Goddess Traditions In Tantric Hinduism: History, Practice And Doctrine (routledge Studies In Tantric Traditions)
by Bjarne Wernicke Olesen /
2015 / English / PDF, EPUB
8.7 MB Download
Hinduism cannot be understood without the Great Goddess and the
goddess-orientated Śākta traditions. The Goddess pervades
Hinduism at all levels, from aniconic village deities to
high-caste pan-Hindu goddesses to esoteric, tantric goddesses.
Nevertheless, the highly influential tantric forms of South Asian
goddess worship have only recently begun to draw scholarly
attention. This book addresses the increasing interest in the
Great Goddess and the tantric traditions of India by exploring
the history, doctrine and practices of the Śākta tantric
traditions.
Hinduism cannot be understood without the Great Goddess and the
goddess-orientated Śākta traditions. The Goddess pervades
Hinduism at all levels, from aniconic village deities to
high-caste pan-Hindu goddesses to esoteric, tantric goddesses.
Nevertheless, the highly influential tantric forms of South Asian
goddess worship have only recently begun to draw scholarly
attention. This book addresses the increasing interest in the
Great Goddess and the tantric traditions of India by exploring
the history, doctrine and practices of the Śākta tantric
traditions.
The highly influential tantric forms of South Asian goddess
worship form a major part of what is known as ‘Śāktism’, and is
often considered one of the major branches of Hinduism next to
Śaivism, Vaiṣṇavism and Smārtism. Śāktism is, however, less
clearly defined than the other major branches, and the book looks
at the texts of the Śākta traditions that constitute the primary
sources for gaining insights into the Śākta religious
imaginative, ritual practices and history. It provides an
historical exploration of distinctive Indian ways of imagining
God as Goddess, and surveys the important origins and
developments within Śākta history, practice and doctrine in its
diversity.
The highly influential tantric forms of South Asian goddess
worship form a major part of what is known as ‘Śāktism’, and is
often considered one of the major branches of Hinduism next to
Śaivism, Vaiṣṇavism and Smārtism. Śāktism is, however, less
clearly defined than the other major branches, and the book looks
at the texts of the Śākta traditions that constitute the primary
sources for gaining insights into the Śākta religious
imaginative, ritual practices and history. It provides an
historical exploration of distinctive Indian ways of imagining
God as Goddess, and surveys the important origins and
developments within Śākta history, practice and doctrine in its
diversity.
Bringing together contributions from some of the foremost
scholars in the field of tantric studies, the book provides a
platform for the continued research into Hindu goddesses, yoga,
and tantra for those interested in understanding the religion and
culture in South Asia.
Bringing together contributions from some of the foremost
scholars in the field of tantric studies, the book provides a
platform for the continued research into Hindu goddesses, yoga,
and tantra for those interested in understanding the religion and
culture in South Asia.