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Shakti

An Exploration of the Divine Feminine

Author Nilima Chitgopekar
Hardcover
$35.00 US
DK. | DK
9.42"W x 11.16"H x 1.07"D  
On sale May 10, 2022 | 392 Pages | 9780744054552
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Exploring the complex and rich tradition of Goddess worship across the Indian subcontinent.

She is benevolent and nurturing, yet fierce and terrible, a warrior and a lover. She creates and gives life, is death personified, and the one who grants eternal salvation. She is the ultimate form of reality, the cosmos. As the Saundaryalahiri says, "Only when Shiva joins with you, O Shakti, can he exert his powers as lord, on his own he has not even the power to stir. You are worshipped by Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, and other gods. How dare I, meritless mortal, offer you reverence and praise?" The Goddess inspires deep devotion and it is not surprising to see Her being worshipped and revered across homes in India.

Shakti will delve into this rich tradition of the Divine Feminine as She is represented across India and the subcontinent. Shakti will be a one-of-a-kind linear exploration of Goddess worship, neither a basic guide nor a dense academic treatise. Instead, it will invite the reader to learn about the Shakta culture, while telling the story of its birth and evolution, the many manifestations of the Goddess and their worship, and the myths, legends, and rituals that make up the tradition. This title will position itself as the first point of entry for anyone interested in the world of the Devi and Her culture.
Well-known Indian academic and Indian religious studies expert Nilima Chitgopekar has written extensively on Shiva and the goddess. She was the author of Shakti: An Exploration of the Divine Feminine, published by DK, now in its third reprint. She has lectured extensively at Harvard and Oxford and has published six other books, including The Reluctant Family Man: Shiva in Everyday Life (2019), Rudra: The Idea of Shiva (2007), The Book of Durga (2003), Invoking Goddesses: Gender Politics in Indian Religion (2002), and Encountering Sivaism: The Deity, The Milieu, The Entourage (1998). View titles by Nilima Chitgopekar

About

Exploring the complex and rich tradition of Goddess worship across the Indian subcontinent.

She is benevolent and nurturing, yet fierce and terrible, a warrior and a lover. She creates and gives life, is death personified, and the one who grants eternal salvation. She is the ultimate form of reality, the cosmos. As the Saundaryalahiri says, "Only when Shiva joins with you, O Shakti, can he exert his powers as lord, on his own he has not even the power to stir. You are worshipped by Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, and other gods. How dare I, meritless mortal, offer you reverence and praise?" The Goddess inspires deep devotion and it is not surprising to see Her being worshipped and revered across homes in India.

Shakti will delve into this rich tradition of the Divine Feminine as She is represented across India and the subcontinent. Shakti will be a one-of-a-kind linear exploration of Goddess worship, neither a basic guide nor a dense academic treatise. Instead, it will invite the reader to learn about the Shakta culture, while telling the story of its birth and evolution, the many manifestations of the Goddess and their worship, and the myths, legends, and rituals that make up the tradition. This title will position itself as the first point of entry for anyone interested in the world of the Devi and Her culture.

Author

Well-known Indian academic and Indian religious studies expert Nilima Chitgopekar has written extensively on Shiva and the goddess. She was the author of Shakti: An Exploration of the Divine Feminine, published by DK, now in its third reprint. She has lectured extensively at Harvard and Oxford and has published six other books, including The Reluctant Family Man: Shiva in Everyday Life (2019), Rudra: The Idea of Shiva (2007), The Book of Durga (2003), Invoking Goddesses: Gender Politics in Indian Religion (2002), and Encountering Sivaism: The Deity, The Milieu, The Entourage (1998). View titles by Nilima Chitgopekar

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