Showing 253–264 of 932 results
The book presents the text of the Ganapati Upanisad dealing with the worship of äsvara and revealing the nature of the ultimate Reality along with its transliteration in Roman script, followed by a detailed commentary a critical analysis on its meaning.
The Upanishads represent a glorious religious-philosophical thinking that is at the core of the Indian tradition. An important Upanishad is the Ganapati Upanishad, found in the concluding part of the Atharvaveda, which deals with the worship of ä÷vara and reveals the nature of the ultimate Reality in which everything resolves. The book presents the text of the Ganapati Upanishad along with its transliteration in Roman script which is followed by a detailed commentary on its meaning that takes up each line for critical analysis. Beginning with a general discussion on the Upanishads, their association with specific Vedas and their main purpose, Swami Tattvavidananda examines the nature of the Cosmic Power and the universe, propitiation of God, the purpose of living, concepts of ananta, ananda and others as explained in the Ganapati Upanishad. He explains the derivative roots of many words so that the concepts may be better understood by the readers. The commentary, in a language that demystifies esoteric concepts, includes many cross-references. The book will be extremely useful to scholars of Vedantic thought and Indian religious and philosophical traditions as well as general readers.
This book written almost immediately after Gandhis demise suggests a fresh view of his struggle to achieve peace in the human home embedded as it is in Malliks socio-philosophical theory of conflict and its avoidance.
This book written almost immediately after Gandhis demise suggests a fresh view of his struggle to achieve peace in the human home embedded as it is in Malliks socio-philosophical theory of conflict and its avoidance. Further in the light of the authors view of the dynamics of history, it reads the life and death of Mahatma Gandhi as more than a mere episode in the milieu of traditional value: it is projected as a significant event which opens up new and unprecedented possibilities for the future of man.
As an original and thought-provoking perspective it should invoke the interest of Gandhians, philosophers and historians alike.
In this first-ever study exploring exclusively Gandhis attitude to Islam, the author puts together many of Gandhis observations about Prophet Mohammed, the holy Quran, and the Islamic faith.
Look at him as we may: whether as an exceptional human being, a modern-age prophet, a unique politician, or a charismatic leader of non-violent movement, Gandhis many-sidedness is proverbial. And, then, he was a religious genius as well with genuine tolerance and respect for all mankinds faiths. Here is the first ever study exploring exclusively Gandhis attitude to Islam, from his childhood to the last years of his phenomenally eventful life. In thematically focussing on his responsiveness to Islam, Dr. Sheila McDonough addresses a vital question: Why did Gandhi say the things, he did, about Islam? Which leads her to meticulously trace, among other determinants, the intellectual influences that had helped shape Gandhis vision of Islam the vision he particularly shared with many of his Indian contemporaries. The author, a widely known authority on Islamic Studies, puts together many of Gandhis observations about Prophet Mohammed, the holy Quran, and the Islamic faith to emphasize that his positive, respectful response to Islam was not a matter of political pragmatism, nor a facade to unify Indians at a critical period of their history, but it went far beyond to a philosophical understanding of the very essence of Islam. Unfailingly convincing, Prof. McDonough combines, in her writing, a rare scholarship with readability that makes her book at once fascinating to both specialists and common readers anywhere in the modern world.
In his most important Sanskrit work Darshanamala, Narayana Guru adopts uncharted method of viewing the non-dual Brahman leaving the student-seeker to intuitively perceive one ineffable Reality. The ancient Upanishadic wisdom is thus condensed and restated by the Guru in the Age of Science. How brahmavidya naturally becomes the Science of all sciences.
In his most important Sanskrit work Darsanamala, Narayana Guru adopts a hitherto uncharted method of viewing the non-dual Brahman from ten different philosophical vantage points and leaving the student-seeker to intuitively perceive on one’s own the one ineffable Reality. The ancient Upaniùadic wisdom is thus condensed and restated by the Guru in terms comprehensible to the mind-set of the Age of Science. How brahmavidya naturally becomes the Science of all sciences (sarva-vidya-pratistha) is also implicit in the Guru’s restatement of Vedantic wisdom. The present commentary explicates how a genuine seeker could make use of the text for the realization of Brahman as the Reality that constitutes the being of himself or herself, and how each of its ten chapters lay bare a particular facet of Brahman fully resonant with the frame of reference of the chapter concerned.
