Buch, Englisch, 289 Seiten, Trade Paperback, Format (B × H): 154 mm x 229 mm, Gewicht: 494 g
The Ten Mahavidyas
Buch, Englisch, 289 Seiten, Trade Paperback, Format (B × H): 154 mm x 229 mm, Gewicht: 494 g
ISBN: 978-0-520-20499-7
Verlag: University of California Press
Drawing on a broad range of Sanskrit and vernacular texts as well as extensive research in India, including written and oral interpretations of contemporary Hindu practitioners, Kinsley describes the unusual qualities of each of the Mahavidyas and traces the parallels between their underlying themes. Especially valuable are the many rare and fascinating images he presents—each important to grasping the significance of the goddesses. Written in an accessible, engaging style, Kinsley's book provides a comprehensive understanding of the Mahavidyas and is also an overview of Hindu tantric practice.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Introduction
PART I. THE MAHAVIDYAS AS A GROUP
The Ten Mahavidyas; Typical Literary and Iconographic Contexts; The Mahavidyas as Forms of the Mahadevi;
Mahavidya Origin Myths; Interrelationships among the Mahavidyas; Worship of the Mahavidyas;
The Mahavidyas and Magical Powers; The Significance of the Term Mahavidya;
Concluding Observations
PART II. THE INDIVIDUAL MAHAVIDYAS
Kali: The Black Goddess
Tara: The Goddess Who Guides through Troubles
Tripura-sundari: She Who Is Lovely in the Three Worlds
Bhuvanegvari: She Whose Body Is the World
Chinnamasta: The Self-Decapitated Goddess
Bhairavi: The Fierce One
Dharnavati: The Widow Goddess
Bagalamukhi: The Paralyzer
Matarigi: The Outcaste Goddess
Kamald: The Lotus Goddess
PART III. CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS
Corpses and Cremation Grounds 233; Skulls and Severed Heads;
Sexuality and Awakened Consciousness; The Conjunction of Death and Sexual Imagery;
The Roles of Women and Reverence for Women; The Potentially Liberating Nature of Social Antimodels
NOTES
GLOSSARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX