Author: Teun Goudriaan
Publisher: Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz
ISBN:
Category : Hindu literature
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Hindu Tantric and Śākta Literature
Author: Teun Goudriaan
Publisher: Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz
ISBN:
Category : Hindu literature
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Publisher: Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz
ISBN:
Category : Hindu literature
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
The Roots of Tantra
Author: Katherine Anne Harper
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 079148890X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 281
Book Description
Among the many spiritual traditions born and developed in India, Tantra has been the most difficult to define. Almost everything about it—its major characteristics, its sources, its relationships to other religions, even its practices—are debated among scholars. In addition, Tantrism is not confined to any particular religion, but is a set of beliefs and practices that appears in a variety of religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. This book explores one of the most controversial aspects of Tantra, its sources or roots, specifically in regard to Hinduism. The essays focus on the history and development of Tantra, the art history and archaeology of Tantra, the Vedas and Tantra, and texts and Tantra. Using various disciplinary and methodological approaches, from history to art history and religious studies to textual studies, scholars provide both broad overviews of the beginnings of Tantra and detailed analyses of specific texts, authors, art works, and rituals.
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 079148890X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 281
Book Description
Among the many spiritual traditions born and developed in India, Tantra has been the most difficult to define. Almost everything about it—its major characteristics, its sources, its relationships to other religions, even its practices—are debated among scholars. In addition, Tantrism is not confined to any particular religion, but is a set of beliefs and practices that appears in a variety of religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. This book explores one of the most controversial aspects of Tantra, its sources or roots, specifically in regard to Hinduism. The essays focus on the history and development of Tantra, the art history and archaeology of Tantra, the Vedas and Tantra, and texts and Tantra. Using various disciplinary and methodological approaches, from history to art history and religious studies to textual studies, scholars provide both broad overviews of the beginnings of Tantra and detailed analyses of specific texts, authors, art works, and rituals.
Auspicious Wisdom
Author: Douglas Renfrew Brooks
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 0791497682
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 326
Book Description
Rooting itself in Kashmir Shaivism, Śrividyā became a force in South India no later than the seventh century, and eventually supplanted the Trika as the dominant Tantric tradition in Kashmir. This is the first comprehensive study of the texts and traditions of this influential school of goddess-centered, Śākta, Tantrism. Centering on the goddess's three manifestations—the beneficent deity Lalita Tripurasundari, her mantra, and the visually striking sricakra—Śrividyā creates a systematic esoteric discipline that combines elements of the yogas of knowledge, of devotion, and of ritual. Utilizing canonical works, historical commentaires, and the interpretive insights of living practitioners, this book explores the theological and ritual theories that form the basis for Śrividyā practice and offers new methods for critical and comparative studies of esoteric Hinduism.
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 0791497682
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 326
Book Description
Rooting itself in Kashmir Shaivism, Śrividyā became a force in South India no later than the seventh century, and eventually supplanted the Trika as the dominant Tantric tradition in Kashmir. This is the first comprehensive study of the texts and traditions of this influential school of goddess-centered, Śākta, Tantrism. Centering on the goddess's three manifestations—the beneficent deity Lalita Tripurasundari, her mantra, and the visually striking sricakra—Śrividyā creates a systematic esoteric discipline that combines elements of the yogas of knowledge, of devotion, and of ritual. Utilizing canonical works, historical commentaires, and the interpretive insights of living practitioners, this book explores the theological and ritual theories that form the basis for Śrividyā practice and offers new methods for critical and comparative studies of esoteric Hinduism.
