Margaret H. Case
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195130102
- eISBN:
- 9780199848713
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130102.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This book offers a close-up view of the religious world of one of the most influential families in Vrinbadan, India's premier place of pilgrimage for worshipers of Krishna. This priestly family has ...
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This book offers a close-up view of the religious world of one of the most influential families in Vrinbadan, India's premier place of pilgrimage for worshipers of Krishna. This priestly family has arguably been the most creative force in this important town. Their influence also radiates well beyond India's borders both because of their tireless work in fostering scholarship and performance about Krishna and because the scion of the family, Shrivatsa Goswami, has become an international spokesman for Hindu ways and concerns. The author, who has been an occasional resident in the family ashram, gives a real sense of the atmosphere of daily life there, and the complete devotion of the residents to the service and worship of Krishna.Less
This book offers a close-up view of the religious world of one of the most influential families in Vrinbadan, India's premier place of pilgrimage for worshipers of Krishna. This priestly family has arguably been the most creative force in this important town. Their influence also radiates well beyond India's borders both because of their tireless work in fostering scholarship and performance about Krishna and because the scion of the family, Shrivatsa Goswami, has become an international spokesman for Hindu ways and concerns. The author, who has been an occasional resident in the family ashram, gives a real sense of the atmosphere of daily life there, and the complete devotion of the residents to the service and worship of Krishna.
Steven P. Hopkins
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195326390
- eISBN:
- 9780199870455
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195326390.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
A full translation of Venkatesha's Sanskrit stotra in praise of Vishnu Devanayaka as Krishna, the Gopalavimshati, with detailed thematic afterword and notes. The afterword situates Venkatesha's ...
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A full translation of Venkatesha's Sanskrit stotra in praise of Vishnu Devanayaka as Krishna, the Gopalavimshati, with detailed thematic afterword and notes. The afterword situates Venkatesha's Sanskrit praise‐poem to Krishna in the broader history of Vishnu/Krishna devotion in Tamil South India, where Krishna as such rarely stands alone as an object of praise. In the poetry of the Alvars and Acaryas, particularly in the poems of Antal, there are several sometimes quite vivid references to Krishna, as god‐child and as god‐lover, but always within the larger context of Vishnu and his ten incarnations (avataras). Venkatesha, however, in the Gopalavimshati and in his mahakavyam, the Yadhavabhyudayam, has written quite concretely about Krishna, as Gopala, the Cowherder god loved by the gopis, the cowherd girls; as the prankster child‐god, the Butter‐Thief; as divine Lover, the god of love and the god in love (kami); and also, as the inconceivable godhead, Brahman itself, the ground of being, formless and in essence unknowable, that takes the form of a playful, vulnerable human being. This chapter revisits themes of ecstatic beholding of the body of god, the devotional relish of the big in the little, and passionate religious love (bhakti and kama).Less
A full translation of Venkatesha's Sanskrit stotra in praise of Vishnu Devanayaka as Krishna, the Gopalavimshati, with detailed thematic afterword and notes. The afterword situates Venkatesha's Sanskrit praise‐poem to Krishna in the broader history of Vishnu/Krishna devotion in Tamil South India, where Krishna as such rarely stands alone as an object of praise. In the poetry of the Alvars and Acaryas, particularly in the poems of Antal, there are several sometimes quite vivid references to Krishna, as god‐child and as god‐lover, but always within the larger context of Vishnu and his ten incarnations (avataras). Venkatesha, however, in the Gopalavimshati and in his mahakavyam, the Yadhavabhyudayam, has written quite concretely about Krishna, as Gopala, the Cowherder god loved by the gopis, the cowherd girls; as the prankster child‐god, the Butter‐Thief; as divine Lover, the god of love and the god in love (kami); and also, as the inconceivable godhead, Brahman itself, the ground of being, formless and in essence unknowable, that takes the form of a playful, vulnerable human being. This chapter revisits themes of ecstatic beholding of the body of god, the devotional relish of the big in the little, and passionate religious love (bhakti and kama).
