Download or read book The Book of Avatars and Divinities written by and published by Penguin Random House India Private Limited. This book was released on 2018-11-21 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Hindu universe, gods and goddesses play freely among human beings to help them, nudge them towards the right action and mete out justice. They may appear to us as avatars in human form or manifest themselves as forces of nature. The many myths of Hinduism become colourful and entertaining when Shiva, Vishnu and Devi take different forms to enact their rivalries, destroy demons and teach devotees with superpowers a lesson in humility. This first-of-its-kind book brings together the major deities of the Hindu pantheon, describing the different manifestations by which they are recognized, celebrated and worshipped-from Durga to Sita to Kali, and from Narasimha to Parashurama to Krishna. The contributions by Bulbul Sharma, Namita Gokhale, Nanditha Krishna, Parvez Dewan, Royina Grewal and Seema Mohanty offer enchanting stories about our favourite divinities.
Download or read book Book of Avatars and Divinities written by Penguin India and published by Penguin Enterprise. This book was released on 2018-11 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Hindu universe, gods and goddesses play freely among human beings to help them, nudge them towards the right action and mete out justice. They may appear to us as avatars in human form or manifest themselves as forces of nature. The many myths of Hinduism become colourful and entertaining when Shiva, Vishnu and Devi take different forms to enact their rivalries, destroy demons and teach devotees with superpowers a lesson in humility. This first-of-its-kind book brings together the major deities of the Hindu pantheon, describing the different manifestations by which they are recognized, celebrated and worshipped-from Durga to Sita to Kali, and from Narasimha to Parashurama to Krishna. The contributions by Bulbul Sharma, Namita Gokhale, Nanditha Krishna, Parvez Dewan, Royina Grewal and Seema Mohanty offer enchanting stories about our favourite divinities.
Download or read book Hindu Gods Goddesses written by Stephen Knapp and published by Jaico Publishing House. This book was released on 2012-01-01 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: UNDERSTANDING VEDIC HINDU DIVINITIES Understanding the assorted divinities or gods and goddesses of the Vedic or Hindu pantheon is not so difficult when it is presented simply and effectively. And that is what you will find in this book. This will open you to many of the possibilities and potentials of the Vedic tradition, and show how it has been able to cater and fulfill the spiritual needs and development of so many people since time immemorial. This book explains the nature of the Vedic divinities, their purposes and powers, and the ways they influence and affect the natural energies of the universe. It also shows how they can assist us and that blessings from them can help our own spiritual and material development and potentialities, depending on what we need. The divinities include Lord Krishna, Vishnu, their main avatars and expansions, along with Brahma, Shiva, Ganesh, Murugan, Surya, Hanuman, as well as the goddesses including Radha, Durga, Saraswati, Lakshmi. We find explanations of their names, attributes, dress, weapons, instruments, the meaning of the Shiva lingam, and some of the legends and stories connected with them.
Download or read book Sacred Animals of India written by Nanditha Krishna and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2014-05-01 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Animals are worshipped in India in many ways: as deities—the elephant-god Ganesha and the monkey-god Hanuman; as avatars—like Vishnu’s fish, tortoise and boar forms; and as vahanas—the swan, bull, lion and tiger were all vehicles of major deities and are thus sacred by association. Some animals, like the snake, are worshipped out of fear. Birds such as the crow are associated with the abode of the dead, or the souls of ancestors, while the cow’s sanctity may derive from its economic value. There are also hero-animals, such as the vanaras, and animals which were totemic symbols of tribes that were assimilated into Vedic Hinduism. Sacred Animals of India draws on the ancient religious traditions of India—Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism—to explore the customs and practices that engendered the veneration of animals in India. This book also examines the traditions that gave animals in India protection, and is a reminder of the role of animal species in the earth’s biodiversity.
