Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism"A wider range than usual of Sanskrit texts: not only interesting Vedic, epic, and mythological texts but also a good sampling of ritual and ethical texts. . . . There are also extracts from texts usually neglected, such as medical treatises, works on practical politics, and guides to love and marriage. . . . Readings from the vernacular Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil traditions [serve to] enrich the collection and demonstrate how Hinduism flourished not just in Sanskrit but also in its many mother tongues."—Francis X. Clooney, Journal of Asian Studies |
Contents
1 Introduction to the Sanskrit sources | 1 |
2 Vedas | 5 |
3 Epics | 46 |
4 Puranas | 64 |
5 Shastras | 91 |
6 Tantras | 131 |
7 The Hindi tradition Daniel Gold | 138 |
8 The Bengali tradition David Haberman | 151 |
9 The Tamil tradition David Shulman | 168 |
Bibliography | 187 |
| 188 | |
| 204 | |
Common terms and phrases
Agni ancestors animal ascetic beauty become Bhagavata Bhagavata Purana birth body born Brahma Brahmin Brihadaranyaka Upanishad brother Calcutta called chariot cows creatures darkness death deeds demons destroyed devotion dharma dream drink earth emitted evil eyes father feet fire forest Goddess gods golden guru hair Hari Harishcandra heart heaven hell Hindu Hinduism honour horse sacrifice husband hymn immortal Indian Indra Kabir karma kill king Krishna Kshatriya Kula limbs lingam living lord Mahabharata mind mother night oblation offering ogre perform poems praise Prajapati priests Purana purified Radha Rama Ramayana rasa Rig Veda ritual Rudra sacred sage Sanskrit seed seers servant Shastras Shatapatha Brahmana Shiva Shudra Shunahshepa Sita Soma soul Tamil Tantra Tantric tell texts translated ultimate reality Upanishad Varuna Vedic verse Vishnu Vishvamitra vital breath wandering wife woman womb women worship Yama Yudhishthira