Oxford University Press, USA
The Ubiquitous Siva: Somananda's Sivadrsti and His Tantric Interlocutors
The Ubiquitous Siva: Somananda's Sivadrsti and His Tantric Interlocutors
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John Nemec examines the beginnings of the non-dual tantric philosophy of the famed Pratyabhijña or Recognition [of God] School of tenth-century Kashmir, the tradition most closely associated with Kashmiri Shaivism. In doing so it offers, for the very first time, a critical edition and
annotated translation of a large portion of the first Pratyabhijña text ever composed, the Sivadrsti of Somananda. In an extended introduction, Nemec argues that the author presents a unique form of non-dualism, a strict pantheism that declares all beings and entities found in the universe to be
fully identical with the active and willful god Siva. This view stands in contrast to the philosophically more flexible panentheism of both his disciple and commentator, Utpaladeva, and the very few other Saiva tantric works that were extant in the author's day. Nemec also argues that the text was
written for the author's fellow tantric initiates, not for a wider audience. This can be adduced from the structure of the work, the opponents the author addresses, and various other editorial strategies. Even the author's famous and vociferous arguments against the non-tantric Hindu grammarians may
be shown to have been ultimately directed at an opposing Hindu tantric school that subscribed to many of the grammarians' philosophical views. Included in the volume is a critical edition and annotated translation of the first three (of seven) chapters of the text, along with the corresponding
chapters of the commentary. These are the chapters in which Somananda formulates his arguments against opposing tantric authors and schools of thought. None of the materials made available in the present volume has ever been translated into English, apart from a brief rendering of the first chapter
that was published without the commentary in 1957. None of the commentary has previously been translated into any language at all.
Author: John Nemec
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 07/22/2011
Pages: 456
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.45lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780199795468
Review Citation(s):
Choice 02/01/2012
annotated translation of a large portion of the first Pratyabhijña text ever composed, the Sivadrsti of Somananda. In an extended introduction, Nemec argues that the author presents a unique form of non-dualism, a strict pantheism that declares all beings and entities found in the universe to be
fully identical with the active and willful god Siva. This view stands in contrast to the philosophically more flexible panentheism of both his disciple and commentator, Utpaladeva, and the very few other Saiva tantric works that were extant in the author's day. Nemec also argues that the text was
written for the author's fellow tantric initiates, not for a wider audience. This can be adduced from the structure of the work, the opponents the author addresses, and various other editorial strategies. Even the author's famous and vociferous arguments against the non-tantric Hindu grammarians may
be shown to have been ultimately directed at an opposing Hindu tantric school that subscribed to many of the grammarians' philosophical views. Included in the volume is a critical edition and annotated translation of the first three (of seven) chapters of the text, along with the corresponding
chapters of the commentary. These are the chapters in which Somananda formulates his arguments against opposing tantric authors and schools of thought. None of the materials made available in the present volume has ever been translated into English, apart from a brief rendering of the first chapter
that was published without the commentary in 1957. None of the commentary has previously been translated into any language at all.
Author: John Nemec
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 07/22/2011
Pages: 456
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.45lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780199795468
Review Citation(s):
Choice 02/01/2012
About the Author
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, University of Virginia
This title is not returnable
