The Hindu poet-saint Karaikkal Ammaiyar describes herself as a demon, accompanying the god Siva as he dances in the cremation grounds. She is believed to be the first to write devotional poetry to Siva in the Tamil language and is considered the first of the sixty-three Tamil poet-saints. Written in the sixth or seventh century, her beautiful poetry presents the path of love and service that brings liberation. In Siva’s Demon Devotee, Elaine Craddock provides a historical, literary, and ethnographic exploration of Karaikkal Ammaiyar and her work. An annotated translation of the poet-saint’s 143 verses is included along with an introduction to the Tamil literary tradition. Craddock’s analysis of this poetry in its ancient context and of the narrative tradition that developed around the life of Karaikkal Ammaiyar centuries later reveals cultural tensions concerning women’s roles and the devotional path. Printed Pages: 205

About the Author

Elaine Craddock is Professor of Religion at Southwestern University George Town, Texas (U.S.A). She has contributed several articles to leadings journals around the world.

Introduction

Karaikkal Ammaiyar, the "Mother from Karaikkal," was probably the first poet to write hymns to the god Siva in Tamil, in approximately the mid-sixth century, when the boundaries between Siva's devotees and competing groups were just starting to be articulated in a self- conscious way. Speaking to god in one's mother tongue, rather than Sanskrit, was pivotal to the triumph of Hindu devotionalism over the religions of Jainism and Buddhism that reached the apex of their popularity in South India during the fifth and sixth centuries. The Tamil Saiva tradition considers Karaikkal Ammaiyar the author of four works of poetry. Her powerful poetry is what Indira Peterson calls a "rhetoric of immediacy," as it speaks to a particular community defining itself in a context of competing religious allegiances (1999, 165). Along with the hymns of the later saints, her 143 poems envision a world where devotees can dwell in perpetual bliss with Siva, ridicules those who cannot see that Siva is the only truth, and points to the sophisticated philosophy that would be systematized as Saiva Siddhanta centuries later.

In the southernmost Indian state of Tamilnadu, Saiva Siddhanta developed over many centuries to become the dominant philosophical, theological, and ritual system associated with the god Siva. The tradition was systematized between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries but draws its devotional perspectives from the stories and hymns of the nayaumars, or "leaders," the sixty-three devotees of Siva who were canonized as saints in Cekkilar's twelfth-century hagiography, the Periya Puranam. Seven of these saints wrote poems to Siva between the sixth and ninth centuries. Along with the Alvars who sang to Visnu, these poets were part of the bhakti or devotional movements that began in South India and spread the emotional worship of a personal god throughout the Indian subcontinent.

The devotional movements contained elements of social as well as religious reform, protesting Brahmanical orthodoxy along with the heterodox faiths of Buddhism and Jainism, But this revivalist Hinduism was rooted in the temple, which depended on royal patronage. So, although the devotional ideology undercut caste and gender hierarchies in principle, in practical terms the patriarchal boundaries remained. Statistically, women are not very visible among the Tamil devotional movements: Antal is the only woman Vaisnava saint, and out of the sixty-three Saiva nayanmars, only three are women (Ramaswamy 1997, 120-121). However, the life and poetry of Karaikkal Ammaiyar, the only woman poet among the nayaumars, reveals a fascinating portrait of the localization of a pan-Indian god and the potential space for women in this emerging tradition.

I first became acquainted with Karaikkal Ammaiyar many years ago when I saw Cola bronze images of her in the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City and the Metropolitan Museum of New York. I was immediately attracted to her: Her beautiful face wore an expression of pure bliss; her mouth was open, singing her praises for Siva, her Lord. Her enraptured face seemed profoundly at odds with her skeletal, vaguely demonic form. Her striking image led me to read her poetry, and to discover that she indeed had a demon or pey form, in which she lived with Siva in the cremation ground. As I investigated Karaikkal Ammaiyar's life and work, it became clear that there is a continuing tension between the twelfth-century image of her created by Cekkilar and standardized in the ensuing centuries-that of a devoted wife whose love for Siva finally disrupts her domestic life-and the image she presents of herself in her poetry, a pey happily singing in the cremation ground, enraptured by Siva's dance. It turns out that the way I became acquainted with Karaikkal Ammaiyar is a common pattern even in South India, where most people know at least the outline of her story. Worshipers at temples to Siva in Tamilnadu see her image among the sixty-three saints recognized by the Saiva tradition. But not many people are acquainted with her poetry. The divergence between her poetry and her popular life story will be examined in detail in the following chapters.

