Hinduism Books

Book SynopsisA contribution to the dialogue between Hinduism and Orthodox Christianity, emphasising important commonalities in thought and practice.Trade Review"A wonderful book!" - Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia (Timothy Ware) "Dr Frost has capably achieved a gargantuan task in shining a light on the spirituality of Orthodox Christianity for a Hindu audience and likewise illuminating the richness and depth of Hinduism for her own Orthodox Christian community. ... She is a critical observer who strives to be fair to both religions both on their own grounds and in dialogue. A reader of this book will be enlightened and encouraged by the possibilities that lie ahead for mutual enhancement and understanding between Orthodox Christians and Hindus alike." - www.aidanorthodox.co.uk, August 2017 "Anyone who wants to reflect on the connections and differences between Hinduism and Christianity would do well to read this book. Scholarly but accessible, it is written by a knowledgeable and experienced author, and deserves wide attention. .... The Human Icon deserves to become a key text for any Christian engaged in conversation with their Hindu friends and neighbours." - Tom Wilson, Anvil, Volume 34, Issue 1, 2018 "Without judgement or obvious inclusion of cultural bias, the text provides an informative entry point for strengthening understanding of aspects of [Hinduism and Orthodox Christianity]. .... Additionally, and congruous with the topical orientation of the book, the subjects covered are well defined and contextualized, and are given contemporary relevance. .... The appeal of The Human Icon can be found in its sensitivity and appreciation to religious practice, belief, and devotion, and its discussion of influences and commonalities that increases understanding of Hinduism through the inclusion of a discussion of Christianity." - Madhavi Venkatesan, Reading Religion, 27 February 2018 "personally, this book was a positive learning experience, while being thought provoking on a page to page basis. I hope that this will be the same sentiment shared by others who choose to challenge their preconceived notions, or enlighten their already informed minds" -Philip Halikias, Inter-religious journal, Boston, written nov 2018 Mangala-Frost's book is immensely engaging, the fruit of long experience and deep reflection Andrew Louth, Sobornost JournalTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE: Introduction: What It Means to Inhabit a Hindu World Part I: Hinduism or Hinduisms? Part II: Sacred Texts and Sacred Traditions Part III: The Role of the Bhagavadgita in the Modern Hindu World Part IV: God, Gods, Goddesses, and Temples CHAPTER TWO: Orthodox Christianity in India: A Dialogue of Life Part I: The Thomas Christians Part II: A Dialogue of Life Part III: The 'Kottayam School' of Theology CHAPTER THREE: The Quest for the Divine: Divinisation ('Tat tvam asi') in Vedanta and Deification (Theosis) in Orthodox Christianity Part I: Divinisation ('Tat tvam asi') in Vedanta and Deification (Theosis) Part II: Non-Dualism (Advaita), or Monism Part III: Ramanuja (c. 1077-1157 CE) and 'Qualified Non-Dualism' (Visistadvaita) Part IV: Madhva (c. 1238-1317 CE) and 'Dualism' (dvaita) Part V: An Appraisal of Theistic Vedanta CHAPTER FOUR: The Quest for the Divine in the Bhakti Tradition: God, 'the Lover of Mankind' Part I: What is Bhakti? Why is it Considered by Hindus to be Essential to Any Quest for the Divine? Part II: What Are the Possible Areas of Convergence between Hindu Bhakti and Orthodox Devotional Theology? Part III: What Are the Areas of Questionable Convergence and of Significant Divergence between Hindu Bhakti and Orthodox Devotional Theology? Part IV: How Might Hindu-Christian Dialogue Regarding the Bhakti Tradition Progress? Afterword: Parallel Concerns within the Hindu Bhakti and Christian Traditions Where Dialogue May Assist CHAPTER FIVE: The Problem of Suffering and Evil: Karma and the Cross Part I: What is Karma? What is the Attraction of Karma? Part II: Biblical Perspectives on Suffering and Evil Part III: Questions of Convergence and Divergence Part IV: The Great Divergence: The Cross CHAPTER SIX: Yoga and Hesychasm: The Body and the 'Body of Christ' Part I: What is Yoga? How Far, If At All, Could Christians Endorse It? Part II: Meditational Yoga and Hesychastic Prayer: A Comparative Analysis Part III: The 'Prophetic Polemics' of St Gregory Palamas' The Triads and Their Relevance to Discussions of Yoga CHAPTER SEVEN: 'Signs and Wonders': Orthodox Spiritual Elders and Hindu Holy Men Part I: Signs and Wonders: The Biblical Perspective Part II: 'The Golden Chain': Saints and 'Holy Men' in the Orthodox Tradition Part III: Hindu 'Holy Men' Part IV: The Mutual Challenge: Christians and Hindus in Conversation EPILOGUE Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book explicates the origin, nature, function, and significance of mantras within the bounds of the Hindu tradition. It explores the use of mantras in the Vedic age, in Saivism and Vaisnavism, in Tantra, and in Ayurvedic medicine.

