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The book studies the evolution of euhemeristic deities of the Vedic period mainly Indra, the Rbhus, the Asvins and the Maruts. It explores the rationale behind the euhemerism and the historicity of events leading to their mythologization.
In deities : whether in anthropomorphic or symbolic forms, the Vedic sages conceived a transcendent principle, which is far too subtle, far too abstract for the ordinary minds to grasp. And likewise, they concretized as divinities the various forces of nature recognizing the indispensability of rain and thunder, of the sun and fire for human survival. Alongside the material representations of the cosmic order or of nature and nature-related phenomena, mankind has also mythologized some of its exceptionally great personalities (like, for instance, the Buddha, Mahavira and Jesus), who were believed to incarnate superhuman qualities or the highest of human ideals though these deities of our times were veritably the magnified men of real history. Dr. Uma Chakravartys book investigates this phenomenon of euhemerism: the deification of historical personages, from among the divinities of Vedic writings. It is the first, all-exclusive study to look into the evolution of euhemeristic deities of the Vedic period and how these mortals-turned-gods came to have varying deific positions on the hierarchic scale of the Vedic pantheon. Meticulously describing Indra, the Ribhus, the Ashvins and the Maruts together with the connotations of their names and epithets the author not only explores the rationale behind the age-old euhemerism, but even the historicity of the events leading to their mythologization. Supported by extensive bibliographic references, the book is a brilliant effort to demonstrate the complementarity of history and mythology. And is, thus, invaluable to the scholars of Indology and its kindred disciplines.
The book is an analytical study of the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo with special reference to his ideas on socio-political issues, nationalism, morality and stateless society besides the dangers of imposed uniformity with disregard for difference.
The book is an in-depth study of the integral philosophy of Sri Aurobindo. It throws light on his fundamental ideas on socio-political issues and concepts relating to Yoga and knowledge. The well researched writings pointedly examine Sri Aurobindos views on nationalism, Western imperialism, morality, stateless society, human relations and education among other such subjects. Quoting liberally from Sri Aurobindo the volume delves deep into his understanding of the divine and the human; the nation as characterized by spirituality; and spiritual transformation relying on the brotherhood of all humans as multiple expressions of the same godhead. His philosophy of integral monism and the way Aurobindo makes frequent references to Hindu scriptures: the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Puranas has been highlighted in particular. How Sri Aurobindo stresses throughout on the dangers of imposed uniformity with total disregard for difference has been brought into focus.
Based on an analytical study of Sri Aurobindos philosophy and offering fresh approaches, the volume will interest both, the students and scholars of modern Indian philosophy and Indology in general.
In the context of current knowledge situation, when every discipline has something to contribute to interdisciplinarity, it seems quite apposite and opportune that philosophy should reinforce and reassert its traditionally cherished role of integrating human knowledge. The Book at hand is an attempt to that end. It is set to take the readers on an enthralling journey across disciplinary boundaries and inspire them to reach a comprehensive conceptual framework for human knowledge at large.
The book delves into the idea and the philosophy of interdisciplinarity, and then unravels the genealogy, dynamics, and myriad configurations of the highly complex phenomenon. It goes on to assess impact, advantages and critical issues involved in interdisciplinarity, while outlining an Indian view of it. The book, thus, explores the conceptual connections, fundamental issues and intrinsic implications of a myriad variety of interdisciplinary study and research, within and beyond academia. The book also attempts to develop necessary theoretical perspectives and a broader conceptual framework in this connection. Ultimately, it seeks to reach, as far as possible, a systematic conceptual account of varied and variegated interdisciplinary studies and researches by integrating them philosophically.
The present work is thus, intended for a wider audience, and not only for the practitioners of philosophy as an academic discipline. It is a must read across the intellectual spectrum, regardless of one’s disciplinary affinities and affiliations. It is wide-ranging in its concerns, far-reaching in implications, and highly resourceful and relevant for generalists as well as specialists, scholars and scientists, researchers and curriculum developers, educational administrators and policy-makers.
Questioning modern methods of development, this volume discusses from the complex issues of cultural identity to the worldwide human problems stemming from the development-planners unmindfulness of endogenous cultures.