Download or read book Krishna Deities and Their Miracles written by Stephen Knapp and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Krishna Deities and Their Miracles This book helps reveal how the Deities of Krishna in the temple are but another channel through which the Divine can be better understood and perceived. In fact, the Deities Themselves can exhibit what some would call miracles in the way They reveal how the Divine accepts the Deity form. These miracles between the Deities of Krishna and His devotees happen in many different ways, and all the time. This is one process through which Krishna, or the Supreme Being, reveals Himself and the reality of His existence. Stories of such miracles or occurrences extend through the ages up to modern times, and all around the world. This book relates an assortment of these events to show how the images in the temples have manifested Their personality and character in various ways in Their pastimes with Their devotees, whether it be for developing their devotion, instructing them, or simply giving them His kindness, mercy or inspiration. This book helps show that the Supreme Reality is a person who plays and exhibits His pastimes in any manner He likes. This is also why worship of the Deity in the temple has been and remains a primary means of increasing one's devotion and connection with the Supreme Being. Besides presenting stories of the reciprocation that can exist between Krishna in His Deity form and the ordinary living beings, other topics include: The antiquity of devotion to the Deity in the Vedic tradition. Historical sites of ancient Deity worship. Scriptural instructions and references to Deity veneration. The difference between idols and Deities. What is darshan and the significance of Deities. Why God would even take the initiative to reveal Himself to His devotees and accept the position of being a Deity. This book will give deeper insight into the unlimited personality and causeless benevolence of the Supreme, especially to those who become devoted to Him.
Download or read book The Myths and Gods of India written by Alain Danielou and published by Motilal Banarsidass. This book was released on 2017-01-01 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Avatar Faculty written by Jeffrey G. Snodgrass and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2022 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Avatar Faculty creatively examines the parallels between spiritual and digital activities to explore the roles that symbolic second selves--avatars--can play in our lives. The use of avatars can allow for what anthropologists call ecstasy, from the Greek ekstasis, meaning "standing outside oneself." The archaic techniques of promoting spiritual ecstasy, which remain central to religious healing traditions around the world, now also have contemporary analogues in virtual worlds found on the internet. In this innovative book, Jeffrey G. Snodgrass argues that avatars allow for the ecstatic projection of consciousness into alternate realities, potentially providing both the spiritually possessed and gamers access to superior secondary identities with elevated social standing. Even if only temporary, self-transformations of these kinds can help reduce psychosocial stress and positively improve health and well-being.
Download or read book Dashavtar written by Sonalini Chaudhry Dawar and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dashavtar is a large print book which talks about the ten principal Avatars. The most common interpretation of the word 'Avatar' refers to the 'descent' and the word 'Dasha' refers to 'ten' in number. The book talks about the ten most famous incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
Download or read book Aristotle on Religion written by Mor Segev and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-11-02 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides a comprehensive account of the socio-political role Aristotle attributes to traditional religion, despite rejecting its content.
Download or read book The Hindu Pantheon written by Edward Moor and published by . This book was released on 1810 with total page 706 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Book of Ganesha written by Royina Grewal and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2009-07-20 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, is easily the most recognizable and loveable of Hindu deities. But pinpointing his various attributes is not quite so simple. He is at once the portly, merry, childlike god and the sage, complex philosopher. He is the presiding deity of material wealth and the lord of spirituality. He removes all impediments for his devotees but creates all manner of difficulties for the transgressors, man or god. And associated with every aspect of Ganesha-be it his extraordinary birth, his elephant head, his broken tusk, his vehicle (the mouse), his appetite, his anger-are scores of myths, each more colourful than the other. In this thoroughly researched and delightfully narrated book, Royina Grewal gives us the many stories of Ganesha, exploring their significance and how they reflect the times and the cultures during which they originated.