The collection of essays by Ananda Coomaraswamy on Indian art and culture and other themes, published under the title The Dance of Shiva reflect the many-sided genius of this great savant. The fourteen essays in this collection critically deal with aspects of Indian ethos, art and aesthetics, philosophy, music and Indian women besides essays on Indian and Western and ancient and contemporary themes. Coomaraswamy's discussion on these wide-ranging themes with his mastery of the original source material bear the stamp of his understanding and thorough analysis. In the essay 'What has India contributed', Coomaraswamy has discussed the application of Brahmanical religious philosophy to the problems of sociology. In his words: 'the essential contribution of India is her Indianness.' He aptly sums up the fundamental quality of Indian music when he says that Indian music is essentially impersonal and a purely melodic art with elaborate grace. His essays 'Indian images with many arms' is an answer to the critics of Indian art wherein he has tried to show that what appears bizarre to an Occidental mind is because of lack of familiarity with Indian art traditions and not a sincere attempt to evaluate the works of art on own merits. His thoughts on diverse theme like 'Intellectual fraternity', Cosmopolitan view of Nietzsche', 'Young India' and 'Individuality, autonomy and function' show his awareness to contemporary situation and ideas. The present collection of essays epitomizes Coomaraswamy's greatness and should prove to be of sustained interest and permanent value to all interested in understanding of Indian art and ethos. Printed Pages: 196 with 34 illustrations.

About the Author:

Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, the greatest among the Indian art historian, was born in Colombo on August 22,1877. After graduating from the University of London, he became the Director of the Mineralogical Survey of Ceylon. Between 1906 and 1917, when he joined as the Curator of Indian art and formed societies for the study of Indian art. In 1938, he became the Chairman of National committee for India's Freedom. His contributions on Indian philosophy, religion, art and iconography, painting and literature are of the greatest importance as were his contributions on music, science and Islamic art. He died on September 9, 1947.

The Upanishads are the central scriptures of Hinduism. They represent some of the most important literary products in the history of Indian culture and religion, both because they played a critical role in the development of religious ideas in India and because they are our greatest source for the religious, social, and intellectual history of ancient India. Composed at a time of great social, economic, and religious change, the Upanisads document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the Veda into new religious ideas and institutions. In the Introduction Olivelle provides a solid background for understanding these ancient documents. He examines both the social background of the Upanisads and their literary history: authorship, chronology, and geographical provenance. He describes the ritual practices and terminology, Vedic conceptions of the cosmos and of human physiology and psychology. Finally, Olivelle examines the central Upanisadic preoccupation of finding interconnections among the diverse elements of the universe. The copious notes present some of the most present philological and historical research on this material and give the reader detailed explanations of difficult passages. The list of names identifies all the major individuals and geographical names occurring in the Upanisads. Two charts present the texts of the Vedic corpus and the plan of the Vedic sacrificial arena. A map shows the geographical areas mentioned in the Upanisads and the places where the different Upanisads may have been composed. A detailed index of subjects is also provided. The first major English translation of the ancient Upanisads for over half a century, Olivelle's work incorporates the most recent historical and philological scholarship and presents the Sanskrit text and translation on facing pages. All major variant readings and emendations suggested by scholars are given in the notes, which, together with an informative introduction and detailed explanatory notes, make this edition ideal for both specialists and students of Indian religion and culture. Printed Pages: 699.

