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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Jivanmukti in Transformation Embodied Liberation in Advaita and Neo-Vedanta/Andrew O. Fort-

Jivanmukti in Transformation
Embodied Liberation in Advaita and Neo-Vedanta
Jivanmukti in Transformation

Andrew O. Fort- Author
Price Rs,600=00
Hardcover 
Release Date: September 1998

ISBN13: 978-93-81218-70-9
Divine Books,Delhi.2013

   


 
 


Summary

Examines the Hindu concept of liberation while living from the perspective of the Advaita Vedanta school from the Upanisads to modern times.

Liberation (mukti) is a central concern in Hinduism, particularly in Advaita (nondual) Vedanta, perhaps the best known school of Hindu thought. There has been vigorous debate and analysis about the possibility and nature of liberation while living (jivanmukti) in Advaita from the time of Sankara, the school's founder, to the present day. While the general conclusion seems to be that one can achieve living liberation, members of the Advaita tradition also regularly express reservations about, or describe limitiations to, full liberation while embodied.

Jivanmukti in Transformation examines the development and transformation of the concept of jivanmukti from the Upanisads to the modern era. It gives the most thorough treatment of the scholastic Advaita tradition on liberation while living, makes the novel argument for a distinct "Yogic Advaita" tradition found in the Yogavasistha and Jivanmuktiviveka, and explores the modern "neo-Vedanta" view of jivanmukti, which has been influenced by modern Western concepts like global ecumenism and humanistic social concern for all. The book includes analysis of the views of modern Hindu figures such as Swami Vivekananda, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Ramana Maharshi, and Sankaracaryas of Kanchi and Sringeri, and considers these thinkers in the context of current academic discussions about the encounter of India and the West.

"This book is very strong in its historical treatment of the notion of the jivanmukta. The author clearly establishes the concept to be a dynamic and changing one. He does so by working closely with the central texts of the Advaita tradition and the presentation is enriched by a discussion of recent figures. His textual analysis is rich and detailed." -- Anantanand Rambachan, Saint Olaf College

Andrew O. Fort is Professor of Asian Religions at Texas Christian University. His previous publications include Living Liberation in Hindu Thought (coedited with Patricia Y. Mumme), also published by SUNY Press and The Self and Its States: A States of Consciousness Doctrine in Advaita Vedanta.


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Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments
Abbreviations

Introduction: What Kind of Liberation is Liberation While Living?

Part 1. Embodied Liberation in Traditional Advaita Vedanta

1. The Development of the Idea of Embodied Liberation before Sankara: The Early Upanisads, the Brahmasutras, Gaudapada, and the Bhagavad-Gita

2. Knowing Brahman While Embodied: Sankara on Jivanmukti

3. Mandana Misra and  Sankara's Disciples on Jivanmukti: Suresvara, Sarvajnatman, and Vimuktatman

4. Jivanmukti in Later Scholastic Advaita: Prakasatman, Citsukha, Madhusudana Sarasvati, Prakasananda, Sadananda, and Dharmaraja

Part 2. Jivanmukti in "Yogic Advaita"

5. Ramanuja and Samkhya/Yoga on Liberation While Living

6. Yogic Advaita I: Jivanmukti in the Yogavasistha

7. Yogic Advaita II: Liberation While Living in the Jivanmuktiviveka

8. Yogic Advaita III: Jivanmukti in the Pancadasi, the "Minor" Upanisads, and Madhusudana's Gudarthadipika

Part 3. Embodied Liberation in Neo-Vedanta: Adaptation and Innovation

9. Neo-Vedanta and the Transformation of Advaitic Jivanmukti

10. A Liberated Being Being Liberated: The Case of Ramana Maharshi

11. Candrasekharendra Sarasvati: Sankaracarya and Jivanmukta?

12. The Liberated Being and Social Service: Vivekananda, Radhakrishnan, and the Neo-Vedantic JIvanmukta

Notes
Bibliography
Index
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Mediating the Power of Buddhas Ritual in the Manjusrimulakalpa/Glenn Wallis - Author

 
Mediating the Power of Buddhas
Ritual in the Manjusrimulakalpa
Mediating the Power of Buddhas


Summary

Analyzes a seventh-century ritual manual that provides both a rich source of information of medieval Buddhist life and addresses the ongoing concern of how an adherent can encounter the power of a buddha.

