The Philosophy of SadhanaThe Philosophy of Sadhana

The Philosophy of Sadhana  With Special Reference to the Trika Philosophy of Kashmir

Deba Brata SenSharma - Author Paul E. Muller-Ortega ,Foreword by       After presenting a general survey of spiritual practice in the different schools of Indian philosophy, the author focuses on the Trika School, popularly called Kashmir Shaivism. He deals clearly and exhaustively with such topics as Shaktipat (the descent of Divine Grace), Diksha (initiation), and the role of the Guru. His treatment of the various paths (upayas) appropriate for the different types of practitioners is especially useful. The book ends with a chapter on enlightenment (jivanmukti). This chapter not only presents the meaning of self-realization-in-this-lifetime, but offers material on this topic for the first time in English. Deba Brata SenSharma, now a Senior Research Fellow of the Asiatic Society (Calcutta), was a student of Gopinath Kaviraj. He was a Professor at Benaras Hindu University and at Kurukshetra University. He is the author of dozens of articles in learned journals and of several books.   Table of Contents Foreword Preface Abbreviations Introduction The Metaphysics of the Trika School The Origin and Nature of Man The Status of Man in Creation The Way to Ultimate Self-Realization The Ways of Spiritual Discipline The Perfect Integral Self-Realization, Sivatva Jivanmukti and Related Issues Glossary Select Bibliography Index

Divine Books,Delhi,2013. Rs.450-00

ISBN.978-93-81218-68-6

 

 

Thanking you.

 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

The Philosophy of SadhanaThe Philosophy of Sadhana

The Philosophy of Sadhana  With Special Reference to the Trika Philosophy of Kashmir
	Deba Brata SenSharma - Author Paul E. Muller-Ortega ,Foreword by

Divine Books,Delhi,2013. Rs.450-00

ISBN.978-93-81218-68-6

 

 

Thanking you.

 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Yoga and the Luminous Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom/Christopher Key Chapple

Yoga and the Luminous Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom
Divine Books,Delhi,2013. ISBN.978-93-81218-71-6, Rs.500-00	Christopher Key Chapple

 

Summary

A fresh look at Yoga philosophy. In Yoga and the Luminous, a book that emerges from more than thirty years of practice, study, and reflection, Christopher Key Chapple addresses the need for an accessible explanation of Yoga's difficult philosophy and its applications in daily life. Yoga practice takes an individual on an inward journey, and through Yoga, one enters a rarefied state of consciousness, a transparency and luminosity described by its great philosopher Patañjali as being "like a clear jewel." Exploring Yoga through the prism of practice, Chapple begins with a historical overview of the many Yogic traditions in Indian religions. He continues with Yoga practice and the philosophy of Sāṃkhya, and then, in step-by-step fashion, he brings the reader to an understanding of the ethics of Yoga, the role of movement and breath, and the processes of concentration and meditation. Finally, building on the root metaphor of luminosity and light, Chapple explains the applications of Yoga in daily life. Yoga and the Luminous also includes a word-by-word translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra, the foundational text of Yoga philosophy and a system of ethical practice and bodily purification. The translation is accompanied by an analysis that traces key ideas through the text, such as the reversal of mental and sensory outflows and the theme of spiritual discernment. Chapple also gives special attention to the feminine in the description of Yoga practices. "…the overall tone of Yoga and the Luminous clearly oscillates between the formally academic and the rhetorical warmth of the Yoga studio … this blending of two distinctive modes of discourse make for a work that is both engaging and accessible … the heart of the text is Chapple's translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra … Most readers … will be delighted to find such readability, precision, and utility in a translation of this crucial work." — International Journal of Hindu Studies "A valuable group of Chapple's essays (old and new) about Yoga … Chapple is both a scholar and practitioner of Yoga, and one can see elements of both trainings in this book." — Religious Studies Review "In Yoga and the Luminous, we get an historical summary about yoga schools of the three classic religions of India, with Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali as the theme of the monograph. This marvelous monograph also weighs in years of personal practice, understanding and diligence of the author … Students and teachers … alike would find Yoga and the Luminous a good reading." — Jinamañjari "…Chapple's insights—the result of 30 years of reflection and writing on yoga—are potent, and he is a gifted writer. The book is a pleasure to read, surveying important themes in the theory and practice of yoga." — CHOICE "Anyone with an interest in Yoga must consider Yoga and the Luminous as a starter guide." — Midwest Book Review "Yoga and the Luminous is a welcome addition to the growing literature on Yoga. This excellent book will be of great value to scholars, practitioners of Yoga, and those interested in how Yoga can be applied to some of the important issues of our time." — Gerald James Larson, Tagore Professor Emeritus, Indiana University at Bloomington, and Professor Emeritus, University of California at Santa Barbara "This book is based not only on a deep understanding of the Yoga Sūtra in its Jaina and Buddhist intellectual context but also on a lifetime of practicing the text. The result is a combination of intellectual insight and practical understanding written in clear English that communicates effectively to a wide range of readers." — Harold Coward, author of The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. He is the author or editor of many books, including Reconciling Yogas: Haribhadra's Collection of Views on Yoga and Ecological Prospects: Scientific, Religious, and Aesthetic Perspectives, both also published by SUNY Press.

