You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
For many centuries, Hindus have taken it for granted that the religious images they place in temples and home shrines for purposes of worship are alive. Hindu priests bring them to life through a complex ritual "establishment" that invokes the god or goddess into material support. Priests and devotees then maintain the enlivened image as a divine person through ongoing liturgical activity: they must awaken it in the morning, bathe it, dress it, feed it, entertain it, praise it, and eventually put it to bed at night. In this linked series of case studies of Hindu religious objects, Richard Davis argues that in some sense these believers are correct: through ongoing interactions with humans, r...
Saiva liturgy is performed in a world that oscillates: a world permeated by the presence of Siva, where humans live in a condition of bondage and where the highest aim of the soul is to attain liberation from its fetters. In this account of Indian temple ritual, Richard Davis uses medieval Hindu texts to describe the world as it is envisioned by Saiva siddhanta and the way daily worship reflects that world and acts within it. He argues that this worship is not simply a set of ritualized gestures, but rather a daily catechism in which the worshiper puts into action all the major themes of cosmic Saiva philosophy the cyclic pattern of emission and reabsorption, the human path of attaining liberation, the manifestation of divinity in the world, and the proper interrelationship of humanity and god. In re-creating the convictions and intentions of a well-versed worshiper of the twelfth century, Davis moves back and forth between philosophical and ritual texts, demonstrating the fundamental Saiva belief that the capacities of humans to know about the world and to act within it are two interrelated modalities of the unitary power of consciousness.
By focusing on traders, missionaries, warriors, and adventurers--the four types of agents who are responsible for globalizing processes-- this highly accessible volume brings analytical coherence and clarity to an unwieldy subject matter. In addition to excellent coverage of more familiar topics such as India's sea trade with Rome, the proselytizing efforts of Ashoka and other Indian kings, or the migration of the Yueh-chih people, Davis adds valuable analyses of story literature, the Ramayana epic, and Buddhist art. Global India circa 100 CE is an entertaining introduction to India's international interactions and conceptions that will greatly benefit teachers and students of world history as well as ancient Asia.
The life and times of India's most famous spiritual and literary masterpiece The Bhagavad Gita, perhaps the most famous of all Indian scriptures, is universally regarded as one of the world's spiritual and literary masterpieces. Richard Davis tells the story of this venerable and enduring book, from its origins in ancient India to its reception today as a spiritual classic that has been translated into more than seventy-five languages. The Gita opens on the eve of a mighty battle, when the warrior Arjuna is overwhelmed by despair and refuses to fight. He turns to his charioteer, Krishna, who counsels him on why he must. In the dialogue that follows, Arjuna comes to realize that the true batt...
Gods in Print is the first comprehensive collection of early hand-colored lithographs, multiple-block chromolithographs, and offset print images of India’s world of gods and goddesses. India’s love of gods in print began in the 1870s with the founding of the Calcutta Art Studio and the Chitrashala Press. In 1894, artists Ravi and Raja Varma set up the Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press outside Bombay. By the early 1900s, these presses had begun selling their prints throughout the subcontinent. Collectors Mark Baron and Elise Boisante have traveled to remote corners of India to document and preserve this fragile and beautiful popular art form. Their diligence in tracking down “God prints” and restoring them to their original brilliance has resulted in the extraordinary and comprehensive collection featured in this volume. For the first time, the full scope of India’s sacred imagery in print can be viewed from its earliest days.
None
This Sumptuous Book Is A Significant Addition To The Literature On The Exquisite Temple Bronzes Of The Chola Period, From The Ninth To The Thirteenth Centuries, A Time Of Unparalleled Creativity In The History Of The Indian Subcontinent. During The Golden
Originally published in 1997, Religions of Tibet in Practice is a landmark work--the first major anthology on the topic ever produced. This new edition--abridged to further facilitate course use--presents a stunning array of works that together offer an unparalleled view of the Tibetan religious landscape over the centuries. Organized thematically, the twenty-eight chapters are testimony to the vast scope of religious practice in the Tibetan world, past and present. Religions of Tibet in Practice remains a work of great value to scholars, students, and general readers.
Current trends in stormwater management add pollution control to existing priorities of flood protection and peakflow limits. From a fundamental overview of supporting information on water quality, statistics and hydrology to detailed sections devoted to treatment and management practices, this book examines the latest treatment practices and techniques for improving stormwater quality to protect against stream, river and estuary degradation.
"In this edited volume, Richard Davis and his colleagues examine how religious images are understood by practitioners in Asia and what social, cultural, and political aspects are connected to the "mira"