The University of Texas at Tyler Libraries

Normal view MARC view ISBD view

The head beneath the altar : Hindu mythology and the critique of sacrifice / Brian Collins.

By: Collins, Brian (Brian H.) [author.].
Material type: TextTextSeries: JSTOR eBooks.Studies in violence, mimesis, and culture: Publisher: East Lansing : Michigan State University Press, [2014]Copyright date: ©2014Description: 1 online resource (321 pages).Content type: text Media type: computer Carrier type: online resourceISBN: 9781609174064; 1609174062.Subject(s): Hindu mythology | Sacrifice -- Hinduism | Violence -- Religious aspects -- HinduismAdditional physical formats: Print version:: Head beneath the altar : Hindu mythology and the critique of sacrifice.DDC classification: 294.5/34 Online resources: Click here to view this ebook. Summary: In the beginning, says the ancient Hindu text the Rg Veda, was man. And from man's sacrifice and dismemberment came the entire world, including the hierarchical ordering of human society. The Head Beneath the Altar is the first book to present a wide-ranging study of Hindu texts read through the lens of René Girard's mimetic theory of the sacrificial origin of religion and culture. For those interested in Girard and comparative religion, the book also performs a careful reading of Girard's work, drawing connections between his thought and the work of theorists like Georges Dumézil and Giorgio.
Tags from this library: No tags from this library for this title. Log in to add tags.
Item type Current location Call number URL Status Date due Barcode
Electronic Book UT Tyler Online
Online 		BL1216 (Browse shelf) https://ezproxy.uttyler.edu/login?url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.14321/j.ctt7zt5hc Available ocn961550938

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

In the beginning, says the ancient Hindu text the Rg Veda, was man. And from man's sacrifice and dismemberment came the entire world, including the hierarchical ordering of human society. The Head Beneath the Altar is the first book to present a wide-ranging study of Hindu texts read through the lens of René Girard's mimetic theory of the sacrificial origin of religion and culture. For those interested in Girard and comparative religion, the book also performs a careful reading of Girard's work, drawing connections between his thought and the work of theorists like Georges Dumézil and Giorgio.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Using philosophical anthropologist René Girard's "mimetic theory" of the sacrificial origin of religion and culture as a lens, Collins (Ohio Univ.) provides an analysis of sacrifice and violence in Hindu ritual and myth from 500 BCE to 500 CE. For Girard, violence arises from mimesis and rivalry. This book presents a comprehensive analysis of Girard's writings on the Mahabharata in addition to applying, disregarding, and adapting elements of Girardian theory to Hindu rather than Christian texts. Collins examines Hindu ritual in a range of Hindu texts including the Rig and Yajur Veda; the commentarial tradition of the Brehmanas; the philosophy of the Mimemsa school; and the Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata. By conceptualizing the study of the sacrificial traditions of ancient and classical India, through and in contrast to Girard's work, this book conceptualizes the notions of myth, sacrifice, and violence in a highly nuanced manner. The Head Beneath the Altar will be valuable to those interested in comparative religion, ritual, and René Girard. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty. --Tanisha Ramachandran, Wake Forest University

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Brian Collins holds the Drs. Ram and Sushila Gawande Chair in Indian Religion and Philosophy at Ohio University.

There are no comments for this item.

Log in to your account to post a comment.