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This volume Hymns to the Goddess is an endeavour of Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon) to translate the Sanskrit hymns in praise of the Goddess or Devi, scattered in Tantra and Purana texts, Mahabharata, and in the hymns of Shankaracharya. Hymn to Kali (Karpuradi Stotra), another book within the book, is a celebrated Kaula stotra, having commentary on the hymns.
The Goddess or Devi is God in Its Mother aspect. Devi, who is existence, consciousness and bliss, is thought of as a female, a male or pure Brahman. This volume Hymns to the Goddess is an endeavour of Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon) to translate the Sanskrit hymns in praise of the Goddess or Devi, scattered in Tantra and Purana texts, Mahabharata, and in the hymns of Shankaracharya, who was an incarnation of devotion and a great philosopher, Valmiki and Indra.
After a general introduction, the book starts with a hymn to Kalabhairava, the spouse of Devi, followed by Devi stotras. In these hymns, Devi is praised as Bhairavi, Bhuvaneshvari, Adyakali, Lakshmi, Tara, Mahishamardini, Annapurna, Sarasvati, Durga, Tripura in Tantra texts; Sarvavishvajanani, Ambika, Chandika, Mahadevi and Jagadambika in Puranas; Durga, Arya, Durga in Mahabharata; Tripurasundari, Ganga, Ananadalahari, Yamuna, Narmada and Mahalakshmi.
Hymn to Kali (Karpuradi Stotra), another book within the book, is a celebrated Kaula stotra, having commentary on the hymns. It, in addition to mantroddharadhara, contains stotras of dhyana, yantra, sadhana, madya, mamsa, maithuna and phala-shruti matters.
This volume Hymns to the Goddess is an endeavour of Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon) to translate the Sanskrit hymns in praise of the Goddess or Devi, scattered in Tantra and Purana texts, Mahabharata, and in the hymns of Shankaracharya. Hymn to Kali (Karpuradi Stotra), another book within the book, is a celebrated Kaula stotra, having commentary on the hymns.
The Goddess or Devi is God in Its Mother aspect. Devi, who is existence, consciousness and bliss, is thought of as a female, a male or pure Brahman. This volume Hymns to the Goddess is an endeavour of Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon) to translate the Sanskrit hymns in praise of the Goddess or Devi, scattered in Tantra and Purana texts, Mahabharata, and in the hymns of Shankaracharya, who was an incarnation of devotion and a great philosopher, Valmiki and Indra.
After a general introduction, the book starts with a hymn to Kalabhairava, the spouse of Devi, followed by Devi stotras. In these hymns, Devi is praised as Bhairavi, Bhuvaneshvari, Adyakali, Lakshmi, Tara, Mahishamardini, Annapurna, Sarasvati, Durga, Tripura in Tantra texts; Sarvavishvajanani, Ambika, Chandika, Mahadevi and Jagadambika in Puranas; Durga, Arya, Durga in Mahabharata; Tripurasundari, Ganga, Ananadalahari, Yamuna, Narmada and Mahalakshmi.
Hymn to Kali (Karpuradi Stotra), another book within the book, is a celebrated Kaula stotra, having commentary on the hymns. It, in addition to mantroddharadhara, contains stotras of dhyana, yantra, sadhana, madya, mamsa, maithuna and phala-shruti matters.
With surveys of diverse Buddhic and Hindic temples in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and even Malaysia, the book shows how the basic element in their architecture: the PLAN was fraught with iconographic import and input, necessitating the guidance of authoritative compendia, the arcane knowledge of the sthapati (priest-architect), and other complex procedures steeped in symbolism.