This anthology raises, discusses and debates issues, aesthetics and techniques connected with the Indian theatre in the backdrop of political, social and moral values of women in theatre. Unearthing the dynamics of gender, it fills up the vacuum of scholarly literature on the role of women in theatre.
This book explores the presence and contribution of women to the recorded history of Indian theatre. It provides a platform to raise, discuss and debate issues, aesthetics and techniques connected with the Indian theatre in the backdrop of political, social and moral values of women in theatre. An attempt to fill up the vacuum of scholarly literature on the role of women in theatre, this book expects to create enough academic value and interest. Its content unearths the dynamics of gender in the history of theatre. It extensively deals with the theoretical and practical aspects of women’s theatre.
This anthology also addresses the various social issues associated with gender inequality through essays, play-texts and interviews. In a similar vein, it delves deep into the relationship among theatre, public/private sphere and gender. This work purports to address a variety of needs of feminist researchers and laymen who are not conversant with the contribution of women to theatre and its obvious political and transformative intent.
This collection also intends to see how the theatrical space could unsettle the gendered binaries regulating women’s presence in public space, and proposes to see why and how relevant feminist politics is in re-imagining a vibrant and inclusive concept of gender fairness and justice in contemporary India. It extends high referral value for researchers, students and even laymen with interest in the role of women in theatre.
Gita Govinda, a drsya-kavya of Jayadeva, a twelfth-century Sanskrit poet, due to its deep foundations in devotion and exquisite intrinsic beauty, is the most desired in the music and dance of India. This erotic poem, through its three characters in Radha, Krsna and the sakhi, portrays physical love as a metaphor for divine longing of the individual soul to have its union with the Supreme.
The volume in hand presents the primacy of the language in linguistic and literary theories as the vehicle of thought, along with the performing arts background and technical aspects of dance that complement Jayadeva’s composition. It also deals with a setting for the Gita Govinda in terms of its historical context, time, cultural influences and relevance in the arts.
It addresses each and every verse of Gita Govinda with translation and literary notes. Also, it showcases the uninterrupted text in Devanagari along with Romanized transliteration. In a nutshell, the book brings to us a magical world of dance and music through the eyes of a Sanskrit scholar and a mature, expressive dancer in Sharda Narayanan and Sujatha Mohan, respectively.
The volume features miniature paintings from the Neotia Collection, Kolkata displayed at the Kala Mandapa of Jnana Pravaha, Centre for Culture studies, Varanasi which are remarkable examples representing prominent painting schools and styles of India. Presenting excellent reproductions of art masterpieces of great historical value, it also throws light on the sources and influences of miniature painting in India and their thematic preoccupations.
Indian miniature paintings have a rich and variegated tradition that ranges from the earliest known examples painted on slender palm leaf folios in Buddhist monasteries to Company paintings. Glimpses of Paintings from Kala Mandapa features miniature paintings from the Neotia Collection, Kolkata on display at the Kala Mandapa of Jnana Pravaha, Centre for Cultural Studies at Varanasi, that include some remarkable examples representing prominent painting schools and styles of India: the palm leaves and wooden manuscript covers of the Pala style (ad 800-1200), 16th century Tibetan Buddhist thangkas, paintings of the major Rajasthani schools, and Ramayana paintings and portraits of the Pahari style. It presents excellent reproductions of art masterpieces of great historical value such as a dated sketchbook of a Nevari thangka painting (15th century), beautifully-illustrated folios of the Devasano Pado Bhandara Kalpasutra and the Samgrahani-Sutra, and the Ragamala and Amaru Sataka illustrations of the Malwa School. The introduction of the portfolio is by Dr. Anjan Chakraverty, of Visual Art Faculty, Banaras Hindu University. The publication throws light on the rare fare that the Kala Mandapa paintings offer: their insight into the literary and cultural sources and influences of miniature painting in India, thematic preoccupations of such paintings, their use of space, colour patterns and symbols, and their overall effect.