Tracy Pintchman
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195177060
- eISBN:
- 9780199785438
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195177060.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
This chapter explores a tradition undertaken by women living in Benares, Uttar Pradesh (North India), in which the gopis — the famous cowherdesses of Krishna mythology — becomes the model for ...
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This chapter explores a tradition undertaken by women living in Benares, Uttar Pradesh (North India), in which the gopis — the famous cowherdesses of Krishna mythology — becomes the model for ritually-based female friendships. The gopis are also referred to as the sakhis or “female friends”, and in ordinary speech, the term sakhi is used to refer commonly to a girl's or woman's female friend. The tradition involves a ritual process of “becoming” or “tying” sakhi, which entails pledging lifelong friendship. For many Benarsi women, the sakhi relationship represents a female-female union that imitates the marital bond, but may surpass blood or marital kinship bonds in terms of its professed meaningfulness in women's lives.Less
This chapter explores a tradition undertaken by women living in Benares, Uttar Pradesh (North India), in which the gopis — the famous cowherdesses of Krishna mythology — becomes the model for ritually-based female friendships. The gopis are also referred to as the sakhis or “female friends”, and in ordinary speech, the term sakhi is used to refer commonly to a girl's or woman's female friend. The tradition involves a ritual process of “becoming” or “tying” sakhi, which entails pledging lifelong friendship. For many Benarsi women, the sakhi relationship represents a female-female union that imitates the marital bond, but may surpass blood or marital kinship bonds in terms of its professed meaningfulness in women's lives.
Margaret H. Case
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195130102
- eISBN:
- 9780199848713
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130102.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This book started with the appearance of the black bee, which was accepted by the Mahārāj jī and his devotees as a manifestation of Krishna. The question to see divinity and the question of whether ...
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This book started with the appearance of the black bee, which was accepted by the Mahārāj jī and his devotees as a manifestation of Krishna. The question to see divinity and the question of whether what was seen was divinity can be addressed only within context. The embodiments of Krishna continued to be served in the temples by the families who served them. One doesn't have to be a priest within the inner sanctum to participate in Krishna's activities. Mahārāj jī had further broadened the opportunity for darśana by conflating performance and service both inside and outside the temple. But the seeing and the believing are up to each person.Less
This book started with the appearance of the black bee, which was accepted by the Mahārāj jī and his devotees as a manifestation of Krishna. The question to see divinity and the question of whether what was seen was divinity can be addressed only within context. The embodiments of Krishna continued to be served in the temples by the families who served them. One doesn't have to be a priest within the inner sanctum to participate in Krishna's activities. Mahārāj jī had further broadened the opportunity for darśana by conflating performance and service both inside and outside the temple. But the seeing and the believing are up to each person.
Steven P. Hopkins
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195326390
- eISBN:
- 9780199870455
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195326390.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
A full translation of Venkatesha's Tamil prabandham, the Navamanimalai, with detailed thematic afterword and notes. Devotional themes include the poem's roots in classical Cankam Tamil poetics of ...
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A full translation of Venkatesha's Tamil prabandham, the Navamanimalai, with detailed thematic afterword and notes. Devotional themes include the poem's roots in classical Cankam Tamil poetics of akam and puram, the Tamil of the Alvars, particularly allusions to the poems of the female Alvar Antal, as well as poem's sequential description of various forms of the god Vishnu, in telescoping fashion, from the cosmic and most transcendent to the earthly and most accessible, including the ten avataras or “incarnations” of Vishnu through sacred “history.” Afterword also treats of the important themes of the “big in the little,” the image of the cowherd child‐god Krishna, the beauty (alaku) of the god's impassible body “that saves,” ritual surrender (adaikkalam), helplessness, and the passionate appeal to Vishu's “grace, mercy, power‐potenital of presence (arul).”Less
A full translation of Venkatesha's Tamil prabandham, the Navamanimalai, with detailed thematic afterword and notes. Devotional themes include the poem's roots in classical Cankam Tamil poetics of akam and puram, the Tamil of the Alvars, particularly allusions to the poems of the female Alvar Antal, as well as poem's sequential description of various forms of the god Vishnu, in telescoping fashion, from the cosmic and most transcendent to the earthly and most accessible, including the ten avataras or “incarnations” of Vishnu through sacred “history.” Afterword also treats of the important themes of the “big in the little,” the image of the cowherd child‐god Krishna, the beauty (alaku) of the god's impassible body “that saves,” ritual surrender (adaikkalam), helplessness, and the passionate appeal to Vishu's “grace, mercy, power‐potenital of presence (arul).”
