Women in Indian Mythology

Women in Indian Mythology PDF Author: M. L. Ahuja
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
ISBN: 9788129118257
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 109

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Book Description
Women in Hinduism have, since time immemorial, played a significant role-as Shakti assuming the power of creation, as the divine mother, as sages, as spiritual and religious leaders, as noble queens, as ideal wives and as compassionate daughters. They have been the basis of inspiration to both men and women for centuries. This book profiles twelve such legendary women, including Ambika, Devahuti, Draupadi, Parvati, Saraswati, Sati, Shakuntala and Sita. All these women belong to the early Vedic times and are still revered for their extraordinary powers and roles. They symbolize the virtues that Hinduism ordains its followers to pursue. Women in Indian Mythology should be of interest to the students of philosophy, Indology, Indian history, gender studies and all others who wish to know more about the role of women in general and during the Vedic period in particular.

Women in Indian Mythology

Women in Indian Mythology PDF Author: M. L. Ahuja
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
ISBN: 9788129118257
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 109

Get Book Here

Book Description
Women in Hinduism have, since time immemorial, played a significant role-as Shakti assuming the power of creation, as the divine mother, as sages, as spiritual and religious leaders, as noble queens, as ideal wives and as compassionate daughters. They have been the basis of inspiration to both men and women for centuries. This book profiles twelve such legendary women, including Ambika, Devahuti, Draupadi, Parvati, Saraswati, Sati, Shakuntala and Sita. All these women belong to the early Vedic times and are still revered for their extraordinary powers and roles. They symbolize the virtues that Hinduism ordains its followers to pursue. Women in Indian Mythology should be of interest to the students of philosophy, Indology, Indian history, gender studies and all others who wish to know more about the role of women in general and during the Vedic period in particular.

Heroines

Heroines PDF Author: Ira Mukhoty
Publisher: Rupa Publications
ISBN: 9789384067496
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 211

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Book Description
The idea of heroism in women is not easily defined. In men the notion is often associated with physical strength and extravagant bravery. Women's heroism has tended to be of a very different nature, less easily categorized. All the women portrayed-Draupadi, Radha, Ambapali, Raziya Sultan, Meerabai, Jahanara, Laxmibai and Hazrat Mahal-share an unassailable belief in a cause, for which they are willing to fightto the death if need be. In every case this belief leads them to confrontation with a horrified patriarchy. In the book we meet lotus-eyed, dark-skinned Draupadi, dharma queen, whose story emerges almost three millennia ago; the goddess Radha who sacrificed societal respectability for a love that transgressed convention; Ambapali, a courtesan, who stepped out of the luxurious trappings of Vaishali to follow the Buddha and wrote a single, haunting poem on the evanescence of beauty and youth. Raziya, the battle-scarred warrior, who proudly claimed the title of Sultan, refusing its fragile feminine counterpart, Sultana; the courageous Meerabai who repudiated her patriarchal destiny as cloistered daughter-in-law of a Rajput clan; the gentle Mughal princess Jahanara: who claims the blessings of both Allah and the Prophet Muhammad and wishes 'never to be forgotten'; Laxmibai, widow, patriot and martyr, who rides into legend and immortality fighting for her adopted son's birthright; and Hazrat Mahal, courtesan, begum and rebel queen, resolute till the very end in defying British attempts to seize her ex-husband's kingdom.In these engrossing portraits, mythological characters from thousands of years ago walk companionably besides historical figures from more recent times. They rise to reclaim their rightful place in history. Daughters, wives, courtesans, mothers, queens, goddesses, warriors-heroines.

Dharma's Daughters

Dharma's Daughters PDF Author: Sara S. Mitter
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
ISBN: 9780813516783
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Book Description
"A formidable achievement. . . . Mitter spans almost the entire spectrum of the 'woman's question' providing both information and insight into the complex patterns that determine the image, self-image, and status of women in contemporary India." -- Manini Chatterjee, The Hindu (India). -- Book cover.

Daughter from a Wishing Tree

Daughter from a Wishing Tree PDF Author: Sudhā Mūrti
Publisher: Puffin
ISBN: 9780143442349
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 192

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Book Description
Did you know that the Trinity often turned to goddesses to defeat the asuras? Did you know that the first clone in the world was created by a woman? The women in Indian mythology might be fewer in number, but their stories of strength and mystery in the pages of ancient texts and epics are many. They slayed demons and protected their devotees fiercely. From Parvati to Ashokasundari and from Bhamati to Mandodari, this collection features enchanting and fearless women who frequently led wars on behalf of the gods, were the backbone of their families and makers of their own destinies. India's much-loved and bestselling author Sudha Murty takes you on an empowering journey -through the yarns forgotten in time-abounding with remarkable women who will remind you of the strong female influences in your life.

Splitting the Difference

Splitting the Difference PDF Author: Wendy Doniger
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226156408
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 390

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Book Description
Hindu and Greek mythologies teem with stories of women and men who are doubled. This text recounts and compares a range of these. The comparisons show that differences in gender are more significant than differences in culture.

