The Iconography and Ritual of Śiva at Elephanta

The Iconography and Ritual of Śiva at Elephanta PDF Author: Charles D. Collins
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 0791499537
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 360

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Book Description
The beautiful rock-cut Siva temple on Elephanta Island in Bombay Harbor is one of the finest monuments of Indian religion and art. Until now, interpretation of its magnificent sculptured scenes has been neglected. In this book, Collins systematically surveys the pertinent Vedic, Epic, and early Puranic literature as well as the contributions of India's foremost poet and dramatist, Kalidasa, to reveal sources for and interpretations of the subjects of the relief sculptures. This survey shows strong associations with areas formerly controlled by the classical Gupta dynasty in northern India. This book provides the first detailing of this link, intimated by others before, which helps to explain the grandeur of style found in the colossal reliefs. By applying certain aspects of ritual texts of the Lakulisa-Pasupata, the sect that probably used Elephanta originally, exceptional clarity is revealed for the worship of the sculptures in a counterclockwise sequence, quite unusual in India, but appropriate to this particular sect. Lakulisa-Pasupata texts are invoked in Collins' theory of how the cave-temple at Elephanta was used. This area of investigation has been virtually untouched by other scholars for any early Hindu shrine in India.

The Iconography and Ritual of Śiva at Elephanta

The Iconography and Ritual of Śiva at Elephanta PDF Author: Charles D. Collins
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 0791499537
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 360

Get Book Here

Book Description
The beautiful rock-cut Siva temple on Elephanta Island in Bombay Harbor is one of the finest monuments of Indian religion and art. Until now, interpretation of its magnificent sculptured scenes has been neglected. In this book, Collins systematically surveys the pertinent Vedic, Epic, and early Puranic literature as well as the contributions of India's foremost poet and dramatist, Kalidasa, to reveal sources for and interpretations of the subjects of the relief sculptures. This survey shows strong associations with areas formerly controlled by the classical Gupta dynasty in northern India. This book provides the first detailing of this link, intimated by others before, which helps to explain the grandeur of style found in the colossal reliefs. By applying certain aspects of ritual texts of the Lakulisa-Pasupata, the sect that probably used Elephanta originally, exceptional clarity is revealed for the worship of the sculptures in a counterclockwise sequence, quite unusual in India, but appropriate to this particular sect. Lakulisa-Pasupata texts are invoked in Collins' theory of how the cave-temple at Elephanta was used. This area of investigation has been virtually untouched by other scholars for any early Hindu shrine in India.

The Iconography and Ritual of Śiva at Elephanta

The Iconography and Ritual of Śiva at Elephanta PDF Author: Charles Dillard Collins
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780585086798
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 331

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Book Description


Iconographic Sources for the Sculptural Program at Elephanta

Iconographic Sources for the Sculptural Program at Elephanta PDF Author: Charles Dillard Collins
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Elephanta Island (India)
Languages : en
Pages : 376

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Book Description


Elephanta

Elephanta PDF Author: Wendy Doniger
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.
ISBN: 9788120812840
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
Three descriptive essays and numerous fascinating photographs, taken especially for this volume, allow the reader to experience a major monument of Indian art: the sixth century temple cave on Elephanta Island, in Bombay harbor, and its extraordinary stone sculptures. The authors and the photographer capture the atmosphere of the cave and the spirit of the sculptures, which portray the relentless energy and paradoxical power of Shiva, greatest of all Hindu gods. The photographs are particularly successful in revealing the dramatic alternation of light and dark that is so much a part of the beauty of the cave`s interior. Ms. Berkson`s trained and loving eye picks out the subtleties of the main sculptures and humorous details that the visitor might miss even on the site. In the text Wendy O`Flaherty interprets the myths of Shiva depicted in the sculpture; Ms. berkson`s essay supplies historical background and a stylistic analysis; and George Michell examines the overall structure of the cave to show that it is a mandala-like image of the heavenly mountain residence of Shiva and even of the structure of the universe itself. The author as well as the publishers of the work deserve to be congratulated for providing this easily accessible guide to Elephanta. Research Bulletin Vishveshvaranand Vedic Research Institute,Vol.I, Dec.2002

The Routledge Handbook of Hindu Temples

The Routledge Handbook of Hindu Temples PDF Author: Himanshu Prabha Ray
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000785815
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 688