About the Author

Patrick Olivelle is the Chair, Department of Asian Studies, and Director, Center for Asian Studies, at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is the Professor of Sanskrit and Indian Religions

About the Book: In this book, the author has provided a free rendering of Upanisads in a simple and forceful style. He has presented their main ideas of which he displays a firm grasp, in an intelligent and easily assimilable manner. This is not a mere translation, but as author has explained and commented on them, are also provided an interpretation of their philosophy.

About the Author: Dr. V. H. Date (1900 - 1987) was Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy, Rajasthan University and Founder-Director of Adhyatma Sahitva Vikas Sanstha, Jodhpur. He has published several books and articles.

"In the oldest scriptures of Theravada Buddhism much attention is given to the jhanas, high levels of meditative attainment distinguished by powerful concentration and purity of mind. Ven. Dr. Gunaratana examines these jhanas within the context of Buddhist teaching as a whole and particularly within the meditation disciplines taught by the Buddha. Beginning with the ethical foundation for meditation, the role of the teacher, the classical subjects of meditation, and the appropriateness of these subjects to individual practitioners, the author traces the practice of meditation to the higher reaches of realization. The eight stages of jhana are individually analyzed and explained in terms of their relation to one another and to the ultimate goal of the teaching. The author makes the critical distinction between the mundane jhanas and supermundane jhanas, pointing out that the lower four, while leading to various mental powers and psychic attainments, are not necessary to full enlightenment and may be developed or bypassed as the medita-tor wishes.

The author goes on to explain the place of the jhanas among the accomplishments of an arahat and elucidate their usefulness for a dedicated meditator.

Review:

...This is a work which combines sound scholarship with considerable practical experience.
Amadeo Sole-Leris
Buddhist Studies Review, 5.1 (1988)

...This should be a useful book for those interested in well-documented, traditional analysis of the cons

....For a long time in my experience newcomers to Buddhism have been confused about the position of the jhanas (absorptions) in Buddhist meditation practice. This is the first book... which deals clearly and exhaustively with the subject. -PHILIP M. EDEN, Middle Way"

Bauddha Darshan tatha anya Bharatiya Darshan (Pratham Bhag): Aetihasik Shodhpurna, Pakshapatrahit, Tulnatamak Vivechan

"The author's direct aim in the present work is to furnish the historians of the special sciences with new material which will serve to widen the scope of their survey. The Hindus no less than the Greeks have shared in the work of constructing scientific concepts and methods in the investigation of physical phenomena, as well as of building up a body of positive knowledge which has been applied to industrial technique; and Hindu scientific ideas and methodology (e.g. the inductive method or method of algebraic analysis) have deeply influenced the course of natural philosophy in Asia-in the East as well as the West-in China and Japan, as well as in the Saracen Empire. The author has undertaken a comparative estimate of Greek and Hindu science. Hindu Philosophy om its empirical side was dominated by geometrical concepts and methods. The author has cared to see that the Sanskrit philosophico-scientific terminology, however difficult from its technical character, is rendered exceedingly precise, consistent, and expressive.


Review:

Excerpts from reviews:

The Vedantists believe Maya to be the ""material cause"" of the world. The power of Maya is the power to realise the unreal-to impart practical Reality or mediate existence to that which does not and cannot possess absolute Reality or self-existence. Maya is at once real and unreal, while the Brahma (Self)is a absolute Reality, absolute Intelligence, and absolute Bliss. The world evolves out of Maya so that Maya in the Vedanta replaces the Prakriti of the Sankhya. But Maya and by implication the world, originate out of Brahma, not by a process of evolution, but of Vivarta ( Self-alienation). The self alienation of the Absolute, action through Maya, produces in the beginning Akasa- one, infinite, ubiquitous, imponderable, inert and all-pervasive.
B.K.KELKAR,Organiser, July 1986

Dr. Seal was a well-known and respected teacher in science and his monographs on certain themes relating to Indian Science throw a helpful light on the approach of the Hindu mind to the study of matter, Life and Mind. The author gives a comparative estimate of the Greek and Hindu sciences.He points out that the Hindu philosophy on its empirical side was influenced by concepts from physiology; the Greek was influenced by geometrical concepts and methods. He also examines to what extent the Indian sciences influenced developments in the Mid-East and Far-East.
M.P. PANDIT, World Union