Ariel Glucklich
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195314052
- eISBN:
- 9780199871766
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195314052.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
This chapter looks at the city of Mathura, which lies on the Yamuna, during the period between the Mauryan and Gupta empires. Dominated by the Kushana ruler Kanishka, this period saw the rise of ...
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This chapter looks at the city of Mathura, which lies on the Yamuna, during the period between the Mauryan and Gupta empires. Dominated by the Kushana ruler Kanishka, this period saw the rise of devotional religion focused on Krishna. The religious texts of the period achieved a sophisticated cultural synthesis, best exemplified in the Bhagavad Gita and Manu Smriti.Less
This chapter looks at the city of Mathura, which lies on the Yamuna, during the period between the Mauryan and Gupta empires. Dominated by the Kushana ruler Kanishka, this period saw the rise of devotional religion focused on Krishna. The religious texts of the period achieved a sophisticated cultural synthesis, best exemplified in the Bhagavad Gita and Manu Smriti.
E. Burke Rochford, Jr.
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195156829
- eISBN:
- 9780199784806
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019515682X.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This essay examines family development and change within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), more popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement. It focuses on the demise of ...
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This essay examines family development and change within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), more popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement. It focuses on the demise of communalism in ISKCON’s North American communities and the emergence of the nuclear family as the foundation of ISKCON’s socioreligious world. As ISKCON became a householders’ movement, collective forms of involvement gave way to growing privatization. At the same time, ISKCON parents challenged traditional sources of religious authority in favor of more democratic and bureaucratic structures. By the 1990s, ISKCON’s previous sectarian structure and lifestyle had become secularized in North America.Less
This essay examines family development and change within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), more popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement. It focuses on the demise of communalism in ISKCON’s North American communities and the emergence of the nuclear family as the foundation of ISKCON’s socioreligious world. As ISKCON became a householders’ movement, collective forms of involvement gave way to growing privatization. At the same time, ISKCON parents challenged traditional sources of religious authority in favor of more democratic and bureaucratic structures. By the 1990s, ISKCON’s previous sectarian structure and lifestyle had become secularized in North America.
Bryan R. Wilson and Eileen Barker
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197263143
- eISBN:
- 9780191734939
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197263143.003.0011
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Research and Statistics
This chapter discusses one of the major social changes that have taken place in late twentieth-century Britain — secularisation — the process whereby religion loses its social significance. In the ...
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This chapter discusses one of the major social changes that have taken place in late twentieth-century Britain — secularisation — the process whereby religion loses its social significance. In the second half of the twentieth century there was a major decline in Britain in formal church membership and attendance, although the decline in religious belief is less well established. The chapter also discusses the emergence of new religions in the secular society. They derive from a wide variety of sources: some such as the Jesus Army from the Baptist tradition of Protestant Christianity, others such as the New Jerusalem claim to represent the true Orthodox tradition; many others have a non-Christian character, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and the Brahma Kumaris have their roots in Hinduism, while Buddhism has given rise to Soka Gakkai and Shinto to Konkokyo; and also Paganism, Wicca, Satanism and traditions deriving from science fiction. The most important point to be made about these new religious movements is that because of their diversity, any generalisation concerning them can almost certainly be shown to be untrue for one or another of their number.Less
This chapter discusses one of the major social changes that have taken place in late twentieth-century Britain — secularisation — the process whereby religion loses its social significance. In the second half of the twentieth century there was a major decline in Britain in formal church membership and attendance, although the decline in religious belief is less well established. The chapter also discusses the emergence of new religions in the secular society. They derive from a wide variety of sources: some such as the Jesus Army from the Baptist tradition of Protestant Christianity, others such as the New Jerusalem claim to represent the true Orthodox tradition; many others have a non-Christian character, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and the Brahma Kumaris have their roots in Hinduism, while Buddhism has given rise to Soka Gakkai and Shinto to Konkokyo; and also Paganism, Wicca, Satanism and traditions deriving from science fiction. The most important point to be made about these new religious movements is that because of their diversity, any generalisation concerning them can almost certainly be shown to be untrue for one or another of their number.