The Cosmic Play of Power
Author: Sanjukta Gupta
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass
ISBN: 8120835425
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 494
Book Description
In Hindu theology, Divine Power is conceived as a divine woman-the Goddess. Sometimes she is wholly autonomous and sometimes she is the divine spouse of the creator God, Siva or Visnu. She is also held to be the evolving material source of every created phenomenon. Religious texts like Puranas and Tantras have thoroughly investigated the mysterious nature of the Cosmic Goddess. Tantra as a religious practice endeavoured to show how through ritual and Yoga one may achieve the realization of the mystery of the Supreme Goddess. Authors in Sanskrit and modern Indian languages have poured out their ecstatic devotion to the Goddess. She is close to the heart of the passionate devotee, who adores her as mother or daughter - a mortal emotional bond with the divine so peculiar to Hindus. She is also sovereign Power a little part of which reigning royalties covet to possess in order to be good rulers. AS the divine woman she is represented in all women. Therefore women should be holding a high position amongst Hindus. But the question is, do they? In spite of the obvious contrary evidence, women do succeed in carving out a very important position in Hindu religious practices by having their alternative religious rituals highly valued by Hindu women have a very complex interrelationship. The book focuses on the great cosmic Goddess and her ritual worship, Tantric theology and praxis in a wider sense, the attitude of her devotees towards her authority and the social character of the Tantric practitioners, and the position of Bhakti. It also figures out the position of women inside the Tantric and non-Tantric Hindu religious milieu. The Goddess symbolizes the supreme divine authority that activates the creation, protection and governance and necessary dissolution of the world in accordance with the ancient Indian concept of cyclical time. But She also discharges the divine sovereign privilege of punishing evil-doers and rewarding true devotees. Finally, the relevant forms of the Cosmic Goddess in this book are Sri/Tripurasundari/ Lalita; Goddess Kali and Her various emanations; and Laksmi and Her powers in the Pancaratra canonical texts.
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass
ISBN: 8120835425
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 494
Book Description
In Hindu theology, Divine Power is conceived as a divine woman-the Goddess. Sometimes she is wholly autonomous and sometimes she is the divine spouse of the creator God, Siva or Visnu. She is also held to be the evolving material source of every created phenomenon. Religious texts like Puranas and Tantras have thoroughly investigated the mysterious nature of the Cosmic Goddess. Tantra as a religious practice endeavoured to show how through ritual and Yoga one may achieve the realization of the mystery of the Supreme Goddess. Authors in Sanskrit and modern Indian languages have poured out their ecstatic devotion to the Goddess. She is close to the heart of the passionate devotee, who adores her as mother or daughter - a mortal emotional bond with the divine so peculiar to Hindus. She is also sovereign Power a little part of which reigning royalties covet to possess in order to be good rulers. AS the divine woman she is represented in all women. Therefore women should be holding a high position amongst Hindus. But the question is, do they? In spite of the obvious contrary evidence, women do succeed in carving out a very important position in Hindu religious practices by having their alternative religious rituals highly valued by Hindu women have a very complex interrelationship. The book focuses on the great cosmic Goddess and her ritual worship, Tantric theology and praxis in a wider sense, the attitude of her devotees towards her authority and the social character of the Tantric practitioners, and the position of Bhakti. It also figures out the position of women inside the Tantric and non-Tantric Hindu religious milieu. The Goddess symbolizes the supreme divine authority that activates the creation, protection and governance and necessary dissolution of the world in accordance with the ancient Indian concept of cyclical time. But She also discharges the divine sovereign privilege of punishing evil-doers and rewarding true devotees. Finally, the relevant forms of the Cosmic Goddess in this book are Sri/Tripurasundari/ Lalita; Goddess Kali and Her various emanations; and Laksmi and Her powers in the Pancaratra canonical texts.
