Woman and Goddess in Hinduism
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goddess traditions. See spirituality, feminist
gods: Ka, 173, 176, 182, 188, 194n3; Viu, 179–180; women as, 137–140. See also iva
Gold, Ann, 222
Gold, Daniel, 110
Gonda, Jan, 163
gops (milkmaids, followers of Ka), 14, 173, 177, 188, 192, 193, 194n3
grammar, 154, 158
Great Goddess. See Mahdev (Great Goddess); See also Dev (Goddess)
Great Mantra Practice (mahmantrasdhana). See Kl Practice
Ghya Stras, 155, 163
Gross, Rita, 4, 103–104
GST (Gupta Sdhana Tantra), 127, 131, 137, 139
GT (Gandharva Tantra), 127, 128, 131, 135, 136, 141n10, 141n12
Gupta, Lina, 103
Gupta Sdhana Tantra (GST), 127, 131, 137, 139
Gurumayi (Swami Chidvilasananda), 99, 100–103, 108, 116n19, 223. See also Siddha Yoga
gurus, 132, 139–140
gurus, female, 12, 99; as the Goddess, 106–107; leadership styles of, 101, 114n6; akti and, 105; textual references to, 125; titles of, 105–106; universality and, 107–109; Western feminism and, 100–103
health/welfare, women’s, 13–14, 149–150, 155, 158, 160, 166
heat. See fire; tapas (heat of ascetic practices)
Hegel, G. W. F., 131
Heidegger, Martin, 7
Hein, Norvin, 185
Herman, Phyllis K., 11–12, 222–223
hermeneutics, 1–16; constructive engagement and, 1, 15; defined, 3; dialexis and, 6; Gandhi and, 198, 210, 214–215; hermeneutical circle, 8–9; hermeneutical effort, 6–9; hermeneutics of alterity and, 3–4; intersubjective construction and, 5–6; methodology and, 3–6, 219–220; Otherness and, 2–9, 5, 226; scholarship and, 97; social/religious change and, 227; surrender and, 174; themes and, 9–15. See also dialexis; intersubjectivity; scholarship
Howard, Veena R., 13, 15, 181, 224
Humes, Cynthia, 221–222
husbands: choice of, 20, 22–24, 29, 30, 31n2, 223; death of, 24–25; devotion to, 19–20, 29, 30, 82–84, 210, 223, 225; of female gurus, 106. See also pativrats (devoted wives)
icons. See Chinnamast Indian National Congress, 215
“Indian Nationalism, Gandhian ‘Satyagraha,’ and Representations of Female Sexuality” (Katrak), 199
infanticide, female, 14, 160–161, 162, 165, 225
injunction (codan), 153, 160–164, 165
inner being as female, 15, 189–192
inner disposition (bhva), 177
intention (vivaka), 154
intersubjectivity, 4, 5–6, 7–9, 15, 219, 226; dialexis and, 2; personal experience and, 113; scholarship and, 97, 99, 227–228; Siddha Yoga and, 102. See also dialexis; hermeneutics; scholarship
Iyer, Subramania, 154
Jaimini, 150, 151, 154, 160, 161, 162
Jarow, E. H. Rick, 13, 14–15, 224, 227
Jayashri Ma (female guru), 106
Jha, Ganganatha, 154
jñna (knowledge), 180
Johnson, Mark, 13, 150
jor (unified male-female pair), 224–225
kacc food, 81, 88
Kakar, Sudhir, 190, 224–225
Kl, 68, 125, 126, 128
Klidsa, 83
Kl Practice, 12–13, 223–224; elements of, 126–127; rite of sexual union in, 133–134; textual sources for, 127–128; “women are gods” verse, 128, 131, 132, 137–139; women’s power and, 135–138; women’s rights and, 122–123
kma (sensory pleasure), 69, 187–188
Kmkhya temple, 74, 123, 128
Kmevara Sri, 52, 57n1, 58n13, 58n15
karma (works/worldly action), 180