Graham M. Schweig
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199796632
- eISBN:
- 9780199950423
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199796632.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
This introductory chapter focuses on a complicated traditional theology that is centered on the divinity of Vishnu, or Krishna. It first discusses the concept of faith, and then introduces Tamal ...
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This introductory chapter focuses on a complicated traditional theology that is centered on the divinity of Vishnu, or Krishna. It first discusses the concept of faith, and then introduces Tamal Krishna Goswami, who was one of the primary religious leaders and teachers of the Hindu-Vaishnava order in the world. The discussion shifts to Goswami's teacher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). This chapter also examines the main focus of Goswami's work—the central aspects of Prabhupada's “living theology”—and presents a brief look at Goswami's early life and career, as well as the methods that were used to complete the present work.Less
This introductory chapter focuses on a complicated traditional theology that is centered on the divinity of Vishnu, or Krishna. It first discusses the concept of faith, and then introduces Tamal Krishna Goswami, who was one of the primary religious leaders and teachers of the Hindu-Vaishnava order in the world. The discussion shifts to Goswami's teacher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). This chapter also examines the main focus of Goswami's work—the central aspects of Prabhupada's “living theology”—and presents a brief look at Goswami's early life and career, as well as the methods that were used to complete the present work.
George H. Gadbois, Jr
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198070610
- eISBN:
- 9780199080755
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198070610.003.0028
- Subject:
- Law, Legal History
This chapter describes the judges’ participation in politics. Participation in politics prior to high court or SCI appointment was more common than most realize. Only two judges have been active in ...
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This chapter describes the judges’ participation in politics. Participation in politics prior to high court or SCI appointment was more common than most realize. Only two judges have been active in politics before joining the judiciary, namely Krishna Iyer and P.B. Sawant. Both were leftists. In fact, more than a quarter of the judges had engaged in political activities before their high court appointments. Active participation in the Freedom Struggle was the most common. Almost all of those who were active in politics of any stripe were among those appointed after 1970. For almost all, by the time they reached the SCI, their earlier participation in political activities had long been buried and forgotten.Less
This chapter describes the judges’ participation in politics. Participation in politics prior to high court or SCI appointment was more common than most realize. Only two judges have been active in politics before joining the judiciary, namely Krishna Iyer and P.B. Sawant. Both were leftists. In fact, more than a quarter of the judges had engaged in political activities before their high court appointments. Active participation in the Freedom Struggle was the most common. Almost all of those who were active in politics of any stripe were among those appointed after 1970. For almost all, by the time they reached the SCI, their earlier participation in political activities had long been buried and forgotten.
Margaret H. Case
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195130102
- eISBN:
- 9780199848713
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130102.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This chapter provides an account of the aṣṭayāma līlā from the fourth day up to the eighth day. The sixth day of the Caitanya līlā is filled with songs of Caitanya's beauty, of the need to worship ...
