Motilal Banarsidass

  • Hymns of the Rgveda

    Hymns of the Rgveda

    The Rgveda, the earliest written record of the Aryan race and the holy text of the Hindus, has relatively few accurate translations in English. Most of the translations are just the imitations of interpretations which the mediaeval Hindus, as represented by Sayana, have supplied. Griffith’s is the only translation which, albeit led by Sayana, attempts to stray from him considerably and repeatedly. It may be considered as an independent translation heretofore done in English.

    But this century old translation needs re-editing, requiring a new version containing advances without hurting the original. In this version the Greek letters have been romanized wherever there are references in the footnotes from the Greek language. The method of transcription has been modified even with relation to Avestan terms in the footnotes, following the system of Bartholomae. The whole translation has been published in a single book for the convenience of the reader. Each and every statistic in the index has been thoroughly examined and amended.

    Author

    R. T. H. Griffith

  • Seer of the Fifth Veda: (Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa in the Mahabharat)

    Seer of the Fifth Veda: (Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa in the Mahabharat)

    Sage Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa is generally considered to be the author of India’s most famous epic poem, the Mahabharat, which is written in the Sanskrit language. This research focuses on the portrayal of Vyasa in the Mahabharata, where he plays a significant role in the story that he is credited with writing. The many viewpoints presented in other works of literature, such as plays, Jataka stories, Arthasastra, and Puranas, contribute to an enlargement of the meaning that may be derived from Vyasa’s writings.

    Author

    BRUCE M. SULLIVAN

  • Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy

    Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy

    The secrets of the Fifth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam have long confused scholars of Vedic cosmography and astronomy. Confronted with a description of the universe that seems much at variance with the information provided by our senses and standard astronomical calculations, foreign observers—and even Indian commentators—from the Middle Ages up to the present have concluded that the Bhagavatam’s account, elaborated in other Puranas, must be mythological. On the other hand, the same folks have been immensely impressed by Vedic astronomical treatises, the Jyotisa Sastras, which offer extremely precise measurements of the solar system. In Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy, Dr. Thompson shows that the Fifth Canto’s cosmography and the accounts of the solar system found in the Jyotisa Sastras are not contradictory, but that they in fact represent distinct yet mutually consistent ways of comprehending a universe with important features beyond the range of ordinary sense perception.

    Author

    Richard L. Thompson

  • The Cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana: Mysteries of the Sacred Universe

    The Cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana: Mysteries of the Sacred Universe

    Traditional spiritual literature seem to be married to antiquated cosmologies, such as the flat earth and the sun riding in a chariot, which demonstrate, at best, the scientific limits of the people who wrote them. At first look, it would seem that the Bhagavata Purana, which is considered to be one of the most important religious texts in Hinduism, is not an exception to this rule. On the other hand, a more in-depth analysis of this book shows unexpectedly deep levels of understanding of ancient cosmology. This demonstrates that the cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana is an intricate system, since it has numerous layers of meaning that encode at least four distinct astronomical, geographical, and spiritual world models. Richard Thompson demonstrates how ancient scientists presented accurate information in language that seemed to be mythical by reading the text in light of current astronomy and analysing its implications. The ancient traditions of Egypt and the Near East suggest that India and these countries had early cultural linkages, including a science that was startlingly sophisticated at the time. Nevertheless, quantitative science is just one aspect of the bigger picture. This study also provides a transparent comprehension of the manner in which the spiritual component was incorporated into the cosmology of ancient India.