Katrak, Ketu H., 199, 202
Ktyyana rauta Stra, 158
Kaustaki rauta Stra, 161
KCT (Kulacmai Tantra), 125, 128
Khanna, Madhu, 69, 106, 226
Kishwar, Madhu, 91, 93n6, 98, 204, 209, 213, 225
kitchens, 11–12, 82–83, 87, 92, 222–223. See also cooking; St Rasos
Knipe, David, 165
Kohut, Heinz, 5
kratvrtha (also kratu-artha) (coherence of ritual), 153, 161–162
Kristeva, Julia, 140
Ka, 173, 176, 182, 188, 194n3
Kulacmai Tantra (KCT), 125, 128
Kulrava Tantra (KuT), 125, 127, 128, 133
Kumrila, 162
kualin, 10, 41–42, 65–66, 67
kualin akti, 109, 122
KuT (Kulrnava Tantra), 125, 127, 128, 133
Lacan, Jacques, 140
Laksmdhara, 43, 52, 57n1, 58n15, 58n16, 58n18
Lal, Vinay, 199
leadership, women’s, 101, 102, 114n6, 227
Levi-Strauss, Claude, 159
lexical choice, 6
ll (play), 70–71, 182, 192–193, 194n3
Lipner, Julius, 25
love, 187–189. See also bhakti (loving devotion)
McDaniel, June, 106, 184, 190–191
McDermott, Rachel, 125
McGee, Mary, 81, 89, 150, 158
Mcthbhftctvcttct Purnct, 67
Mahbhrata, 206; story of Svitr in, 21–25, 26–29
Mahdev (Great Goddess): Mahvidys and, 10–11, 62, 64–65; nonduality and, 73; as akti, 105; Saundarya Lahar and, 10, 33. See also Dev (Goddess)
Mahvidys, 10–11, 61–62, 64–65, 67–68
Ma Jaya (female guru), 106
mantras: artha and, 153–154; Dev and, 36, 42–44; Mms and, 154; “protection of Rma” mantra, 149; recited for/with women, 131, 163; R. gvedic mantra, 157; women’s health/ welfare and, 150; women’s power and, 136–137
mantra texts, 151
Manu, 30, 125, 127
Manushi (magazine), 91
marriage, 211. See also husbands; pativrats (devoted wives)
masculinity, 64; brahmacarya and, 207; devotion and, 184; divinity and, 189–190; emasculation, 190–191, 193; Gandhi and, 202; karma and, 180; power and, 181.
See also femininity
Mataji, Sri (Nirmala Devi) (female guru), 101
Matsya Pura, 85
my, 101, 102, 107
My Tantra (MT), 127, 133, 135, 136, 137–138, 141n12
Meera Ma (Mother Meera) (female guru), 101, 106
Mehta, Narsi, 190
men, 106, 190–191, 203, 206. See also husbands; masculinity
methodology. See hermeneutics “Mms and the Problem of History in Traditional India” (Pollock), 152
Mms philosophy, 13–14, 149–150, 151–152, 152–155, 158, 165–166, 219–220. See also
Mira, 183
moks.a (spiritual liberation), 69
Molaram, 71
Moral Imagination (Johnson), 13, 150
motherliness, 105–106, 184, 222
Mother Meera (Meera Ma) (female guru), 101, 106
MT (My Tantra), 127, 133, 135, 136, 137–138, 141n12
Muktananda, Swami, 108, 110
Muller-Ortega, Paul, 64
nd. s (energy channels of subtle body), 67
Naidu, Sarojini, 90, 215
nmadheya texts, 151
Nammlvr, 173
Nandy, Ashis, 181
Nrada, 23–24
Nrada Bhakti Stras, 185–186
Narayanan, Swami, 160
Nrvda initiative, 226
nationalism, 90–91, 181, 186, 199, 204–205
Nehru, Uma, 209
Nlasaraswat (Blue Goddess of Speech), 126, 128
Nlasaraswat Tantra (NST), 127, 135, 137–138
Nla Tantra (NT), 127, 128
Nirmala Devi (Sri Mataji) (female guru), 101
nonduality, 11, 62–64, 73, 174– 175. See also dualities
nonviolence movement, 4, 198–199, 199–201
nourishment/fertility, 82; blood as, 65–66, 68, 71–73; St and, 84–85
