Buddhist Art in India and Sri Lanka: 3rd Century bc to 6th Century ad- A Critical Study

Virender Kumar Dabral

D.K. Print World Ltd

The ancient Indian tradition and literature accords a supreme place to the Sun in the order of divinities, revering and worshipping it as the life-force of the Universe and the highest Reality. The commentary by Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati in this volume comes as an attempt to unravel the power and mystique of the Sun as explained in the Aditya Hrdayam, a small canto chapter offering obeisance to the Sun God in the immortal epic, Srimadramayanam of Adikavi Valmiki. The book presents the original Sanskrit mantras of the 'Aditya Hrdayam' along with their Roman transliteration and lucid English translation. The verses are accompanied by detailed annotations that describe every term, concept and idea with great clarity. The commentary, easy to follow and fluent in flow, explores the secret of the eternal stotra, Aditya Hrdayam conveyed by Sage Agastya to Lord Rama using which the latter emerged victorious over Ravana. Aditya Hrdayam is hailed as one of the greatest tributes to the Sun by our ancient sages that provides insights into the importance of the Sun as the creator and sustainer of the Universe, the ultimate source of all wealth. The commentary involves copious references to Taittiriya Samhita, Taittiriya Aranyaka, Taittiriya Upanisad, Chandogya Upanisad, Srimadbhagavadgita, etc. , which make it all the more comprehensive and scholarly.

Aditya Hrdayam: With the Commentary Tattvaprakasika

Religion & Spirituality

Tattvavidananda Saraswati

Hinduism

Classic reference work, just reprinted in a deluxe edition

Hindu Mythology: Vedic and Puranic (Deluxe Paper Edition)

Politics & Social Sciences

W.J. Wilkins

Social Sciences

Of the monumental literature authored by Sri Sankara, the Sri Daksinamurti Stotram, comprising stotras in praise of the glory of Isvara, holds a significant place. Singing the importance of nirguna nirakara paramesvara, the text elaborates on Lord Sri Daksinamurti as embodiment of atma-dharma and knowledge and describes the essential nature of Brahman.  Here, Swami Tattvavidananda offers his critical, verse-to-verse, detailed commentary on the Daksinamurti Stotram along with its transliteration in Roman script and its English translation. He explains the ultimate truth as presented in that text through a variety of experiences of the false individual caught in the web of samsara. Through original and contemporary yet common examples, he brings out the purport of the Stotram and enumerates various stages of sadhana to understand the ultimate reality and develop an attitude of witness to the inner world of feelings. Themes like creation and nature of universe, process of gaining knowledge, maya, plurality of the world and the supreme reality, the jiva are explained as given in the text. The fluent and easy-to-understand commentary incorporates ancient and modern scientific theories to explain their inadequacies and contentions of various schools of philosophy on different aspects to enable a broader understanding of the text.  The work will interest scholars of ancient Indian philosophy and literature and inspire and motivate general readers keen on acquiring insights into religious and philosophical questions.

Sri Daksinamurti Strotram of Sri Sankaracharya: With the Commentary Tattvaprakasika

"With this verse you are entering into an intense spiritual discipline." Thus concludes the commentary of the first verse of Atmopadesa Satakam, the One Hundred Verses of Self Instruction of Narayana Guru, the best known of his major works. Epitomizing the essence of Guru-disciple transmission, That Alone: The Core of Wisdom recounts 100 darsanas presenting the meaning of Atmopadesa Satakam to a group of disciples. The power of the Hundred Verses is summed up by Guru Nitya: "There is no need to learn each verse and then rationally apply it in everyday life. You can even hear it and forget it. Forgetting means it only goes deeper into you. Once you have heard it, it will go and work its way by itself. The effect will be very subtle. It comes almost without you knowing that it is something which you heard that is enabling you to see things in a new light or make resolutions in a certain more helpful way." Combining scientific rigor with mystical rapture, this book has the power to bring about a total transformation of consciousness by leading the reader to his or her own Core, wherein lies the essence of wisdom.

That Alone the Core of Wisdom: A Commentary on Atmopadesa Satakam

Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati

Philosophy

Brahmanism and Buddhism adopted symbol and image worship almost simultaneously in the pre and early centuries of the Christian era. With the passage of time, the forms and plethora evolved and despite several distinctive features common elements between the two religions continue and fructified. The fact is revealed both at the philosophical and artistic levels. The present volume is the outcome of the well discussed theories by the experts, assembled in an International meet on the subject in February 2003 at Jnana-Pravaha, Varanasi, organized in the joint collaboration of Acharya Narendra Dev International Research Institute for Buddhist Studies, Lucknow. The book incorporates a good number of papers dealing with philosophical and artistic interaction between Brahmanism and Buddhism for more than a millennium years. The interaction was largely peaceful but there were certain phases in the Medieval period when clash also surfaced. It was most profound in the region of art and architecture, as a result of which some similarities as well as unique features between the two had emerged. All these aspects have been brilliantly discussed and specific references to famous places associated with Brahmanical and Buddhist arts in Asia as well as textual references to unravel basic iconographical principles have been adequately reflected in the present volume. The book besides being useful to scholars and students researching on ancient Indian art and architecture would appeal to general readers interested to know more about India's glorious art traditions.