    Author

    Richard L. Thompson

  • Ganesa: Unravelling an Enigma

    Ganesa: Unravelling an Enigma

    The reverence shown to Ganesa is unrivalled among the many indigenous religious systems.
    as well as subgroups within the Jainas, Buddhists, and Hindus. He is a deity who stands alone in terms of   in a variety of ways, including his unusual physiognomy and his dual nature as a vighnakarta.  (the one who causes difficulties), as well as a vighnaharta (remover of obstacles). He is  worshipped first in order to guarantee the success of all subsequent religious and secular activities  and enterprieses. GAnesa is also worshipped as the deity of music and dancing. The religion that the worship of Ganesa became widespread across Asia.  The ascent of Ganesa to the position of preeminence in the canon of traditional Hinduism, as one of the, which is absolutely extraordinary, is comprised of the panca devatas. This is an older form of the phrase.  The boring tale of how the White House was built from a log cabin.  In recent years, there have been various research conducted on this deity; this one is the most current.  textual and linguistically most extensive, completely documented from all original sources, and  creative, and packed with beautiful illustrations throughout. It tracks the beginning as well as the progression  of pauranika Ganesa, from pre-pauranika Vinayaka, a vighnakarta, into  pauranika Ganesa, a vighnaharta, dissects his particular traits and attributes his success to  researches how he is portrayed in art not just in India but also in other nations  pertaining to Asia. It attempts to solve the riddle of a non-Vedic, non-epic, and a non-historical text  a deity of non-Aryan origins being elevated to a prominent position in the Hindu pantheon. The  tactics used by devotees of Ganesa to advertise and spread the word about his religion and  status and the long-lasting consequences obtained make for an interesting case study in public relations work.

    Author

    Yuvraj Krishan

  • Rigvedasukta Vikas

    Rigvedasukta Vikas

    Rigvedasukta Vikas it focuses emphasis on the social importance of this well-known Hindu text, the current study offers a fresh viewpoint on the Bhagavad-Gita, which is backed by research that was carried out in the past. The first section of this book offers a profound investigation of the ways in which reinterpretations of the Gita played a key part in the social history of India throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The illustrative material is comprised of five case studies pertaining to the following individuals: Raja Rammohun Roy, Swami Vivekananda, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Aurobindo Ghose, and Mahatma Gandhi. In Part II, an explanation is given of how the social applications of the Gita are related with its most essential message for the present day, which is known as Loksamgraha and translates to “the good of society.” A contemporary meaning of the lokasamgraha-approach is the inculcation of societal ideals and a feeling of social duty in each person. Lokasamgraha is a Sanskrit phrase that appears in the Gita but not in the Upanishads.

    About

    H.R. Divakar

     

  • The Cult of Jagannatha: Myths and Rituals

    The Cult of Jagannatha: Myths and Rituals

    Orissan ethnography is presented in a fresh light via the lens of The Cult of Jagannatha: Myths and Rituals. This book gives considerable evidence on the significance of religious orthodoxy, which stands in stark contrast to the mainstream interpretations, which centre on the impacts of tribal groups and the history of aryanization. In Orissa, the shift from the coastal to the interior areas is marked by significant demographic and sociocultural discontinuities. These discontinuities may be seen most clearly while moving from the coastline to the inland regions. These geographical variances are presumably a consequence of aryanization that occurred through time. The historical reconstruction of this process has been the primary pillar on which ethnological narratives have traditionally been built. Traditions that developed in the delta plain are said to have been significantly impacted by the local populations who lived there, particularly those traditions that are connected to the delta plain’s two most important centres: the city of Puri and the temple of Jagannatha. The importance of sacrifice symbolism to Puri’s religious system is shown by a number of myths and rites. In spite of the fact that it is explicitly linked to an initial asvamedha, which refers to the sacrifice of a horse in the Vedic tradition, the construction of the big temple is nevertheless seen as a modification of the brick-fire altar. These relationships are further confirmed by an astonishing network of orthodox representations, both Vedic and Hindu. [Citation needed] [Citation needed] This acknowledgment of orthodoxy brings us back to the alleged differences between regional traditions. How should one understand the “specificity” of Puri’s iconography when it comes to his gods? What kind of respect should be accorded to the Sudras who are in charge of the rituals at the major temple? The current book offers fresh insight into these time-honored inquiries, which are addressed. The “strangeness” of Orissan ethnography is not as baffling as it may seem; rather, it is a specific but exceedingly consistent representation of Indian cultural norms and customs.