NST (Nlasaraswat Tantra), 127, 135, 137–138
NT (Nla Tantra), 127, 128
Of Woman Caste (Bagwe), 129
Orientalism, 126
Otherness, 2–9, 15, 99, 140, 226
&nbs
p; Padma Pura, 173
Padoux, Andre, 33–34
pakk food, 81, 88
Pini, 164
Prvat, 42–43, 68, 84, 121–123
Patjali, 158, 164
Patel, Sujata, 202, 212, 216n4
pativrats (devoted wives), 14, 223; cooking and, 87–89; defined, 80–82; empowerment and, 79–80; nationalism and, 90–91; ka Pithas and, 83–84; shrines and, 86–87; St Rasos and, 82–83; surrender and, 173, 178; tapas and, 25, 81, 89; women’s power and, 89–92
Patton, Laurie L., 13–14, 219–220, 225, 226, 227
Pauwels, Heidi, 186
Pechilis, Karen, 11, 12, 220, 225, 226
personal experience, 61–63, 64, 109, 110–111, 113, 223
Phetkrin. Tantra (PhT), 127, 141n12
philosophy, Hindu, 13–14, 225; · Skhy philosophy, 63, 128–129, 182. See also Mms philosophy
PhT (Phetkrin. Tantra), 127, 141n12
physicality. See embodiedness/materiality/prakti
pleasure, 69, 187–188; social order and, 185–186; as spiritually significant, 46, 48–49, 52, 55–56; surrender and, 182–183; tantra and, 34. See also sexuality
PMS (Prva Mms Siltras), 151, 152, 153, 154, 163
Pollock, Sheldon, 151, 152 power: Dev and, 36, 38–40, 51–52; fasting and, 89; kitchens and, 87, 92; surrender and, 181, 185, 188, 192–193. See also empowerment; power, women’s; akti (female spiritual power); tapas (power of ascetic practices)
power, women’s: becoming female and, 190–191; Gandhi and, 198, 201, 214–215; Kl Practice and, 135–138; nonviolence and, 199– 201. See also empowerment; power; akti (female spiritual power)
Prajnda, Swamy, 65
pakrti (nature, materiality). See embodiedness/materiality/prakti?
pakrti (ritual prototype), 163
prama (authoritative knowledge, right reasoning), 13–14, 149, 150–151, 159, 160–161, 165
prapatti (surrender). See surrender prema (otherworldly love), 187–189.
See also bhakti (loving devotion)
Purn.as., 174; Bhgavata Purn. a, 177, 181, 188; Dev Bhgavata Purn. a, 184; Mahbhgavata Purn. a, 67; Matsya Purn. a, 85; Padma Purn. a, 173
purity, 88, 187
puru.sa (consciousness), 63, 128–129, 182
purusrtha (also purusa-artha) (goals of humanity), 153, 155, 158–159, 160
Prva Mlmms Stras (PMS) (Jaimini), 151, 152, 153, 154, 163
Pustimrga (Vaisnava sect), 180
Puttick, Elizabeth, 101, 102, 114n6
Rdh, 175, 176, 182, 185, 188, 189, 192
Raheja, Gloria, 138
Rmnuja, 178, 179
Rma-raksa, (“protection of Rma” mantra), 149
Rmyana/R.ma narrative, 82, 85, 86
Ramprasad, Bhatuk, 65
rsa-ll (circle dance), 192–193, 194n3
Ratte, Lou, 90
reflection, 1, 9–11, 97, 110–111, 219. See also dialexis
renunciation, 182, 199–200. See also surrender
R. gvedic hymns. See RV 5.78 (hymn)
R. gvedic mantra, 157
Ra Vidhna, 156–157
Ricoeur, Paul, 9
rituals, 149–166; coherence of, 153, 161–162; cooking as, 87–89; ethical thought and, 160–161; in everyday life, 149; Mms and, 151–155; rite of sexual union, 127, 132–134; RV 5.78 and, 155–157; transfer of action and, 163–164; women’s health and, 13–14, 149–151, 158–166. See also Mms philosophy; sacrifices, ritual
Ruether, Rosemary, 4
Rpa Gosvmí, 180
RV 5.78 (hymn), 155–157, 159, 160, 164, 166