The seven chapters comprising the book take up for discussion mechanical, physical and chemical theories; ideas of mechanics (kinetics), accoustics, plant life, animal classification,physiology and biology; and, finally, the Hindu doctrine of scientific method. The exposition is very lucid and an impressive effort is made to support all statements with original quotations drawn from Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain sources.
T.N. MADAN, Institute of Economic Growth"

"In this book the author has dealt with the musical terms as found in the old sastras and are also in common use. He has explained these terms in simple language with reference to their history of origin. Description of seventy-eight different musical instruments and forty-seven different Talas are also there. An essential aid to research-scholars and students of music.

The Bengali version of the book Bharatiya Sangeetkosh earned for him ""Sangeet Natak Academy"" award as the best book on music published during the period from 1960 to 1968. Bimalakanta Roychaudhuri was born in 1909 in all illustrious family of musical heritage. He had his training in music from Sitalchandra Mukhopadhyay, Sitalkrishna Ghosh, Amir Khan (Sarod) and then from Inayet Khan, the foremost Sitar players of those days. He also had his musical training from his maternal uncle Birendrakishore Roychaudhuri and maternal grandfather Brojendrakishore Roychaudhuri. He took part in the translation of ""Sangeet Ratnakara"" from Sanskrit to Bengali under the patronage of Brojendrakishore Roychaudhuri. He was Chairman of the Board of Musical Studies of the University of Calcutta. His work ""Raga Vyakarana"" (in Hindi) has been published by the Bharatiya Jnanpith.

The growing interest of the Western, especially the English-speaking nations towards the North Indian Classical Music is more evident now than ever before. It is no doubt a sign for us to be happy about; at the same time it causes us deep concern whenever we try to appreciate
the great responsibility that has devolved upon us in presenting the correct interpretation of musical terms of the ancient Sanskrit
Sastras.

Aphoristic couplets of the ancient Sanskrit Texts, as they mostly are, even with their annotations, easily lend themselves to be
misinterpreted today. Painfully bearing this in mind the author has attempted this dictionary with great trepidations. He has depended solely on his own inner resources in interpreting the musical terms rather than allowing himself to be influenced by any other publications in English or in any other languages, lest he should tread on the trap of terminological inexactitude.

Review:

""This is an excellent text-book for it imparts knowledge of the ocean of music in the form of little drops. It is interesting to note that every word in music literature has a depth of meaning while the author explains the origin of each word with its history and development over the years along with suitable examples. The book reveals the meaning of 341 words and is indeed a music encyclopedia."" - Indica, Vol.:40, No.2, September, 2003

""The work explains, in very simple and clear language, the technical terms as found in Sastras and also those in common use. The history of the origin of the words, description of seventy-eight musical instruments and forty-seven varieties of talas."" - Dwaram V.J. Lakshmi, S.V.U. Oriental Journal Vol.: 46, No.182, 2003

""In this era, when Indian music is spreading worldwide, the author has rightly felt it a duty to prepare this Dictionary of musical terms. He presents the proper interpretation of musical terms of the ancient Sanskrit Sastras and explains them with reference to their origin and development. An additional fact is that the author remains true to Indian tradition and is not influenced by the Western methods of interpretation and presentations. Styled and arranged in such simple and precise form, this book will definitely be an essential aid for researches and students of music."" - V.K. Journal of Oriental Research Vol.71-73. p. 18

""This one covering words and terminology, Sanskrit, derivative and colloquial, applicable and applied to Hindustani Classical (Art) Music, is the foremost one, even considering the more recent publications on the usage of music terminology."" - R.C. Mehta, Journal of the Indian Musicological Society Vol.: 31, Jan-Dec.2000"

