
The idea of Māyā pervades Indian philosophy. It is enigmatic, multivalent, and foundational, with its oldest referents found in the Rig Veda. This book explores Māyā's rich conceptual history, and then focuses on the highly developed theology of Māyā found in the Sanskrit Bhāgavata Purāṇa, one of the most important Hindu sacred texts. Gopal K. Gupta examines Māyā's role in the Bhāgavata's narratives, paying special attention to its relationship with other key concepts in the text, such as human suffering (duḥkha), devotion (bhakti), and divine play (līlā). In the Bhāgavata, Māyā is often identified as the divine feminine, and has a far-reaching influence. For example, Māyā is both the world and the means by which God creates the world, as well as the facilitator of God's play, paradoxically revealing him to his devotees by concealing his majesty. While Vedānta philosophy typically sees Māyā as a negative force, the Bhāgavata affirms that Māyā also has a positive role, as Māyā is ultimately meant to draw living beings toward Krishna and intensify their devotion to him.
This book investigates the theological function of Māyā within the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, specifically addressing how the concept reconciles human suffering with the notion of divine play. Gopal K. Gupta, a scholar of Indian religious traditions, utilizes a rigorous textual analysis of the Sanskrit Bhāgavata Purāṇa to challenge the traditional Vedāntic view of Māyā as a purely negative force. He argues that within this specific text, Māyā serves as a positive, multifaceted instrument that facilitates devotion (bhakti) and reveals the divine nature of Krishna through paradox.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Scholars and students of Hindu theology recognize this work as a significant contribution to the study of Vaishnava philosophy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is well-suited for advanced study in religious history and Sanskrit theology.
Page Count:
280
Publication Date:
2020-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0192599062
ISBN-13:
9780192599063
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