Revelry, Rivalry, and Longing for the Goddesses of Bengal
Author: Rachel Fell McDermott
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231129181
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 392
Book Description
Annually during the months of autumn, Bengal hosts three interlinked festivals to honor its most important goddesses: Durga, Kali, and Jagaddhatri. While each of these deities possesses a distinct iconography, myth, and character, they are all martial. Durga, Kali, and Jagaddhatri often demand blood sacrifice as part of their worship and offer material and spiritual benefits to their votaries. Richly represented in straw, clay, paint, and decoration, they are similarly displayed in elaborately festooned temples, thronged by thousands of admirers. The first book to recount the history of these festivals and their revelry, rivalry, and nostalgic power, this volume marks an unprecedented achievement in the mapping of a major public event. Rachel Fell McDermott describes the festivals' origins and growth under British rule. She identifies their iconographic conventions and carnivalesque qualities and their relationship to the fierce, Tantric sides of ritual practice. McDermott confronts controversies over the tradition of blood sacrifice and the status-seekers who compete for symbolic capital. Expanding her narrative, she takes readers beyond Bengal's borders to trace the transformation of the goddesses and their festivals across the world. McDermott's work underscores the role of holidays in cultural memory, specifically the Bengali evocation of an ideal, culturally rich past. Under the thrall of the goddess, the social, political, economic, and religious identity of Bengalis takes shape.
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231129181
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 392
Book Description
Annually during the months of autumn, Bengal hosts three interlinked festivals to honor its most important goddesses: Durga, Kali, and Jagaddhatri. While each of these deities possesses a distinct iconography, myth, and character, they are all martial. Durga, Kali, and Jagaddhatri often demand blood sacrifice as part of their worship and offer material and spiritual benefits to their votaries. Richly represented in straw, clay, paint, and decoration, they are similarly displayed in elaborately festooned temples, thronged by thousands of admirers. The first book to recount the history of these festivals and their revelry, rivalry, and nostalgic power, this volume marks an unprecedented achievement in the mapping of a major public event. Rachel Fell McDermott describes the festivals' origins and growth under British rule. She identifies their iconographic conventions and carnivalesque qualities and their relationship to the fierce, Tantric sides of ritual practice. McDermott confronts controversies over the tradition of blood sacrifice and the status-seekers who compete for symbolic capital. Expanding her narrative, she takes readers beyond Bengal's borders to trace the transformation of the goddesses and their festivals across the world. McDermott's work underscores the role of holidays in cultural memory, specifically the Bengali evocation of an ideal, culturally rich past. Under the thrall of the goddess, the social, political, economic, and religious identity of Bengalis takes shape.
The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Theology
Author: Mary McClintock Fulkerson
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019927388X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 595
Book Description
This volume highlights the relevance of globalization and the insights of gender studies and religious studies for feminist theology. It focuses on the changing global contexts for the field and its movement towards new models of theology, distinct from the forms of traditional Christian systematic theology and of secular feminism.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019927388X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 595
Book Description
This volume highlights the relevance of globalization and the insights of gender studies and religious studies for feminist theology. It focuses on the changing global contexts for the field and its movement towards new models of theology, distinct from the forms of traditional Christian systematic theology and of secular feminism.
The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Hinduism
Author: Gavin Flood
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119144884
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 660
Book Description
An accessible and up-to-date survey of scholarly thinking about Hinduism, perfect for courses on Hinduism or world religions The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Hinduism examines the historical trajectories that have led to the modern religion of Hinduism. Covering main themes such as philosophy, practice, society, and science, this comprehensive volume brings together a variety of approaches and perspectives in Hindu Studies to help readers better appreciate the richness, complexity, and diversity of Hinduism. Essays by acknowledged experts in the field present historical accounts of all major traditions, analyze key texts, engage with Hindu theology and philosophy, address contemporary questions of colonialism and identity, and more. Throughout the text, the authors highlight the links, common threads, and issues that reoccur in the history of Hinduism. Fully revised and updated, the second edition of the Companion incorporates the most recent scholarship and reflects the trend away from essentialist understandings of Hinduism. New chapters examine the Goddess tradition, Hindu diaspora, Hinduism and inter-religious comparison, Hindu philosophy, and Indian astronomy, medicine, language, and mathematics. This