Over the rolling centuries, Buddhism and Hinduism, two of the worlds oldest sustained faiths, came to evolve a complex, yet precisely defining, iconic language: not just for figural representations, but for the architectural plans of their temples and monuments as well a language that allows interpretations of geometric proportions. Here is the first ever effort to brilliantly unravel the iconic idiom involved in the architectural plans of Buddhist and Hindu temples and monuments of India and the Indianized States of Southeast Asia. With his indepth surveys of diverse Buddhic and Hindic temples in India, Sri Lanka, Java (Indonesia), Kambuja, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and even Malaysia, the author shows how the basic element in their architecture: the PLAN conceived within a cosmological framework was fraught with iconographic import and input, necessitating the guidance of authoritative compendia, like the Manasara and the Mayamata, the arcane knowledge of the sthapati (priest-architect), and many other complex procedures which all were steeped in symbolism. In analysing the architectural plans of these temples, Professor Bunce also highlights the various related iconographic considerations, like orientation, basic geometric forms, construction methods, rules and ratios, the non-congregational necessity, the high place as a consideration as well as the cave besides a number of viable influences which exert various amounts of control, e.g., textual, philosophic/theologic, numerological, astrological/astronomical, regionality and, most importantly, the mandala. Generously supported by visual material comprising as many as 400 figures and line-drawings, Professor Bunces book is veritably a monumental, off-beat exercise of enormous interest to iconographers as well as the historians/specialists of South and Southeast Asian temple architecture.
This work analyses the Vaisnava iconography of Orissa. Vaisnava iconography proper including Hari-Hara and other composite images and those of Visnus female consorts; images of Visnu in his avataras; depiction of Balarama, Krsna and Jagannatha; and iconography of the secondary figures like Garuda and Hanumana.
This work is a well?researched attempt to analyse the Vaishnava iconography of Orissa which is unique in that there are to be found an overwhelming number of Vishnu images in the region despite paucity of Vishnu temples and inscriptional evidence suggesting royal patronage. Dr. Donaldson here undertakes a detailed study under four heads: Vaishnava iconography proper including Hari?Hara and other composite images and those of Vishnus female consorts; images of Vishnu in his different avataras; depiction of Balarama, Krishna and Jagannatha; and iconography of what are termed secondary figures like Garuda and Hanumana. He presents various iconographic charts throughout the book on the basis of textual description of the many images and their representations in sculpture with a number of photographs of the images studied, he provides details on the physical attributes of each group of images and specific images and their evolving iconographic and stylistic peculiarities: such as the decline of a particular motif and the emergence of another depending on the popularity of sects. The author also traces with keen interest the influence of Vaishnavism on the iconographic programme and rituals of Shaiva temples, resulting in even joint worship of Vishnu and Shiva. For each type of iconography, the book cites examples of different Orissan temples and discusses the images in them. The book would be of immense interest to scholars of religious studies and particularly those concerned with Hindu iconography.
Dr. Divatia deals with the rise and growth of Idealistic thought from the Vedic times till the final establishment of Drsti-Srsti-Vada in the Kevaladvaita Vedanta vis-a-vis the Srsti-Drsti-Vada of the same school.
The development of Drishti-Srishti-vada from its emergence till its establishment has been systematically presented in this book entitled Idealistic Thought in Indian Philosophy. The author has attempted to show how the Idealistic thought of a primary stage reached its acme step by step. The book explains what Idealism signifies in its different shades with special reference to the Idealistic schools of Indian philosophy and also speaks about the rise and growth of Idealisitc thought from the Vedic times till the final establishment of Drishti-Srishti-vada in the Kevaladvaita Vedanta vis-a-vis the Srshti-Drishti–vada of the same school. Drishti-Srishti-vada of the Kevaladvaita Vedanta represents the culmination of Idealistic thought. Idealism, rooted in the Upanishadic era, reached its zenith in the Drishti-Srishti-vada and was finally established in the sixteenth century A.D. by Prakashananda. Drishti-Srishti-vada totally denounces the reality of the wordly phenomena and puts them on a par with the dreaming world. This theory emphasiges that the world of appearance has no substantiality but exists only when it is perceived. In other words srishti and drishti are both identical. Drishti-Srishti-vada multifies the unapprehended existence of the world and is an unique theory of solving the riddle of the world of appearance, even while upholding the Absolute Reality of the ultimate Reality.
The book offers an account of Tantras evolution, cultic variations, culture, philosophy, mysticism, etc. and shows how tantrism has deeply influenced major Indian religions and the art tradition.
