The Mahābhārata and Dharma Discourse

The Mahābhārata and Dharma Discourse
Author: Nitin Malhotra
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages: 124
Release: 2020-10-15
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1527560945

This compact and engaging text provides unique insights into the issues of ‘dharma’ in the Indian epic the Mahābhārata. The word ‘dharma’ is untranslatable and usually mistaken to mean religion. However, as argued here, it is evident through the tales of the epic that the word ‘dharma’ is an umbrella term for all the deeds one does in one’s life. Each chapter of this book is expository, as well as explanatory, providing examples through the tales of the Mahābhārata. The book will be of great interest to research scholars, Indologists and commentators, through its use of tales, narratives, parables, and fables as evidence for understanding the issues of dharma embedded in the Mahābhārata.

Mahabharat

Mahabharat
Author: Zarna Joshi
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2014-07-15
Genre:
ISBN: 9780983396789

The Dharmasutras

The Dharmasutras
Author: Patrick Olivelle
Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks
Total Pages: 482
Release: 1999-09-02
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0192838822

"The law codes of ancient India"--Cover.

Dharma

Dharma
Author: Alf Hiltebeitel
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 766
Release: 2011-07-28
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0199875243

Between 300 BCE and 200 CE, concepts and practices of dharma attained literary prominence throughout India. Both Buddhist and Brahmanical authors sought to clarify and classify their central concerns, and dharma proved a means of thinking through and articulating those concerns. Alf Hiltebeitel shows the different ways in which dharma was interpreted during that formative period: from the grand cosmic chronometries of kalpas and yugas to narratives about divine plans, gendered nuances of genealogical time, royal biography (even autobiography, in the case of the emperor Asoka), and guidelines for daily life, including meditation. He reveals the vital role dharma has played across political, religious, legal, literary, ethical, and philosophical domains and discourses about what holds life together. Through dharma, these traditions have articulated their distinct visions of the good and well-rewarded life. This insightful study explores the diverse and changing significance of dharma in classical India in nine major dharma texts, as well some shorter ones. Dharma proves to be a term by which to make a fresh cut through these texts, and to reconsider their own chronology, their import, and their relation to each other.

Woman as Fire, Woman as Sage

Woman as Fire, Woman as Sage
Author: Arti Dhand
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Total Pages: 266
Release: 2009-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0791479889

The Hindu tradition has held conflicting views on womanhood from its earliest texts—holding women aloft as goddesses to be worshipped on the one hand and remaining deeply suspicious about women's sexuality on the other. In Woman as Fire, Woman as Sage, Arti Dhand examines the religious premises upon which Hindu ideas of sexuality and women are constructed. The work focuses on the great Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata, a text that not only reflects the cogitations of a momentous period in Hindu history, but also was critical in shaping the future of Hinduism. Dhand proposes that the epic's understanding of womanhood cannot be isolated from the broader religious questions that were debated at the time, and that the formation of a sexual ideology is one element in crafting a coherent religious framework for Hinduism.

Argument and Design: The Unity of the Mahābhārata

Argument and Design: The Unity of the Mahābhārata
Author:
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 494
Release: 2016-05-23
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 9004311408

Argument and Design features fifteen essays by leading scholars of the Sanskrit epics, the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyaṇa, discussing the Mahābhārata’s upākhyānas, subtales that branch off from the central storyline and provide vantage points for reflecting on it. Contributors include: Vishwa Adluri, Joydeep Bagchee, Greg Bailey, Adam Bowles, Simon Brodbeck, Nicolas Dejenne, Sally J. Sutherland Goldman, Robert P. Goldman, Alf Hiltebeitel, Thennilapuram Mahadevan, Adheesh Sathaye, Bruce M. Sullivan, and Fernando Wulff Alonso.

The Difficulty of Being Good

The Difficulty of Being Good
Author: Gurcharan Das
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 487
Release: 2010-10-04
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0199779600

Why should we be good? How should we be good? And how might we more deeply understand the moral and ethical failings--splashed across today's headlines--that have not only destroyed individual lives but caused widespread calamity as well, bringing communities, nations, and indeed the global economy to the brink of collapse? In The Difficulty of Being Good, Gurcharan Das seeks answers to these questions in an unlikely source: the 2,000 year-old Sanskrit epic, Mahabharata. A sprawling, witty, ironic, and delightful poem, the Mahabharata is obsessed with the elusive notion of dharma--in essence, doing the right thing. When a hero does something wrong in a Greek epic, he wastes little time on self-reflection; when a hero falters in the Mahabharata, the action stops and everyone weighs in with a different and often contradictory take on dharma. Each major character in the epic embodies a significant moral failing or virtue, and their struggles mirror with uncanny precision our own familiar emotions of anxiety, courage, despair, remorse, envy, compassion, vengefulness, and duty. Das explores the Mahabharata from many perspectives and compares the successes and failures of the poem's characters to those of contemporary individuals, many of them highly visible players in the world of economics, business, and politics. In every case, he finds striking parallels that carry lessons for everyone faced with ethical and moral dilemmas in today's complex world. Written with the flair and seemingly effortless erudition that have made Gurcharan Das a bestselling author around the world--and enlivened by Das's forthright discussion of his own personal search for a more meaningful life--The Difficulty of Being Good shines the light of an ancient poem on the most challenging moral ambiguities of modern life.