"This is a scholarly book on one of the oldest living relgions of India. Tracing the basic tenets of Vaisnavism to the hymns of Rgveda the earliest religious literature of the world, the author has shown how an ancient cult has developed itself by successive stages into a well formulated monotheistic system in the hands of Ramanuja and his illustrious followers. In the second part of the book the fundamental philosophical theories of Visistadvaita Vedanta are presented to prove that Vaisnavism is not a mere religious cult, but has a credible philosophic foundation. In the third part of the book the distinctive theological doctrines of Vaisnavism are discussed thoroughly on the basis of original sources. Among the basic doctrines covered are: Visnu as Supreme diety, Visnu as inseparably related to goddess Sri, Visnu and His Attributes, Visnu and His Incarnations, Visnu as the supreme goal of life and Prapatti as the means of attaining Visnu. The religious discipline and ethical values which constitute an important feature of Vaisnavism are treated in the fourth part of the book. This volume makes available for the first time in English a comprehensive account of Vaisnavism.

Review:

“The books by S.M. Srinivasa Chari fills the relative lack of good, authentic English books on Vaisnavism. ...The book has an excellent glossary, an index, and a good bibliography.”–SWAMI SUNIRMALANANDA, The Vedanta Kesari, August, 1996

“This is a scholarly work on the philosophical theology and religious discipline of Vaisnavism. Dr. Chari substantiates his claim that Vaisnavism is both philosophy and religion with reference to its Upani|adic base.”–K. KUNJUNNI RAJA, The Adyar Library Bulletin, 1994

“Srinivasa Chari has done a good job, tracing the historical development of Vaisnavism right from the monotheism of Rgveda... . Precision and erudition mark Srinivasa Chari’s exposition of the Absolute Brahman as the adorable God of religion, the nature of the individual soul, and the doctrine of cosmic matter.”–C.S. RAMAKRISHNAN, The Hindu, August, 1995

“Dr. Srinivasa Chari’s exposition of Vaisnavism is conditioned, admittedly, by the knowledge of the essentials imparted to him by his spiritual preceptor, the late Sri Gostipuram Sowmya Narayanacharya.”–The Book Review, December, 1995"

Recent years have witnessed continued and growing interest in the massive and fascinating poems now as the Sanskrit This interest has manifested itself in the continuing translations of texts, a steady stream of publications and numerous scholarly meetings of Sanskrit epic scholars. A number of these scholars assembled in Helsinki to constitute the Epic Section of the 12th World Sanskrit Conference in the summer of 2003. The present volume places before the Indological community the sixteen learned papers presented at the conference by the distinguished group of scholars who were in attendance. The topics and methodologies of the authors are as varied and diverse as the contents of the monumental poems themselves but each contribution sheds new light on some aspect of the genetic and/or receptive history of these works, their relationship to each other and to other Indic texts, or the representation and analysis of specific characters and episodes in the poems.

The style of the Upanisads is very peculiar. But still it was quite intelligible to the great scholars of the Vedas (mahasrotriyah) about
whom we hear from the Chandogya Upanisad. We live in an age far removed from the age of these great scholars. As a result, we find the texts of the Upanisads to be very difficult to comprehend. Now commentators come to our help. They elucidate the texts and make them
intelligible to us.

A good commentator should have three essential qualities. First, he should be well versed in all the original texts of the Upanisads. Second, he should have the skill to logically analyse the texts and successfully bring out their true import through the analysis. Third, he should be absolutely sincere in interpreting the texts. Generally speaking, the commentator is learned and skilful but not sincere in the work undertaken by him. Instead of elucidating the texts for the sake of making them intelligible he often uses elucidation as a means for getting support for his preconceived notions. As a result, he gives up the primary senses of the original words and puts into them his own personal ideas.

This book is intended to offer a new perspective to the study of the Upanisads. It will be surely helpful to all students of Indian
Philosophy, particularly those studying the texts of the Upanisads. It contains valuable information and insights not obtainable from the
current literature on the subject.

