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Indian academic self-understanding of the day is highly influenced and mediated by the Western culture and its understanding of Indian civilization. The political agenda of the colonizer has overshadowed the legitimacy of Indias history and culture. This development poses numerous doubts about its authenticity and credibility. This volume addresses this and many a related issue.
The present Indian academic self-understanding of its history and culture is largely Western in origin. This Western intellectual enterprise, however, went hand in hand with a Western political enterprise, i.e. the colonization of India. This raises the question: To what extent, if any, did the two developments influence each other? It also raises another question: To what extent did Wests cultural presuppositions influence its understanding of Indian civilization?
The central epistemological issue which these questions raise is the following: What significance does the fact that the self-understanding of a culture is mediated by that of another culture, over which it was culturally and politically dominant, possess for the votaries of the culture whose self-understanding has thus been mediated in this fashion?
This question is not merely of historical but also of contemporary interest, for in an increasingly globalizing world, in which power is unevenly distributed at various levels, the self-understanding of all cultures is likely to be influenced by how they are being presented by other cultures. Furthermore, in such a world, shifting political alliances may generate new intellectual configurations, whose legitimacy may require constant examination. The essays in this book address these and similar issues.
The volume consists of fourteen essays written by scholars of diverse disciplinary discourses, such as Philosophy, Political Science, Literature, Economics and Classical Studies (Sanskrit) and presented to the serious reader as an Indian picture of the virtuous life set against the larger background of virtues that are woven into the fabric of Western civilization.
Set against the background of the contemporary popularity of virtue ethics in the West, this book projects a unified picture of Indian Virtue Ethics by highlighting two interrelated purposes. First, it canvasses the point that Indian ethics, both in its classical and its modern shapes, is basically founded upon the cultivation of those attitudes that conduce to the realization of a virtuous self. Second, it draws out the various facets of virtues, traditional and modern, which bear a specifically Indian character. With these two aspects combined into a complex whole, this work manages to present itself as a coherent set of ethical ideas with a distinctively Indian identity.
The book consists of fourteen essays written by scholars belonging to diverse disciplinary discourses: Philosophy, Political Science, Literature, Economics and Classical studies (Sanskrit). As such, it presents to the serious reader a multi-perspectival Indian image of what it is like to lead a virtuous life and to aspire for human perfection.
Central to the Indian ideal of human perfection in the Indian tradition is the place of dharma in the overall scheme of life. While this centrality of dharma is recognized in the essays included in this book, the virtue-ethical interpretation of this central concept attempted in these essays is marked by a broader understanding of the concept adapted to the imaginative elucidation of the idea of a dharmic or virtuous life.
It is strongly believed that this book will be an eye-opener to scholars in Philosophy, Religion and Cultural Studies. It promises to set a new standard of ethico-philosophical scholarship by expanding the horizon of virtue ethics as it appears in present Western moral philosophy.
This book presents an in-depth study of the concept of dharma and acknowledges that Indian reality encompasses the elements of religion and dharma. It explores an alternative understanding of Indian civilization, independent of Western presuppositions as well as some contemporary issues relating to women and the dilemmas faced by the Indian diaspora.
Each stable culture and major civilization of the world consists of a distinct material base and a distinct ideational structure and has an inherent mechanism of striking its own equilibrium between the two. In the Indian tradition dharma is the balancing force. Religion and ideology are literally treated as synonymous with the Sanskrit word dharma. But dharma differs from religion in not being exclusive, and from ideology in possessing a transcendental dimension. The papers in this volume acknowledge that neither the word religion nor dharma can be discarded while looking at the Indian reality. They address themselves to the question: To what extent does the continued use of the concept of religion in the Indian context reflect reality, and to what extent does it distort or misrepresent its dhàrmic reality? Given India’s historical and the present existential situation these papers explore the question: Is an alterative understanding of Indian civilization possible, independent of Western presuppositions? The articles in the book present an in-depth study of the concept of dharma and its relation to the other purusharthas artha, kama and moksha, as well as with society, science, religion, Ayurveda and secularism. Relying mainly on the Vedas, epics, Manusmriti and the writings of Plato, Vivekananda, Gandhi et al., these papers explore some contemporary issues relating to women (stri-dharma) and the dilemmas faced by the Indian diaspora, especially in the UK and the US. These discussions have an appeal for a general reader as well as for scholars of Philosophy, Religion, Women’s Studies, Modern India and Sociology.
Bhakti is the tool prescribed in the present Kali age to reach the Supreme. Over the last seven centuries mystic reformers preached a monotheistic religion, without caste distinction and wandering singers spread their message in the vernacular languages. This dictionary will enable a wider readership to access and understand the beautiful texts available in bhakti literature.
