The Hindus: An Alternative HistoryFrom one of the world?s foremost scholars on Hinduism, a vivid reinterpretation of its history An engrossing and definitive narrative account of history and myth that offers a new way of understanding one of the world?s oldest major religions, The Hindus elucidates the relationship between recorded history and imaginary worlds. Hinduism does not lend itself easily to a strictly chronological account: many of its central texts cannot be reliably dated even within a century; its central tenets?karma, dharma, to name just two?arise at particular moments in Indian history and differ in each era, between genders, and caste to caste; and what is shared among Hindus is overwhelmingly outnumbered by the things that are unique to one group or another. Yet the greatness of Hinduism?its vitality, its earthiness, its vividness?lies precisely in many of those idiosyncratic qualities that continue to inspire debate today. Wendy Doniger is one of the foremost scholars of Hinduism in the world. With her inimitable insight and expertise Doniger illuminates those moments within the tradition that resist forces that would standardize or establish a canon. Without reversing or misrepresenting the historical hierarchies, she reveals how Sanskrit and vernacular sources are rich in knowledge of and compassion toward women and lower castes; how they debate tensions surrounding religion, violence, and tolerance; and how animals are the key to important shifts in attitudes toward different social classes. The Hindus brings a fascinating multiplicity of actors and stories to the stage to show how brilliant and creative thinkers?many of them far removed from Brahmin authors of Sanskrit texts?have kept Hinduism alive in ways that other scholars have not fully explored. In this unique and authoritative account, debates about Hindu traditions become platforms from which to consider the ironies, and overlooked epiphanies, of history. |
Contents
BETWEEN THE RUINSAND THE TEXT 2000 to 1500 BCE CHAPTER 5 HUMANS ANIMALS AND GODS IN THE RIG VEDA 1500 to 1000 | |
SACRIFICE IN THE BRAHMANAS 800 to 500 | |
RENUNCIATION IN THE UPANISHADS 600 to 200 | |
THE THREE OR IS IT FOUR? AIMS OF LIFE IN THE HINDU IMAGINARY | |
WOMEN AND OGRESSES IN THE RAMAYANA 400 BCE to 200 | |
VIOLENCE IN THE MAHABHARATA 300 BCE to 300 | |
1500 | |
PHILOSOPHICAL FEUDS IN SOUTH INDIA AND KASHMIR 800 to 1300 | |
HINDUISM UNDER THE MUGHALS 1500 to 1700 | |
CASTE CLASS AND CONVERSION UNDER THE BRITISH RAJ 1600 | |
SUTTEE AND REFORM IN THE TWILIGHT OF THE RAJ 1800 to 1947 | |
HINDUS IN AMERICA 1900 | |
THE PAST IN THE PRESENT 1950 | |
INCONCLUSION OR THE ABUSE OF HISTORY | |
DHARMA IN THE MAHABHARATA 300 BCE to 300 | |
ESCAPE CLAUSES IN THE SHASTRAS 100 BCE to 400 | |
BHAKTI IN SOUTH INDIA 100 BCE to 900 | |
GODDESSES AND GODS IN THE EARLY PURANAS 300 to 600 | |
SECTS AND SEX IN THE TANTRIC PURANAS AND THE TANTRAS 600 | |
FUSION AND RIVALRY UNDER THE DELHISULTANATE 650 to 1500 | |
ABBREVIATIONS | |
NOTES | |
WORKS CITED AND CONSULTED | |
PHOTO CREDITS | |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | |
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Common terms and phrases
ancient animals antigods asked became become beginning bhakti body born Brahmanas Brahmin British Buddhist called caste century citing classes composed cows culture death Delhi dharma Doniger O’Flaherty early earth Ekalavya Empire evidence evil father fire Flood give goddess gods hand head heaven Hindu Hinduism horse human husband ideas important India Indra Indus karma Keay killed king Krishna language later lives Mahabharata Manu means mother Mughals Muslim myth never offered Origins Pariah particularly perhaps period Persian person poem political practices Purana Rama Ramayana regarded religion religious Rig Veda ritual sacrifice sage Sanskrit sexual Shiva Sita social sometimes South story symbolic Tamil Tantra Tantric tell temples texts things took tradition University University Press Upanishads Veda Vedic violence Vishnu wife woman women worship York