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This chapter provides an account of the aṣṭayāma līlā from the fourth day up to the eighth day. The sixth day of the Caitanya līlā is filled with songs of Caitanya's beauty, of the need to worship him and the need to sing kīrtanas. The seventh performance of the Caitanya līlā develops the theme of Visnupriya's pain of separation from her husband. The eight day of the Krishna līlā is marked by the mahārāsa līlā, the great circle dance, considered the culmination of the Vrindaban līlās of Krishna. In the final scene of the Caitanya līlā, Caitanya asked Śrīvasa how he provides for his family if he does not work. Śrīvasa says that the Lord will provide. Caitanya, impressed promise him that he will never be poor. Finally everyone eats, and Caitanya falls asleep, surrounded by his companions.Less
This chapter provides an account of the aṣṭayāma līlā from the fourth day up to the eighth day. The sixth day of the Caitanya līlā is filled with songs of Caitanya's beauty, of the need to worship him and the need to sing kīrtanas. The seventh performance of the Caitanya līlā develops the theme of Visnupriya's pain of separation from her husband. The eight day of the Krishna līlā is marked by the mahārāsa līlā, the great circle dance, considered the culmination of the Vrindaban līlās of Krishna. In the final scene of the Caitanya līlā, Caitanya asked Śrīvasa how he provides for his family if he does not work. Śrīvasa says that the Lord will provide. Caitanya, impressed promise him that he will never be poor. Finally everyone eats, and Caitanya falls asleep, surrounded by his companions.
D. L. d'Avray
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198208211
- eISBN:
- 9780191716690
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198208211.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, European Medieval History
This introductory chapter attempts to situate medieval marriage in world History by briefly surveying the ‘sacred marriage’ (hieros gamos) theme in Comparative Religion: the Ancient Near East (Song ...
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This introductory chapter attempts to situate medieval marriage in world History by briefly surveying the ‘sacred marriage’ (hieros gamos) theme in Comparative Religion: the Ancient Near East (Song of Songs, Dionysius and the Basilinna), and Hinduism (Rama and Siva, Vishnu and Lakshmi, Siva and Parvati, Krishna and Parvati), being particularly important. The emphasis of the book on the social embeddedness of medieval marriage symbolism marks its argument out from studies of ‘sacred marriage’ and bridal mysticism. The historiography of medieval marriage are also surveyed.Less
This introductory chapter attempts to situate medieval marriage in world History by briefly surveying the ‘sacred marriage’ (hieros gamos) theme in Comparative Religion: the Ancient Near East (Song of Songs, Dionysius and the Basilinna), and Hinduism (Rama and Siva, Vishnu and Lakshmi, Siva and Parvati, Krishna and Parvati), being particularly important. The emphasis of the book on the social embeddedness of medieval marriage symbolism marks its argument out from studies of ‘sacred marriage’ and bridal mysticism. The historiography of medieval marriage are also surveyed.
Sudhir Kakar
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198077152
- eISBN:
- 9780199081103
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077152.003.0021
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
Fears and anxieties as well as specific psycho-social strengths are rooted in the earliest ‘pre-verbal’ experiences and connections of life. It is this residual dark soil of infantile experience that ...
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Fears and anxieties as well as specific psycho-social strengths are rooted in the earliest ‘pre-verbal’ experiences and connections of life. It is this residual dark soil of infantile experience that erupts in psychopathology, that people mine in myth-making, and that underlies the strivings and disappointments of everyday life. This chapter explores the traces of infantile substratum in three different cultural/historical contexts: in two centuries-old religious cults that command the loyalty and devotion of millions of Indians; and in the life and work of one of the early prophets of a modern Indian identity. It discusses the cult and myths of Krishna, Shiva and Narcissus, and the childhood of Swami Vivekananda.Less
Fears and anxieties as well as specific psycho-social strengths are rooted in the earliest ‘pre-verbal’ experiences and connections of life. It is this residual dark soil of infantile experience that erupts in psychopathology, that people mine in myth-making, and that underlies the strivings and disappointments of everyday life. This chapter explores the traces of infantile substratum in three different cultural/historical contexts: in two centuries-old religious cults that command the loyalty and devotion of millions of Indians; and in the life and work of one of the early prophets of a modern Indian identity. It discusses the cult and myths of Krishna, Shiva and Narcissus, and the childhood of Swami Vivekananda.