 

 

Thanking you.

 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Yoga and the Luminous Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom/Christopher Key Chapple

Yoga and the Luminous Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom
Divine Books,Delhi,2013. ISBN.978-93-81218-71-6, Rs.500-00	Christopher Key Chapple

 

Summary

A fresh look at Yoga philosophy. In Yoga and the Luminous, a book that emerges from more than thirty years of practice, study, and reflection, Christopher Key Chapple addresses the need for an accessible explanation of Yoga's difficult philosophy and its applications in daily life. Yoga practice takes an individual on an inward journey, and through Yoga, one enters a rarefied state of consciousness, a transparency and luminosity described by its great philosopher Patañjali as being "like a clear jewel." Exploring Yoga through the prism of practice, Chapple begins with a historical overview of the many Yogic traditions in Indian religions. He continues with Yoga practice and the philosophy of Sāṃkhya, and then, in step-by-step fashion, he brings the reader to an understanding of the ethics of Yoga, the role of movement and breath, and the processes of concentration and meditation. Finally, building on the root metaphor of luminosity and light, Chapple explains the applications of Yoga in daily life. Yoga and the Luminous also includes a word-by-word translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra, the foundational text of Yoga philosophy and a system of ethical practice and bodily purification. The translation is accompanied by an analysis that traces key ideas through the text, such as the reversal of mental and sensory outflows and the theme of spiritual discernment. Chapple also gives special attention to the feminine in the description of Yoga practices. "…the overall tone of Yoga and the Luminous clearly oscillates between the formally academic and the rhetorical warmth of the Yoga studio … this blending of two distinctive modes of discourse make for a work that is both engaging and accessible … the heart of the text is Chapple's translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra … Most readers … will be delighted to find such readability, precision, and utility in a translation of this crucial work." — International Journal of Hindu Studies "A valuable group of Chapple's essays (old and new) about Yoga … Chapple is both a scholar and practitioner of Yoga, and one can see elements of both trainings in this book." — Religious Studies Review "In Yoga and the Luminous, we get an historical summary about yoga schools of the three classic religions of India, with Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali as the theme of the monograph. This marvelous monograph also weighs in years of personal practice, understanding and diligence of the author … Students and teachers … alike would find Yoga and the Luminous a good reading." — Jinamañjari "…Chapple's insights—the result of 30 years of reflection and writing on yoga—are potent, and he is a gifted writer. The book is a pleasure to read, surveying important themes in the theory and practice of yoga." — CHOICE "Anyone with an interest in Yoga must consider Yoga and the Luminous as a starter guide." — Midwest Book Review "Yoga and the Luminous is a welcome addition to the growing literature on Yoga. This excellent book will be of great value to scholars, practitioners of Yoga, and those interested in how Yoga can be applied to some of the important issues of our time." — Gerald James Larson, Tagore Professor Emeritus, Indiana University at Bloomington, and Professor Emeritus, University of California at Santa Barbara "This book is based not only on a deep understanding of the Yoga Sūtra in its Jaina and Buddhist intellectual context but also on a lifetime of practicing the text. The result is a combination of intellectual insight and practical understanding written in clear English that communicates effectively to a wide range of readers." — Harold Coward, author of The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. He is the author or editor of many books, including Reconciling Yogas: Haribhadra's Collection of Views on Yoga and Ecological Prospects: Scientific, Religious, and Aesthetic Perspectives, both also published by SUNY Press.

