Overview

The Mahavidyas are the representative Tantric feminine pantheon consisting of ten goddesses. It is formed by divergent religious strands and elements: the matr and yogini worship, the cult of Kali and Tripurasundari, Vajrayana Buddhism, Jain Vidyadevis, Saiva and Vaisnava faith, Srividya, the Brahmanical strand of Puranic traditions, etc. This volume is the first attempt to explore the historical process, through which these traditions culminated in the Mahavidya cult and the goddesses with different origins and contradictory attributes were brought into a cluster, with special reference to socio-political changes in the lower Ganga and Brahmaputra Valley between the 9th and 15th centuries CE. Based on a close analysis of Puranas, Tantras and inscriptional evidence, and on extensive field research on archaeological remains as well as sacred sites, Jae-Eun Shin discusses the two trajectories of the Mahavidyas in eastern Sakta traditions. Each led to the systematization of Dasamahavidyas in a specific way: one, as ten manifestations of Durga upholding dharma in the cosmic dimension, and the other, as ten mandalic goddesses bearing magical powers in the actual sacred site. Their attributes and characteristics have neither been static nor monolithic, and the mode of worship prescribed for them has changed in a dialectical religious process between Brahmanical and Tantric traditions of the region. This is the definitive work for anyone seeking to understand goddess cults of South Asia in general and the history of eastern Sakta traditions in particular. To aid study, the volume includes images, diagrams and maps. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jae-Eun Shin
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
ISBN:  

9781138095458

ISBN 10:   1138095451
Pages:   16
Publication Date:   01 October 2018
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Introduction 1. Vidyas and Mahavidyas 2. Tantric and Brahmanical 3. Text and Context II. Grouping of Multiple Feminine Divinities 1. Matrkas: Fearsome Autochthonous Goddesses in Brahmanical Traditions 2. Yoginis: Bearers of Magical Power in Tantric Traditions 3. Vidyas: Embodiment of Mystical Knowledge in Shramanic Traditions III. Making of the Mahavidyas in the Sakta Upapuranas and Tantras in Eastern India 1. Expanded Realm and Enhanced Presence of Brahmanas 2. Transfiguration of the Mahavidyas in Cosmic Dimension 3. Systematization of the Mahavidyas in Domestic Setting IV. Locating of the Mahavidyas at the Sacred Landscape 1. The Goddess Kamakhya and Political Powers in Kamarupa 2. Sakta Pithas as a Religious Network in Early Medieval East India 3. Ten Mahavidyas in the Most Renowned Sakta Centre V. Conclusion 1. Antecedents of the Mahavidyas 2. Mahavidyas in Eastern Sakta Traditions 3. Socio-Religious Implication of the Mahavidyas

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