Overview

An accessible and up-to-date survey of scholarly thinking about Hinduism, perfect for courses on Hinduism or world religions The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Hinduism examines the historical trajectories that have led to the modern religion of Hinduism. Covering main themes such as philosophy, practice, society, and science, this comprehensive volume brings together a variety of approaches and perspectives in Hindu Studies to help readers better appreciate the richness, complexity, and diversity of Hinduism. Essays by acknowledged experts in the field present historical accounts of all major traditions, analyze key texts, engage with Hindu theology and philosophy, address contemporary questions of colonialism and identity, and more. Throughout the text, the authors highlight the links, common threads, and issues that reoccur in the history of Hinduism. Fully revised and updated, the second edition of the Companion incorporates the most recent scholarship and reflects the trend away from essentialist understandings of Hinduism. New chapters examine the Goddess tradition, Hindu diaspora, Hinduism and inter-religious comparison, Hindu philosophy, and Indian astronomy, medicine, language, and mathematics. This edition places further emphasis on the importance of region-specific studies in analyzing Hinduism, discusses important theoretical issues, and offers fresh perspectives on current discourse in Hindu society and politics. Provides a thorough overview of major texts, their histories, and the traditions that preserve them Describes the major textual traditions in Sanskrit with examples in different Indian vernacular languages Addresses major issues and contemporary debates about the nature and study of Hinduism Discusses the importance of systematic, rational thinking in Indian sciences, philosophy, and theology Examines key socio-political themes in Hinduism that are of particular relevance to the modern world The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Hinduism, Second Edition is an excellent text for undergraduate courses on Hinduism in Religious Studies and Philosophy departments, and an invaluable resource for scholars and researchers in Hindu Studies.

Full Product Details

Author:   Gavin Flood (Oxford University)
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Imprint:   Wiley-Blackwell
Edition:   2nd edition
Dimensions:   Width: 17.00cm , Height: 4.10cm , Length: 24.40cm
Weight:   1.389kg
ISBN:  

9781119144861

ISBN 10:   1119144868
Pages:   656
Publication Date:   09 June 2022
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
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Table of Contents

List of Contributors x About the Editor xii Preface to the First Edition and Acknowledgements xiii Preface to the Second Edition xv Introduction: Establishing the Boundaries xvi Gavin Flood Part I Theoretical Issues 1 1 Colonialism and the Construction of Hinduism 3 Gauri Viswanathan 2 Orientalism and Hinduism 21 David Smith Part II Text and Tradition 37 The Sanskrit Textual Traditions 39 3 Vedas and Upaniṣads 41 Michael Witzel 4 The Dharmaśāstras 69 Ludo Rocher 5 The Sanskrit Epics 81 John Brockington 6 The Purāṇas 92 Freda Matchett 7 The Bhagavad Gītā: Genesis of the Text, Its Messages, and Its Impact on the Mahābhārata and on Indian Religions and Philosophy 105 Mislav Ježić Textual Traditions in Regional Languages 129 8 Tamil Hindu Literature 131 Norman Cutler 9 The Literature of Hinduism in Malayalam 143 Rich Freeman 10 North Indian Hindi Devotional Literature 163 Nancy M. Martin Major Historical Developments 179 11 The Śaiva Traditions 181 Gavin Flood 12 History of Vaiṣṇava Traditions: An Esquisse 209 Gérard Colas 13 Hinduism and the Goddess: Śākta Traditions 245 Bjarne Wernicke-Olesen 14 The Householder Tradition in Hindu Society 275 T.N. Madan 15 The Renouncer Tradition 290 Patrick Olivelle Regional Traditions 305 16 The Teyyam Tradition of Kerala 307 Rich Freeman 17 The Month of Kārtik and Women’s Ritual Devotions to Krishna in Benares 323 Tracy Pintchman 18 Hindu Diasporas and Gods on the Move: Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage in Hindu Europe 338 Knut A. Jacobsen Part III Systematic Thought 353 The Indian Sciences 355 19 Introduction 357 Frits Staal 20 The Science of Language 359 Frits Staal 21 Indian Mathematics 370 Takao Hayashi 22 Calendar, Astrology, and Astronomy 384 Michio Yano 23 The Science of Medicine 399 Dominik Wujastyk Philosophy and Theology 415 24 The Classical Worldview: Early Foundations of Hindu Philosophy 417 Jessica Frazier 25 Hinduism and the Proper Work of Reason 448 Jonardon Ganeri 26 Restoring “Hindu Theology” as a Category in Indian Intellectual Discourse 479 Francis Clooney SJ 27 Mantra 505 André Padoux 28 Realism and Non-Realism in Indian Philosophy 517 Ionut Moise 29 Hinduism Compared 536 Reid B. Locklin Part IV Society, Politics, and Nation 551 30 On the Relationship between Caste and Hinduism 553 Declan Quigley 31 Modernity, Reform, and Revival 565 Dermot Killingley 32 The Goddess and the Nation: Subterfuges of Antiquity, the Cunning of Modernity 580 Sumathi Ramaswamy 33 Gender in a Devotional Universe 595 Vasudha Narayanan Index 612

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Author Information

Gavin Flood is Professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion at Oxford University, Academic Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, and Senior Research Fellow at Campion Hall. He is the author of several books including Religion and the Philosophy of Life.

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