abdrtha (also abda-arthd) (meaningfulness of Vedic words),
sacred geography, 11–12, 80, 83–84, 85, 92. See also Skta Pthas; St Rasos
sacrifices, ritual, 153; artha and, 154; dharma and, 162; ethical thought and, 165; grammar and, 158; Mms and, 151–152; women and, 154–155, 158–159, 164, 165. See also Mms philosophy
sadcara (traditional/customary practice), 14, 149–150, 160–161
sdhana (spiritual practice), 67, 108, 111, 136. See also ascetic practices
kta Conduct (sktcra). See Kl Practice
Skta Pithas (“Seats/Places of Goddess Power” shrines), 11–12, 79–80, 83–84, 85–87
Skta tantra, 62, 63–64, 67, 70, 184
s’akti (female/feminine spiritual power), 11–13, 223–224, 226; childbirth and, 201–202; Dev and, 54–55, 221–222; kundalin s’akti, 109, 122; Siddha Yoga and, 105; surrender and, 189; transmission of, 108, 110. See also empowerment; power; power, women’s
akti (Great Goddess), 64, 105, 189, 226. See also Mahdev (Great Goddess); kta tantra
aktisahgama Tantra, 126
Sambandar, 173
. amkara, 35, 57n6, 58n13
· Smkhya philosophy, 63, 128–129, 182
Saptavadhri, 155–157, 159
Sat, 11–12; body of, 83–84, 85; empowerment and, 79, 86–87; ideals of womanhood and, 19–20, 30; jo and, 224–225; Mahvidys and, 67–68; materiality and, 222–223; nationalism and, 90; Svitr and, 10, 20–26, 30. See also kta Pihas
Sat-Svitr, 10, 19, 20
satygraha (truth-force, moral force), 198–201
Satyavn, 24–25, 26–28
Saundarya Lahar, 10, 33–59; beauty and, 37; climax of, 52–54; Dev in, 36–55; feminism and, 54–56; “Flood of Beauty,” 45–52, 53; “Flood of Bliss,” 40–45, 53; materiality and, 221–222; tantra and, 33–36. See also Dev (Goddess)
Svitr, 19–31; agency and, 223; Gandhi and, 213; ideals of womanhood and, 19–20, 29–31; jo and, 224–225; Sat and, 10, 20–26, 30; story of, 21–30; Suttee and, 10, 26, 28–29, 30
Saxena, Neela Bhattacharya, 9, 10–11, 222
Scharf, Peter, 154
scholarship, 2–3, 97–99, 219–228. See also dialexis; hermeneutics; intersubjectivity; scholarship, feminist
scholarship, feminist, 4, 99, 101–102, 113, 213, 223
Selby, Martha, 184
Sered, Susan, 87
sexuality: celibacy, 199, 204–208, 216n3, 224; Chinnamast and, 65–67, 70, 71, 72, 222; feminine virtues and, 202; Gandhi’s, 198; surrender and, 182; tantra and, 34, 62–64, 127, 132–134; women’s power and, 136
Sharma, Arvind, 9, 10, 223, 224–225
Sherma, Rita D.: hermeneutics of intersubjectivity and, 219, 226; on Hindu feminism, 80; on my, 107; reenvisioning of Hindu traditions and, 220; on scholarship, 97, 98, 99; on Siddha Yoga, 115n13; on tantra, 63–64, 107
shrines. See kta Pihas; St Rasos
Siddha Yoga: accessibility and, 104–105; feminism and, 100–103, 223; feminist scholarship and, 99; gender and, 109; personal experience and, 110–111, 113, 223; akti and, 105, 108, 110, 223; social activism and, 112–113; South Fallsburg ashram, 100, 110–112; tantra and, 115n13
Sircar, D. C., 83
St, 11–12, 220; cooking and, 82–83, 84–85, 86, 222–223; empowerment and, 79–80, 86–87, 89–92; Gandhi and, 15, 210, 212, 213; surrender and, 177. See also St Rasos
St Rasos (“St’s Kitchen” shrines), 11–12, 79–80, 82–83, 85–87, 92