Simona Sawhney
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198078012
- eISBN:
- 9780199080984
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198078012.003.0054
- Subject:
- History, Indian History
This chapter begins by noting some structural similarities between contemporary ‘terrorists’ in Lahore and the celebrated Punjabi ‘extremist’ Bhagat Singh (1907-1931) and his comrades. It proposes, ...
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This chapter begins by noting some structural similarities between contemporary ‘terrorists’ in Lahore and the celebrated Punjabi ‘extremist’ Bhagat Singh (1907-1931) and his comrades. It proposes, however, that the discursive world inhabited by Bhagat Singh differed significantly from the one available to death-driven youth in Punjab today. Examining the centrality of two elements, hope and death, in Bhagat Singh’s work, the chapter suggests that Bhagat Singh’s existential approach to politics was linked to a quintessentially modern figure of the ‘world’ — a figure that had become an object of immense concern and love. It goes on to contend that the hopeful actions of Bhagat Singh and his comrades can only be understood in relation to international communist and anarchist movements, and hence to a deeply divided West. Conversely, the internal consolidation of the West in our times has sharply constricted, all over the globe, the ability to imagine new worlds and communities.Less
This chapter begins by noting some structural similarities between contemporary ‘terrorists’ in Lahore and the celebrated Punjabi ‘extremist’ Bhagat Singh (1907-1931) and his comrades. It proposes, however, that the discursive world inhabited by Bhagat Singh differed significantly from the one available to death-driven youth in Punjab today. Examining the centrality of two elements, hope and death, in Bhagat Singh’s work, the chapter suggests that Bhagat Singh’s existential approach to politics was linked to a quintessentially modern figure of the ‘world’ — a figure that had become an object of immense concern and love. It goes on to contend that the hopeful actions of Bhagat Singh and his comrades can only be understood in relation to international communist and anarchist movements, and hence to a deeply divided West. Conversely, the internal consolidation of the West in our times has sharply constricted, all over the globe, the ability to imagine new worlds and communities.
B. R. Nanda
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- October 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195647518
- eISBN:
- 9780199081400
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195647518.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Indian Politics
This biography of Gopal Krishna Gokhale—one of the pre-eminent leaders of India during its struggle for independence—reassesses the Indian political scene during the last decades of the nineteenth ...
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This biography of Gopal Krishna Gokhale—one of the pre-eminent leaders of India during its struggle for independence—reassesses the Indian political scene during the last decades of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century. Gokhale’s political career practically coincided with the first thirty years of the Indian National Congress. He was much younger than its founding fathers, but it was his good fortune to be in close contact with them, to win their confidence, and to become their ablest spokesman. While he was still in his 30s, he became the authentic spokesman of his country’s aspirations, both in India and in England. As a leader of the Indian National Congress, as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council, as the confidant of the British Committee of the Congress in London, and as India’s unofficial envoy to England, Gokhale occupied a unique vantage point in Indian politics. The study of his life thus offers valuable insights into the history of Indian nationalism and Indo-British relations.Less
This biography of Gopal Krishna Gokhale—one of the pre-eminent leaders of India during its struggle for independence—reassesses the Indian political scene during the last decades of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century. Gokhale’s political career practically coincided with the first thirty years of the Indian National Congress. He was much younger than its founding fathers, but it was his good fortune to be in close contact with them, to win their confidence, and to become their ablest spokesman. While he was still in his 30s, he became the authentic spokesman of his country’s aspirations, both in India and in England. As a leader of the Indian National Congress, as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council, as the confidant of the British Committee of the Congress in London, and as India’s unofficial envoy to England, Gokhale occupied a unique vantage point in Indian politics. The study of his life thus offers valuable insights into the history of Indian nationalism and Indo-British relations.
Lisa Lassell Hallstrom
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195116489
- eISBN:
- 9780199851621
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195116489.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
The opening of a film on Ānandamayī Mā made by several of her devotees proposes that Mā possesses a role similar to that of Lord Krishna—a Lord of All Beings embodied here on earth to promote ...