 

 

Thanking you.

 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry/A. Whitney Sanford

 

 

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry
	A. Whitney Sanford - Author Divine Books,Delhi,2013.Rs.600=00 ISBN978-93-81218-69-3

 

Summary
Introduces Paramānand, one of India's poet-saints, his work, and this work's use in ritual. Singing Krishna introduces Paramānand, one of north India's greatest medieval poet-saints, whose poetry has been sung from the sixteenth century to the present in ritual service to the Hindu deity Krishna. A. Whitney Sanford examines how hearing Paramānand's poetry in ritual context serves as a threshold for devotees between this world and Krishna's divine world. To "see Krishna" is a primary goal of the devotee, and Paramānand deftly constructs a vision through words. Sanford employs the dual strategies of interpreting Paramānand's poems—which sing the cycles of Krishna's activities—and illustrating the importance of their ritual contexts. This approach offers insight into the nature of the devotional experience that is not accessible by simply studying the poetry or rituals in isolation. Sanford shows that the significance of Paramānand's poetry lies not only in its beauty and historical importance but finally in its capacity to permit the devotee to see through the ephemeral world into Krishna's world. "Singing Krishna is a densely packed combination of beautiful translations and complex literary deconstruction, analyzing the meanings, metaphors and effects of Paramānand's poetry. Sanford has added not only to the body of translated devotional poetry of Braj, but also to the ongoing efforts of scholars of religion to clarify a particular type of religious experience." — International Journal of Hindu Studies "…Sanford's analysis of Paramānand's work is certainly valuable and goes a long way toward unpacking the intense devotional experience of bhakti and the traditions of the Vallabha Sampraday." — Religion "The beautiful lyrics of Paramānand's poetry are a welcome addition to the growing body of Indic poetry in translation. Sanford's excellent book guides us through the poetry and takes us right to its sources." — Constantina Rhodes Bailly, author of Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir: A Translation and Study of Utpaladeva's Shivastotravali A. Whitney Sanford is Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Florida.
Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction A Critical Perspective The Research Context The Experience of the Temple Situated Poetry: Sound Becoming Sight Plan for the Book: Following the Cycles 1. Paramānand's Poetic World About Paramānand's Poetry Paramānand's Poetic Environment Serving Krishna Synaesthesia, Metaphor, and Transformation 2. The End of the Night: Poetry, Memory, and Culture Śayan: While Braj Sleeps Paramānand's World Theater of Memory Mangalā—Krishna Rises Śrngār—Ornamentation 3. Krishna's Morning Games: Creating Intimacy through Treachery Gvāl—Boyhood Play The Gopī's Complaints to Yaśodā Mixed Bhāvas Shattered Boundaries and Spilled Milk: Metonymies of Love 4. Afternoon: Experiencing the Food of Love Rājbhog—A Lunchtime Tryst in the Forest Mahātmya: Separation during the Afternoon Watch Public and Private Līlā Utthāpan—Āvanī: Krishna's Arrival in Braj Exemplars of Bhāva: The Cows and the Gopīs Bhog and Sandhyāratī—The Connoisseur of Rasa Eats and Goes to Bed 5. Night: Playing the Game of Love Śayan Māna—Divine Jealousy The Sakhī's Counsel to Rādhā about Her Sulking and Pride Setting the Stage: A Romantic Evening and the Beauty of the Lovers The Sakhī's Warning The Sakhī's Message to Krishna The Resolution of Māna Krishna's Māna The Sakhī in Māna Poems 6. Autumn to Spring: Gopīs, Birds, and the Moon Śarad: The Autumn Full Moon Hemant: Vows of the Cold Winter Vasant: Spring and Holī 7. Summer—Seeing Reality: The Synaesthetic Transformation Grīsma: The Hot Season Vars: The Rainy Season   Back to the Beginning Notes Works Cited Index

 

 

 

Thanking you.

