The Strides of Vishnu : Hindu Culture in Historical Perspective

books About Hinduism Often Begin By Noting The Immense Size And Complexity Of The Subject. Hinduism Is Vast And Diverse, They Say. Or It Doesn't Exist At All — Hinduism Is Merely A Convenient (and Foreign) Term That Masks A Plurality Of Traditions. In Either Case, Readers Are Discouraged By The Thought That They Are Getting Only A Tiny Sample Or A Shallow Overview Of Something Huge And Uniquely Difficult. This Book Is Designed To Be Accessible And Sophisticated, Holding The Reader's Interest In The Dynamic Sequence Of Ideas Through Time And Place. Each Of The 12 Chapters Combines Historical Material With Key Religious, Scientific And Philosophical Ideas, Supported By Substantial Quotations From Scriptures And Other Texts. Historic Places And Persons Are Fleshed Out As Actors In A Narrative About The Relation Of The Sacred To Ordinary Existence As It Is Mediated Through Arts, Sciences, Rituals, And Philosophical Ideas. Although Many Books Introduce The Hindu Tradition, This Is The First With A Broad Historical And Cultural Focus That Emphasizes Archaeological As Well As Textual Evidence. The Strides of Vishnu explores a wide range of topics in Hindu culture and history. Hinduism has often set out to mediate between the practical needs of its many communities and a transcendent realm. Illuminating this connection, The Strides of Vishnu focuses not only on religious ideas but also on the various arts and sciences, as well as crafts, politics, technology, and medicine. The book emphasizes core themes that run through the major historical periods of Northern India, beginning with the Vedas and leading up to India's independence. Sophisticated sciences such as geometry, grammar, politics, law, architecture, and biology are discussed within a broad cultural framework. Special attention is devoted to historical, economic, and political developments, including urbanism and empire-building. The Strides of Vishnu situates religious and philosophical ideas within such broad contexts so religion sheds its abstract and detached reputation. The message of classical and medieval religious masterpiecesincluding the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, plays of Kalidasa, and many otherscomes to life within a broad world-making agenda. But while the literary masterpieces reflected the work of the cultural elites, The Strides of Vishnu also devotes considerable attention to the work that did not make it into the great texts: women's rituals, magic, alchemy, medicine, and a variety of impressive crafts. The book discusses the stunning mythology of medieval India and provides the methods for interpreting it, along with the vast cosmologies and cosmographies of the Puranas. The Strides of Vishnu is an introductory book on Hindu culture, but while it highlights central religious themes, it explores these within broader historical and cultural contexts. It gives its readers a clear and highly textured overview of a vast and productive civilization Books about Hinduism often begin by noting the immense size and complexity of the subject. Hinduism is vast and diverse, they say. Or it doesn't exist at all - Hinduism is merely a convenient (and foreign) term that masks a plurality of traditions. In either case, readers are discouraged by the sense that they are getting only a tiny sample or a shallow overview of something huge and impossible to understand. This book is designed to be accessible and comprehensive in a way that other introductions are not, maintaining an appealing narrative and holding the reader's interest in the unfolding sequence of ideas through time and place. Each of the 13 chapters combines historical material with key religious and philosophical ideas, supported by substantial quotations from scriptures and other texts. The overarching organizational principle is a historical narrative largely grounded in archaeological information. Historic places and persons are fleshed out as actors in a narrative about the relation of the sacred to ordinary existence as it is mediated through arts, sciences, rituals, and philosophical ideas. Although many books purport to introduce the Hindu tradition, this is the only one with a broad historical focus that emphasizes archaeological as well as textual evidence. It will nicely complement Vasuda Narayanan's forthcoming introduction, which takes the opposite approach of focusing on the lived experience of Hindu believers. "Books about Hinduism often begin by noting the immense size and complexity of the subject. Hinduism is vast and diverse, they say. Or it doesn't exist at all - Hinduism is merely a convenient (and foreign) term that masks a plurality of traditions. In either case, readers are discouraged by the thought that they are getting only a tiny sample or a shallow overview of something huge and uniquely difficult." "This book is designed to be accessible and sophisticated, holding the reader's interest in the dynamic sequence of ideas through time and place. Each of the 12 chapters combines historical material with key religious, scientific, and philosophical ideas, supported by substantial quotations from scriptures and other texts. Historic places and persons are fleshed out as actors in a narrative about the relation of the sacred to ordinary existence as it is mediated through arts, sciences, rituals, and philosophical ideas. Although many books introduce the Hindu tradition, this is the first with a broad historical and cultural focus that emphasizes archaeological as well as textual evidence."--Jacket. Exploring a wide range of topics in Hindu culture and history, this book illuminates the connection between the practical and the transcendental realm and emphasises core themes that run through the major historical periods of Northern India, beginning with the Vedas and leading up to India's independence.