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The opening of a film on Ānandamayī Mā made by several of her devotees proposes that Mā possesses a role similar to that of Lord Krishna—a Lord of All Beings embodied here on earth to promote righteousness. Mā's character, as expressed by her devotees, is not to be considered as a divine gift or an achievement but rather the perfect character of the divine itself. Although many would claim that what Mā is cannot be accurately defined, some would still use words such as avatara and Divine Mother to describe her. This chapter analyses why and how Mā is considered to possess divine origins, through explaining the history of incarnation, discussing the worship of the Divine Feminine, and identifying situations where Mā exhibits divinity. Also, the chapter concentrates on Mā's idea of the Absolute, while determining whether Mā advocated bhakti yoga or jnana yoga.Less
The opening of a film on Ānandamayī Mā made by several of her devotees proposes that Mā possesses a role similar to that of Lord Krishna—a Lord of All Beings embodied here on earth to promote righteousness. Mā's character, as expressed by her devotees, is not to be considered as a divine gift or an achievement but rather the perfect character of the divine itself. Although many would claim that what Mā is cannot be accurately defined, some would still use words such as avatara and Divine Mother to describe her. This chapter analyses why and how Mā is considered to possess divine origins, through explaining the history of incarnation, discussing the worship of the Divine Feminine, and identifying situations where Mā exhibits divinity. Also, the chapter concentrates on Mā's idea of the Absolute, while determining whether Mā advocated bhakti yoga or jnana yoga.
Sudhir Kakar and John Munder Ross
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198072560
- eISBN:
- 9780199082124
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198072560.003.0004
- Subject:
- Literature, Film, Media, and Cultural Studies
This chapter focuses on the paradigmatic love story of Radha and Krishna, widely considered in Hindu cultural imagination as a parable of the human longing for and union with God. The liaison of ...
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This chapter focuses on the paradigmatic love story of Radha and Krishna, widely considered in Hindu cultural imagination as a parable of the human longing for and union with God. The liaison of Radha and Krishna has been portrayed in thousands of exquisite miniature paintings depicting the lovers in separation and union, longing and abandonment. The legend is not a narrative in the sense of an orderly progression whose protagonists have a shared past and are progressing towards a tragic and happy future. Tender and cheerful, and not tragic, it is rather an evocation and elaboration of the here-and-now of passion. While the figures of Radha and Krishna are linked to the heroine and hero of classical love poetry in many ways, they are primarily products of the bhakti movement, which is known for its erotic mood.Less
This chapter focuses on the paradigmatic love story of Radha and Krishna, widely considered in Hindu cultural imagination as a parable of the human longing for and union with God. The liaison of Radha and Krishna has been portrayed in thousands of exquisite miniature paintings depicting the lovers in separation and union, longing and abandonment. The legend is not a narrative in the sense of an orderly progression whose protagonists have a shared past and are progressing towards a tragic and happy future. Tender and cheerful, and not tragic, it is rather an evocation and elaboration of the here-and-now of passion. While the figures of Radha and Krishna are linked to the heroine and hero of classical love poetry in many ways, they are primarily products of the bhakti movement, which is known for its erotic mood.
Margaret H. Case
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195130102
- eISBN:
- 9780199848713
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130102.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
The first appearance of the black bee (bhramara) in Jaisingh Gherā, was during the final hours of preparation for an aṣṭayāma līlā, an enactment on stage of a day in the eternal life of Krishna. The ...
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The first appearance of the black bee (bhramara) in Jaisingh Gherā, was during the final hours of preparation for an aṣṭayāma līlā, an enactment on stage of a day in the eternal life of Krishna. The stories of Krishna's deeds in Vraja provide the material for a rich variety of the living arts all over India—painting, sculpture, and dance. They are for millions of people the spiritual “glue” that holds together individuals and families and eases the frictions of family life. Krishna had one trait besides his extraordinary feats in vanquishing demons that led other cowherd men to suspect that the child was very special. His nature was such that all people of Vraja loved him as if he were their own son.Less
The first appearance of the black bee (bhramara) in Jaisingh Gherā, was during the final hours of preparation for an aṣṭayāma līlā, an enactment on stage of a day in the eternal life of Krishna. The stories of Krishna's deeds in Vraja provide the material for a rich variety of the living arts all over India—painting, sculpture, and dance. They are for millions of people the spiritual “glue” that holds together individuals and families and eases the frictions of family life. Krishna had one trait besides his extraordinary feats in vanquishing demons that led other cowherd men to suspect that the child was very special. His nature was such that all people of Vraja loved him as if he were their own son.