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Book SynopsisRamin Jahanbegloo develops the concept of compassion as a practical and ethical response to the problems of today's world. Examining the power of compassion through the lens of multiple world religions, he explores ahimsa in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism and neighbourly love in Christianity, before synthesizing the two concepts in the Gandhian theory of non-violence and its impact on Muslim and Christian thinkers such as Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Martin Luther King, Jr. Jahanbegloo considers the idea of a compassionate civilization based on the nonviolent democratic theory put forward by Gandhi with Swaraj, and completed by Martin Luther King, Jr. with the Beloved Community.By scrutinizing compassion in various religious and ethical traditions and exploring the relevance of homo fragilis, Jahanbegloo's comparative approach enriches our understanding of nonviolence as a universal philosophy and practice for the 21st century. He shows that nonviolence is not onlTrade ReviewRamin Jahanbegloo has written with heart a beautiful understanding of the ethical knowledge that makes us human and at the same time divine. If you want a richer journey in wisdom, you must read this book, a work offering the foundations of a human being, Homo Fragilis, in search of understanding and love for others. * Mario I. Aguilar, Director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics, University of St. Andrews, UK *Comparative Approaches to Compassion expands our understanding of non-violence by analyzing the thoughts of some contemporary leaders in addition to perspectives from the past. These additions incorporate the love inherent to that which is humane, the Otherness of the Other, and above all, compassion. These historical contexts further enrich the concept. * Romila Thapar, Professor Emerita of History, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India *In his perceptive and nuanced study Jahanbegloo shows convincingly how concepts initially rooted in various religious traditions can be applied in addressing contemporary problems challenging modern societies. His comprehensive account will be extremely helpful to many seeking guidance in our perplexing times. * Shlomo Avineri, Professor of Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Human Fragility and Compassion 1. Ahimsa: A Compassionate View of Life 2. Love and Compassion: from Jesus Christ to Thomas Merton 3. Mahatma Gandhi: Compassionate Citizenship and Feminization of Politics 4. The Twin Heritage of Gandhian Nonviolence: Martin Luther King, Jr. & Abdul Ghaffar Khan 5. Towards a Compassionate Civilization: From Swaraj to the Beloved Community 6. Nelson Mandela: Strategic Compassion and Ethics of Empathy Conclusion: Spiritualizing Compassion and Nonviolence Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA classic work of Indian philosophy that succinctly spells out how the mind works and what is needed to attain liberation   Compiled in the second or third century CE, the Yoga-Sutra is a road map of human consciousness—and a particularly helpful guide to the mind states one encounters in meditation, yoga, and other spiritual practices. It expresses the truths of the human condition with great eloquence: how we know what we know, why we suffer, and how we can discover the way out of suffering.   Chip Hartranft''s fresh translation and extensive, lucid commentary bring the text beautifully to life. He also provides useful auxiliary materials, including an afterword on the legacy of the Yoga-Sutra and its relevance for us today.

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Book SynopsisIn India, statues of Ganesh are placed at the inner gates of many temples, symbolizing his role as keeper of sacred spaces. Here, pilgrims and passersby pay homage and seek his blessings. It is this symbolic presence at the entrance of our most holy places that makes Ganesh such a vital figure in our lives. Stationed at the threshold of sacredness and awareness, mediating between the possibility of the profound and our often habitual, mundane perception of the world, Ganesh is the guiding force behind this very moment of experience - where desire meets possibility. Ganesh: Removing the Obstacles offers practical and meaningful interpretations of folk narratives and sacred texts concerning the larger-than-life elephant-headed god, Ganesh.