    Author

    Jose Carlos Gomes da Silva

  • Hindu Spirituality (Vol. 1): Vedas Through Vedanta

    Hindu Spirituality (Vol. 1): Vedas Through Vedanta

    The current book is a part of a series called World Spirituality: An Encyclopedic History of the Religious Quest. This series aims to reveal the spiritual knowledge of the human race as it has unfolded throughout history and this volume is a part of that series. It is aimed to demonstrate the autonomy of the tradition in the historical evolution and draws from the greatest level of study from across the globe. The book pulls together and portrays the richness of the spiritual legacy of the human race. This book explores the timeless and unchanging aspects of the Hindu religion. The papers that are included in this book are broken down and discussed according to one of eight categories. The following is a synopsis of the first volume of Hindu Spirituality: The Vedas by Way of Vedanta In this research project, a social and cultural anthropologist as well as an expert in the field of the study of religion collaborated in order to investigate recent shifts that have occurred in the religion practised by the majority of people in Sri Lanka. According to the perceptions of the Sinhala people themselves, Buddhism proper has always coexisted in the religious sphere with a spirit religion. While redemption is central to Buddhism, the spirit of religion is more concerned with the flourishing of the world. Buddhism Transformed is a book that provides a description and analysis of the developments that have significantly impacted the nature of the Sinhala religious practise in each of these places. This book is the first of its kind to describe in a methodical manner the cultural effects of the degradation in the way that the “other half” of the population in Sri Lanka lives. Following the country’s independence in 1948, significant progress was made in the areas of health care and literacy, but the country’s economy was unable to live up to the soaring aspirations of the country’s rapidly growing population. People fell into poverty and were more mobile, which contributed to the decline of the village community. Changes have taken place in what the authors refer to as “Protestant Buddhism” as a result of the emergence of new psychological requirements brought on by new strains in Sri Lankan society (the Buddhism formed under Protestant influence after British conquest). More and more individuals are interested in and appreciate altered states of consciousness, and among spirit cults, gods with less stringent moral standards are rising to prominence. The authors conclude by arguing that occurrences in Sri Lanka that first seem to be unusual in the religious history of India are, in fact, not entirely new.

    Author

    Krishnan Sivaraman

  • The Upadesasahasri of Sankara: 2 Volumes: Introduction, Text and Indices

    The Upadesasahasri of Sankara: 2 Volumes: Introduction, Text and Indices

    It is widely agreed that Sankara, an Indian philosopher who lived in the eighth century, was the greatest thinker in the lengthy history of Indian philosophy as well as in the metaphysical tradition known as Vedanta. Sankara is credited with founding the Vedanta school of thought. The Advaita or non-dualist approach to the issue of existence and ultimate reality is emphasised in the Advaita Vedanta school or philosophy, which was developed by him. For hundreds of years, this way of thinking has been the dominant school of thought in India.

    The majority of Sankara’s writings are comments on other great works of Indian philosophy, such as the Brahmasutra, the Bhagavadgita, and the Upanisads. The Upadesasahasri, also known as “A Thousand Teachings,” is the only independent and non-commentary work that can be safely attributed to him; the other independent writings that have traditionally been ascribed to him are all probably spurious. The Upadesasahasri, also known as “A Thousand Teachings,” has been critically edited and translated into English here.

    Sengaku Mayeda, the author of this work, has provided both academics and general readers with a critical edition based on the analysis of 27 metrical and 11 prose manuscripts, as well as an exact and readable English translation of the work based on his definitive edition of the work, in addition to his extensive introduction to the work. These materials can be found on this website. This Indian philosophical classic is now available to a far larger audience thanks to his lucid and trustworthy translation as well as his in-depth introduction that discusses Sankara’s biography as well as his ideas.

    Author

    Sengaku Mayeda

    About the Author(s)

  • Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads (2 Vols.)

    Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads (2 Vols.)

    This publication gives an account that is both thorough and brief of the whole of the religion and philosophy that existed in India throughout the Vedic era. Any anyone who is serious about their study of religion and philosophy will find this book to be a very helpful and comprehensive source of information. This massive effort has been undertaken with the intention of reestablishing the Vedic religion to its rightful position in the field of theological research.

    About the Author(s)

    Arthur Berriedale Keith

  • The Agamasastra of Gaudapada

    The Agamasastra of Gaudapada

    Because the author was dissatisfied with the interpretation provided by Sankara and his followers as well as the interpretation provided by some other teachers, he has made an effort in the following pages to present to the readers his own interpretation of the work based on how he has understood it. On the other hand, he makes no claim whatsoever that his interpretation is the interpretation, in other words, the meaning that Gaudapada himself had in mind. The author of the current book has provided a fresh edition of the text of the Agamasastra based on a number of distinct manuscripts and editions, which is then followed by an English translation of the text. His annotation follows immediately after this. Appendices are included at the conclusion of the book and include the text of the Mandukya Upanisad as well as an English translation of it. Additionally, there are many distinct indexes and versions of the MSS that were used to create the edition of the Agamasastra text.