Margaret H. Case
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195130102
- eISBN:
- 9780199848713
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130102.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
The descriptions that follow were drawn from all three productions of the aṣṭayāma līlā: the Caitanya līlā in Vrindaban in 1989, the Krishna līlā in Vrindaban in 1992 (when the black bee appeared), ...
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The descriptions that follow were drawn from all three productions of the aṣṭayāma līlā: the Caitanya līlā in Vrindaban in 1989, the Krishna līlā in Vrindaban in 1992 (when the black bee appeared), and the Krishna līlā in Jaipur in 1995. This chapter provides an account of what happens during the first three days of the aṣṭayāma līlā. In Jaipur, Mahārāj jī began by reminding everyone that the aṣṭayāma līlā is a worship of the Lord, Bhagavān. The first performance in the second day in the Krishna aṣṭayāma līlā was a darśana of the nighttime tryst of Rādhā and Krishna, a glimpse of the awakening from the deepest mystery of the soul. The two aspects of Krishna that dominate the first two līlās—Krishna the divine lover and the playful cowherd boy—come together in the third līlā, and the feeling of each context is explored more fully.Less
The descriptions that follow were drawn from all three productions of the aṣṭayāma līlā: the Caitanya līlā in Vrindaban in 1989, the Krishna līlā in Vrindaban in 1992 (when the black bee appeared), and the Krishna līlā in Jaipur in 1995. This chapter provides an account of what happens during the first three days of the aṣṭayāma līlā. In Jaipur, Mahārāj jī began by reminding everyone that the aṣṭayāma līlā is a worship of the Lord, Bhagavān. The first performance in the second day in the Krishna aṣṭayāma līlā was a darśana of the nighttime tryst of Rādhā and Krishna, a glimpse of the awakening from the deepest mystery of the soul. The two aspects of Krishna that dominate the first two līlās—Krishna the divine lover and the playful cowherd boy—come together in the third līlā, and the feeling of each context is explored more fully.
B. R. Nanda
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- October 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195647518
- eISBN:
- 9780199081400
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195647518.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Indian Politics
This chapter describes Gokhale’s participation in the Indian National Congress. His maiden speech on the Congress platform was delivered on 27 December 1889. He spoke in support of an amendment moved ...
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This chapter describes Gokhale’s participation in the Indian National Congress. His maiden speech on the Congress platform was delivered on 27 December 1889. He spoke in support of an amendment moved by Tilak to a resolution on the reform of the Governor-General’s Legislative Council. It was an uninspiring performance, but on the following day, when Gokhale criticized the Government of India’s action on the report of the Public Service Commission, he gave ample proof of his gifts as a speaker. The young professor–politician was developing his style as a speaker: mastery of facts; marshalling of arguments; a repertoire of literary and historical allusions; and a felicitous English style which was calculated to fascinate a generation of educated Indians. His diction was elegant, but he did not hesitate to call a political spade a spade.Less
This chapter describes Gokhale’s participation in the Indian National Congress. His maiden speech on the Congress platform was delivered on 27 December 1889. He spoke in support of an amendment moved by Tilak to a resolution on the reform of the Governor-General’s Legislative Council. It was an uninspiring performance, but on the following day, when Gokhale criticized the Government of India’s action on the report of the Public Service Commission, he gave ample proof of his gifts as a speaker. The young professor–politician was developing his style as a speaker: mastery of facts; marshalling of arguments; a repertoire of literary and historical allusions; and a felicitous English style which was calculated to fascinate a generation of educated Indians. His diction was elegant, but he did not hesitate to call a political spade a spade.
