Myth as Argument
The Brhaddevata as Canonical Commentary
1st Edition
Published on 14. May 2014
XXVIII, 549 pages
978-3-11-081275-6 (ISBN)
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Book
08/1996
1st Edition
De Gruyter
€199.95
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Book
1996
1st Edition
De Gruyter
€289.00
Withdrawn from sale
Content
- Intro
- Acknowledgements
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Part I: Myth, Commentary, and the History of the B?haddevata
- Chapter One: The Basics of the B?haddevata: Text and Context
- Pestles and Mantras
- The Nature of the Text
- The Text and Its History
- Macdonell and Tokunaga: Retentive or Expansive Scribes?
- Building on Arguments about Recensions
- The B?haddevata in Intellectual Context
- The Tradition of Saunaka
- The Brahma?as
- The Nirukta
- Mima?sa
- Conclusions
- Chapter Two: Making Arguments: Canonical Commentary and Mythological Narrative
- The Category of Canonical Commentary
- The Anukrama?i as Commentarial Strategy
- The B?haddevata as Commentarial Totalization
- Mythological Narratives: A Process of Reading
- Myth as Argument
- The Case of Vedic Myth
- The Problem of Historical Origins
- The Problem of Archetypal Myth
- Vedic Narrative as Commentarial Argument
- Conclusions
- Part Two: Framing the Canon
- Chapter Three: Patterns of Thought: The B?haddevata Introduces Itself
- On the Question of Coherence
- Mantra
- Mantra in the B?haddevata
- Devata as Meta-Grouping
- Claiming Privilege
- Classifying Canonical Language
- The Nature and Origin of Canonical Language
- Conclusions
- Chapter Four: Language and Cosmology I: Taxonomies of Mantra
- Grammar and the Power of Language
- Grammar and Cosmology in India
- The Motivated List: Supporting Canonical Language
- Exemplifying Canonical Language: Tracking the Taxonomies
- The Role of Native Taxonomies
- The B?haddevata's Taxonomy: A Thick Description
- The Difference Canon Makes in Taxonomizing: A Comparative Assessment
- Conclusions
- Chapter Five: Language and Cosmology II: Etymologies and Other Linguistic Speculations
- The Problems of Etymology
- A New Terminology
- Niruktis in Vedic Interpretation
- The Nirukta
- Niruktis in the B?haddevata
- Tidying up the Universe: Separating the Spheres through Nirukti
- Exemplifying the Cosmos: Niruktis as Theology
- Theology by Subordination
- Addressing Ambiguities: The Case of Vac
- Further Linguistic Speculation on Canon
- The Question of Meaning
- The Cosmology of Loose Ends: Closing off the Canon
- Cultivating the Fields
- Accounting for Rubble
- The Rhythm of Canon: The Meters and Tones
- The Attainment of Brahman through Commentary Itself
- Conclusions
- Part Three: Situating the Canon
- Chapter Six: Arguments about Myth: The History of the Itihasa/ Akhyana Controversy
- A New Mode of Organization
- Itihasa/ Akhyana
- The European Appropriation
- Origins and Sources
- A New Approach to Itihasa
- A New Approach to the B?haddevata
- Conclusions and Projections
- Chapter Seven: The Power of Persuasion: ??isis in Parity with the Gods
- ??is and Gods in Vedic Context: A Modified Model
- Euhemerism Mythologized
- ??is, Gods, Sons
- Getting the Gods to Listen
- A Nirukti Itihasa: The ??i Worshipped by Indra
- The Mutual Dependence of the Praised and the Praiser
- Rescued from Infertility
- ??is and Their Divine Fathers
- Helping Indra Appear
- Gaining Attention and Absolving Gods
- Gods/ ??isis/ Gods/??isis
- Calming the God
- Mantras for Twins
