Speaking of Siva
1st Edition
Published on 1. February 2014
208 pages
978-0-14-196263-4 (ISBN)
Description
Speaking of Siva is a selection of vacanas or free-verse sayings from the Virasaiva religious movement, dedicated to Siva as the supreme god. Written by four major saints, the greatest exponents of this poetic form, between the tenth and twelfth centuries, they are passionate lyrical expressions of the search for an unpredictable and spontaneous spiritual vision of 'now'. Here, yogic and tantric symbols, riddles and enigmas subvert the language of ordinary experience, as references to night and day, sex and family relationships take on new mystical meanings. These intense poems of personal devotion to a single deity also question traditional belief systems, customs, superstitions, image worship and even moral strictures, in verse that speaks to all men and women regardless of class and caste.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
File size
2,23 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-14-196263-4 (9780141962634)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Translated with an introduction by A. K. Ramanujan