edition places further emphasis on the importance of region-specific studies in analyzing Hinduism, discusses important theoretical issues, and offers fresh perspectives on current discourse in Hindu society and politics. Provides a thorough overview of major texts, their histories, and the traditions that preserve them Describes the major textual traditions in Sanskrit with examples in different Indian vernacular languages Addresses major issues and contemporary debates about the nature and study of Hinduism Discusses the importance of systematic, rational thinking in Indian sciences, philosophy, and theology Examines key socio-political themes in Hinduism that are of particular relevance to the modern world The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Hinduism, Second Edition is an excellent text for undergraduate courses on Hinduism in Religious Studies and Philosophy departments, and an invaluable resource for scholars and researchers in Hindu Studies.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119144884
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 660
Book Description
An accessible and up-to-date survey of scholarly thinking about Hinduism, perfect for courses on Hinduism or world religions The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Hinduism examines the historical trajectories that have led to the modern religion of Hinduism. Covering main themes such as philosophy, practice, society, and science, this comprehensive volume brings together a variety of approaches and perspectives in Hindu Studies to help readers better appreciate the richness, complexity, and diversity of Hinduism. Essays by acknowledged experts in the field present historical accounts of all major traditions, analyze key texts, engage with Hindu theology and philosophy, address contemporary questions of colonialism and identity, and more. Throughout the text, the authors highlight the links, common threads, and issues that reoccur in the history of Hinduism. Fully revised and updated, the second edition of the Companion incorporates the most recent scholarship and reflects the trend away from essentialist understandings of Hinduism. New chapters examine the Goddess tradition, Hindu diaspora, Hinduism and inter-religious comparison, Hindu philosophy, and Indian astronomy, medicine, language, and mathematics. This edition places further emphasis on the importance of region-specific studies in analyzing Hinduism, discusses important theoretical issues, and offers fresh perspectives on current discourse in Hindu society and politics. Provides a thorough overview of major texts, their histories, and the traditions that preserve them Describes the major textual traditions in Sanskrit with examples in different Indian vernacular languages Addresses major issues and contemporary debates about the nature and study of Hinduism Discusses the importance of systematic, rational thinking in Indian sciences, philosophy, and theology Examines key socio-political themes in Hinduism that are of particular relevance to the modern world The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Hinduism, Second Edition is an excellent text for undergraduate courses on Hinduism in Religious Studies and Philosophy departments, and an invaluable resource for scholars and researchers in Hindu Studies.
Raja Nal and the Goddess
Author: Susan Snow Wadley
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 0253217245
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 261
Book Description
Engaging translation and study of a popular North Indian epic.
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 0253217245
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 261
Book Description
Engaging translation and study of a popular North Indian epic.
Transformations and Transfer of Tantra in Asia and Beyond
Author: István Keul
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 3110258110
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 545
Book Description
The essays in this volume, written by specialists working in the field of tantric studies, attempt to trace processes of transformation and transfer that occurred in the history of tantra from around the seventh century and up to the present. The volume gathers contributions on South Asia, Tibet, China, Mongolia, Japan, North America, and Western Europe by scholars from various academic disciplines, who present ongoing research and encourage discussion on significant themes in the growing field of tantric studies. In addition to the extensive geographical and temporal range, the chapters of the volume cover a wide thematic area, which includes modern Bengali tantric practitioners, tantric ritual in medieval China, the South Asian cults of the mother goddesses, the way of Buddhism into Mongolia, and countercultural echoes of contemporary tantric studies.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 3110258110
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 545
Book Description
The essays in this volume, written by specialists working in the field of tantric studies, attempt to trace processes of transformation and transfer that occurred in the history of tantra from around the seventh century and up to the present. The volume gathers contributions on South Asia, Tibet, China, Mongolia, Japan, North America, and Western Europe by scholars from various academic disciplines, who present ongoing research and encourage discussion on significant themes in the growing field of tantric studies. In addition to the extensive geographical and temporal range, the chapters of the volume cover a wide thematic area, which includes modern Bengali tantric practitioners, tantric ritual in medieval China, the South Asian cults of the mother goddesses, the way of Buddhism into Mongolia, and countercultural echoes of contemporary tantric studies.