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Book Description
This handbook is a comprehensive study of the archaeology, social history and the cultural landscape of the Hindu temple. Perhaps the most recognizable of the material forms of Hinduism, temples are lived, dynamic spaces. They are significant sites for the creation of cultural heritage, both in the past and in the present. Drawing on historiographical surveys and in-depth case studies, the volume centres the material form of the Hindu temple as an entry point to study its many adaptations and transformations from the early centuries CE to the 20th century. It highlights the vibrancy and dynamism of the shrine in different locales and studies the active participation of the community for its establishment, maintenance and survival. The illustrated handbook takes a unique approach by focusing on the social base of the temple rather than its aesthetics or chronological linear development. It fills a significant gap in the study of Hinduism and will be an indispensable resource for scholars of archaeology, Hinduism, Indian history, religious studies, museum studies, South Asian history and Southeast Asian history. Chapters 1, 4 and 5 of this book are available for free in PDF format as Open Access from the individual product page at www.routledge.com. They have been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

The Women of Karbala

The Women of Karbala PDF Author: Kamran Scot Aghaie
Publisher: University of Texas Press
ISBN: 0292784449
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Book Description
Commemorating the Battle of Karbala, in which the Prophet Mohammad's grandson Hosayn and seventy-two of his family members and supporters were martyred in 680 CE, is the central religious observance of Shi'i Islam. Though much has been written about the rituals that reenact and venerate Karbala, until now no one has studied women's participation in these observances. This collection of original essays by a multidisciplinary team of scholars analyzes the diverse roles that women have played in the Karbala rituals, as well as the varied ways in which gender-coded symbols have been used within religious and political discourses. The contributors to this volume consider women as participants in and observers of the Karbala rituals in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, and the United States. They find that women's experiences in the Shi'i rituals vary considerably from one community to another, based on regional customs, personal preferences, religious interpretations, popular culture, and socioeconomic background. The authors also examine the gender symbolism within the rituals, showing how it reinforces distinctions between the genders while it also highlights the centrality of women to the symbolic repertory of Shi'ism. Overall, the authors conclude that while Shi'i rituals and symbols have in some ways been used to restrict women's social roles, in other ways they have served to provide women with a sense of independence and empowerment.

Śiva's Demon Devotee

Śiva's Demon Devotee PDF Author: Elaine Craddock
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 1438430892
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 211

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Book Description
An exploration and translation of the work of Hindu poet-saint Kāraikkāl Ammaiyār.

Encyclopedia of Sacred Places [2 volumes]

Encyclopedia of Sacred Places [2 volumes] PDF Author: Norbert C. Brockman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1598846558
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 724

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Book Description
Now thoroughly revised and updated, this encyclopedia documents the diversity of shrines, temples, holy places, and pilgrimage sites sacred to the world's major religious traditions, and illustrates their elemental place in human culture. As interest increases in the role of world religions in history and international affairs, the new edition of Encyclopedia of Sacred Places—which arrives 15 years after the publication of the original edition—provides new and updated information on site-specific religious practice and spiritually significant locations around the globe. While many of the entries describe specific places, like the Erawan Shrine and the Rock of Cashel, others examine types of sacred sites, pilgrimages, and practices. With articles that describe both the places and their associated traditions and history, this reference book reveals the enormous diversity and cultural significance of religious practice worldwide. For students and teachers of classes ranging from high school geography to university-level courses in religious studies, geography, anthropology, and sociology, this book provides essential reference on places of great significance to the world's various faith traditions.

Design and Rhetoric in a Sanskrit Court Epic

Design and Rhetoric in a Sanskrit Court Epic PDF Author: Indira Viswanathan Peterson
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780791456132
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
Explores the earliest literary treatment of Arjuna's combat with the great god Siva, providing an introduction to the Sanskrit court epic.“Peterson proves that it is possible and fruitful to approach mahakavya such as ‘Arjuna and the Hunter’ through the aesthetic values it embodies. She succeeds in making one of the greatest works of literature accessible and meaningful to non-specialists, as well as useful for teachers of South Asian culture and religion.” — History of Religions

Illness and Immortality

Illness and Immortality PDF Author: Patricia Sauthoff
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0197553265
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
Illness and Immortality examines a medieval Sanskrit text, the Netra Tantra, which is devoted to health and healing through a yogic practice dedicated to the chanting of mantras, the building of mandalas, and meditation. Patricia Sauthoff examines the role of such ritual elements in rites to alleviate illness and death. She includes analysis of the various forms of the deity Amrtesa or Mrtyuñjaya (Conqueror of Death), the nature of mantra, and the relationship between the tantric practitioner and the patient. This work explores what is meant by immortality within the medieval context and how one goes about attaining it. It asks how ritual alleviates illness, what role the deity plays in health and healing, and finally who has access to the rites described within the text. Central to this study is the conception of a body vulnerable to demons and reliant on deities for continued existence, and how the three yogic bodies (sthula, suksma, and para) play a role in physical and spiritual well-being. Featuring new translations of large sections of the Netra Tantra, the book offers readers various points of entry into the text so that tantric practitioners and scholars alike can access the influential and important concepts and practices found within this long-revered but under-studied work.