    About the Author(s)

    Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

  • Rituals Mantras and Science: An Integral Perspective

    Rituals Mantras and Science: An Integral Perspective

    The author of this book explores the role that science plays in various rituals and mantras during the course of the book. Through the use of structural analysis, he demonstrates that rituals in general, regardless of whether they are religious, political, social, or any other kind, all have similar basic characteristics. Language is the only art form that does not share these patterns; poetry, music, dance, and gymnastics all do. After taking into account animal rituals as well as rituals that are associated with pathologies, he came up with a basic theory that unified all actions that resemble rituals.

    Author

    Jayant Burde

  • Kalikapurane Murtivinirdesah

    Kalikapurane Murtivinirdesah

    The Kalikapurane Murtivinirdesah is the ninth volume in the series of the kalamulasastra project. It is a collection of around 550 lines from the Kalika Purana. These verses include a bodily description of a variety of gods, goddesses, and demi-gods, as well as other beings. Some of them are just abstract ideas, while others are embodied as sculptures made of stone and metal.

    The Kalika Purana is a significant upa-purana that has been cited as an authoritative source by the smrti digest authors (nibandhakaras) from almost every region of India. The Kalika Purana is a text that was created in ancient Assam (Kamarupa) in the late ninth or early tenth century A.D. Its purpose was to exalt the mother goddess Kamakhya and to offer a ceremonial system for worshipping her. The Kalika Purana focuses mostly on describing the many incarnations of the goddess, along with providing specifics of their iconography, as well as their horses and weapons. Additionally, it discusses the representations of other gods and goddesses that were housed in Kamarupa. In order to provide a comprehensive picture, all of the verses that deal with the gods and are spread out among the many chapters of the Kalika Purana have been collated according to the gods. The Sanskrit verses are presented with an accurate translation of those verses into English.

    Author

    Dr. Biswanarayan Shastri

  • Shukla-Yajurved-Samhita

    Shukla-Yajurved-Samhita

    The Yajurveda Samhita, also known as the prayer book of the Adhvaryu priest, is said to have had as many as 101 recensions during the time of the grammarian Patanjali. However, only five of these recensions have survived and are available at this time. These recensions are known as Kathaka, Kapisthala, Maitrayani, Taittiriya, and Vajasaneyi. The first four of these recensions belong to what is designated as the The Vajasaneyi Samhita, which gets its name from Yajnavalkya Vajasaneya, the principal instructor of this Veda, has been passed down in two forms that are somewhat different from one another. These versions are known as the Kanva Samhita and the Madhyandina Samhita. The primary distinction between the texts of the ‘Black’ and ‘White’ Yajurveda is that the latter only includes the Mantras, which are the prayers and sacrificial formulae that the priest is required to recite, whereas the former includes, in addition, a presentation of the sacrificial rites that are associated with them as well as the Brahmana, which is a theological discussion on the same topic. This is the most important distinction between the two types

    About the Author(s)

    Pandit Jagdishlal Shastri

  • Vaisnavi: Women and the Worship of Krishna

    Vaisnavi: Women and the Worship of Krishna

    This collection delves into the touchy issue of gender and religion with openness and compassion, with a particular emphasis on Vaishnavism, one of the oldest and most textually rich religious traditions practised by humans. Steven J. Rosen has compiled a collection of eight articles that shed light on the lives of many female saints throughout history as well as the teachings that they left behind. These pieces were written by notable scholars, poets, and practitioners.

    Author

    Steven J. Rosen

  • The Advaitic Theism of the Bhagavata Purana

    The Advaitic Theism of the Bhagavata Purana

    The author of this book takes a detailed look at the core beliefs that are outlined in the Bhagavata Purana during the course of its eight chapters. Through in-depth analysis, he demonstrates how the Bhagavata Purana, as a unified scripture, combines Vedantic non-dualism and Vaisnava devotionalism; and how the Bhagavata non-dualism accommodates the reality of the universe and of the individual selves that are found within it within the reality of Brahman. This marvellous combination of the devotionals and non-dualism in the Bhagavata Purana is said to find its expression in the worship of Krsna as a transcendent and ultimate god by all Vaisnavas. This is according to the author. The discussion and delineation found throughout the chapters highlight “each of the major forces” that are responsible for determining “the religious structure of the Bhagavata,” which “has a significance and meaning for the study of religion beyond that of situating a scriptural text within a religious history.” Students of Indian religion and philosophy will find the current academic work to be very interesting and valuable. The general reader who is interested in Indian history and culture will also find a place for it in their collection of literature..