Indian Mythology

Indian Mythology PDF Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1594775583
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 298

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Book Description
An exploration of 99 classic myths of India from an entirely non-Western paradigm that provides a fresh understanding of the Hindu spiritual landscape • Compares and contrasts Indian mythology with the stories of the Bible, ancient Egypt, Greece, Scandinavia, and Mesopotamia • Looks at the evolution of Indian narratives and their interpretations over the millennia • Demonstrates how the mythology, rituals, and art of ancient India are still vibrant today and inform the contemporary generation From the blood-letting Kali to the mysterious Ganesha, the Hindu spiritual landscape is populated by characters that find no parallel in the Western spiritual world. Indian Mythology explores the rich tapestry of these characters within 99 classic myths, showing that the mythological world of India can be best understood when we move away from a Western, monotheistic mindset and into the polytheistic world of Hindu traditions. Featuring 48 artistic renderings of important mythological figures from across India, the author unlocks the mysteries of the narratives, rituals, and artwork of ancient India to reveal the tension between world-affirming and world-rejecting ideas, between conformism and contradiction, between Shiva and Vishnu, Krishna and Rama, Gauri and Kali. This groundbreaking book opens the door to the unknown and exotic, providing a glimpse into the rich mythic tradition that has empowered millions of human beings for centuries.

Women of India

Women of India PDF Author: Arun R. Kumbhare
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 144015600X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
A systematic presentation of the status of women of India throughout the long history of about 6000 years has been presented starting from the Vedic times to the post-independence period. A detailed description of the status of women during the Vedic times, which is rarely available in any of the existing literature, and in the following periods is very significant to the study of this subject. The author has discussed how the political and religious conditions over the periods have affected the conditions of women. The age-old evils, which had got firmly entrenched in the Indian society, such as the tradition of Sati, illiteracy, child marriages, and deplorable treatment of widows and so on, still persist and some new ones have joined the list. These are: bride burning, dowry, female feticide, domestic violence, to name a few. Short biographies of some outstanding women have been included to illustrate that in spite of adversities some women had achieved eminence. To the credit of the Indian Government, legislative measures have been taken to protect and improve the status of women after independence and just prior to it. These have been outlined. Unfortunately, these measures have not been able to achieve their intended results on account of wide spread corruption and lack of education and awareness among women, especially in the rural areas. A snapshot of the present conditions is given along with concluding remarks and recommendations for improvement. Improvement of the status of women is extremely improvement for India if it wishes to become a developed and progressive country and a world leader in culture and ideology.

Power Women

Power Women PDF Author: Pushpa Kurup
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 9354350763
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 211

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Book Description
The women in India's great epics compare favourably with the men Draupadi, the princess with five husbands and a fiery temperament; Uloopi, who abducted the mighty warrior Arjuna; Satyabhama, who fought alongside Krishna to kill the demon Narakasura; Sita, who dramatically descended into the bowels of the Earth rather than return to her suspicious husband; Satyavati, whose greed set the stage for the Kurukshetra War; or Savitri, who achieved the impossible without picking up a weapon. Pushpa Kurup brings their stories and many others in this brilliant compilation of the powerful and intriguing women of our mythology. What enriches this volume further is the inclusion of a few lesser-known but equally significant women, such as Unniyarcha, the heroine of the vadakkanpaatu of Malabar; Kannagi, whose fury destroyed the prosperous Pandya kingdom of Madurai; or Sati Devi and Amba, who immolated themselves in their bid to achieve their mission. From bhikkunis and sanyasinis to wild and wayward women, from daughters, wives, mothers and grandmothers to queens, warriors and scholars, the stories of these splendid women throw up many surprises and make for a fascinating read.

The Origins of Evil in Hindu Mythology

The Origins of Evil in Hindu Mythology PDF Author: Wendy Doniger
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.
ISBN: 9788120803862
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 438

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Book Description
This work deals at length with various theories about relgion prevalent at the time when Megasthenes visited India very interesting and scholarly views have been put forth regarding investigations of Megasthenes their reliability and the reliability of his reporters.

The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization

The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization PDF Author: A.S. Altekar
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass
ISBN: 8120803256
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 406

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Book Description
There are some monographs that deal with the position of Hindu women in particular periods of Indian history, but no work has as yet been written which reviews their position throughout the long history of Hindu civilisation. An attempt has been made in this book to describe the position of women in Hindu civilisation from prehistoric times to the present day, and to indicate the general lines on which the various problems that confront Hindu women (and therefore men also) should be tackled in order to get a fairly satisfactory solution. The opening chapter deals with the problems relating to the childhood and education of women. Then follow two chapters (II and III), which deal with the numerous complex problems connected with marriage and married life. In the next two chapters (IV and V), the position of the widow in society has been considered. The place of women in public life and religion has been dealt with in chapters VI and VII. In chapters VIII and IX various questions connected with proprietary rights have been discussed. Fashions of dress, ornaments and coiffure are described in chapter X and illustrated with eight plates. Chapter XI deals with the general attitude of society towards women, both in normal and abnormal times and situations. The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization will enable the reader to understand the subject from a true perspective, as it is based upon a critical and impartial survey of all the available data. The work not only surveys the position of Hindu women during the last four thousand years but also indicates the general lines on which the present-day problems confronting them should be solved. The treatment is quite impartial; the limitations of the Hindu Civilization have not been passed over nor its excellences exaggerated, nor vice versa. The subject has never been treated with such realism, accuracy, impartiality and comprehensiveness. The general reader will find the book absorbingly interesting. The scholar will find it original and illuminating. The student of sociology will find it stimulating and indispensable.