 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry/A. Whitney Sanford

 

 

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry
	A. Whitney Sanford - Author Divine Books,Delhi,2013.Rs.600=00 ISBN978-93-81218-69-3

 

Summary
Introduces Paramānand, one of India's poet-saints, his work, and this work's use in ritual. Singing Krishna introduces Paramānand, one of north India's greatest medieval poet-saints, whose poetry has been sung from the sixteenth century to the present in ritual service to the Hindu deity Krishna. A. Whitney Sanford examines how hearing Paramānand's poetry in ritual context serves as a threshold for devotees between this world and Krishna's divine world. To "see Krishna" is a primary goal of the devotee, and Paramānand deftly constructs a vision through words. Sanford employs the dual strategies of interpreting Paramānand's poems—which sing the cycles of Krishna's activities—and illustrating the importance of their ritual contexts. This approach offers insight into the nature of the devotional experience that is not accessible by simply studying the poetry or rituals in isolation. Sanford shows that the significance of Paramānand's poetry lies not only in its beauty and historical importance but finally in its capacity to permit the devotee to see through the ephemeral world into Krishna's world. "Singing Krishna is a densely packed combination of beautiful translations and complex literary deconstruction, analyzing the meanings, metaphors and effects of Paramānand's poetry. Sanford has added not only to the body of translated devotional poetry of Braj, but also to the ongoing efforts of scholars of religion to clarify a particular type of religious experience." — International Journal of Hindu Studies "…Sanford's analysis of Paramānand's work is certainly valuable and goes a long way toward unpacking the intense devotional experience of bhakti and the traditions of the Vallabha Sampraday." — Religion "The beautiful lyrics of Paramānand's poetry are a welcome addition to the growing body of Indic poetry in translation. Sanford's excellent book guides us through the poetry and takes us right to its sources." — Constantina Rhodes Bailly, author of Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir: A Translation and Study of Utpaladeva's Shivastotravali A. Whitney Sanford is Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Florida.
Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction A Critical Perspective The Research Context The Experience of the Temple Situated Poetry: Sound Becoming Sight Plan for the Book: Following the Cycles 1. Paramānand's Poetic World About Paramānand's Poetry Paramānand's Poetic Environment Serving Krishna Synaesthesia, Metaphor, and Transformation 2. The End of the Night: Poetry, Memory, and Culture Śayan: While Braj Sleeps Paramānand's World Theater of Memory Mangalā—Krishna Rises Śrngār—Ornamentation 3. Krishna's Morning Games: Creating Intimacy through Treachery Gvāl—Boyhood Play The Gopī's Complaints to Yaśodā Mixed Bhāvas Shattered Boundaries and Spilled Milk: Metonymies of Love 4. Afternoon: Experiencing the Food of Love Rājbhog—A Lunchtime Tryst in the Forest Mahātmya: Separation during the Afternoon Watch Public and Private Līlā Utthāpan—Āvanī: Krishna's Arrival in Braj Exemplars of Bhāva: The Cows and the Gopīs Bhog and Sandhyāratī—The Connoisseur of Rasa Eats and Goes to Bed 5. Night: Playing the Game of Love Śayan Māna—Divine Jealousy The Sakhī's Counsel to Rādhā about Her Sulking and Pride Setting the Stage: A Romantic Evening and the Beauty of the Lovers The Sakhī's Warning The Sakhī's Message to Krishna The Resolution of Māna Krishna's Māna The Sakhī in Māna Poems 6. Autumn to Spring: Gopīs, Birds, and the Moon Śarad: The Autumn Full Moon Hemant: Vows of the Cold Winter Vasant: Spring and Holī 7. Summer—Seeing Reality: The Synaesthetic Transformation Grīsma: The Hot Season Vars: The Rainy Season   Back to the Beginning Notes Works Cited Index

 

 

 

Thanking you.