There are twelve authoritative Upanisads. This study covers eight out of the twelve-Isa, Kena, Katha, Mundaka, Mandukya, Svetasvatara, Chandogya and Brhadaranyaka. Its aim is to prove how discrimination and reliance on the original texts are the real sources of help in reading the Upanisads. The help given by the commentator is acceptable to the extent he is faithful to the original texts. Otherwise it is not indispensable. Trustworthiness of a commentary is determined not by the large support received from scholars but solely by the measure of its fidelity to the original scripture.

The Upanisads: A Study of the Original Texts is intended to offer a new perspective to the study of the Upanisads. It will be surely helpful to all students of Indian Philosophy, particularly those studying the texts of the Upanisads. It contains valuable information and insights not obtainable from the current literature on the subject.

The present volume is intended as a supplement to Lanman's Sanskrit Reader. It is hoped that its focus on the early upanisads makes the transition easier from Lanman's classical and epic selections to the language of the Vedic tradition.

Philosophy and religion were never kept apart from each other in Indian philosophical tradition. The Vedas, the Upanisads and the Bhagavadgita provide a strong and unshakable philosophical foundation to Hinduism. In the present book, Dr. Misra has made a reinterpretation of the religious and philosophical thought of these sacred and immortal works. It has been found necessary in order to dispel the misinterpretation of Hinduism and meet the challenges that confront it today at the ideological and practical levels. The concepts of the Absolute, Brahman, of man and the world, the destiny of man and other fundamental issues have been discussed with great clarity, thoroughness and depth. The author has brought into clear focus the unique features of Hinduism and its intellectual depth and spiritual grandeur. A distinguishing feature of the present work is that the fundamental ideas of Hinduism have been compared with that of other religions, specially, Christianity and with the great idealistic tradition of the West. The author has also made a critical analysis and evaluation of some current ideas of contemporary Western thought. The present work provides ample evidence of the author's conceptual ability, originality and intellectual integrity. Printed Pages: 646.

This book provides a complete view of the world's most ancient scripture, the Rgveda. Here each Vedic word, which at first sight appears cryptic and mysterious has been explained in lucid terms after analyzing it down to its root and sound, so that the real intention of the rsi who compiled the hymn is made clear. Those readers who are interested in the real ethos of our First Book of Knowledge on which is based our Hindu dharma and culture, will find this sample survey of One Hundred hymns most engrossing and helpful in understanding the whole ethos of the Vedas. Printed Pages: 889

The Vedas are the foundation on which the imposing Hindu religious edifice is built. The Yajurveda contains hymns taken from the older Rigveda and prose passages which are new. The hymns display considerable deviation from the original Rigvedic text. It can be called a priestly manual; for it lays down rules for the performance of various sacrifices. It has two samhitas or a collection of hymns of mantras; these are Taittiriya Samhita and Vajasaneya Samhita, popularly known as Black and White Yajur respectively. The subject-matter of both the samhitas is almost the same, though the arrangement is somewhat different. Of the two the Vajasaneya Samhita is planned in a more systematic and orderly manner than the other. It also contains some texts which are not found in the Taittiriya Samhita. This translation of Yajurveda by Devi Chand is based upon Swami Dayanand's interpretation. The translator has provided references in the footnotes to the different views of other scholars. To bring home to the common man the message of the Yajurveda, he has spared no pains to remove all obscurities inherent in the old form of Sanskrit which was in vogue three thousand years ago. The introduction and the index are added to help the reader. Everyone interested in the Vedas will find this book indispensable. Printed Pages: 480.

This book occupies a very important position in the study of the history of religions. It traces the earliest stage in the evolution of beliefs which constitute the source of religious concepts of the majority of the modern Indians. The book is divided into seven chapters and is well documented with Sanskrit and general index. This book is definitely a valuable contribution to the Vedic mythology. Contents: Introduction Vedic Conceptions of the World and Its Origin The Vedic Gods Mythical Priests and Heroes Animals and Inanimate Objects Demons and Fiends Eschatology Arthur Anthony Macdonell, M.A., Ph.D. (1854-1930), of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, was Boden Professor of Sanskrit and Fellow of Balliol.