Based on decades scientific research this book projects India as the foremost country of the world where diamonds were discovered first. It explains past beliefs, present status of diamond mines, cutting-polishing industry, trade & marketing, and talks about future challenges and remedies to regain original glory.
India, for many millennia, was the diamond capital of the world and controlled the global diamond business. Indians were the first to discover, mine, curate and market diamonds in the world, and were the first to discover that diamond can be cut only by diamond, and can be polished with its own powder. Vedas, Upanishads and epics stand testimony to it. Diamonds were the quintessential luxury of the Indian royalty. Kohinoor, (Mountain of Light), Hope, Great Moghul, Orloff, Sansi, Hastings, Pigott and Akbar Shah-Jahangir Shah had unparalleled place in the annals of Indian and world history.
Till the seventeenth century, the Golconda Fort City in south India was the World Trade Centre of diamonds and was a dream destination for “who is who” in the diamond business. Though at present, diamond business is about $ 72 billion plus worldwide, India has very little to offer to this market size. New nations/countries are on the block and India has become a trivial entity in diamond production from the colonial period due to the monopolistic policy pursued by the British in favour of the new discoveries made in South Africa, and the socialistic policies of Independent India. Even the environmental concerns stood as stumbling blocks against the growth of Indian diamond mining industry.
The present study explores exhaustive data, based on a decade-long serious research, targeting common man. It brilliantly attempts to make one aware about the birth, history, glory, places of concentration, applications of diamond and about the present Indian diamond cutting and polishing industry. The book also introduces the readers into the reality of imitations, artificial diamonds, and discusses such products in detail. It delves deep into the identification and valuation techniques of diamond, and the tools used for the same. Efforts are also made to present many a superstition associated with diamonds, and to brief those diamonds that have some bearing on history.
After decades of Independence, India has failed to regain its lost splendour and leadership position. There is a need to bring changes in its approach to this industry to put it back on track and compete with the present world leaders. The author has given special attention to analyse the present diamond scenario in India and suggests remedies
The book explores the concept and experiences of life after death based on religious insights on the subject and experiences of human souls on the threshold of death as recounted by doctors. It examines the sacred texts of religions, like the Holy Bible, the Vedas, the Srimad Bhagavad Gita and the Upanisads for a broad understanding of the subject.
The book explores the concept and experiences of life after death based on religious insights on the subject and experiences of human souls on the threshold of death as recounted by doctors. It examines the sacred texts of religions, like the Holy Bible, the Vedas, the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads for a broad understanding of the subject. It deals in particular with aspects of life after death as detailed by Christianity: the General Resurrection, Last Judgement, Hades, Paradise, Heaven and Hell, the concept of the Son of God and His dying on the cross as propitiation for the sins of man. It elaborates on the experiences of the soul after death and on the life after death as such by thoroughly studying the Bible. It reveals Biblical insights on Satanic deceits to enter the minds of people who are spiritually devoted, the soul departing from the physical body, and compassion, solace and love in the spiritual world. The volume showcases the experiences of those nearing death which include new feelings and sensations as a spiritual being, meeting with other spirits and viewing the Light, that is, Christ Himself when passing through death. Mr Isaac emphasises the need to be faithful and perform acts of divine love and righteousness in all sincerity in order to prepare oneself for the eternal life in the hereafter.
This volume is centred around Bhima Bhoi, the chief protagonist of Mahima Dharma of Mahima Svami, and takes this dharma to a meaningful logical conclusion. Bhima Bhoi presents through his lyrical compositions rarefied concepts like Shunya-Brahman, identity between jiva and Brahman, the relation between brahmanda and pinda and bhakti as atmajnana.