After ce 1000 an important change took place on the religious scene in India. With the arrival of the Muslims and the establishment of Muslim governments in Delhi and elsewhere, Hinduism was confronted with a powerful religious tradition that was not only supported by military strength but was also endowed with a strong tradition of mysticism. Along with this double challenge, India was invaded by a language, Persian, that became the official language of the imperial court. From ce 1300 onwards a remarkable phenomenon changed the religious history of India. Popular mystic reformers appeared, reacting vehemently against both the Brahmanical ritualism and the corruption in Islamic practices. They preached a monotheistic religion, without caste distinction, stressing very personal devotion and giving their message in the vernacular languages, not in Sanskrit.
The language of this bhakti literature is a mixed medium that, until now, has not been described in detailed grammars and dictionaries, as was the case with Sanskrit. The vocabulary of this medium was borrowed, not only from Sanskrit and Persian but also from local idioms and dialects, and wandering singers adopted many terms and expressions as they travelled from one region to another. Consequently, each fresh edition in this field requires new grammars and glossaries.
The challenge of research in this area is the fact that this literature is only accessible in manuscripts and little has been critically edited. Secondly, the language in which these hymns were sung has been studied only imperfectly, although a lot of progress has been made in the last twenty years. It is important that a wider readership should be able to access and understand the texts available, and it is here that we should situate the usefulness of the Bhakti HindiEnglish Dictionary.
This Dictionary attempts to reveal the divine paradoxes of Buddhist-Hindu iconography by even interpreting the nuances of their iconic language. It explains, vividly, thousands of iconic representations (visual, conceptual symbols, images, objects, concepts, rites).
Man has, from times immemorial, exhibited a striking predilection for symbols. Which, through written words, drawings, sculptures or other visual/iconographic representations, seem to have shaped much of mankinds culture. From the simplest, yet eloquent, drawings on the walls of the prehistoric caves, through the sophistication of Egyptian imagery, the sculptural embroidered wealth of a Khajuraho, or the convoluted elegance of a Mannerist painting all interweave iconographic imagery so inextricably into their very core that, without its visual/didactic richness, these would be a mere shell, a hollow vanity! Veritably, our cultural scenograph will lose much of its aesthetic charm and meaning, once it is bereft of iconography. Over the centuries, Buddhisn and Hinduism (Brahmanical) have built up pantheon after pantheon, with a bewildering number of divinities, in varying forms and emanations and, significantly, with myriad iconographic attributes. Which, for both their definable precision and complex multi-interpretationality, not merely seem paradoxical, but may baffle even the specialists and the initiated as well. Here is just the Dictionary trying, for the first time, to help you see into the divine paradoxesof Buddhist-and-Hindu iconography and, simultaneously, interpret the very nuances of their iconic language. Painstakingly compiled by a distinguished scholar of Oriental/Buddhist Art, it is a Buddhist-and-Hindu Iconologia par excellence, spelling out vividly thousands of iconic representations, which these two of the worlds oldest, sustained faiths have left for all times to come. In its monumental effort to explain/interpret Buddhist-and-Hindu visual/conceptual symbols, images, objects, concepts and rites, the Dictionary extends the definition of iconography to embrace numerous peripheral/other terms, which either have immediate relevance to iconographic principles or are hard to dispense with in visualizing the true import of different icons. Dr. Bunces work has, at its base, his own first-hand observation of various temples in India, Nepal and several Southeast Asian countries; besides a number of authentic sources: both illustrated and verbal. Flawlessly illustrated: from cover to cover, it includes a compellingly readable introduction, an easy-to-understand Users Guide, extensive bibliographic references, and two well-planned lists to facilitate location of its each headword, each entry. Which all reinforce the Dictionarys indispensability to the specialists and the non-specialists who have often to grope for the essentials of Buddhist/Hindu iconographic complexities.
The book systematically studies various Hindu gods and goddesses based on Hindu sacred literature. It covers their earliest references and the evolution of their worship, their attributes and forms, and their signific-ance in the Hindu scheme of worship. It also includes references to many animate/inanimate sacred beings/things associated with the deities.