 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry/A. Whitney Sanford

 

 

Singing Krishna Sound Becomes Sight in Paramanand's Poetry
	A. Whitney Sanford - Author Divine Books,Delhi,2013.Rs.600=00 ISBN978-93-81218-69-3

 

Summary
Introduces Paramānand, one of India's poet-saints, his work, and this work's use in ritual. Singing Krishna introduces Paramānand, one of north India's greatest medieval poet-saints, whose poetry has been sung from the sixteenth century to the present in ritual service to the Hindu deity Krishna. A. Whitney Sanford examines how hearing Paramānand's poetry in ritual context serves as a threshold for devotees between this world and Krishna's divine world. To "see Krishna" is a primary goal of the devotee, and Paramānand deftly constructs a vision through words. Sanford employs the dual strategies of interpreting Paramānand's poems—which sing the cycles of Krishna's activities—and illustrating the importance of their ritual contexts. This approach offers insight into the nature of the devotional experience that is not accessible by simply studying the poetry or rituals in isolation. Sanford shows that the significance of Paramānand's poetry lies not only in its beauty and historical importance but finally in its capacity to permit the devotee to see through the ephemeral world into Krishna's world. "Singing Krishna is a densely packed combination of beautiful translations and complex literary deconstruction, analyzing the meanings, metaphors and effects of Paramānand's poetry. Sanford has added not only to the body of translated devotional poetry of Braj, but also to the ongoing efforts of scholars of religion to clarify a particular type of religious experience." — International Journal of Hindu Studies "…Sanford's analysis of Paramānand's work is certainly valuable and goes a long way toward unpacking the intense devotional experience of bhakti and the traditions of the Vallabha Sampraday." — Religion "The beautiful lyrics of Paramānand's poetry are a welcome addition to the growing body of Indic poetry in translation. Sanford's excellent book guides us through the poetry and takes us right to its sources." — Constantina Rhodes Bailly, author of Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir: A Translation and Study of Utpaladeva's Shivastotravali A. Whitney Sanford is Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Florida.
Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction A Critical Perspective The Research Context The Experience of the Temple Situated Poetry: Sound Becoming Sight Plan for the Book: Following the Cycles 1. Paramānand's Poetic World About Paramānand's Poetry Paramānand's Poetic Environment Serving Krishna Synaesthesia, Metaphor, and Transformation 2. The End of the Night: Poetry, Memory, and Culture Śayan: While Braj Sleeps Paramānand's World Theater of Memory Mangalā—Krishna Rises Śrngār—Ornamentation 3. Krishna's Morning Games: Creating Intimacy through Treachery Gvāl—Boyhood Play The Gopī's Complaints to Yaśodā Mixed Bhāvas Shattered Boundaries and Spilled Milk: Metonymies of Love 4. Afternoon: Experiencing the Food of Love Rājbhog—A Lunchtime Tryst in the Forest Mahātmya: Separation during the Afternoon Watch Public and Private Līlā Utthāpan—Āvanī: Krishna's Arrival in Braj Exemplars of Bhāva: The Cows and the Gopīs Bhog and Sandhyāratī—The Connoisseur of Rasa Eats and Goes to Bed 5. Night: Playing the Game of Love Śayan Māna—Divine Jealousy The Sakhī's Counsel to Rādhā about Her Sulking and Pride Setting the Stage: A Romantic Evening and the Beauty of the Lovers The Sakhī's Warning The Sakhī's Message to Krishna The Resolution of Māna Krishna's Māna The Sakhī in Māna Poems 6. Autumn to Spring: Gopīs, Birds, and the Moon Śarad: The Autumn Full Moon Hemant: Vows of the Cold Winter Vasant: Spring and Holī 7. Summer—Seeing Reality: The Synaesthetic Transformation Grīsma: The Hot Season Vars: The Rainy Season   Back to the Beginning Notes Works Cited Index

 

 

 

Thanking you.

 

Varun Gupta
Divine Books
40/13.Shakti Nagar.
Delhi-110007.
India.
Ph.no..No..011 6519 6428
divinebooksindia@gmail.com
www.divinebooksindia.com