List of Figures
Abbreviations
Acknowledgments
Preface: The Other Rāma
Introduction: God with an Axe
1. The Brahmin Warrior: Paraśurāma in Extremis
2. Matricide I: The Broken Pot
3. Matricide II: The Severed Head
4. Varṇicide I: The Extermination of the Kṣatriyas and Its
Aftermath
5. Varṇicide II: Blood and Soil in Malabar and Maharashtra
Conclusion: Introducing Paraśurāma
Notes
Works Cited
Index
Brian Collins is Drs. Ram and Sushila Gawande Chair in Indian Religion and Philosophy at Ohio University. He is the author of The Head beneath the Altar: Hindu Mythology and the Critique of Sacrifice.
"Collins is admirably meticulous and thorough in his argument,
navigating between the macro and micro levels of mythic analysis,
balancing broader psychological significance of the stories with
gritty political realities. Throughout, he guides the reader with
erudite ease, creating prose that is clear, entertaining, and witty
while never losing a tone of seriousness and respect for the
material at hand. In all, Collins' book represents a great
contribution on several levels." — Religion
"…The Other Rāma will also speak meaningfully to those engaged in
the study of the Sanskrit epics and Purāṇas (ancient legends and
myths), and more broadly to those seeking to apply psychological
theory to the study of Hindu mythology … readers who follow the
book's layered psycho-synthetic argumentation through to the end
will be rewarded with a suitably complex understanding of what
drives this dark and elusive character of Hindu mythology." —
Reading Religion
"Collins provides a lively and delightfully written study of the
Paraśurāma myth, an exploration filtered through psychoanalytical
theory. For readers interested in this particular tradition of
analysis and other types of comparison, this book will be a
welcomed inquiry into the possible meanings of this perennial
Indian mythic figure." — Christian Novetzke, author of Religion and
Public Memory: A Cultural History of Saint Namdev in India
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
