Showing all 6 books
The Life of Hinduism brings together a series of essays-many recognized as classics in the field-that present Hinduism as a vibrant, truly ‘lived’ religion. Celebrating the diversity for which Hinduism is known, this volume begins its journey in the ‘new India’ of Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley, where global connections and local traditions rub shoulders daily. Readers are then offered a glimpse into the multifaceted world of ...
The monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have severely limited the portrayal of the divine as feminine. But in Hinduism ‘God’ very often means ‘Goddess’. This extraordinary collection explores twelve different Hindu goddesses, all of whom are in some way related to Devi, the Great Goddess. They range from the liquid goddess-energy of the River Ganges to the possessing, entrancing heat of Bhagavati and Seranvali. They ...
This book presents the life stories and poems of six well-known saint-poets of North India--Ravidas, Kabir, Nanak, Surdas, Mirabai, and Tulsidas--who have contributed more to the religious vocabulary of Hinduism in North India today than any voices before or since. In worship, in education, even in politics, modern Hinduism sings their tune. For half a millennium, these saints' poems have circulated from the banks of the Yamuna to the rice fields of Bihar and ...
The landscape of North Indian religion was dramatically transformed in the 15 and 16 centuries by a remarkable family of poet-saints. Among the most famous and beloved of these figures--in India and throughout the world--are Mirabai, Surdas, and Kabir. In this book, John Stratton Hawley takes a probing look at all three, finding that many of the beliefs and legends surrounding them--even central motifs--emerged long after their deaths. Analyzing the oldest ...