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Change Continuity and Complexity The Mahāvidyās in East Indian Śākta Traditions

Change Continuity and Complexity The Mahāvidyās in East Indian Śākta Traditions

The Mahāvidyās are the representative Tantric feminine pantheon consisting of ten goddesses. It is formed by divergent religious strands and elements: the mātṛ and yoginī worship the cult of Kālī and Tripurasundarī Vajrayāna Buddhism Jain Vidyādevīs Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava faith Śrīvidyā 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 Mahāvidyā 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 Gaṅgā and Brahmaputra Valley between the 9th and 15th centuries CE. Based on a close analysis of Purāṇas 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 Mahāvidyās in eastern Śākta traditions. Each led to the systematization of Daśamahāvidyās in a specific way: one as ten manifestations of Durgā 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 Śākta 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. | Change Continuity and Complexity The Mahāvidyās in East Indian Śākta Traditions

GBP 130.00
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When Cats Reigned Like Kings On the Trail of the Sacred Cats

When Cats Reigned Like Kings On the Trail of the Sacred Cats

In her fascinating exploration of feline history Georgie Anne Geyer explores the connections between the royal and sacred felines of ancient civilizations and the beloved domestic cats of today. Chasing an irresistible mystery across the globe Geyer conducts exhaustive research into the little-known puzzle of how cats came to occupy their unique position in the lives of humans. Treated with the tenacity resourcefulness and narrative instinct of a seasoned foreign correspondent the investigation yields unexpected answers and poses tantalizing new questions. It was Geyer's curiosity about her own cats that inspired her to study the history of human-feline relations and especially the exalted status of cats among the ancients as royal or sacred beings. In Egypt Geyer learned of the cat-goddess Bastet and of the cat's role in the transmigration of souls. In Myanmar she saw Leonardo DiCaprio Ricky Martin and the other incongruously named cats of the Nga Phe Kyaung monastery trained by the monks to jump through hoops. She even met a family who dutifully guards the heritage of the Japanese Bobtail cultivating the line in of all places rural Virginia. Richly illustrated with photographs of Geyer's journeys and historical cat images When Cats Reigned Like Kings describes forty-one recognized modern cat breeds plus other popular cats. Every cat lover can thus trace his or her cat to these breeds and their many relatives. The result is a remarkable book bound to delight and amaze cat fanciers and adventure seekers. | When Cats Reigned Like Kings On the Trail of the Sacred Cats

GBP 130.00
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