Mediating the Power of Buddhas
offers a fascinating analysis of the seventh-century ritual manual, the Mañjusrimulakalpa. This medieval text is intended to reveal the path into a ritual universe where the power of a buddha abides. Author Glenn Wallis traces the strategies of the Mañjusrimulakalpa to enable its committed reader to perfect the promised ritual, uncovering what conditions must be met for ritual practice to succeed and what personal characteristics practitioners must possess in order to realize the ritual intentions of the Buddhist community. The manual itself was written at a key point in Buddhist history, one when Hindu forms of practice were still imitated and on the cusp of the shift from Mahayana to Vajrayana (or Tantric) Buddhism. In addition, the Mañjusrimulakalpa presents a rich compendium of Buddhist life in an earlier era, containing information on a variety of its readers' concerns: astrology, astronomy, medicine and healing, ritual practice, iconography, devotion, and meditation.

"Wallis sheds much new light on the transition between 'sutra' and 'tantra' literature of Buddhist India." — John J. Makransky, author of Buddhahood Embodied: Sources of Controversy in India and Tibet

"Wallis brings alive the world of the Mañjusrimulakalpa and its ritual practitioner, and he draws on a variety of medieval and modern sources to illuminate the text. The Mañjusrimulakalpa is a crucial text for understanding medieval Indian Buddhism, yet, because of its immensity, it has been studied rather sparingly and incompletely—and never before with the particular ritual studies-cum-comparative-Indological perspective that Wallis brings to bear." — Roger Jackson, coeditor of Buddhist Theology: Critical Reflections by Contemporary Buddhist Scholars

Glenn Wallis is Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Georgia.


 

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

1: Introduction

1.1 Aims
1.2 Methods
1.3 The Text: Mañjusrımulakalpa
1.4 The Ritual

2: The Source of Power: The Assembly (sannipata)

2.1 Cosmology
2.2 Mmk 1: vision and cult
2.3 The text as cult image
2.4 Revelation and transmission

3: The Refraction of Power: The Cult Image (pata)

3.1 The pata as image and animated object
3.2 Creation of the cult object (patavidhana)

4: The Empowered Practitioner (sadhaka)

4.1 The practitioner in the text
4.2 The sadhaka
4.3 Epithets and space

5: Summary and Conclusion

Appendices

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Glenn Wallis - Author
 
Divine Books,Delhi,2013
ISBN.978-93-81218-72-3.
Rs.600-00
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Mediating the Power of Buddhas Ritual in the Manjusrimulakalpa/Glenn Wallis - Author

 
Mediating the Power of Buddhas
Ritual in the Manjusrimulakalpa
Mediating the Power of Buddhas


Summary

Analyzes a seventh-century ritual manual that provides both a rich source of information of medieval Buddhist life and addresses the ongoing concern of how an adherent can encounter the power of a buddha.

Mediating the Power of Buddhas
offers a fascinating analysis of the seventh-century ritual manual, the Mañjusrimulakalpa. This medieval text is intended to reveal the path into a ritual universe where the power of a buddha abides. Author Glenn Wallis traces the strategies of the Mañjusrimulakalpa to enable its committed reader to perfect the promised ritual, uncovering what conditions must be met for ritual practice to succeed and what personal characteristics practitioners must possess in order to realize the ritual intentions of the Buddhist community. The manual itself was written at a key point in Buddhist history, one when Hindu forms of practice were still imitated and on the cusp of the shift from Mahayana to Vajrayana (or Tantric) Buddhism. In addition, the Mañjusrimulakalpa presents a rich compendium of Buddhist life in an earlier era, containing information on a variety of its readers' concerns: astrology, astronomy, medicine and healing, ritual practice, iconography, devotion, and meditation.

"Wallis sheds much new light on the transition between 'sutra' and 'tantra' literature of Buddhist India." — John J. Makransky, author of Buddhahood Embodied: Sources of Controversy in India and Tibet

"Wallis brings alive the world of the Mañjusrimulakalpa and its ritual practitioner, and he draws on a variety of medieval and modern sources to illuminate the text. The Mañjusrimulakalpa is a crucial text for understanding medieval Indian Buddhism, yet, because of its immensity, it has been studied rather sparingly and incompletely—and never before with the particular ritual studies-cum-comparative-Indological perspective that Wallis brings to bear." — Roger Jackson, coeditor of Buddhist Theology: Critical Reflections by Contemporary Buddhist Scholars

Glenn Wallis is Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Georgia.


 

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

1: Introduction

1.1 Aims
1.2 Methods
1.3 The Text: Mañjusrımulakalpa
1.4 The Ritual

2: The Source of Power: The Assembly (sannipata)

2.1 Cosmology
2.2 Mmk 1: vision and cult
2.3 The text as cult image
2.4 Revelation and transmission

3: The Refraction of Power: The Cult Image (pata)

3.1 The pata as image and animated object
3.2 Creation of the cult object (patavidhana)

4: The Empowered Practitioner (sadhaka)

4.1 The practitioner in the text
4.2 The sadhaka
4.3 Epithets and space

5: Summary and Conclusion

Appendices

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Glenn Wallis - Author
 
Divine Books,Delhi,2013
ISBN.978-93-81218-72-3.
Rs.600-00
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Mediating the Power of Buddhas Ritual in the Manjusrimulakalpa/Glenn Wallis - Author

 
Mediating the Power of Buddhas
Ritual in the Manjusrimulakalpa
Mediating the Power of Buddhas


Summary

Analyzes a seventh-century ritual manual that provides both a rich source of information of medieval Buddhist life and addresses the ongoing concern of how an adherent can encounter the power of a buddha.

Mediating the Power of Buddhas
offers a fascinating analysis of the seventh-century ritual manual, the Mañjusrimulakalpa. This medieval text is intended to reveal the path into a ritual universe where the power of a buddha abides. Author Glenn Wallis traces the strategies of the Mañjusrimulakalpa to enable its committed reader to perfect the promised ritual, uncovering what conditions must be met for ritual practice to succeed and what personal characteristics practitioners must possess in order to realize the ritual intentions of the Buddhist community. The manual itself was written at a key point in Buddhist history, one when Hindu forms of practice were still imitated and on the cusp of the shift from Mahayana to Vajrayana (or Tantric) Buddhism. In addition, the Mañjusrimulakalpa presents a rich compendium of Buddhist life in an earlier era, containing information on a variety of its readers' concerns: astrology, astronomy, medicine and healing, ritual practice, iconography, devotion, and meditation.

"Wallis sheds much new light on the transition between 'sutra' and 'tantra' literature of Buddhist India." — John J. Makransky, author of Buddhahood Embodied: Sources of Controversy in India and Tibet

"Wallis brings alive the world of the Mañjusrimulakalpa and its ritual practitioner, and he draws on a variety of medieval and modern sources to illuminate the text. The Mañjusrimulakalpa is a crucial text for understanding medieval Indian Buddhism, yet, because of its immensity, it has been studied rather sparingly and incompletely—and never before with the particular ritual studies-cum-comparative-Indological perspective that Wallis brings to bear." — Roger Jackson, coeditor of Buddhist Theology: Critical Reflections by Contemporary Buddhist Scholars

Glenn Wallis is Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Georgia.


 

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

1: Introduction

1.1 Aims
1.2 Methods
1.3 The Text: Mañjusrımulakalpa
1.4 The Ritual

2: The Source of Power: The Assembly (sannipata)

2.1 Cosmology
2.2 Mmk 1: vision and cult
2.3 The text as cult image
2.4 Revelation and transmission

3: The Refraction of Power: The Cult Image (pata)

3.1 The pata as image and animated object
3.2 Creation of the cult object (patavidhana)

4: The Empowered Practitioner (sadhaka)

4.1 The practitioner in the text
4.2 The sadhaka
4.3 Epithets and space

5: Summary and Conclusion

Appendices

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Glenn Wallis - Author
 
Divine Books,Delhi,2013
ISBN.978-93-81218-72-3.
Rs.600-00
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

The Philosophy of SadhanaThe Philosophy of Sadhana

The Philosophy of Sadhana 
With Special Reference to the Trika Philosophy of Kashmir


Deba Brata SenSharma - Author
Paul E. Muller-Ortega ,Foreword by
 
 
 
After presenting a general survey of spiritual practice in the different schools of Indian philosophy, the author focuses on the Trika School, popularly called Kashmir Shaivism. He deals clearly and exhaustively with such topics as Shaktipat (the descent of Divine Grace), Diksha (initiation), and the role of the Guru. His treatment of the various paths (upayas) appropriate for the different types of practitioners is especially useful.

The book ends with a chapter on enlightenment (jivanmukti). This chapter not only presents the meaning of self-realization-in-this-lifetime, but offers material on this topic for the first time in English.

Deba Brata SenSharma, now a Senior Research Fellow of the Asiatic Society (Calcutta), was a student of Gopinath Kaviraj. He was a Professor at Benaras Hindu University and at Kurukshetra University. He is the author of dozens of articles in learned journals and of several books.


 

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
The Metaphysics of the Trika School
The Origin and Nature of Man
The Status of Man in Creation
The Way to Ultimate Self-Realization
The Ways of Spiritual Discipline
The Perfect Integral Self-Realization, Sivatva
Jivanmukti and Related Issues
Glossary
Select Bibliography
Index



 
Divine Books,Delhi,2013. Rs.450-00
ISBN.978-93-81218-68-6
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

The Philosophy of SadhanaThe Philosophy of Sadhana

The Philosophy of Sadhana 
With Special Reference to the Trika Philosophy of Kashmir


Deba Brata SenSharma - Author
Paul E. Muller-Ortega ,Foreword by
Divine Books,Delhi,2013. Rs.450-00
ISBN.978-93-81218-68-6
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Yoga and the Luminous Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom/Christopher Key Chapple

Yoga and the Luminous
Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom
Yoga and the LuminousDivine Books,Delhi,2013.
ISBN.978-93-81218-71-6, Rs.500-00
Christopher Key Chapple
 
Summary

A fresh look at Yoga philosophy.

In Yoga and the Luminous, a book that emerges from more than thirty years of practice, study, and reflection, Christopher Key Chapple addresses the need for an accessible explanation of Yoga's difficult philosophy and its applications in daily life. Yoga practice takes an individual on an inward journey, and through Yoga, one enters a rarefied state of consciousness, a transparency and luminosity described by its great philosopher Patañjali as being "like a clear jewel." Exploring Yoga through the prism of practice, Chapple begins with a historical overview of the many Yogic traditions in Indian religions. He continues with Yoga practice and the philosophy of Sāṃkhya, and then, in step-by-step fashion, he brings the reader to an understanding of the ethics of Yoga, the role of movement and breath, and the processes of concentration and meditation. Finally, building on the root metaphor of luminosity and light, Chapple explains the applications of Yoga in daily life.

Yoga and the Luminous also includes a word-by-word translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra, the foundational text of Yoga philosophy and a system of ethical practice and bodily purification. The translation is accompanied by an analysis that traces key ideas through the text, such as the reversal of mental and sensory outflows and the theme of spiritual discernment. Chapple also gives special attention to the feminine in the description of Yoga practices.

"…the overall tone of Yoga and the Luminous clearly oscillates between the formally academic and the rhetorical warmth of the Yoga studio … this blending of two distinctive modes of discourse make for a work that is both engaging and accessible … the heart of the text is Chapple's translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra … Most readers … will be delighted to find such readability, precision, and utility in a translation of this crucial work." — International Journal of Hindu Studies

"A valuable group of Chapple's essays (old and new) about Yoga … Chapple is both a scholar and practitioner of Yoga, and one can see elements of both trainings in this book." — Religious Studies Review

"In Yoga and the Luminous, we get an historical summary about yoga schools of the three classic religions of India, with Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali as the theme of the monograph. This marvelous monograph also weighs in years of personal practice, understanding and diligence of the author … Students and teachers … alike would find Yoga and the Luminous a good reading." — Jinamañjari

"…Chapple's insights—the result of 30 years of reflection and writing on yoga—are potent, and he is a gifted writer. The book is a pleasure to read, surveying important themes in the theory and practice of yoga." — CHOICE

"Anyone with an interest in Yoga must consider Yoga and the Luminous as a starter guide." — Midwest Book Review
"Yoga and the Luminous is a welcome addition to the growing literature on Yoga. This excellent book will be of great value to scholars, practitioners of Yoga, and those interested in how Yoga can be applied to some of the important issues of our time." — Gerald James Larson, Tagore Professor Emeritus, Indiana University at Bloomington, and Professor Emeritus, University of California at Santa Barbara

"This book is based not only on a deep understanding of the Yoga Sūtra in its Jaina and Buddhist intellectual context but also on a lifetime of practicing the text. The result is a combination of intellectual insight and practical understanding written in clear English that communicates effectively to a wide range of readers." — Harold Coward, author of The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought

Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. He is the author or editor of many books, including Reconciling Yogas: Haribhadra's Collection of Views on Yoga and Ecological Prospects: Scientific, Religious, and Aesthetic Perspectives, both also published by SUNY Press.


 
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Yoga and the Luminous Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom/Christopher Key Chapple

Yoga and the Luminous
Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom
Yoga and the LuminousDivine Books,Delhi,2013.
ISBN.978-93-81218-71-6, Rs.500-00
Christopher Key Chapple
 
Summary

A fresh look at Yoga philosophy.

In Yoga and the Luminous, a book that emerges from more than thirty years of practice, study, and reflection, Christopher Key Chapple addresses the need for an accessible explanation of Yoga's difficult philosophy and its applications in daily life. Yoga practice takes an individual on an inward journey, and through Yoga, one enters a rarefied state of consciousness, a transparency and luminosity described by its great philosopher Patañjali as being "like a clear jewel." Exploring Yoga through the prism of practice, Chapple begins with a historical overview of the many Yogic traditions in Indian religions. He continues with Yoga practice and the philosophy of Sāṃkhya, and then, in step-by-step fashion, he brings the reader to an understanding of the ethics of Yoga, the role of movement and breath, and the processes of concentration and meditation. Finally, building on the root metaphor of luminosity and light, Chapple explains the applications of Yoga in daily life.

Yoga and the Luminous also includes a word-by-word translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra, the foundational text of Yoga philosophy and a system of ethical practice and bodily purification. The translation is accompanied by an analysis that traces key ideas through the text, such as the reversal of mental and sensory outflows and the theme of spiritual discernment. Chapple also gives special attention to the feminine in the description of Yoga practices.

"…the overall tone of Yoga and the Luminous clearly oscillates between the formally academic and the rhetorical warmth of the Yoga studio … this blending of two distinctive modes of discourse make for a work that is both engaging and accessible … the heart of the text is Chapple's translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra … Most readers … will be delighted to find such readability, precision, and utility in a translation of this crucial work." — International Journal of Hindu Studies

"A valuable group of Chapple's essays (old and new) about Yoga … Chapple is both a scholar and practitioner of Yoga, and one can see elements of both trainings in this book." — Religious Studies Review

"In Yoga and the Luminous, we get an historical summary about yoga schools of the three classic religions of India, with Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali as the theme of the monograph. This marvelous monograph also weighs in years of personal practice, understanding and diligence of the author … Students and teachers … alike would find Yoga and the Luminous a good reading." — Jinamañjari

"…Chapple's insights—the result of 30 years of reflection and writing on yoga—are potent, and he is a gifted writer. The book is a pleasure to read, surveying important themes in the theory and practice of yoga." — CHOICE

"Anyone with an interest in Yoga must consider Yoga and the Luminous as a starter guide." — Midwest Book Review
"Yoga and the Luminous is a welcome addition to the growing literature on Yoga. This excellent book will be of great value to scholars, practitioners of Yoga, and those interested in how Yoga can be applied to some of the important issues of our time." — Gerald James Larson, Tagore Professor Emeritus, Indiana University at Bloomington, and Professor Emeritus, University of California at Santa Barbara

"This book is based not only on a deep understanding of the Yoga Sūtra in its Jaina and Buddhist intellectual context but also on a lifetime of practicing the text. The result is a combination of intellectual insight and practical understanding written in clear English that communicates effectively to a wide range of readers." — Harold Coward, author of The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought

Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. He is the author or editor of many books, including Reconciling Yogas: Haribhadra's Collection of Views on Yoga and Ecological Prospects: Scientific, Religious, and Aesthetic Perspectives, both also published by SUNY Press.


 
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry/A. Whitney Sanford

 
 
Singing Krishna
Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry
Singing Krishna
A. Whitney Sanford - Author
Divine Books,Delhi,2013.Rs.600=00
ISBN978-93-81218-69-3
 
Summary

Introduces Paramānand, one of India's poet-saints, his work, and this work's use in ritual.

Singing Krishna introduces Paramānand, one of north India's greatest medieval poet-saints, whose poetry has been sung from the sixteenth century to the present in ritual service to the Hindu deity Krishna. A. Whitney Sanford examines how hearing Paramānand's poetry in ritual context serves as a threshold for devotees between this world and Krishna's divine world. To "see Krishna" is a primary goal of the devotee, and Paramānand deftly constructs a vision through words. Sanford employs the dual strategies of interpreting Paramānand's poems—which sing the cycles of Krishna's activities—and illustrating the importance of their ritual contexts. This approach offers insight into the nature of the devotional experience that is not accessible by simply studying the poetry or rituals in isolation. Sanford shows that the significance of Paramānand's poetry lies not only in its beauty and historical importance but finally in its capacity to permit the devotee to see through the ephemeral world into Krishna's world.

"Singing Krishna is a densely packed combination of beautiful translations and complex literary deconstruction, analyzing the meanings, metaphors and effects of Paramānand's poetry. Sanford has added not only to the body of translated devotional poetry of Braj, but also to the ongoing efforts of scholars of religion to clarify a particular type of religious experience." — International Journal of Hindu Studies

"…Sanford's analysis of Paramānand's work is certainly valuable and goes a long way toward unpacking the intense devotional experience of bhakti and the traditions of the Vallabha Sampraday." — Religion

"The beautiful lyrics of Paramānand's poetry are a welcome addition to the growing body of Indic poetry in translation. Sanford's excellent book guides us through the poetry and takes us right to its sources." — Constantina Rhodes Bailly, author of Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir: A Translation and Study of Utpaladeva's Shivastotravali

A. Whitney Sanford is Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Florida.


 

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

A Critical Perspective
The Research Context
The Experience of the Temple
Situated Poetry: Sound Becoming Sight
Plan for the Book: Following the Cycles

1. Paramānand's Poetic World

About Paramānand's Poetry
Paramānand's Poetic Environment
Serving Krishna
Synaesthesia, Metaphor, and Transformation

2. The End of the Night: Poetry, Memory, and Culture

Śayan: While Braj Sleeps
Paramānand's World
Theater of Memory
Mangalā—Krishna Rises
Śrngār—Ornamentation

