveals that the trilogy re-examines Hindu mythology as a framework for ecological ethics by portraying environmental degradation as the consequence of moral imbalance, while advocating responsible stewardship of natural resources. The study will contribute to contemporary discussions in ecocriticism and environmental humanities by demonstrating how mythological fiction can foster ecological awareness and sustainability through culturally rooted narratives.