With its roots (perhaps) in the prehistoric times, Tantra is a unique, highly complex spiritual tradition of India. Which is hard to define and still harder to be grasped by the non-initiated largely because of its occult and mysteriously ritualistic elements, often accompanied by equally mysterious mantras, yantras, kriyas and even sexual practices. As a religious philosophy, this esoteric cult of Shakti: the female principle, seeks to discover the source of cosmic power within the human body through intensely specialized yogic activity. And, like yoga, it transcends religious boundaries. Introducing this non-Vedic, esoteric cult in an altogether fresh perspective, the book looks at tantra: both as a philosophy and as a spiritual tradition in its own right, and how tantrism has, in the past, been an irresistible influence not only on major Indian religions (Brahmanical Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism), but on arts as well. Dr. Mishra authenticates his findings with evidence from numerous Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, Buddhist, and Jaina texts on religion, philosophy, art and iconography. The author, who has had long, personal interactions with some of the living tantrikas, also tries to dispel certain distortions woven around Tantric religion to contextually offer an unbiased account of its evolution, cultic variations, culture, philosophy, mysticism, and cardinal concepts and tenets. Together with relevant visual material, Dr. Mishras work will, thus, evoke as much interest in discerning readers as in the scholars of Indian religions, traditional philosophy, arts and art history.
This book critically analyses the state of affairs in India after the British left in 1947 and examines whether Independence has ushered an era of cultural and social freedom or a cultural decline has set in a thought-provoking subject.
It is often taken for granted that Independence from the British rule also ushered an era of cultural and social freedom in India. The author wishes to examine if that is true or if a cultural decline set in soon after. Based on a verse in the Pancatantra, the book has been divided into six parts: Eka (person), Kula (family), Grama (habitat), Janapada (land), Prithvi (earth) and Atma. Issues of education; conflicts between the classes, regions, jatis, languages and religions; expansion of proselytizers; lack of governance; tensions between the legislators and judiciary; rise of unbridled consumerism; falling standards of democracy; dilemmas created by notions of dharma challenged by Westernized modernity; and the problems of attaining universal harmony, are all put into a perspective under these six categories. While examining the state of affairs the author also suggests a way for the pursuit of happiness through unselfish transcendence.
This book critically analyses the state of affairs in India after the British left in 1947 and examines whether Independence has ushered an era of cultural and social freedom or a cultural decline has set in a thought-provoking subject.
It is often taken for granted that Independence from the British rule also ushered an era of cultural and social freedom in India. The author wishes to examine if that is true or if a cultural decline set in soon after. Based on a verse in the Pancatantra, the book has been divided into six parts: Eka (person), Kula (family), Grama (habitat), Janapada (land), Prithvi (earth) and Atma. Issues of education; conflicts between the classes, regions, jatis, languages and religions; expansion of proselytizers; lack of governance; tensions between the legislators and judiciary; rise of unbridled consumerism; falling standards of democracy; dilemmas created by notions of dharma challenged by Westernized modernity; and the problems of attaining universal harmony, are all put into a perspective under these six categories. While examining the state of affairs the author also suggests a way for the pursuit of happiness through unselfish transcendence.
Dr. Bhargavas book opens a fascinating panorama of life in Vedic India, highlighting in particular, its powerful dynastic families, its rsis, society, economic conditions, political set-up, religion, philosophy and literature. The book includes a vivid description of the Aryan homeland, its geography, flora and fauna and a lot else.
Vedas arent just the scriptural texts, but the earliest record of Indo, Aryan civilisation. On the basis of this corpus of mankinds oldest literature, together with his indepth analyses of the later-day Puranic writings, Professor Bhargava offers the first ever systematic, well-knit study of the Aryan expansion on the Indian subcontinent since c. 3100 bc. Retrieving, thus, hard historical facts from the complex Sanskrit verses of ancient seers, Dr. Bhargavas book opens a fascinating panorama of life in Vedic Indiahighlighting, in particular, its powerful dynastic families, its rishis, society, economic conditions, political setup; religion, philosophy and literature. The book also includes a vivid description of the Aryan homeland, its geography, flora, fauna, and a lot else. Now in its third enlarged, fully revrsed and updated edition; India in the Vedic Age has, ever since its first appearance in 1956, been acclaimed not only by prestigious journals or discerning readers, but also by many IndologistsISanskrit historians of worldwide eminence, including notably, A.L. Basham, K.D. Vajpeyi, Ludwik Stembach, T.G. Mainkar, and G.V. Devas. While A.S. Altekar acknowledged it as a distinct advance over Pargiters work, Dr. Bhargavas book is certainly, as U.N. Ghoshal observed, the most original work of our time.
