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This book provides a much-needed thematic and historical introduction to Hinduism, the religion of the majority of people in India. Dr Flood traces the development of Hindu traditions from their ancient origins, through the major deities of Visnu, Siva and the Goddess, to the modern world. Hinduism is discussed as both a global religion and a form of nationalism. Emphasis is given to the tantric traditions, which have been so influential; to Hindu ritual, which is more fundamental to the life of the religion than are specific beliefs or doctrines; and to Dravidian influences from south India. An Introduction to Hinduism examines the ideas of dharma, particularly in relation to the ideology of kingship, caste and world renunciation. Dr Flood also introduces some debates within contemporary scholarship about the nature of Hinduism. It is suitable both for the student and for the general reader.
The contributions in this "Festschrift" extend over the whole range of Indian civilization: in the first part the earlier stages of Indian history spanning the period from the Indus civilization up to medieval times, and in the second part the more recent history of South Asia.
Drawing on historical and current data, this thought-provoking book summarises the pathways to the present predicament and maps out strategies to develop financial and economic systems for a sustainable world. The content is arranged in three parts addressing 'Stylised Market Equilibrium', 'The Real Market Economy', and 'Present Affluence Versus the Future'. In Rediscovering Sustainability the authors help bridge the gap in understanding between scientists and the green movement on the one side and many economists on the other. Greens worry about catastrophic climate change and anthropocene mass extinction. Economists express reservations about spending substantial amounts of money on preven...
In this book, J. C. Heesterman attempts to understand the origins and nature of Vedic sacrifice—the complex compound of ritual practices that stood at the center of ancient Indian religion. Paying close attention to anomalous elements within both the Vedic ritual texts, the brahmanas, and the ritual manuals, the srautasutras, Heesterman reconstructs the ideal sacrifice as consisting of four moments: killing, destruction, feasting, and contest. He shows that Vedic sacrifice all but exclusively stressed the offering in the fire—the element of destruction—at the expense of the other elements. Notably, the contest was radically eliminated. At the same time sacrifice was withdrawn from soci...
The Roman foundation myth has been the subject of classical scholarship for centuries. But much in the story of Romulus and Remus remains unexplained. This is the first English language book-length study of the Lupercalia, a religious festival central to understanding both the Roman foundation myth and the history of Rome. The festival of the Lupercalia was a male initiation ritual and shares a number of traits with similar rituals across the world. The agonistic elements in the story of Romulus and Remus and the Lupercalia can be compared to a number of Vedic rituals and traced back to a common Indo-European prehistory. The Lupercalia celebration remained a central annual event throughout t...
How does the Western world represent India? In this controversial and widely-praised book, the author argues that the West's major depictions of India have deprived Indians of their capacity to rule thir own world.
Explains for the first time the genesis and early form of both Indian and Greek philosophy, and their striking similarities.
Lobel crosses Eastern and Western philosophical and religious traditions to discover a beauty and purpose at the heart of reality that makes life worth living. This title does not treat philosophy as an abstract, theoretical discipline but as living experience.
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