The Hindu pantheon of gods and goddesses has evolved over many millennia from a simple worship of elements and phenomena of nature to a complex system of myriad gods and goddesses of differing physical attributes, characteristic features and functions and each with different forms. The present Dictionary is an attempt to provide an in-depth yet comprehensive account of Hindu gods and goddesses referring to all the important religious sources. Based on Hindu sacred literature including the Vedas, epics and the Puranas, the book is a systematic study, in alphabetical order, of various Hindu gods and goddesses covering aspects such as the evolution of their worship and their earliest references in texts, stories of their birth and achievements, their attributes, their significance in the Hindu scheme of worship, their forms of representations, and their relationship with one another. It has references to not only personified beings but also other animate and inanimate sacred beings/things, seen in close association with the deities and worshipped by devotees, like Nandi, the bull, the snakes, the banyan and pipal trees, the saligramas and the banalingas. The adornments, vahanas, weapons and places associated with the deities are also elaborately discussed. The Dictionary will be an immensely useful reference work for scholars of ancient Indian mythology and religion as well as general readers willing to know more about Hindu gods and goddesses.
The book systematically studies various Hindu gods and goddesses based on Hindu sacred literature. It covers their earliest references and the evolution of their worship, their attributes and forms, and their signific-ance in the Hindu scheme of worship. It also includes references to many animate/inanimate sacred beings/things associated with the deities.
The Hindu pantheon of gods and goddesses has evolved over many millennia from a simple worship of elements and phenomena of nature to a complex system of myriad gods and goddesses of differing physical attributes, characteristic features and functions and each with different forms. The present Dictionary is an attempt to provide an in-depth yet comprehensive account of Hindu gods and goddesses referring to all the important religious sources. Based on Hindu sacred literature including the Vedas, epics and the Puranas, the book is a systematic study, in alphabetical order, of various Hindu gods and goddesses covering aspects such as the evolution of their worship and their earliest references in texts, stories of their birth and achievements, their attributes, their significance in the Hindu scheme of worship, their forms of representations, and their relationship with one another. It has references to not only personified beings but also other animate and inanimate sacred beings/things, seen in close association with the deities and worshipped by devotees, like Nandi, the bull, the snakes, the banyan and pipal trees, the saligramas and the banalingas. The adornments, vahanas, weapons and places associated with the deities are also elaborately discussed. The Dictionary will be an immensely useful reference work for scholars of ancient Indian mythology and religion as well as general readers willing to know more about Hindu gods and goddesses.
This newly-edited edition of D?ks??prak??a brought out jointly by DK Printworld and The Tantra Foundation, New Delhi is an authentic compilation based on some of the authoritative Tantras such as the ??rad?tilaka and the Tantras?ra of ?gamav?gi??a. The short and succinct work covers a wide range of ta?ntric topics such as rites associated with ta?ntric form of initiations, the qualities of guru and the disciple, activation of ta?ntric mantras by means of the esoteric rituals and worship of deities.
???????? ??? ?????????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ????????? ?? ?? ?????????? ??? ?????? ??????? ??? ?? ? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?????????? ?? ?? ????? ?? ?? ??? ? ????????? ??? ?????????-??????? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?? ????? ???? ?? ? ???? ?????-???? ?????? ??????????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???????????? ???? ??? ? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ?? ?? ??????? ????? ???????? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ???????? ?? ??????? ?? ??????-?????, ?????????-?????, ?????????? ??? ?? ?????-??????? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ? ??? ??????-????????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ?????????? ???????? ??? ????????? ??? ????? ??? ???????????? ?? ??????????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???????????? ?? ?? ?? ?????????-???? ?? ????????? ?????? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ????????, ?? ????????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ? ???????????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ???????? (????????) ??? ???????? ?? ? ????? ?????? ??? ????-????? ?????, ???????????-?????, ??????-?????????, ?????? ?? ?????????? ?? ??????, ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ????-??????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ????????, ???????? ?? ?????????-??????, ??????? ????????? ?? ??????, ??????-????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?? ????, ????? ?????? ??? ???????? ?? ??????? ?? ????, ?????? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ?? ????, ???? ?????? ??? ??????-??????, ????? ?????? ??? ????-??? ?? ?????? ??? ?????????? ???????? ?? ?????, ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????????? ?? ?????, ????? ?????? ??? ?????????????, ??????? ?? ?????????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ???????????-???? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ???, ????? ?? ?????? ????????? ?? ?????????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ?
DRISHTIPAAT, is a glimpse into the life and times of the three great saints of Ishvar Ashram, Nishat, Srinagar Kashmir. This book makes their presence felt all around us. The pictorial journey, takes the reader, in the serene and benign presence of the great Shaiva master Shree Lakshman Joo, Devi Sharika Ji and Devi Prabha Ji. Their drishti (glance), through the pictures, and shlokas make readers drench with the Divine Grace and their blessings.