The philosophy of Mahima Dharma, a religious tradition of Odisha, is centred around the concept of God as Shunya-Brahman, and is remarkable for its stance towards religion, man and society. Mahima Dharma, though very much a part of the Indian religio-philosophical tradition, boldly defies idolatry, meaningless rites, religious pomposites and social discrimination, based on varna dharmajati. Bhima Bhoi, the chief protagonist of this dharma, presents a shunya-centric metaphysics and takes it to a meaningful logical conclusion.
Bhima Bhoi, a well-known tribal poet of nineteenth-century Odisha, presents through his lyrical compositions rarefied concepts like Shunya-Brahman, identity between jiva and Brahman, the relation between brahmanda and pinda and bhakti as atmajnana. His words, choice of philosophical ideas and style of presentation bear the stamp of his predecessors, Pancasakha and Caitanya Dasa.
This volume concisely deals with the varied aspects of Indian religio-philosophic tradition such as God as shunya in other traditions, the genesis of Mahima Dharma and its approach and interpretation of Shunya-Brahman, the relationship between God and man, and the dissident stream of spirituality. It talks about the persona of Bhima Bhoi as a poet and a philosopher, and his contested status in the society; also the impact of other thought systems like Buddhism, classical Advaitism, Sanatana Dharma on Mahima Dharma.
Academic in nature, this book should propel the inquisitiveness of many a researcher on Indian religio-philosophic systems and students of philosophy and theological systems.
The study, beautifully illustrated, focuses on the masks of gods, goddesses and demons worn by the Newars of Kath-mandu Valley. It deals with contexts in which the dancers wear the masks and with legends concerning the dances.
The presence of masks as both ritual and art objects is attested among the traditions of mankinds oldest civilisations. Cutting across cultural and geographical barriers, they have exhibited a remarkable range and diversity of meanings throughout history. The present study focuses on the masks worn in the Kathmandu Valley by the main ethnic group, the Newars. A specific aspect of the Newars is that, despite the political dominance of Hinduism, Buddhism is still alive. The masks represent gods, goddesses and demons, but never the dead or the ancestors. The author argues that the reason for the absence of figurations of the dead or ancestors is to be explained by the funerary rituals. There are no memorial monuments or other objects which perpetuate the memory of the deceased: It is through rituals performed after their death that the memory is preserved. The distinction is made between statue-masks and the masks worn during ritual dances. The author focuses on the contexts in which the masks are worn by professional dancers and draws attention to the legends which explain the origin of the dances and their ritual role. Detailed descriptions are given of the dances performed during different festivals in the localities of the Kathmandu Valley. The masks then worn are destroyed and re-made ritually each year by painters. Anne Vergati explains the relation between the dancer as a social person with a social identity and the mask which represents a god or a goddess. The mask is not supposed to hide the face of the dancer but to transform his identity in such a way as to make of him a deity. Supported by numerous illustrations in colour, the book will appeal to historians and connoisseurs of art as well as to scholars of the cultures of the Himalayan regions.
The book explores the ancient Indian art from the perspective of gender and delves into the development of engendered representation in art, with the emergence of aesthetic and sexual archetypes and stereotypes of women: goddesses, mothers, wives, nuns, semi-divine yakshis, ogresses and others by giving insights into the intention, agency and patronage patterns in early Indian art.
The book is an exploration of ancient Indian art from the perspective of gender. It focuses on the period from 181 bce to ce 320 a period of great turmoil in the politico-economic, socio-cultural and religious spheres that gave rise to contesting ideologies and gender complexities in ancient India. It delves into the development of engendered representation in art, with the emergence of aesthetic and sexual archetypes and stereotypes of women: goddesses, mothers, wives, nuns, semi-divine yaksis, ogresses and others. It examines the nature of the stereotypes and archetypes that were constructed on the basis of gender roles rather than on sex and how these were reflected by various attributes of the representations nudity or its absence, ornamentation, gestures, direction of gaze and context. It gives interesting insights into the intention, agency and patronage patterns in early Indian art.
The volume with its scholarly approach, providing fresh insights into early Indian art, will prove useful to scholars, students and researchers of Indian art and history alongwith the cognoscenti.
| There are no products |