From the post-World War II decolonization to about mid-1980s, mainstream development thinking has focussed on economics, on the one-dimensional abstraction of homo economicus, to the exclusion of all else: specially the socio-cultural context in which development might take place. This divorce of development from culture, however, was poor economics a hard fact, which the international community has come to discover gradually. experientially. The United Nations too was not found wanting in its shared concern for culture. On 21 January 1988, it launched under the aegis of Unesco The World Decade for Cultural Development in its effort to chiefly (a) strengthen awareness of cultural dimension of development, and (b) enrich cultural identities the world over. In the Indian capital, the Indira Gandhi National Centrel for the Arts (IGNCA) has initiated a multidisciplinary discourse on development issues vis-a-vis the whole range of cultural variables and definitions. Which its newly-introduced series: Culture and Development proposes to cover in entirety. Integration of Endogenous Cultural Dimension into Development Volume 2 of the Culture-and -Development series takes the discourse on: from the complex issues of cultural identity to the worldwide human problems stemming from the development-planners unmindfulness of endogenous cultures. Carrying 17 presentations of a Unesco-sponsored workshop : 19-23 April 1995 at IGNCA, New Delhi, it questions the modern methods of development which, evolved from the experience of the industrialized world, have brought about neither peace nor harmony, neither alleviation of poverty nor socio-economic equality .Thus arguing why current development processes call for serious rethinking, the authors spell out not only the urgency of integrating endogenous cultural dimension into the paradigms of development, but also the relevance of linking development with the ethical basis of life and living. Also included in the volume are several case studies, with special reference to the Asian situation. The contributors to this volume are reputed scholars, planners and grassroots-level social workers from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
This innovative reading of Patanjalis Yoga-sutras discuss how Yoga enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by worldly identification. It challenges misperception about Yoga and argues for a fresh understanding of the practical relevance of Yoga.
The Integrity of the Yoga Darshana centres on the thought of Patanjali, the great exponent of the authoritative and Classical Yoga school of Hinduism and the reputed author of the Yoga-sutras. In this textual, historical, and interpretive study, whicher offers a plausible and innovative reading of the intention of the Yoga-sutras, namely that Yoga does not advocate the abandonment or condemnation of the world, but rather supports a stance that enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by worldly identification. Challenging and correcting misperceptions about Yoga drawn by traditional and modern interpretations of the Yoga-sutras, the author argues for a fresh vision of the spiritual potential present in this seminal text, thereby contributing to our understanding of the meaning and practical relevance of Yoga and its reception today. A superb piece of work, this book provides an original, constructive, and insightful interpretation of the Yoga system.
The present volume is an outcome of the expert discussion on the theories of Brahmanism and Buddhism, in an International meet at Jnana-Pravaha. Philosophical and artistic interaction between the two have been brilliantly discussed with references to famous places as well as texts to unravel basic principles.
Brahmanism and Buddhism adopted symbol and image worship almost simultaneously in the pre and early centuries of the Christian era. With the passage of time, the forms and plethora evolved and despite several distinctive features common elements between the two religions continue and fructified. The fact is revealed both at the philosophical and artistic levels. The present volume is the outcome of the well discussed theories by the experts, assembled in an International meet on the subject in the second week of February 2003 at Jnana-Pravaha, Varanasi, organized in the joint collaboration of Acharya Narendra Dev International Research Institute for Buddhist Studies, Lucknow. The book incorporates a good number of papers dealing with philosophical and artistic interaction between Brahmanism and Buddhism for more than a millennium years. The interaction was largely peaceful but there were certain phases in the Medieval period when clash also surfaced. It was most profound in the region of art and architecture, as a result of which some similarities as well as unique features between the two had emerged. All these aspects have been brilliantly discussed and specific references to famous places associated with Brahmanical and Buddhist arts in Asia as well as textual references to unravel basic iconographical principles have been adequately reflected in the present volume. The book besides being useful to scholars and students researching on ancient Indian art and architecture would appeal to general readers interested to know more about Indias glorious art traditions.
This book incorporates Prof. Friedmans lectures and discussions that were a part of the Inter-Cultural Dialogue at many levels. His major contribution is in developing an approach that is within the framework of the human image.
