References to depopulation in hindu literature

[विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)]

नमस्ते ऽवधानिन्, नमः पार्षदेभ्यश्च।

मम मित्रं जिज्ञासते - 

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"can u let me know if u come across any allusions to depopulation due to low birth rate in our literature of the past, i have looked but couldn't find any. Similar to how u find in classical greek and roman writings like that of polybius and Plutarch (eg. https://twitter.com/Rjrasva/status/627290343080390656/photo/1 ) is what I have in mind"

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Vishvas /विश्वासः

[R. N. iyengar]

There are many references to disasters which reduced the population in the northern and northwest parts of India. Low birth rate itself is due to the parent population getting drastically and catastrophically reduced. Sample these in Skaanda puraaNa and the MBh.

For more details you can see my paper: in IJHS 2004, pp.11-49, 

available online at  http://www.scribd.com/rni   

thanks

RN Iyengar

[विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)]

To clarify, we seek cases in our past where our sages lamented the fact that adults too fixated on pleasures (rather than being beset by disasters) are not fulfilling their pitR-rNa, leading to collapse of nation and opportunistic invasions/ subversions. Is it really the first time in our civilization that we see such a disaster looming on the horizon? The following laments from Greece and Rome may help set the context:

The Greek historian Polybius largely blamed the decline of the Hellenistic world on low fertility rates, writing his work The Histories that:

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"In our time all Greece was visited by a dearth of children and generally a decay of population, owing to which the cities were denuded of inhabitants, and a failure of productiveness resulted, though there were no long-continued wars or serious pestilences among us…. For this evil grew upon us rapidly, and without attracting attention, by our men becoming perverted to a passion for show and money and the pleasures of an idle life, and accordingly either not marrying at all, or, if they did marry, refusing to rear the children that were born, or at most one or two out of a great number, for the sake of leaving them well off or bringing them up in extravagant luxury."[20]

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In a speech to Roman nobles, Julius Caesar commented on the low birthrates of the Roman elite:

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"We liberate slaves chiefly for the purpose of making out of them as many citizens as possible. We give our allies a share in the government that our numbers may increase; yet you, Romans of the original stock, including Quintii, Valerii, Iulii, are eager that your families and names at once shall perish with you."

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निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)
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[विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)]

(+ विद्वत्-परिषत्)
नमो नम आर्य गणेश,

इह स्पष्टीकरणम् - 
Sub-replacement fertility levels (which was anything below 2.33 children per woman globally in 2003) leads to population decline (aka depopulation, if this is goes on for long). The words and actions of Julius and Augustus in case of Rome, Polybius and Plutarch in case of Greece indicate that fertility levels of those nations dipped below replacement levels, leading to something of national crises. Modern Indian examples would be:
* the Parsi population decline (which saw something like 200 annual births vs 800 deaths)

* (arguably) the relative increase in Hindu populations in Sikkim and Goa before their annexation/ merger. 

Question is, were there sayings comparable to the the Greek and Roman ones cited where our sages lament sub-replacement fertility of a kind occurring not due to calamities, but due to adults simply not being interested in having kids? 

2015-08-12 3:35 GMT-07:00 Ganesh R <avadhan...@gmail.com>:

Namaskaara,

I am unable to understand the enquiry exactly.  Can you please clarify? In the background of professor Iyengar "s mail and your reply to it am still more confused : -(

Regards

Ganesh

[Ganesh R]

मान्यवयस्यवर विश्वास,

इदानीं सम्यगवगतम्। धन्यवादाश्च। न मया कस्मिन्नपि प्राचीनग्रन्थे विचारोsसौ विलोकितः। पुनश्च विचिन्तयामि। यदि मन्मनःपथमवतरति काचिदालोचनसरणिः पूर्वसूरिनिर्व्यूढा च तर्हि भवन्तमवश्यं वित्रेण सभाजयामि।

इति भावत्को

रागः

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निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)
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[विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)]

2015-08-12 10:37 GMT-07:00 Ganesh R <avadhan...@gmail.com>:

पुनश्च विचिन्तयामि। यदि मन्मनःपथमवतरति काचिदालोचनसरणिः पूर्वसूरिनिर्व्यूढा च तर्हि भवन्तमवश्यं वित्रेण सभाजयामि।

​तेनावां ध्रुवम् अनुगृहीतौ तात सङ्कल्पेन।​