India and Indonesia maintained strong cultural and historical relationship for few millennia. As a testimony to it India stood firm for Indonesia’s freedom from the Dutch, inspiring its leaders. With India’s Look East Policy, the mutual relationships, especially in trade, have reached new heights. The economic reforms in both the countries demand stronger ties in the days to come.
India and Indonesia experienced close historical and civilizational relations from the ancient times to sixteenth century ce. During the Indonesian freedom struggle, its leaders were inspired by the anti-colonial views of Indian leaders. India firmly stood for the freedom of Indonesia from the Dutch.
During the post-colonial period, the bilateral relations underwent ups and downs. Indias Look East Policy of the 1990s made a phenomenal leap in both the countries relationship. India by leveraging its soft power, stable foreign policy, non-interference policy established trust among many South-East Asian countries and in particular Indonesia. Indonesia, being the largest country in the region, has been proved as one of the greatest allies of India.
After a decade of stable governance under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesia now has a fairly strong democratic set-up. The country made the transition after thirty-one years of dictatorship of Soeharto, under the leadership of B.J. Habibie, Abdurrhaman Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Now, when both the countries are poised to fly high after having witnessed considerable economic reforms, they need to forge stronger ties in order to further expand bilateral trade and strategic relations, being the main focus of this volume.
The book relates the diverse experiences of Mr. Tzannis Tzannetakis, a former Greek Prime Minister, in India: he witnesses centuries-old marvels, landmarks of its long religious-cultural tradition; and his response is profound and genuine.
A journey to India . . . is quite unlike a journey to any other land . . . this sentiment expresses the uniqueness of a visitors experience of India. For, among other things, India is a perpetual mystery to him from the beginning; he wades through the mystique and out of it; and he is never free of it. For Mr. Tzannis Tzannetakis, a former Prime Minister of Greece, India is this and much more. His informal experiences presented here are diverse and steeped in the historic-cultural flavour special to India. He sees its centuries-old palaces, forts of ancient maharajas, of the glorious Mughals; the unparalleled cave monuments of Ajanta-Ellora with their exquisite carvings, the breathtaking sculptural decorations and the architectural dream of Khajuraho; the grandeur of the Taj, a wonder in white marble; the exotic deserts of Jaisalmer; the heart of holy India, Banaras, with the ever-flowing Ganga; the marvel of Delhi which amalgamates the old and the new. His response is, likewise, rich with a range of tones; he not only admires the material landmarks of ancient India but breathes in the spirit of the past the old delight, the royal romance, the dignity, valour in that chivalry . . . His is not simply a discovery of India but an analysis of Indias time-tested values and its modern message in order to understand India in the real sense its unique past; the India of today, of the traditional and the modern; and the India of the future . . . its goals, aspirations. The authors tone is wonder-struck but, at the same time, genuine and realistic. He captures the essential India and not just its forms and colours to present a delightful, critical and sensitive picture.
A collection of fifteen scholarly articles, this volume talks about the development of convergences and divergences in Indian aesthetics under two broad topics – Theoretical Explorations and Applications – be it cinema, dance, drama, music, literature or sculpture.
A collection of fifteen scholarly articles, this volume focuses on the convergences and divergences which exist in Indian aesthetics, focusing both on Theoretical Explorations and their Applications. Indian aesthetics encompasses traditions and texts that focus on literary, visual, structural and performative productions of a wide range of art forms that delight, entertain, provoke their audience in ways that are relevant to the life. These art forms result in various responses such as delight, emotional relish, and enjoyment. In their convergence with other arts, different Indian art forms, be it cinema, dance, drama, music, literature or sculpture, have practised a “give and take” policy all through their history. Most of them are based on the rasa theory as the connecting thread. Talking about the divergences, the book details how different art forms emerged from a common root and shaped up as separate entities within the Indian framework, while embedding divergent viewpoints opening up the possibility of diverse views on the same concept. These developments also hold true for modern art forms like cinema. The volume provides illustrations taken from a wide range of art forms ancient and contemporary, talking about the diverse applications of Indian aesthetics across multiple art forms in recent times.
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