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Book SynopsisKing Kubera was the greediest man in the world. Hated and feared by many, he schemed to win the love of the beautiful goddess Parvati . . . but learned an important lesson when he invited her elephant-headed son Ganesha over for lunch one day . . . So goes one of the many delightful tales in this decidedly grown-up book of traditional Indian stories, retold for the modern reader. Author Kamla Kapur is well known in her native India as a poet and playwright, and her connection to these age-old stories is the reverent yet individualistic one we might expect from someone whose introduction tells of her hometown, where naked, dreadlocked holy men speed about on motorbikes. To collect these stories, Kapur relied on ancient sacred texts, modern scholarship, and chance encounters with interesting people who just happened to know a really good one about this time that Vishnu sank into the ocean, was incarnated as a pig, and had a really wonderful time. Like myths around the world, these are teaching stories that offer both a window into a fascinating culture that has endured for thousands of years, and a code for living that can be applied to the modern world.

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Book SynopsisReformatted into a new, smaller size, the masterful Indra Sharma’s celebrated collection of traditional spiritual Indian paintings is now more affordable than ever. Expressing his spirituality through art, Sharma’s unique masterpieces are meant to inspire peace and reflection in the viewer. With sections on major Hindu deities and classic Vedic texts that include both art and accompanying descriptions, In a World of Gods and Goddesses is the definitive collection of Indra Sharma’s lifework. By combining contemporary and traditional artistic styles, Sharma creates icons of Hindu gods and goddesses that are altars of worship for millions. Steeped in India’s ancient Vedic cosmology, these prayerful, captivating paintings contain a complete who’s who of the Hindu pantheon—Ganesh, Devi, Shiva, Vishnu, Laxmi, and Krishna all come alive in this unique and richly colored work.

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Book SynopsisSet in a world of kings and queens, celestial battles, invisible foes, and family rivalries, this epic tale forges legends in the fires of betrayal and prophecy.In this one-of-a-kind trilogy based on the Ramayana, the darkness in the kingdom of Ayodhya continues to spread as Rama, rightful heir and favored son of King Dasharatha, is cast out of the city after an unthinkable betrayal. Facing a fourteen-year exile, Rama—accompanied by wife Sita and brother Lakshmana—embarks upon a journey that will spark a legend. While struggling to survive in the mythical forests of ancient India, the trio encounters divine sages, unexpected allies, and an array of blood-drinking demons hell-bent on revenge. Throughout these ordeals, Sita discovers the true extent of her unique powers, Lakshmana battles with his own internal demons, and Rama struggles to make peace with his destiny in a kingdom on the verge of collapse. Alternately told through the perspectives of Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana, Queen of the Elements reveals an entirely new side to this classic saga.

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Book SynopsisThe people of ancient times were inclined to give their attention not only to the external world of inert matter, but also to the world within, the vital world of consciousness. Those sages who understood the importance of such contemplation comprise the prime subject matter of this book. Especially in the troubled world of today, it is by the conscientious study of their activities and teachings that we may come to understand the Absolute Truth, or the Ultimate Reality, and attain lasting peace and joy. The pastimes of such great, sagely personalities have been narrated in detail in an ancient collection of works known as the Puranas, as well as in timeless epics such as the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and other Vedic literatures.  In this book, Srila Bhakti Ballabha Tirtha Goswami Maharaja, a bona fide self-realized representative of the bhakti (devotional) lineage, has narrated important episodes and addressed salient points from these literatures.  Thus, the avid reader may understand their inner meaning and apply this knowledge to their search for real happiness. Ultimately, such unadulterated, permanent happiness, according to the devotional tradition, is realized as the attainment of pure love of God, Sri Krishna.