    Author

    Daniel P. Sheridan

  • The Bridge to the Three Holy Cities: The Samanya-praghattaka of Narayana Bhatta’s Trishalisetu

    The Bridge to the Three Holy Cities: The Samanya-praghattaka of Narayana Bhatta’s Trishalisetu

    In the Hindu tradition, the study of holy locations and pilgrimages to such places is considered to be a sub-field of the Dharmasastra. This sub-field is known as tirtha. The “Bridge to the Three Holy Cities” (also known as “Tristhalisetu”) of Narayana Bhatta, which was composed in Varanasi in the 16th century A.D., is regarded as the canonical and most authoritative work of the extensive tirtha literature. It was authored by Narayana Bhatta. The book is divided into four parts, but only the third, fourth, and final parts were included in the Anandasrama version that came out in 1915. The first, or “General,” Section of the Samanya-praghattaka, which was not included in that edition, discusses the concept, definition, and distinguishing characteristics of tirthas, and prescribes in detail the procedures and practises of a pilgrimage. However, this section was omitted from that edition. Both a critical edition of the text of the Samanyapraghattaka as well as a translation that has been annotated are included in this book. The practise of making pilgrimages is an important part of Hinduism, and this literature provides a variety of knowledge relevant to that subject.A

    Author

    Richard Salomon

  • Ramacaritamanasa in South Africa

    Ramacaritamanasa in South Africa

    Through the strong medium of Awadhi, Gosvami Tulsidasa’s Ramacaritamanasa conveyed to the world the message of Ramabhakti and the principles of Ramarajya. Indentured workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar brought the Ramacaritamanasa all over the world three hundred years after it was written down. This allowed it to be read in every corner of the globe. Between the years 1860 and 1911, many thousands of these labourers made their way to South Africa, bringing with them copies of the Ramacaritamanasa to serve as their central religious text.

    This book provides an in-depth analysis of the Ramacaritamanasa’s function in the daily lives of Hindi-speaking indentured labourers, as well as their perspectives on Sri Rama and the Ramacaritamanasa. Additionally, the book discusses the indentured labourers’ progency in South Africa. It is clear that Tulsidasa’s goal of instilling a selfless devotion to Sri Rama as the Supreme Deity is being accomplished via the Ramacaritamanasa until this very day. The social and political message that Tulsidasa conveyed also received a great deal of appreciation at the time.

    The Ramacaritamanasa is revered as a sacred text among South African Hindus whose ancestry is from Hindi, and these individuals seek peace and direction by immersing themselves in Sri Rama’s Act as deeply as possible. Its function among Hindi-speaking Hindus as a maintainer of religious and cultural traditions is a clear indication of the significance it will continue to have in the next year.

    Author

    Usha Devi Shukla

  • The Asvamedha: The Rite and its Logic

    The Asvamedha: The Rite and its Logic

    This article explains many specific characteristics of the Vedic sacrificial system by describing the ritual known as “Asvamedha” and the symbolism associated with it. Within the framework of Vedic epistemology, a number of inquiries about the Asvamedha are addressed, along with their respective answers. This rite serves three important purposes: I it presents an equivalence of the naksatra year to the heaven, implying that it is a rite that celebrates the rebirth of the Sun; (ii) it is symbolic of the conquest of Time by the king, in whose name the rite is performed; and (iii) it is a celebration of social harmony that has been achieved by the transcendence of the fundamental conflicts that exist between various sources of The comprehension of numerous of its particulars is aided by the use of numerical concepts taken from another Vedic ritual known as the Agnicayana.

    Author

    Subhash Kak

  • The Sacred Marriage of a Hindu Goddess

    The Sacred Marriage of a Hindu Goddess

    In the region of southern India known as Tamil Nadu, the city of Madurai is the location where Hindus celebrate the union of the goddess Minakshi and the god Siva. The yearly festival lasts for 10 days and is considered to be one of the most important and well-known of all Hindu celebrations. This event is investigated in the work of William Harman from a variety of viewpoints, including the history of religions, Sanskrit and Tamil traditions, and Hindu cultural norms.

    Author

    WILLIAM P. HARMAN

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