Penguin Companion to the Mahabharata

Penguin Companion to the Mahabharata
Author: Bishnupada Chakravarti
Publisher: Penguin UK
Total Pages: 141
Release: 2007-11-13
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9352141709

The Mahabharata is one of India's most revered epics - a transcendental, monumental literary and spiritual narrative with contemporary resonance. One of the founding epics of Indian culture, the Mahabharata is transfused with ancient Indian wisdom. It is the foremost reference for classical Indian civilization and has great influence on Indian and South-East Asian religion, art, literature and popular culture. At its core, it tells the story of an apocalyptic eighteen-day war for territorial power which pined brothers against brothers and sons against fathers, ended one age and began another. The epic's spiritual message unfolds through the many digressions and subplots of the story which presents sweeping visions of the universe and captivating glimpses of divinity. The Mahabharata also introduces one of Hinduism's most well-loved gods, Krishna, whose religio-philosophic discourse on the four human goals--kama, artha, dharma and moksha-is contained in the most important Hindu text, the Gita. This companion chronologically recounts the events of the Mahabharata, also providing the reader with - An episode-by-episode outline of the Mahabharata - Interesting, little-known facts about the epic - An account of a journal on how the Pandavas spent their twelve years in exile - A compilation of mythological concepts with detailed explanations - New insights into the spectrum of characters - Mythical place-names and their present names and locations - User-friendly information valuable for students, scholars and the general reader alike

Foucault and the Kamasutra

Foucault and the Kamasutra
Author: Sanjay K. Gautam
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 297
Release: 2016-06-22
Genre: Education
ISBN: 022634844X

Gautam has here laid out the first serious reading of Michel Foucault in relation to key Sanskrit texts, and--what may be a surprise to many--he has written the first book-length work in English on the nature and origin of the Kamasutra. Gautam also takes up the Natyasastra (the Kamasutra's twin), locating in the first the themes of sexual-erotic pleasure, and locating in the second the classical Indian view of theater, music, dance, and aesthetic pleasure. The book shows how closely intertwined the history of erotics in ancient Indian culture is with the history of theater-aesthetics. Foucault provides a framework for opening up the intellectual horizon of Indian thought; it is his distinction between ars erotics (erotic arts) and scientia sexualis (science of sexuality) that fuels Gautam's exploration of the courtesan as symbol of both erotic and aesthetic pleasure, particularly in her role as a wife to her patron, which entails the morphing of erotics into a form of theater. The scope broadens ambitiously, to an inquiry on the nature of knowledge formation, erotics, theater, and gender relations in premodern Indian society and culture--as they converged on the historical figures of the courtesan and her male counterpart, the dandy. Gautam's twining of aims and subjects--Foucault's western philosophy of pleasure and India's classic text on eros (anchored in art and aesthetics)--transforms both the modern and the ancient texts with new understandings, and as new forms of investigating erotics and subjectivity itself.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1
Author: Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Publisher: Namaskar Books
Total Pages: 1808
Release: 2024-10-25
Genre: Religion
ISBN:

Discover the epic saga of ancient India in The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1, translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli. This monumental work delves into the complexities of dharma, power, and human nature, inviting readers to witness a timeless tale of conflict, duty, and morality. As the narrative unfolds, you will be captivated by the legendary characters, each grappling with their destinies against the backdrop of an impending war. But here’s a thought-provoking question: What sacrifices will they make, and what truths will they uncover in the pursuit of righteousness?Through epic battles, intricate relationships, and philosophical dialogues, Ganguli’s translation brings to life the profound wisdom embedded in this ancient text. The Mahabharata transcends mere storytelling, presenting a rich tapestry of moral dilemmas and ethical quandaries that resonate with the human experience. Are you prepared to journey through a world where every choice carries weight and every action has consequences? This epic invites you to reflect on your own values and beliefs as you immerse yourself in its timeless wisdom.With its compelling narratives and unforgettable characters, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 serves as both a literary masterpiece and a profound exploration of life’s greatest challenges. It’s not just a story; it's a guide to understanding our place in the universe. Don’t miss your chance to explore the depths of this epic tale. Purchase The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 today and embark on an extraordinary journey through history and philosophy!