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Book SynopsisAt first sight the lives of hermits, living in solitude and committed to a life of prayer and contemplation seems to be a world apart of the active practice of interfaith dialogue. Yet, there is a long tradition of seeking the divine together and thus making a contribution to better mutual understanding and an active contribution to peace between Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism in India.Drawing on his experience of travelling to some of India's holy places, the life and work of writers like Thomas Merton, Charles de Foucauld and Abishaktanda and being himself a Benedictine hermit and Professor of Divinity at the University of St Andrews, Mario Aguilar opens up new possibilities for dialogue between three of the world's major religions in today's world. He shows how his own experience of an eremitic life has brought him into deep communion with pilgrims of other faiths, be it through shared silence or listening to each other's experience, through reading sacred scriptures together, through poetry or interfaith worship that draws on practices and texts from Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity.This is a book for all engaged in interfaith dialogue and seeking to explore how spiritualities of silence, contemplation and prayer can make a contribution to peace and harmony in the world today.Trade ReviewIn a culture characterised by incessant noise, Mario Aguilar's celebration of the sound of silence could not be more welcome. This book will not only engage your mind with its thoughtful insights - its prayerfulness and beauty will touch your soul. -- Right Reverend Dr Russell Barr, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of ScotlandIn this heartfelt and personal account, Professor Aguilar takes the reader on a journey into the practice and ideas of the hermit across traditions and his or her understanding of life as a journey to a fulfillment in a higher reality. This is an engaging and highly readable account. -- Professor Gavin Flood FBA, Senior Research Fellow, Campion Hall, Oxford UniversityProfessor Aguilar's book moves across continents and religious traditions with the ease and grace that comes from the depth and empathy of a lifetime's familiarity and study. Whether meeting Buddhists in Chile, Sikhs in India, or Hindus in Scotland we feel the personal friendships and experiences which have inspired him. However, its particular strength and uniqueness is the way he explores the places of the hermit's life as a site of meaning and sacred connectedness. Both those fresh to interreligious dialogue and lifelong practitioners and scholars in the discipline will find fresh insights and perspectives in the pages of this work. -- Paul Hedges, Associate Professor of Interreligious Studies at RSIS, NTU, Singapore and author of Towards Better Disagreement: Religion and Atheism in DialogueIn a world awash with chatter and superficial talk-fests, the choice of solitude and silence is spiritually challenging. Memory lives in silence. God is found there. With a deep and movingly autobiographical thread, The Way of the Hermit creatively probes the contribution of the eremitic life to Christian interfaith encounter. -- Professor Douglas Pratt, University of Waikato & University of BernDigging deep and drawing generously from the wells of experience and expertise, Professor Aguilar throws open the richness of dialogue that happens in the depths of silence and solitude that characterise a life of hermitage. Theologically imaginative and spiritually inspiring, the book recovers the potential of presence, poetry and prayer for dialogue in fresh and fascinating ways. -- The Reverend Dr Peniel Jesudason Rufus Rajkumar, Programme Executive, Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation, World Council of Churches, SwitzerlandMario Aguilar's personal homage to silence is eloquent, lucid, and simple. Not so much an argument for silence or against words which remain fundamental in every tradition, his meditations witness to his own instinct for silence and his growing solitude as a hermit in the world. The story of a soul, The Way of the Hermit joins the canon of spiritual autobiographies, akin to the monastic journeys of Thomas Merton, Henri Le Saux, and Bede Griffiths. It mirrors the broad interreligious wisdom of Raimon Panikkar, and stands in harmony with a multitude of Hindu and Buddhist experiences in today's world. A contemplative gift, The Way of the Hermit aids us in recovering quiet in today's noisy world. -- Francis X. Clooney, SJ, Director, Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University'How great the multitude of truths which the garment of words can never contain!' ~ Baha'u'llahDialogue in silence; speaking without words; this complex book explores the possibility of connection between faiths in the sacred space that silence allows and is a useful addition to the growing literature on interfaith dialogue. -- Dr Maureen Sier, Director of Interfaith ScotlandThis is Aguilar's first book on the eremitic life and how it relates to/enhances his own interfaith encounters, be they virtual or in situ. The broad range of topics he addresses and the variety of literary styles he uses-at times reflective, at times descriptive-can demand patience of the reader, but a patience that is well worth the effort. ..I found his work to be enlightening, informative, reflective, and provocative. He is a true seeker and peacemaker. -- Angela Del Greco, a lay consecrated hermit in the Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud and an Oblate of Saint Benedict * Monastic Interreligious Dialogue *The reader who has had experience of interfaith encounter will delight in this book. The reader whose experience of other traditions is more limited would find it a valuable introduction. Those of us who may feel oppressed by the noise and tumult of the world will find an invitation to an inner silence and an opportunity to explore our own cave of the heart, and the God who dwells therein. In this most valuable volume we may discover clues to intimacy with All in solitariness and the Voice of God in silence. -- Kevin Tingay * The Christian Parapsychologist *Table of ContentsIntroduction. Experiencing Dialogue. 1. Hermits in Christianity and Hinduism. 2. Ordering Time, Space and Meditation Together. 3. Inter-Faith Encounters and Silence. 4. Creating Liturgies for the Absolute. 5. Reading Texts: Upanishads and Bodhisattvas. 6. The Silence of Death. Appendix 1. An Indian Eucharistic Prayer. Appendix 2. Morning Christian-Hindu Prayers. Appendix 3. Evening Christian-Hindu Prayers. Appendix 4. Roman Indian Liturgy (Eucharist). Appendix 5. Christian-Hindu Liturgies (Midday Worship). Appendix 6. Declarations for a Shared Humanity (St. Andrews and India).