This book, with a foreword by Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, incorporates Prof. Maurice Friedmans lectures, discussions and exchanges which took place in the Intercultural Dialogue at many levels. The integral dialogical approach of Prof. Friedman within the framework of the human image, coincides with the holistic vision of the ongoing work at the IGNCA. Prof. Friedmans major contribution in philosophy is in providing continuity to the new dialogical trend of thought. There was a time when philosophy was conceived as purely thought-oriented, self-oriented, and too far removed from the existential, natural order of human existence. The image of man that emerged from this abstraction was also a conceptual I. The new trend, gives priority to existence, experience, and an image of the human that precedes and develops through every type of personal encounter we have with the other. This experiential framework gives an orientation to philosophical anthropology, philosophy of art, philosophy of social sciences, philosophy of religion and moral philosophy. It rejects the distinction between first order and second order level and sees thought and reflection as in the process of existential becoming of the human. Professor Friedmans original contribution to philosophy may be indicated at different levels: 1) Developing a complete yet open-ended dialogical framework by pointing to the image of the human as central; 2) Bringing out, in a thoroughgoing way, the implications of the image of man for moral philosophy. This existential ethics, which is different from Sartre, is of great significance in our times; 3) Suggesting a new philosophy of literature by stressing the human image as a direction and not as an ideal in the literary works of Aldous Huxley, T.S.Eliot, Hermann Hesse; and, 4) Pointing to the important dimension of dialogical psychotherapy where the relationship between the therapist and the client is central; and, it is this meeting alone which may heal the atrophied personal center.
This volume highlights the basic distinctions between anthropocentric and cosmocentric approaches to cultural identity and development. It discusses what constitutes culture and development and focuses on evolving viable, alternative development paradigms.
From the post-World War II decolonization to about mid-1980s, mainstream development thinking has focussed on economics, on the one-dimensional abstraction of homo economicus, to the exclusion of all else: specially the socio-cultural context in which development might take place. This divorce of development from culture, however, was poor economics a hard fact, which the international community has come to discover gradually, experientially. The United Nations too was not found wanting in its shared concern for culture. On 21 January 1988, it launched under the aegis of Unesco The World Decade for Cultural Development in its effort to chiefly (a) strengthen awareness of cultural dimension of development, and (b) enrich cultural identities the world over. In the Indian capital, the Indira Gandhi National Centrel for the Arts (IGNCA) has initiated a multidisciplinary discourse on development issues vis-a-vis the whole range of cultural variables and definitions. Which its newly-introduced series : Culture and Development proposes to cover in entirety. This inaugural volume, thematically focussing on Interface of Cultural Identity and Development, comprises 23 presentations of a Unesco-sponsored meeting of experts: 19-23 April 1993 at IGNCA, New Delhi. Highlighting the basic distinctions that exist between anthropocentric and cosmocentric approaches to the question of cultural identity and development, the authors reflect on what constitutes culture and development not per se, but as an integral holistic notion of culture and lifestyle, culture and development, culture and region, culture and linguistic/ecological identities, and how some of the viable alternative development paradigms could be evolved from the convergence of mystical ancient insights and modern science. Authored by eminent anthropologists, sociologists, scientists and other area-specialists from Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey, the papers here not only consider diverse theoretical issues of cultural identity and development, but also set out case studies in different field situations.
The book investigates the bhakti beliefs and practices of the subaltern Kabirpanth community in comparison with the nirguna bhakti thought of their guru, the medieval iconoclastic bhakti saint Kabir. By doing so, the book attempts to investigate the Kabirpanthis’ attempt at dissent and submissiveness vis-a-vis the dominant Sanskritic Hindu tradition. This dual strategy of dissent and submissiveness is analysed through subaltern postcolonial lens as well as by employing social anthropological empirical research.
The book begins by making an analytical study of the medieval Bhakti movement and the nirguṇa bhakti teachings and practices of Kabir. Using postcolonial discursive tools such as postcolonial mimicry, ambivalence and hybridity, the author investigates how the bhakti beliefs and practices of the subaltern Kabirpanth community are elements of subversive and resistance stance against the dominant Sanskritic Hindu tradition.