Somanatha
Author: Romila Thapar
Publisher: Penguin Books India
ISBN: 9780143064688
Category : India
Languages : en
Pages : 276
Book Description
A Sober, Analytical Demonstration Of The Various Tellings Of The Sack Of Somnath & [Explores] Not Just The Politics Of Memory, But Also How Remembrances Play On The Certitude Of Facts Shahid Amin In Outlook In 1026, Mahmud Of Ghazni Raided The Temple Of Somanatha. The History Of This Raid And Subsequent Events At The Site Have Been Reconstructed In The Last Couple Of Centuries Largely On The Basis Of The Turko-Persian Sources. There Were Other Sources That Also Refer To Events At Somanatha Throughout A Period Of Almost A Thousand Years, But These Have Rarely Been Quoted When Reconstructing This History. Until Very Recent Times, There Were Few Attempts To Either Juxtapose Or Integrate These Other Texts In Order To Arrive At A More Complete Understanding Of The History Of Somanatha. Such Sources Include Local Sanskrit Inscriptions, Biographies Of Kings And Merchants Written From A Jaina Perspective, Epics Of Rajput-Turkish Relations Composed At Various Rajput Courts And Popular Narratives Of The Activities Of Pirs And Gurus, All Of Which, In Some Way, Have A Bearing On The History Of Somanatha. This Book Is An Attempt To Draw Together These Numerous Voices, To View The Sources Comparatively, But Above All To Place Each Narrative In A Historical Context. This Also Involves Exploring Why A Particular, And Often Distinctive, Perspective Was Adopted By Each. It Suggests A Different History Of Somanatha From The One That Has Been Projected Through The Last Two Centuries. It Also Effectively Underlines The Significance Of Examining The Historical Perceptions Of How Authors Present Events, Both In The Narratives Written In The Past And In The Interpretations Of Past Events In Present Times. A Remarkable Example Of Assiduous And Open-Ended Historiography Hindustan Times
Publisher: Penguin Books India
ISBN: 9780143064688
Category : India
Languages : en
Pages : 276
Book Description
A Sober, Analytical Demonstration Of The Various Tellings Of The Sack Of Somnath & [Explores] Not Just The Politics Of Memory, But Also How Remembrances Play On The Certitude Of Facts Shahid Amin In Outlook In 1026, Mahmud Of Ghazni Raided The Temple Of Somanatha. The History Of This Raid And Subsequent Events At The Site Have Been Reconstructed In The Last Couple Of Centuries Largely On The Basis Of The Turko-Persian Sources. There Were Other Sources That Also Refer To Events At Somanatha Throughout A Period Of Almost A Thousand Years, But These Have Rarely Been Quoted When Reconstructing This History. Until Very Recent Times, There Were Few Attempts To Either Juxtapose Or Integrate These Other Texts In Order To Arrive At A More Complete Understanding Of The History Of Somanatha. Such Sources Include Local Sanskrit Inscriptions, Biographies Of Kings And Merchants Written From A Jaina Perspective, Epics Of Rajput-Turkish Relations Composed At Various Rajput Courts And Popular Narratives Of The Activities Of Pirs And Gurus, All Of Which, In Some Way, Have A Bearing On The History Of Somanatha. This Book Is An Attempt To Draw Together These Numerous Voices, To View The Sources Comparatively, But Above All To Place Each Narrative In A Historical Context. This Also Involves Exploring Why A Particular, And Often Distinctive, Perspective Was Adopted By Each. It Suggests A Different History Of Somanatha From The One That Has Been Projected Through The Last Two Centuries. It Also Effectively Underlines The Significance Of Examining The Historical Perceptions Of How Authors Present Events, Both In The Narratives Written In The Past And In The Interpretations Of Past Events In Present Times. A Remarkable Example Of Assiduous And Open-Ended Historiography Hindustan Times