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Book SynopsisThe Indian sage Ramana Maharshi (1879- 1950) is perhaps the most widely known Indian spiritual figure of the last century, second only to Gandhi. This new book offers a fresh introduction to the Maharshi’s life and teachings, intending to situate him within the non-dualistic traditions of Hinduism. It also delves into themes and questions particularly relevant to the spiritual crisis and search for meaning that have characterised, in various ways, both the modern and postmodern outlooks. While the Maharshi’s background and frames of reference were traditional, the spiritual resonance of his teachings in today’s world must also be recognised. The sage’s message lies at the intersection of the contemporary search for Self-knowledge, and today’s critical reflections on the foundations and limits of religion. Thus, the book comprises seven chapters that touch upon such central issues as the role of religion in Self-inquiry; the relationship between devotion and knowledge; the role and limitations of traditional forms; and the implications in our postmodern era of both the Maharshi’s emphasis on surrender, and his basic question: ‘Who am I?’ Published in collaboration with GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Center for International and Regional Studies, School of Foreign Service in Qatar.Trade Review‘Laude explores the life, teachings, and contemporary relevance of Ramana Maharshi, examining how his calls for a spiritual transcendence of the self can fit in with the individualism of the modern world. Richly researched and filled with probing questions, this book has much to offer. Eye-opening.’ -- Shashi Tharoor, Indian MP and author of The Struggle for India’s Soul'In a welcome addition to existing literature on the Maharshi, Indian philosophy and spirituality, Laude displays a broad knowledge of different religious traditions which he usefully relates to the Maharshi’s thought and experiences.' -- Phillip Lucas, Professor of Religious Studies, Stetson University and founding editor of Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions

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Book SynopsisIn the twenty-first century, there has been a seismic shift in Indian political, religious and social life. The country's guiding spirit was formerly a fusion of the anti-caste worldview of B.R. Ambedkar; the inclusive Hinduism of Mahatma Gandhi; and the agnostic secularism of Jawaharlal Nehru. Today, that fusion has given way to Hindutva. This now-dominant version of Hinduism blends the militant nationalism of V.D. Savarkar; the Brahmanical anti-minorityism of M.S. Golwalkar; and the global Islamophobia of India's ruling regime. It requires deep cultural analysis and historical understanding, as only the sharpest and most profoundly informed historian can provide. For two decades, Tanika Sarkar has forged a path through the alleys and byways of Hindutva. She has trawled through the writing and iconography of its organisations and institutions, including RSS schools and VHP temples. She has visited the offices and homes of Hindutva's votaries, interviewing men and women who believe fervently in their mission of Hinduising India. And she has contextualised this new ferment on the ground with her formidable archival knowledge of Hindutva's origins and development over 150 years, from Bankimchandra to the Babri mosque and beyond. This riveting book connects Hindu religious nationalism with the cultural politics of everyday India.Trade Review‘These essays form an acute and timely critique of changes that can affect us all.’ -- Asian Affairs‘Essential reading for anybody concerned with the rise and seeming dominance of Hindutva in India.’ -- Outlook India'Instructive, sobering, and full to bursting with little-known aspects of India's politics. Describing the living tradition of Hindutva using a rich set of archives, the book's greatest strength is Sarkar's depiction of the Hindu Right as a deeply intimate phenomenon.' -- Pallavi Raghavan, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Ashoka University, and author of Animosity at Bay: An Alternative History of the India-Pakistan Relationship'A brisk tour of the Hindu nationalist organisations at the forefront of the effort to turn India into a Hindu country. These essays are informative and persuasively argued, reflecting the years of painstaking fieldwork that went into them. Sarkar's prose is measured and eminently reasonable, pointing to Hindu nationalism's endless capacity to renew itself and adapt to its surroundings.' -- Pratinav Anil, co-author of India's First Dictatorship