3. Krishna's Morning Games: Creating Intimacy through Treachery

Gvāl—Boyhood Play
The Gopī's Complaints to Yaśodā
Mixed Bhāvas
Shattered Boundaries and Spilled Milk: Metonymies of Love

4. Afternoon: Experiencing the Food of Love

Rājbhog—A Lunchtime Tryst in the Forest
Mahātmya: Separation during the Afternoon Watch
Public and Private Līlā
Utthāpan—Āvanī: Krishna's Arrival in Braj
Exemplars of Bhāva: The Cows and the Gopīs
Bhog and Sandhyāratī—The Connoisseur of Rasa
Eats and Goes to Bed

5. Night: Playing the Game of Love

Śayan Māna—Divine Jealousy
The Sakhī's Counsel to Rādhā about Her Sulking and Pride
Setting the Stage: A Romantic Evening and the Beauty of the Lovers
The Sakhī's Warning
The Sakhī's Message to Krishna
The Resolution of Māna
Krishna's Māna
The Sakhī in Māna Poems

6. Autumn to Spring: Gopīs, Birds, and the Moon

Śarad: The Autumn Full Moon
Hemant: Vows of the Cold Winter
Vasant: Spring and Holī

7. Summer—Seeing Reality: The Synaesthetic Transformation

Grīsma: The Hot Season
Vars: The Rainy Season  
Back to the Beginning

Notes
Works Cited
Index

 
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry/A. Whitney Sanford

 
 
Singing Krishna
Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry
Singing Krishna
A. Whitney Sanford - Author
Divine Books,Delhi,2013.Rs.600=00
ISBN978-93-81218-69-3
 
Summary

Introduces Paramānand, one of India's poet-saints, his work, and this work's use in ritual.

Singing Krishna introduces Paramānand, one of north India's greatest medieval poet-saints, whose poetry has been sung from the sixteenth century to the present in ritual service to the Hindu deity Krishna. A. Whitney Sanford examines how hearing Paramānand's poetry in ritual context serves as a threshold for devotees between this world and Krishna's divine world. To "see Krishna" is a primary goal of the devotee, and Paramānand deftly constructs a vision through words. Sanford employs the dual strategies of interpreting Paramānand's poems—which sing the cycles of Krishna's activities—and illustrating the importance of their ritual contexts. This approach offers insight into the nature of the devotional experience that is not accessible by simply studying the poetry or rituals in isolation. Sanford shows that the significance of Paramānand's poetry lies not only in its beauty and historical importance but finally in its capacity to permit the devotee to see through the ephemeral world into Krishna's world.

"Singing Krishna is a densely packed combination of beautiful translations and complex literary deconstruction, analyzing the meanings, metaphors and effects of Paramānand's poetry. Sanford has added not only to the body of translated devotional poetry of Braj, but also to the ongoing efforts of scholars of religion to clarify a particular type of religious experience." — International Journal of Hindu Studies

"…Sanford's analysis of Paramānand's work is certainly valuable and goes a long way toward unpacking the intense devotional experience of bhakti and the traditions of the Vallabha Sampraday." — Religion

"The beautiful lyrics of Paramānand's poetry are a welcome addition to the growing body of Indic poetry in translation. Sanford's excellent book guides us through the poetry and takes us right to its sources." — Constantina Rhodes Bailly, author of Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir: A Translation and Study of Utpaladeva's Shivastotravali

A. Whitney Sanford is Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Florida.


 

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

A Critical Perspective
The Research Context
The Experience of the Temple
Situated Poetry: Sound Becoming Sight
Plan for the Book: Following the Cycles

1. Paramānand's Poetic World

About Paramānand's Poetry
Paramānand's Poetic Environment
Serving Krishna
Synaesthesia, Metaphor, and Transformation

2. The End of the Night: Poetry, Memory, and Culture

Śayan: While Braj Sleeps
Paramānand's World
Theater of Memory
Mangalā—Krishna Rises
Śrngār—Ornamentation

3. Krishna's Morning Games: Creating Intimacy through Treachery

Gvāl—Boyhood Play
The Gopī's Complaints to Yaśodā
Mixed Bhāvas
Shattered Boundaries and Spilled Milk: Metonymies of Love

4. Afternoon: Experiencing the Food of Love

Rājbhog—A Lunchtime Tryst in the Forest
Mahātmya: Separation during the Afternoon Watch
Public and Private Līlā
Utthāpan—Āvanī: Krishna's Arrival in Braj
Exemplars of Bhāva: The Cows and the Gopīs
Bhog and Sandhyāratī—The Connoisseur of Rasa
Eats and Goes to Bed