Interaction Between Brahmanical and Buddhist Art

R. C. Sharma

In the pattern of Bertrand Russell s History of Western Philosophy, this book focuses on the evolution of philosophy in India with reference to socio-political and economic conditions, through which one can learn that life and thought are invariably interconnected with polity and persons, economy and environment. The first chapter demonstrates the socio-political, geographical and racial causes for the formation of human thinking, followed by a chapter on what philosophy is and the nature of Indian philosophy. The Vedas and Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita, and about five schools of Vedanta, including Kashmir Shaivism were discussed at length in three different chapters. Another three chapters deal with Carvakas, Jainism and Buddhism; and one on Samkhya and Vaisheshika. This book is unique in the sense that it contains a review in the conclusion; and M.N. Roy has evaluated the philosophical heritage in its introduction. M.N. Roy has remarked that the chapters are of great importance methodologically, and as such constitute the more valuable part of a commendable work of scholarship. It is useful as a reference book for students and scholars as well as general readers interested in understanding the evolution of ancient Indian thought, and broadens the horizons of their knowledge of Indian philosophy.

Evolution of Indian Philosophy

Satchidananda K. Murty

Shabdapramana or Testimony is a formidable doctrine within Indian philosophy. A thorough investigation of this thesis is long overdue. What is shabdapramana (word as knowledge)? What is involved in hearing words? Is the understanding derived through hearing utterances direct or indirect? Does this peculiarly linguistic understanding (shabdabodha) amount to knowledge (prama), or does it depend on certain other conditions for its truth? Further, what sort of theories of meaning, understanding, and knowledge would be required to ground a successful shabdabodha as prama,> need careful attention. It is sometimes said that Indian thinkers had no particularly interesting theory of understanding. The present work sets out to address these issues issues that have engaged traditional and modern thinkers alike. Based on the classic text, Advaita Vedanta-paribhasha of Dharmarajadhvarindra (17th century), the analysis and arguments extend to the views of and criticisms from the Nyaya, Purva Mimamsa and the grammarian/linguistic schools within Indian philosophy, with a treatment of similar concerns in Western philosophy. There is a compelling thesis here that should be taken seriously in any philosophy. Long discarded as a distinct source of knowledge in Western philosophy, Testimony might be fruitfully re-examined. This could lead to mutual dialogue between philosophy and religion, and pave the way for critical metaphysics.

Sabdapramana: Word and Knowledge in Indian Philosophy

Bilimoria, Purushottama

Millions of people have been deeply affected by the life and teachings of the Guru Narayana, who is the central figure of this book. This is a biography, not only of the Guru Narayana, but of Guruhood itself. Religions and philosophies have their sources in such men, and the aim here is to clarify this fact, without being sentimental or sensational. In doing so, many hitherto baffling enigmas of Indian life are given a rational explanation for the first time.  Nataraja Guru, the disciple-successor of the Narayana Guru, uses the contemplative discipline which was characteristic of the Guru Narayana, and brings the Advaita Vedanta method into the forefront of global thought as understood today, introducing a new science of Wisdom-Dialectics. Nataraja Guru's scheme of correlation between science and mysticism amounts to an epochal advance in philosophy.  This book represents the voice of the Guru. The Word of the Guru provides a quantity of original material for study, including fully annotated and carefully translated writings of Guru Narayana. It describes the physical and psychological conditions of South India with great brilliance. The spirituality of India is set forth here in its clearest terms, unambiguous and shorn of all limiting frontiers, suitable for readers in all parts of the world.

The Word of the Guru: The Life and Teachings of Guru Narayana

Nataraja Guru

Pt. Bihiksharam (1887 1975) composed the Sabdajyotsna with a view to teach Sanskrit grammar to an ordinary student in a simple style. The author adopts pratyahara, anuvritti, anubandha, etc. in his work to impart the abridgement on the pattern of Ashtadhyayi and Pratishakhyas. For this purpose, the author tries his best to simplify the tough process of learning Sanskrit grammar.  The sutras of the Shabdajyotsna are composed subject wise (according to prakarana) on the pattern of prakriya works. Only samjna- and sandhi-prakaranas of this work were published in 1958. The rest of the text in Devanagari remained in the form of manuscript lying unattended. The script, whatever traced, was made available to Prof. Shri Krishan Sharma for the editing purposes by his grandson. However, the samasa-prakarana and some portions of taddhita-prakarana still remain untraceable.  In spite of some minor gaps, the work deserves recognition and appreciation in the academic circle. The author of the Sabdajyotsna aimed at and indeed succeeded in fully exposing the rules of Sanskrit grammar in lucid and clear diction.  The work, a pioneering attempt of its kind, may very well be considered as a significant contribution to the tradition of Sanskrit grammar, benefiting students, teachers and researchers alike.

Sabdajyotsna: Of Pandit Bhisksharam (a Sanskrit Grammar)

Reference

Krishan Sharma

Words, Language & Grammar

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the D.K. Print World Ltd publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by D.K. Print World Ltd