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Book SynopsisThe book will explore contemporary manifestations of the worship of Siva that have transmigrated to the West. It explores Hindu vernacular traditions or 'village Hinduism' especially in the context of the Hindu diaspora, where the general assumption is that such forms of Hinduism cannot survive as they lack the infrastructure and the rural environment. Based on extensive fieldwork in Britain and India, the author shows that significant developments are taking place where Hindu communities have achieved sufficient concentration for various movements to appear that reproduce 'folk traditions' connected to a particular locale in the subcontinent. These movements often display a focus on the pragmatic or apotropaic motivation for worship of deities associated with healing. The focus is on the Baba Balaknath communities originating in the Punjab and Himachal Pradesh; the worship of Murugan amongst Tamil populations and the Community of the Many Names of God in Wales which originated in the worship of Subramaniyam in Shri Lanka. The book will not only throw some clarity on changing beliefs and practices in the Hindu diaspora, particularly the role of the apotropaic or pragmatic dimension, it will also help to understand important theoretical concepts such as Sanskritisation and the relationship between the 'Little Tradition' and the 'Great Tradition' or All-India and local traditions.Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 iiva and his family Chapter 3 The worship of Murugan in South India and Sri Lanka Chapter 4 The worship of Baba Balaknath in the Punjab Chapter 5 Migration patterns and relocation of religious traditions Chapter 6 The worship of Baba Balaknath in Britain Chapter 7 Punjabi Pilgrimages: Shahtalai Chapter 8 Punjabi Pilgrimages: The Tirtha Yatra Chapter 9 Murugan worship in Britain Chapter 10 The role of ritual in the diaspora Tamil iaivite Temple Chapter 11 Murugan worship in Britain: Skanda Vale Chapter 12 Vernacular and scriptural: Sanskrization revisited.

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Book SynopsisMandala Publishing presents an exotic collection of Gods and Goddesses artwork in this fabulous new card deck. Each card highlights a particular deity of the Hindu pantheon and provides corresponding mantras, meditations, prayers and blessings. These cards reveal a 'who's who' in the spiritual world and identify which roles particular gods and goddesses play in the universe. For greater intelligence, petition Saraswati. For the removal of obstacles, invoke the presence of Ganesh by chanting his mantra. These delicately detailed cards make attractive home centerpieces and great gifts for both young and adult. Pronunciation guide included.

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Book SynopsisShiva: Lord of the Dance recalls captivating ancient tales of kingly sacrifices, sinister plots, ghastly armies, spontaneous incinerations and plummeting rivers that threaten the planet. These are stories of otherworldly passions and celestial dancing, worthy of retelling again and again. Coupled with over 30 full-color illustrations, this attractive mini book eclipses traditional symbolism, exploring the very nature of this complex god and how he relates to us. For many of us, the mention of Shiva''s name conjures up images of an ash-smeared ascetic meditating high in the Himalayas, a protector of Parvati and Ganesh, or a dancing, destructive god. In traditional art, he is seen sitting on a tiger skin rug, his long matted hair tied in a topknot, adorned by the crescent moon. But who is this mysterious figure, and what does he have to teach us?

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Book SynopsisIn this multifaceted work, John Carman and Vasudha Narayanan clarify historical developments in South Asian religion and make important contributions to the methodology of textual interpretation and the comparative study of world religions.

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Book SynopsisHindu and Greek mythologies teem with stories of women and men who are doubled, this text recounts and compares a vast range of these tales from ancient Greece and India. The comparisons show that differences in gender are more significant than differences in culture.

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Book SynopsisAn exploration into South Asia's regional epic traditions. The author draws on his own fieldwork and analyzes how the oral tradition of the south Indian cult of the goddess Draupadi and five regional martial oral epics compare with one another and tie in with the Sanskrit epics.

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Book SynopsisEmploying a range of theories, the author draws on historical and comparative research in an attempt to discern the spirit and techniques behind the Mahabharata epic. He focuses on Yudhisthira's education, and shows how this figures relationships with others provides a thread through the stories.

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