- Beating Indra and Soma in the Race
- The ??i Downtrodden: Mantras Misspoken
- Misperceiving Indra
- Sarama and the Cows
- Conclusions
- Chapter Eight: Pedigree Narratives
- Lineage in a Late Vedic Framework
- Stealing Indra's Secret and Surviving
- The Blind ??i
- The Birth of ??is I
- The Birth of ??iis II
- Parents After the Fact
- Rsis from a Taxonomical View
- Conclusions
- Chapter Nine: Myth and Money: The Exchange of Words and Wealth
- Making Money, Making History
- Mantra as Medium of Exchange: The Vedic Context
- Fluidity of Identity: Mantra and Exchange in the Sacrificial Texts
- Mantra and the Fluidity of Var?a Identity
- The Fixing of Identity: Words and Wealth in the B?haddevata
- Wandering Currency
- Selling God in the Marketplace
- The ??i Who Won a Wife with Mantras
- Mantras Begetting Wealth Begetting Mantras Begetting Wealth
- Conclusions
- Chapter Ten: Mantra as Cure
- Healing in a Late Vedic Framework
- Cakes and Praises
- Curing Old Age
- The Language of Revival
- Deprivation of Mind
- The ??i Who Got off Twice
- Methodical Rejuvenation
- Conclusions
- Chapter Eleven: Erasing the Warrior
- Warrior and Priests in Vedic Context
- The Stripes of a ??i
- Can Kings be ??is?
- The Function of ??iis in War
- Changing Sexes
- Saving the Kingdom: The K?atriya Purohita
- Conclusions
- Chapter Twelve: Selective Slokas: Cleaning up the Veda
- The Benefits of the Blatant in Vedic Interpretation
- A "Liberal Shepherd's Love Song"
- The Embarrassed Brahmacarin
- An Introductory Itihasa for Purification
- Conclusions
- Chapter Thirteen: Salvaging the Sacrifice
- The Changing Nature of Sacrifice: The Late Vedic Context
- Haggling over the Sacrifice
- Cooking the Dog
- ??is and Rats, or How to Save a Sacrifice
- A Mantra to Come out of Hiding
- Killing V?tratra
- Saving the Sacrifice through Dispersal
- Conclusions
- Chapter Fourteen: ??is' Power within the Wild
- The Untamed in Vedic Perspective
- Rivers, Rats, and ??is: Encounters with Ara?ya in the B?haddevata
- The Battle for Authority over the Rivers
- Butter and Milk for a Thousand Years
- Rats as Objects of Praise
- ??is as Frightened Fish
- Mantras across the Human and Animal Worlds
- Pushing Death with a Verse
- Conclusions
- Chapter Fifteen: The Archaeology of the B?haddevata
- Interpolation as Historical Lens
- The Dimensions of the Shorter Recension
- The Narrative Emphasis
- A Comparison with the Epics and Pura?as
- Triads in the Pura?as and the B?haddevata
- Gods and ??is in the Pura?as and the B?haddevata
- Mantra in the Pura?as and the B?haddevata
- The Dimensions of the Longer Recension
- Expanding Sruti
- The Ritual Emphasis
- Citing Brahma?as to Settle Controversy and Clarify Ritual Ideas
- Clarifying a Ritual Situation Implied by the ?g Veda
- Ritual Theory in the Longer Recension
- The Implications of the Ritual Emphasis
- Conclusions
- Chapter Sixteen: New Perspectives on Canonical Exegesis
- New Questions for the History of Religions
- Pushing the Boundaries of Canonical Commentary
- Commentary Is Not Always Elaboration
- Sensual Forms of Commentary
- Commentary as Interpolation
- Commentary as Narrative Argument: The Creation of Commentarial Time
- Commentary as Ritual Philosophy
- Final Questions for Commentary: The Nature of Canonical Language
- On Reading Totalizing Texts: The Encyclopedic Analogy
- Conclusions
- Appendix A: The Dating of the B?haddevata
- Appendix B: Vedic Verses Cited in Pratika Form in the B?haddevata
- References
- Index
