Alternative Krishnas

Guy L. Beck - Editor

Description

Krishna—widely venerated and adored in the Hindu tradition—is a deity of many aspects. An ancient manifestation of the Supreme God Vishnu, or the Godhead itself, Krishna is the bringer of Yoga philosophy and the creator of the universe, the destroyer of evil tyrants, and the hero of the epic Mahabharata. He is also described in classical Sanskrit texts as having human characteristics and enjoying very human pursuits: Krishna is the butter thief, cowherd, philanderer, and flute player. Yet even these playful depictions are based upon descriptions found in the Sanskrit canon, and mostly reflect familiar, classical Pan-Indian images.

In this book, contributors examine the alternative, or unconventional, Krishnas, offering examples from more localized Krishna traditions found in different regions among various ethnic groups, vernacular language traditions, and remote branches of Indian religions. These wide-ranging, alternative visions of Krishna include the Tantric Krishna of Bengal, Krishna in urban women's rituals, Krishna as monogamous husband and younger brother in Braj, Krishna in Jainism, Krishna in Marathi tradition, Krishna in South India, and the Krishna of nineteenth-century reformed Hinduism.
Acknowledgments

1. Introduction
Guy L. Beck

2. Contemporary Metaphor Theory and Alternative Views of Krishna and Radha in Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Traditions
Glen Alexander Hayes

3. Folk Vaishnavism and the Thakur Pañcayat: Life and Status among Village Krishna Statues
June McDaniel

4. Domesticating Krishna: Friendship, Marriage, and Women’s Experience in a Hindu Women’s Ritual Tradition
Tracy Pintchman

5. Krishna as Loving Husband of God: The Alternative Krishnology of the Radhavallabha Sampradaya
Guy L. Beck

6. HolŒ through DaujŒ’s Eyes: Alternate Views of Krishna and Balarama in DaujŒ
A. Whitney Sanford

7. A Family Affair: Krishna Comes to Pandharpur and Makes Himself at Home
Christian Lee Novetzke

8. Dance before Doom: Krishna in the Non-Hindu Literature of Early Medieval South India
Anne E. Monius

9. Hero of Wonders, Hero in Deeds: Vasudeva Krishna in Jaina Cosmohistory
Jerome H. Bauer

10. Epiphany in Radha’s Arbor: Nature and the Reform of Bhakti in Hariaudh’s Priyapravas
Valerie Ritter

Contributors

Index

Sujets

• East Asian religions
• History of religions
• Hinduism

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791483411
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Alternative Krishnas

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Alternative Krishnas

R EGIONAL AND V ERNACULAR V ARIATIONS ON A H INDU D EITY 

Edited by Guy L. Beck

S TATE U NIVERSITY OF N EW Y ORK P RESS

Cover art: Kajal Beck

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2005 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Alternative Krishnas : regional and vernacular variations on a Hindu deity / Guy L. Beck, editor. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-6415-6 (Hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Krishna (Hindu deity)—Cult. 2. Hinduism—Customs and practices. I. Beck, Guy L., 1948–

BL1220.2.A57 2005 294.5'512—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2004015115

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1.Introduction Guy L. Beck

Contents 

Chapter 2.Contemporary Metaphor Theory and Alternative Views of Krishna and Radhain Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Traditions Glen Alexander Hayes

Chapter 3.Folk Vaishnavism and theThakur Pañcayat: Life and Status among Village Krishna Statues June McDaniel

Chapter 4.Domesticating Krishna: Friendship, Marriage, and Women’s Experience in a Hindu Women’s Ritual Tradition Tracy Pintchman

Chapter 5.Krishna as Loving Husband of God: The Alternative Krishnology of the Radhavallabha Sampradaya Guy L. Beck

Chapter 6.HolŒthrough DaujŒAlternate Views of’s Eyes: Krishna and Balarama in DaujŒ A. Whitney Sanford

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Contents

Chapter 7.A Family Affair: Krishna Comes to Pandharpur and Makes Himself at Home Christian Lee Novetzke

Chapter 8.Dance before Doom: Krishna in the Non-Hindu Literature of Early Medieval South India Anne E. Monius

Chapter 9.Hero of Wonders, Hero in Deeds: Vasudeva Krishna in Jaina Cosmohistory Jerome H. Bauer

Chapter 10.Epiphany in RadhaNature and the Reform’s Arbor: of Bhakti in Hariaudh’sPriyapravas Valerie Ritter

Contributors

Index

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Acknowledgments 

This book represents a joint effort that began with the 1999 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion in Boston. First I would like to thank Tracy Pintchman, the organizer, for so kindly inviting me to preside over a panel session held there on “Alternative Krishnas.” After the session, the members of the panel gathered for lunch at a nearby In- dian restaurant. To my surprise, I was unanimously nominated to pursue publication of the panel papers as a book. I then gave my solemn promise to execute the order. There was a kind of consensus that State University of New York Press would be the ideal place for publication. Yet the five papers presented on the panel—Glen Alexander Hayes, June McDaniel, Tracy Pintchman, Anne E. Monius, and Valerie Ritter—needed to be aug- mented to reach book size. After considerable looking about, three addi- tional papers were submitted by A. Whitney Sanford, Christian Lee Novetzke, and Jerome H. Bauer. Including my own, this brought the total number to nine, an auspicious Indian number. I would thus like to per- sonally thank all of the contributors for producing what I consider a first- rate group of essays. I would also like to sincerely thank Ms. Nancy Ellegate and the staff at State University of New York Press for their interest and pursuit of this project. Lastly, I wish to thank Kajal Beck, my artist wife, for contributing the cover art, andSrŒHarishankar Mathur for the translations at the end of chapter five. And as they say in India, Jai Sri Krishna!

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Chapter 1 

Introduction

G UY L. B ECK

Krishna is the name of one of the most popular and beloved deities in the Hindu pantheon. The many intriguing and delightful features of this divine character match with one of the literal meanings of his name, “all-attractive.” Whether known as an incarnation of the god Vishnu or worshiped himself as the Supreme Deity, Lord Krishna has found the widest representation in Indian culture. Indian scholar Bimanbehari Majumdar has underscored Krishna’s magnitude inKrishna in History and Legend: “As Vishnu pervades all the worlds and through them causes himself to be permeated, so does Krishna permeate Indian art, literature, ethics, philosophy and religion.” Yet we are also advised that, “no figure in the history of Indian culture has given rise to so 1 much controversy as Krishna.” The actual tradition of “Krishna” fits more specifically within the broad umbrella category of “Vaishnava” in Hindu India, understood to encompass also the veneration of Vishnu, Narayana, LakshmŒ, Radha, Rama, SŒta, the remainder of theavataras(incarnations) with their fe- male consorts, saints, and sectarian leaders and followers. The other principal Hindu divisions areSaivism, includingSiva and the worship of his many manifestations as supreme deity,Saktism, encompassing the Goddess DevŒas supreme feminine power such as Durgaor KalŒ, Smarta traditions that venerate a sequence of five major deities, the Advaita nondualist traditions including neo-Vedanta, lesser-known sects, modern synthetic movements, and local cultic forms. While the personality and worship of the deity Krishna forms a very significant division within Vaishnavism, his complete profile has, as suggested above, remained problematic and elusive.

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