Indian culture is rich and its philosophy is robust, deep and capable of providing convincing answers to all questions. Since explaining the details of advanced philosophy to a layman is very difficult, our ancestors have devised the method of cultivating rituals. Among such rituals is the process of worship. Images, charts of mystic diagrams, paintings, stones and gems have been prescribed for daily worship to the common man. This book is an attempt to explain various forms of Vishnu and iconographical details of such images and also tries to bridge the gap between ritualistic approach to religion and the philosophical background of society. It is a guide to iconographic descriptions for the philosopher and a philosophical account for the simple devotee.

This book is also a window into the evergreen forest of Indian narratives and is full of narratives related to Vishnu's avataras as well as popular tales associated with popular temples. Individual chapters have been dedicated to every form listed in the Shrimadbhagauata. Details of iconographical proportions, interpretations of mudras, ayudhas, and bhangimas have been researched out of authoritative texts of Agamashastras and Shilpashastras. Many unknown forms of Vishnu like Badarayana, Shimshumara, and Gandabherunda have been included to widen readers' intellect. Besides these, Appendices 11 and III deal with Vishnu ayudhas and Vishnu pariuaara, respectively. As the title suggests, the book, however is small, but definitely, is a step toward the infinite.

About the Author

The author, S. Deepak Raj, is a multifaceted genius, having diverse interests in varied spheres of knowledge. Although a Computer Engineer by profession, teaching in an engineering college of repute in Bengaluru, he remains a seeker of the Absolute Truth--God! He believes that the ultimate goal of every living being is to attain freedom from the cycles of birth and death, and to attain moksha which is nothing but an experience of real bliss.

His quest and indomitable thirst for knowledge has made him explore the limitless ocean of our ancient Indian texts-Agamashastras (Vedas), Shrimadbhagauata, Upanishads, Puranas, Tantra ocuments, Shilpashastras, etc.

As an only child of very learned and pious parents, he has combined his acquired knowledge with the imbibed one through his growing years, weaving it into a golden fabric through his simple, yet effective narrative-in an attempt to introduce his favourite God and personal deity Vishnu, to the reader.

A Complex body of religious practices that spread throughout the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions; a form of spirituality that seemingly combines sexuality, sensual pleasure, and the full range of physical experience with the religious life-Tantra has played a central yet conflicted role in the Western imagination ever since the first "discovery" of Indian religions by European scholars. Always radical, always extremely other, Tantra has proved to be a key factor in the imagining of India. This book offers a critical account of how the phenomenon came to be.

Tracing the complex genealogy of Tantra as a category within the history of religions, Hugh B. Urban reveals how it has been formed through the interply of popular and scholarly imaginations. tantra emerges as a product of mirroring and misrepresentation at work between East and West-a dialectical category born of the ongoing play between Western and Indian minds. Embracing historical detail, textual analysis, popular cultural phenomena, and critical theory, this book shows Tantra as a shifting amalgam of factasies, fears, and wish fulfilment, at once native and other, that strikes at the very heart of our constructions of the exotic Orient and the contemporary West.

Review:

A powerful book demonstrating how the Western study of Hinduism, Indian religious texts, and American popular culture have become related to one another in exceptionally intimate and creative ways. Urban refuses to narrate yet another postcolonial narrative about the evil West, producing instead a subtle and much more accurate reading of the cultural encounter that produced, intentionally or not, a new form of erotic mysticism-Western Tantra." - Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of Kali's Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna

Kundalini energy manifests itself in as many ways as the sun has rays. In most people the energy is latent. Like electricity, it is neutral. The gurus stress the need to gain control of any kind of power. For those who have laid the foundation by learning self-mastery, the Kundalini energy, when understood, can be controlled at will.