Download or read book South Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses written by Hosakote Krishna Sastri and published by . This book was released on 1916 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Sacred Plants of India written by Nanditha Krishna and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2014-05-15 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plants personify the divine— The Rig Veda (X.97) Trees and plants have long been held sacred to communities the world over. In India, we have a whole variety of flora that feature in our myths, our epics, our rituals, our worship and our daily life. There is the pipal, under which the Buddha meditated on the path to enlightenment; the banyan, in whose branches hide spirits; the ashoka, in a grove of which Sita sheltered when she was Ravana’s prisoner; the tulsi, without which no Hindu house is considered complete; the bilva, with whose leaves it is possible to inadvertently worship Shiva. Before temples were constructed, trees were open-air shrines sheltering the deity, and many were symbolic of the Buddha himself. Sacred Plants of India systematically lays out the sociocultural roots of the various plants found in the Indian subcontinent, while also asserting their ecological importance to our survival. Informative, thought-provoking and meticulously researched, this book draws on mythology and botany and the ancient religious traditions of India to assemble a detailed and fascinating account of India’s flora.
Download or read book Seeing Spiritual India written by Stephen Knapp and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2008-05-29 with total page 879 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is for anyone who wants to know of the many holy sites that you can visit while traveling within India, how to reach them, and what is the history and significance of these most spiritual of sacred sites, temples, and festivals. It also provides a deeper understanding of the mysteries and spiritual traditions of India. This book includes: Descriptions of the temples and their architecture, and what you will see at each place. Explanations of holy places of Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, and Muslims. The spiritual benefits a person acquires by visiting them. Convenient itineraries to take to see the most of each area of India, which is divided into East, Central, South, North, West, the Far Northeast, and Nepal. Packing list suggestions and how to prepare for your trip, and problems to avoid. How to get the best experience you can from your visit to India. How the spiritual side of India can positively change you forever. This book goes beyond the usual descriptions of the typical tourist attractions and opens up the spiritual venue waiting to be revealed for a far deeper experience on every level.
Download or read book The Book of Kali written by Seema Mohanty and published by Penguin Books India. This book was released on 2009-07 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most unconventional yet immensely popular deities in the Hindu pantheon, goddess Kali essentially represents the dark and contrary aspects of the cosmos. Her naked form and association with violence, blood and gore challenge the very concept of divinity. Yet, over the centuries, she has come to represent a whole gamut of conflicting images-from bloodthirsty ogress to benign goddess. So today while she is venerated as Chamunda, a deity who verges on the macabre and grotesque, she is also adored in household shrines in one of her milder forms, Dakshina-Kali. It is this evolution of Kali-from her origin as a tantric goddess to her metamorphosis into a divinity in mainstream religion-that Seema Mohanty captures brilliantly in this book. Drawing upon a variety of sources-rituals associated with the worship of Kali, tales from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras and Agamas, folklore and films-she has succeeded in portraying in engrossing detail the myriad manifestations of the enigmatic deity that is Kali.
Download or read book Gods in the World written by Aftab S. Jassal and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2024-11-05 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the north Indian state of Uttarakhand, in the Central Himalayas, Hindu deities are ever present in the lives of devotees. Through ritual practices of placemaking, spirit mediums, oracles, priests, and other specialists bring these beings into embodied form, calling on them for healing and counsel. In exchange for alleviating human suffering, deities ask that a place be made for them—in homes, villages, and temples, and in bodies, lives, and communities. Gods in the World is a richly descriptive and evocative ethnography of Hindu ritual practices that shows how deities and other supernatural agents come to matter to ordinary people. Aftab S. Jassal traces how acts of placemaking, including healing practices that repair and restore relations between people and deities, allow deities to participate and intervene in human affairs. Many of the professional healers, storytellers, musicians, spirit mediums, and lay devotees who are chronicled belong to marginalized Dalit communities. These communities are at the forefront of combined pressures of tourism, neoliberal development, and Hindutva nationalist politics and often find creative ways of responding to their changing worlds. Bringing together fresh insights on the dynamics of caste and gender with enduring questions about ritual, healing, and the nature of human-divine relations, Gods in the World offers a striking account of everyday Hinduism in a contested and rapidly changing region.