5. Night: Playing the Game of Love

Śayan Māna—Divine Jealousy
The Sakhī's Counsel to Rādhā about Her Sulking and Pride
Setting the Stage: A Romantic Evening and the Beauty of the Lovers
The Sakhī's Warning
The Sakhī's Message to Krishna
The Resolution of Māna
Krishna's Māna
The Sakhī in Māna Poems

6. Autumn to Spring: Gopīs, Birds, and the Moon

Śarad: The Autumn Full Moon
Hemant: Vows of the Cold Winter
Vasant: Spring and Holī

7. Summer—Seeing Reality: The Synaesthetic Transformation

Grīsma: The Hot Season
Vars: The Rainy Season  
Back to the Beginning

Notes
Works Cited
Index

 
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry/A. Whitney Sanford

 
 
Singing Krishna
Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry
Singing Krishna
A. Whitney Sanford - Author
Divine Books,Delhi,2013.Rs.600=00
ISBN978-93-81218-69-3
 
Summary

Introduces Paramānand, one of India's poet-saints, his work, and this work's use in ritual.

Singing Krishna introduces Paramānand, one of north India's greatest medieval poet-saints, whose poetry has been sung from the sixteenth century to the present in ritual service to the Hindu deity Krishna. A. Whitney Sanford examines how hearing Paramānand's poetry in ritual context serves as a threshold for devotees between this world and Krishna's divine world. To "see Krishna" is a primary goal of the devotee, and Paramānand deftly constructs a vision through words. Sanford employs the dual strategies of interpreting Paramānand's poems—which sing the cycles of Krishna's activities—and illustrating the importance of their ritual contexts. This approach offers insight into the nature of the devotional experience that is not accessible by simply studying the poetry or rituals in isolation. Sanford shows that the significance of Paramānand's poetry lies not only in its beauty and historical importance but finally in its capacity to permit the devotee to see through the ephemeral world into Krishna's world.

"Singing Krishna is a densely packed combination of beautiful translations and complex literary deconstruction, analyzing the meanings, metaphors and effects of Paramānand's poetry. Sanford has added not only to the body of translated devotional poetry of Braj, but also to the ongoing efforts of scholars of religion to clarify a particular type of religious experience." — International Journal of Hindu Studies

"…Sanford's analysis of Paramānand's work is certainly valuable and goes a long way toward unpacking the intense devotional experience of bhakti and the traditions of the Vallabha Sampraday." — Religion

"The beautiful lyrics of Paramānand's poetry are a welcome addition to the growing body of Indic poetry in translation. Sanford's excellent book guides us through the poetry and takes us right to its sources." — Constantina Rhodes Bailly, author of Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir: A Translation and Study of Utpaladeva's Shivastotravali

A. Whitney Sanford is Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Florida.


 

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

A Critical Perspective
The Research Context
The Experience of the Temple
Situated Poetry: Sound Becoming Sight
Plan for the Book: Following the Cycles

1. Paramānand's Poetic World

About Paramānand's Poetry
Paramānand's Poetic Environment
Serving Krishna
Synaesthesia, Metaphor, and Transformation

2. The End of the Night: Poetry, Memory, and Culture

Śayan: While Braj Sleeps
Paramānand's World
Theater of Memory
Mangalā—Krishna Rises
Śrngār—Ornamentation

3. Krishna's Morning Games: Creating Intimacy through Treachery

Gvāl—Boyhood Play
The Gopī's Complaints to Yaśodā
Mixed Bhāvas
Shattered Boundaries and Spilled Milk: Metonymies of Love

4. Afternoon: Experiencing the Food of Love

Rājbhog—A Lunchtime Tryst in the Forest
Mahātmya: Separation during the Afternoon Watch
Public and Private Līlā
Utthāpan—Āvanī: Krishna's Arrival in Braj
Exemplars of Bhāva: The Cows and the Gopīs
Bhog and Sandhyāratī—The Connoisseur of Rasa
Eats and Goes to Bed

5. Night: Playing the Game of Love

Śayan Māna—Divine Jealousy
The Sakhī's Counsel to Rādhā about Her Sulking and Pride
Setting the Stage: A Romantic Evening and the Beauty of the Lovers
The Sakhī's Warning
The Sakhī's Message to Krishna
The Resolution of Māna
Krishna's Māna
The Sakhī in Māna Poems

6. Autumn to Spring: Gopīs, Birds, and the Moon

Śarad: The Autumn Full Moon
Hemant: Vows of the Cold Winter
Vasant: Spring and Holī

7. Summer—Seeing Reality: The Synaesthetic Transformation

Grīsma: The Hot Season
Vars: The Rainy Season  
Back to the Beginning

Notes
Works Cited
Index

 
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Lala Murari Lal Gupta Chharia

 
 
Lala Murari Lal Gupta Chharia
Units Founded by Lala Jee
 
Indian Books Centre
 
Sri satguru Publications
 
M.L.Enterprises
 
Divine Books
 
sanskar India Agency
 
Vasu Publications
 
Goel Builders
 
i
 
Sh.Murari Lal gupta ,Son of Lala Shambhu Dayal Goel  & Smt.Anaro Devi,of Chhara Village,Rohtak,Now in Jhajjar Dist.Haryana  settled , in Delhi Since 1944, has passed today,after enjoying the 85 years of healthy and quality life.