iva: Chinnamast and, 69, 71; Dev and, 34, 38, 44–45, 48, 54; Mahvidys and, 67–68; Sat and, 19, 30, 83–84; in Siddha Yoga, 104; tantra and, 64, 115n13, 121, 123; women and, 137–138
smti (remembered knowledge), 149–150
snakes, 65, 74
Soaring and Settling: Buddhist Perspectives on Contemporary Social and Religious Issues (Gross), 4
social change: bhakti and, 184; Mms and, 152–153; nonviolence movement, 198–201; scholarship and, 226–228; Siddha Yoga and, 112–113
South Fallsburg ashram, 100, 110–112
spirituality, feminist, 103, 108–109, 223
Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty, 102
rauta Stras, 155, 158, 161
r Cakra, 35, 42
r Vaiava School, 178–179
r ʏantra, 174–175, 224
Staal, Frits, 153–154, 163
Steger, Manfred, 202
Stotraratna (Ymuncrya), 179
&nb
sp; strdharma (codes of conduct about women’s lives), 14, 150
“Subjectivity and Intersubjectivity;
Subject and Person” (Gadamer), 7
dras (servant caste), 129, 130, 139, 224
Sundar Rajan, Rajeshwari, 124–125
surrender, 14–15, 173–193, 220; colonialism and, 185–187; desire and, 182–183; discourse of, 173–178; etymologies of, 178–182; gender and, 189–192; love and, 187–189; power and, 181, 188, 192–193; social politics and, 183–185. See also bhakti (loving devotion)
Suttee, 10, 19–20, 26, 28–29, 30
Taittirya Sahit, 161
Taneja, Anup, 201, 209
tantra, 12–13, 220; defined, 63; Dev and, 45, 54; Kl Practice in, 126–127; left-handed, 122, 126, 128; my and, 107; right-handed, 122; kta tantra, 62, 63–64, 67, 70, 184; Saundarya Lahar and, 33–36, 40–45, 46; scholarship and, 123–124; sexuality and, 34, 62–64, 133–134; worship in, 121–123. See also Kl Practice; tantric texts
tantric texts, 69, 124, 125, 127–128; Bhannla Tantra (BT), 127, 128, 132, 134, 135, 136, 139;
Cncra Tantra (CT), 127, 139;
Gandharva Tantra (GT), 127, 128, 131, 135, 136, 141n10, 141n12; Gupta Sdhana Tantra (GST), 127, 131, 137, 139; Kulacmai Tantra (KCT), 125, 128; Kulrava Tantra (KuT), 125, 127, 128, 133; My Tantra (MT), 127, 133, 135, 136, 137–138, 141n12; Nlasaraswat Tantra (NST), 127, 135, 137–138; Nla Tantra (NT), 127, 128; Phetkri Tantra (PhT), 127, 141n12; aktisagama Tantra, 126; ʏoni Tantra (YT), 127
tapas (heat, power of ascetic practices): Gandhi and, 202–203; pativrats and, 25, 81, 89; Sat and, 83; satygraha and, 199–200; Svitr and, 10, 28–29, 30–31
Tr, 126, 128
The Ten Mahvidys: Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine (Kinsley), 65, 66
Terchek, Ronald J., 208
thealogy, feminist, 54–56
thealogy, Hindu, 1–2, 220
traditional values, Hindu, 13–15, 20; reenvisioning of, 219–220; Svitr and, 10, 29–31; womanhood and, 198
transcendence, 71, 193
universalism, 227–228
universality, 104–105, 107–109, 154
Vaiava tradition, 14–15, 176. See also surrender
Vallabha, 180
Vaudeville, Charlotte, 173, 178
Vedas, 13–14, 151, 152. See also Vedic texts
Vedic texts, 13–14, 163; arthavda texts, 151, 160–161; Atharava Veda, 161–162; categories of, 151; feminism and, 150; Ghya Stras, 155, 163; RV 5.78 (hymn), 155–157, 159, 160, 164, 166; rauta Stras, 155, 158, 161; Vidhnas, 163