This book is a must read for anyone interested in bhakti religion and movement and those who wish to analyse subaltern religion through postcolonial lens.
The book investigates the bhakti beliefs and practices of the subaltern Kabirpanth community in comparison with the nirguna bhakti thought of their guru, the medieval iconoclastic bhakti saint Kabir. By doing so, the book attempts to investigate the Kabirpanthis’ attempt at dissent and submissiveness vis-a-vis the dominant Sanskritic Hindu tradition. This dual strategy of dissent and submissiveness is analysed through subaltern postcolonial lens as well as by employing social anthropological empirical research.
The book begins by making an analytical study of the medieval Bhakti movement and the nirguṇa bhakti teachings and practices of Kabir. Using postcolonial discursive tools such as postcolonial mimicry, ambivalence and hybridity, the author investigates how the bhakti beliefs and practices of the subaltern Kabirpanth community are elements of subversive and resistance stance against the dominant Sanskritic Hindu tradition.
This book is a must read for anyone interested in bhakti religion and movement and those who wish to analyse subaltern religion through postcolonial lens.
Interstate Relations in Northern India (8001200 ce) is a critical analysis of the Empire and State, the RÀja-Maõçala, in medieval India. The book is an excellent interpretation of the composition of the state, the ancient Indian principles and categories of interstate relations dealing with rÀjya and maõçala (circle of states).
This thoroughly researched work examines the state and its seven constituent elements (rÀjya). While avoiding the temptation of using Western categories and principles of international law, it provides an explanation of classification of states based on power, independence, tribute and political allegiance. In particular, it defines and analyses the ÈÀçguõya (sixfold policy of sandhi (peace), vigraha (war), yana (marching), Àsana (staying quite), dvaidhÁ-bhÀva (dual policy) and saÚraya (seeking shelter thereby correcting earlier misconceptions)). Furthermore, the theoretical formulations of circle of states and interstate relations between (8001200 ce) have been placed in a historical context, and well attested by historical instances in north India. Based on geopolitics and power it demonstrates the impact of political thought on political expedients, stratagems and events, at a crucial time in Indian history. The influence of ideas on political behaviour of kings and trajectories and policies of kingdoms of the Candellas, PÀlas, ParamÀras, PratihÀras, RÀjpÂts, CÀÒukyas, RÀÈÇrakÂÇas, Arabs and CÀhamÀnas have been substantiated with facts and evidences.
The author, Dr Shiva Gopal Bajpai, is to be congratulated for providing an accurate analysis of ancient Indian political theory and interpretation of its practical application by medieval rÀjÀs, thereby making a significant contribution to our understanding of Indian history.
The book thus delves deep into the philosophies of both Bdaryaa and akara in enunciating the essential features of Brahman and Its association with the world. It thus discusses topics such as what sort of cause Brahman is?, and what sort of material causality is to be ascribed to It? It also addresses the conflicting views on the nature of Brahman like that of Vivarttavda and of Rmnuja’s Sagua-Brahman.
The book contains the original texts in Sanskrit, Roman transliteration and detailed commentaries on the Ishavasya and Mandukya Upanishads, explaining the basic message of the Upanishads Þ Brahmavidya or the science of the Absolute Þ in different ways, the questions asked in each being different.
The volume contains a detailed commentary on two important Upanishads, the Ishavasya and the Mandukya.
The Isha Upanishad states straightaway what Brahmavidya is. It clarifies three different paths in human life: two leading to final liberation and unconditioned happiness and the third leading to the demonic world of darkness and sufferings in life.
The Mandukya Upanishad, which is also the shortest Upanishad, states concisely what Vedanta basically teaches (Everything here indeed is Brahman), how everything is to be conceived, and how it is to be equated with aum. It explains how the monosyllable aum condenses within itself Brahman or atman, the substance in all the worlds.
The volume gives the original texts of the Upanishads in Sanskrit, their Roman transliteration and a commentary for each. It explains the basic message of the Upanishads Brahmavidya or Atmavidya or Vedanta or the science of the Absolute in different ways, the questions asked in each being different. It takes a fresh look at the Upanishads keeping in view all modern developments of thought in science as well as philosophy. The work will interest scholars and students of Hindu philosophy and religion.
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