Belonging to the Merchant family of Bhiwani and Settled in Chhara Village about 500 years.The Village was founded by the ancesstors of Sh.Murari Lal Gupta.

Due to World War II,all the family investment was lost ,and to keep the family honour with degnity.all the  claims were settled. and which compelled Sh.Murari Lal Gupta to Come Delhi in Search of livelihood.

After doing various jobs,he finally settled with Lyods Bank,  which later become Natioinal & Grindlays Bank,and after which ANZ Bank.

After retiring Bank in 1987. he joined the bussiness ,Indian Books Centre/Sri Satguru Publications, established by his sons with his all supports.

During his life time He was closely associated with Rashtriya Swam Sevak, BJP and many other Social Organisations.of Delhi and Haryana.


His Son Naresh Gupta & Sunil Gupta, with His Grandson Varun Gupta has started M/s Divine Books.     www.divinebooksindia.com
 
Also a new  series Lala Murari Lal Chharia Oriental series is started.,to publish indological,oriental & Sanskrit books.

Today at the age of 85 Years.the noble Soul has left for further journey in the lotus feet of Supreme power.

May God give this noble Soul his blessings


 
 
 
 
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Monday, October 22, 2012

Online Shop for Paintings, Handicrafts, Vastu , Handmade Paper -Aroma & Candle Sets. Books. Crafts & Decorative Items. Divine Books ( Publications). Hand Made Paper Products. Jewellery & Boxes. Paintings. Spiritual...

Online Shop for Paintings, Handicrafts, Books & Spiritual items (Vaastu)

 

Available other designs at http://sanskarindia.com

 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Sanskar India Agency=Online Shop for Paintings, Handicrafts, Books & Spiritual items (Vaastu)

Online Shop for Paintings, Handicrafts, Books & Spiritual items (Vaastu)

 

Available other designs at http://sanskarindia.com


 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Monday, October 15, 2012

Bhavanopanishad : Text with Translation and Explanation

Bhavanopanishad : Text with Translation and Explanation

S K Ramachandra Rao, Divine Books, 2012, 2nd ed., 268 p, ISBN : 9789381218563, Bhavanopanishad : Text with Translation and Explanation S K Ramachandra Rao Vedams Books 9789381218563 Rs.600=00

Sri Vidya refers essentially to the worship of Mother Goddess, and the Sri Chakra is the symbolic representation of the Sri Vidya. Among the various texts that deal with the concept and practice of Sri Vidya. Bhavanopanishad is one of the most ancient. It is a part of the Atharva Veda.

The book contains the translation of the text of Bhavanopanishad in addition to the translation of the well known commentary by Bhaskararayamakhin. This commentary, the Bhavanopanishad-bhasya is an indispensable aid to understand the practical and spiritual implications of Sri Chakra. The author has also given detailed explanations on various obscure aspects.

 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Sri Sukta : Text with Translation and Explanation

Sri Sukta : Text with Translation and Explanation

S K Ramachandra Rao, Divine Books, 2012, 2nd ed., 112 p, ISBN : 9381218552 Rs.200=00
         
Sri Sukta : Text with Translation and Explanation S K Ramachandra Rao Vedams Books 9381218552The Sri Sukta, which seems to be a later addition to the Vedic corpus is one of the most popular hymns and is recited daily by devotees. The present book contains the English translation of the Sri Sukta along with the copious explanatory notes which will facilitate better understanding of the Sri Sukta.
 
 
 
Thanking you.
 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Fw: Indian History and Architecture

 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 7:19 PM
Subject: Indian History and Architecture

Indian History and Architecture


Madhkhera – An Eclipsed Sun Shrine

Posted: 02 Oct 2012 01:38 AM PDT

Introduction – Madhkhera is a small village in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. The village is of no specific importance except for a Sun Temple which is located in the west of the village. Madhkhera literally means 'village of temples', and this name it got probably after the temple was constructed, however there is no definite proof of the same.   Monuments – The Sun Temple is the only temple of interest from archaeological point of view. There is one more temple in the village, Vindhya Vasini temple located on the top of a nearby hill.   Sun Temple –...