The book carefully examines and analyses the empirical tradition from different angles and concludes that modern and post-modern philosophy is actually a development from rationalism to empiricism, from the viewpoint of Francis Bacon, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, George Berkeley, David Hume, John Stuart Mill, Edmund Husserl, Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein.
“This book is an attempt to give a historical account of the development of the empirical thoughts. It discusses issues related to the sources and the methods of knowing and highlights the views of the prominent empirical philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and Francis Bacon up to Wittgenstein and the logical positivists. It takes up the issues related to the universals and inquires “Is there anything that is universal?” and if so, “Is universe knowable?”. The nominalist views of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are taken up to establish the empiricist claim that “universals cannot exist without the particulars”. The important question “How do we determine the criteria of personal identity?” is taken up by John Locke and David Hume. Locke’s view that, “it is the same consciousness which constitutes personal identity”, but Hume rejects the idea of the permanent self. The criticisms for and against Locke and Hume are discussed herein in detail. The Berkeleian idealistic position that “only ideas of the mind are real” and the phenomenalistic position of Kant that “sense perception exists even when the object is not present in front of the perceivers eye” have both supportive and counter arguments which are discussed in detail. A critical analysis of Kantian theory of knowledge with the help of the two dogmas of empiricism has also been discussed.”
It studies iconic representations of gods, godlings, demons, witches and tyrants of Hindu mythology, focussing on the concretized form of each pantheonic figure and exploring the iconic language of Hindu images.
Beginning with a few aniconic symbols, like foot prints, a throne, the Bo tree or stupas, in the prechristian Indian art, Buddhism came to evolve a variety of picturesque representations of a Self-Existent, Superimmanent Principle: in myriad forms and emanations that range from the superbly magnificent to sheerly grotesque. Endowed with diverse iconographic attributes, Buddhist deities/saints/demons have grown, over the rolling centuries, into bewildering numbers, legions. Which all, leave alone the neophytes, not even the best of scholars can recognize! The names of the divinities and their cultural/regional perceptions owing largely to the plurality of Buddhist pantheons, have only gone on to further complicate their identification. Unveiled, for the first time, in the pages of this Encyclopaedia, is a panorama of Buddhist deities, demigods, godlings, saints and demons, with spotlight on the concretized, recognizable forms and the subtle symbolism they involve. In its nearly 8000 alphabetically arranged articles of varying lengths, it mixes gods and demons, bhiksus and btsans, the aesthetic and the grotesque in fact, nearly the whole range of good and evil forces which the inspired among the adherents of the Buddhist faith conceived so ingeniously! Professor Bunce has painstakingly marshalled a wealth of data from authoritative language sources, notably, Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Newari/Nepalese, Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese, Siamese/Thai, Annamese/Viet Namese, Javanese, and Sinhalese, in his effort to capture almost the entire framework of Buddhist divinities: a multi-pantheonic framework, together with its classes, groups and hierarchies, ranging from Adi-Buddha to Arhats and yet beyond. Himself a distinguished scholar of Oriental/Buddhist Art, Dr. Bunce incorporates, in scrupulous detail, the iconographic attributes of deities: like colours, heads/eyes, hands, objects held, body, feet, asanas, mudras, ornaments, vahanas, emanations, and whether calm or wrathful which, with a generous supplement of illustrations: about 300 elegant line-drawings and several colour plates, highlight the distinctiveness of each individual figure. Also included in the Encyclopaedia are users guide, glossaries (of asanas, mudras and attributes), identification charts, a hierarchic table, and bibliographic references. Growing from years of Professor Bunces persevered research and study, this compilation is certainly the first ever to draw together most of the Buddhist divinities/mythological characters, in their distinctly recognizable forms. And is, therefore, indispensable to both the specialists and non-specialists trying to identify each from a whole host of these figural representations.
This work on the essentials of Hinduism focuses on the anthropocosmic nature of the religion the cosmic law of nature and culture on which it is founded. It balances social reality and scriptural description with a dynamic analysis of the interacting elements to remove many popular misconceptions about Hinduism.
Many misconceptions circulate about Hinduism, mainly because scholars have relied exclusively on popular sources or political slogans of Hinduttva. The Eternal Hinduism, which is fundamentally a study of text and context, balances social reality and scriptural description with a dynamic analysis of the interacting elements. It cannot be understood on the basis of non-rational factor of one God, the Almighty. As an anthropocosmic religion, Hinduism has a great beauty. It can be understood by reading the cosmic law of nature and culture. This book sums up the essentials of Hinduism. It will be useful to a range of readers scholars of Hindu religious thought and philosophy as well as general readers interested in understanding the essential Hindu religious thinking and belief.
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