The first stage in Kundalini Yoga is becoming aware. It presents a well laid-out plan that encompasses more and more aspects of one's
life. Like concentric circles, it is ever expanding. Once the principal idea that moves like a red thread through the levels of consciousness is understood, a marvelous way of life is opened to the individual. There is a vast potential that lies within each of us- the potential of energy, power, heightened perception and awareness. Evolution for humans must now refer to evolution of consciousness, and Kundalini offers a blueprint of the vast mine to be tapped. In summary, the purpose of this book is to give the tools by which those who wish to cooperate with the process of evolution can do so. There is no mystification about the awakening of Kundalini, yet this process leads to the mystical experience.

This is a direct path to higher conciusness. It is the process of concious cooperation with evolution. within each of us there lies a vast Potential of energy and power which, when properly understood and directed, will lead to previously unimagined heights of perception and awareness. This is a book of inspiration, and into life are given for those who wish to cooperate with evolution. Swami Radha has presented clear directions for exercises and practices.

Review:

... clear, comprehensive and full of extremely useful information. - Stanislav Grof, Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California

The book is a treasure chest. It is a welcome relief to read about Kundalini in ways that are clear, detailed, explicit and profound... a genuinely useful text for personal development. - James Fadiman, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Menlo Park, California

In view of growing interest in the 'inner way' by which we attempt to tune into the forces of evolution, Kundalini Yoga may well mark a break through, long expected and long overdue. - Herbert V. Guenther, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sask

Kundalini Yoga is full of sound advice and spiritual directions for purifying and developing the physical, emotional and mental being as a foundation for the safe awakening of the Kundalini Power. - Judith Tyberg, East-West Cultural Centre, Los Angeles

This book is destined to become a classic in the literature of altered states of consciousness. - Stanley Krippner, Humanistic Psychology Institute, San Francisco

This book presents the paradigm in a fairly comprehensive and easily understandable manner, steering clear of confusion and controversies. - Prof. S. K. Ramchandra Rao, The Astrological Magazine, Vol.84, No.1, Jan. 1995

Known as "kundalini", this legendary power is believed to catalyze spiritual evolution. But is kundalini real? And if so, how can we engage this energy to awaken our consciousness? For centuries, the secrets of kundalini have been guarded by masters and buried in esoteric texts around the globe. Kundalini Rising brings together twenty-four illuminating essays by some of today's most prominent voices to demystify this mysterious phenomenon. From personal accounts and yogic practices, to brain research and historical perspectives, this compelling anthology weaves together both the mystical and practical perspectives on the rise of kundalini energy to help support your own spiritual discovery. Reading about kundalini can actually help catalyze the awakening process. It is as if once we understand the energy that lies within us and the pathways through which it can travel in our subtle body, we have an ability to visualize and flow with the process with heightened sensitivity.

This study gives the reader a radical new perspective in the practice of Ayurveda. It is not meant to replace what exists at present, but to be complimentary. This system is not new, but is offered as a revitalized approach to Ayurveda. The thesis put forth by the author in this text is that it is not Constitution, as modern Ayurveda contends, but rather Seven Disease Tendencies which are fundamental to the treatment of disease. In fact, this approach in mentioned by Charaka, the father of Ayurveda, is his Charaka Samhita the authoritative texts of Ayurveda.

Tantra: The Cult of the Feminine reveals a practical and balanced, modern view of the secret teachings of Tantric yoga. Tantra known in India for several millennia, brings us a different view of life, the world, and oneself which is at once new and archaic, exotic yet very close to the roots of each of us. Being neither a sect nor a religion, it is a yogic discipline that awakens not only the sacredness and magic of the sexual act, but of life itself.

Van Lysebeth discloses the sexual techniques of Tantra that can be used by Western couples to enhance relationships and help open the door to a new kind of enlightenment. He also reveals the wisdom of tantra--the essential belief that our universe is a creation of the physical and spiritual union of the Mala and Female principles, manifested in the human plane as Love. He shows us how the repression of feminine values in our patriarchal civilization is the esoteric cause of many of the modern world`s crises. Tantra affirms that a true understanding of feminine values can bring about much-needed changes in our society. Van Lysebeth`s warmth and insight brings modern readers to new dimensions of feeling and understanding!