ba dissertation krsna as warrior and cowherd

8/12/2019 BA Dissertation Krsna as Warrior and Cowherd

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23483 Theology and Religious Studies Dissertation THRS 30026 1

A Comparison o !ntelle"tual and

#motional orms oBhaktiDe$otion inHindu Tradition %ith Reeren"e to theRele$ant Roles o &RSNaand his 'emale

De$otees as (ortrayed in theBhgavata PurNa, Bhagvad-Gt and

)ther De$otional Te*ts+

Candidate number: 23483

Word count: 7994

Dissertation adviser:Dr Rupert Gethin

Table of Contents:

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Title page...1

Contents page....2

Introduction..3

Main contents:

1) The characters of K RSNa in VaiSNava

deotion.!

1+i/ Identifiati!n !f the harater" !f#RSNa.!

- $arri!r- Divine %!ver&'!(herd

1+ii/ )he p!rtra*a+ !f eah in art and+iterature."

- $arri!r- Divine %!ver&'!(herd

1+iii/ppea+ !f harater" t! (h! and (h*...............................................................#- '!(herd&Divine %!ver t! (!en and +!(er +a""e",- $arri!r t! en and upper +a""e"

++ taken in re+ati!n t! the re+evant te/t"

2) $%otional and intellectual bha&ti'

2+i/ 0ut+ine !f 1!th f!r" !f 1hakti..1(- !ti!na+ 1hakti- Inte++etua+ 1hakti

2+ii/Dev!tee" interati!n.12- $ith e!ti!na+ 1hakti- $ith inte++etua+ 1hakti

2+iii/va+uati!n !f their purp!"e.13) The roles and positions of *o%en in bha&ti..1!

3+i/ ,ale and fea+e appea+ !f 1hakti..1!

3+ii/R!+e" and harater" !f (!en in p!etr*.1!3+iii/ )(! (a* re+ati!n"hip nature !f 1hakti1"

- Dev!tee identifiati!n (ith the fea+e a"pet- Dev!tee identifiati!n (ith the deit*

3+i$/ videne !f ea+e d!inane&"hift" in gender d!inane (ithin indute/t".1+3+$/ 5ignifiane !f Rdh a" "eparate fr! the !ther g!p"..1'

Conclusion...2(

I%age reference...2(

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,ibliograph- ...2(

IntroductionThis dis"ussion aims to "ompare t%o orms o Hindu de$otion and the "hara"ters usedto distinguish them in relation to the spe"ii" te*ts in %hi"h they are portrayed+ Theterm 1haktimeaning de$otion "omes rom the 5an"kritiroot 1ha6literally meaningto share or parti"ipate in+1!n essen"e this des"ries de$otional %orship in %hi"h

oth the de$otee and deity in this "ase &RSNa/ parti"ipate eually+ #arly 1hakti%asased on meditation and "on"entration ut %as not ne"essarily o"used on a deity5ho%e$er %ith the rise o te*ts that did o"us the de$otion thus5 the general aim o1haktireormed+ !t %as e$entually estalished as the third path to lieration along%ith the paths o#ara a"tion/ andna no%ledge+/2The main o"us o this%or is on the aiSNava1haktitraditions7 the de$otional mo$ements atta"hed to the

deity iSNu and his avatra" in"arnations+/ (arti"ular reeren"e %ill e made to1hakti in the de$otional te*ts o 9oo : o the Bhagavata PurANa3 and theBhagvad-Gt:4 'urther to these original te*ts5 others %ere inspired y thede$otional mo$ements %hi"h %ill e reeren"ed %ithin this dis"ussion %hereappropriate+ )ne o the irst te*ts to e"ome truly de$otional %ithin the aiSNavatradition %as the Bhagvad-Gt %ithin the epi" ;ah1hrata+;


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23483 Theology and Religious Studies Dissertation THRS 30026 ;

to%ards looing at the issue o intelle"tual 1hakti$erses emotional 1hakti%hi"h %ille looed at in the ollo%ing "hapter+

#arly de$otional te*ts lie theBhagvad-Gt%ere more intelle"tual in design as they"ame to the oreront at a time %hen those most ale to read and interpret su"h te*ts

%ere only the intelle"tual elite+ #RSNa?in any orm o Hindu literature all %ithin theg eda5 ho%e$er here #RSNa is merely gi$en in its adLe"ti$e orm7 the %ordmeaning >la"? in Sansrit5 %ithout any ineren"e to the deity+ 22The irst plausilemention that might imply &RSNa as a deity is ound in the 'hnd!g*a paniSadoaround the 6th "entury 9C# ut this portrayal still remains in"on"lusi$e+23 ariousragmentary reeren"es are made thereater5 ut nothing truly "on"lusi$e is mentionedo &RSNa as deity or avatrauntil the;ah1hrata+ There are at around this timealso some passing "omments %ithin -ree literature that ha$e een taen %ith

21

Dimo" 1B685 ;;229ryant 20035 *$ii239ryant 20035 *$ii

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reeren"e to &RSNa+ An !ndian trie is mentioned as a ran"h o the Cadudynasty to%hi"h &RSNa elonged+ Hera"les is seen as a spe"ii" "hara"ter among these people5and is thought to e synonymous %ith &RSNa as Hari+24The irst true mention o&RSNa in the;ah1hratades"ries him as a human %arrior %ith some supernatural

po%ers that mae him stand out rom the "ro%d+ He has reuently attled and

deeated numerous demons5 and thus his ame has spread+


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23483 Theology and Religious Studies Dissertation THRS 30026

ashion+ Any philosophi"al or moral instru"tion that may e ound %ithin it is oundup %ithin the simple depi"tion o the "ouple in lo$e+

The lo$e that might other%ise e seen as proane is made sa"red not simply y thea"t that a deity is parti"ipating5 ut also through the religious phraseology that is

used+ &rishna5 %hen ! see these my o%n people eager to ightN

my lims gro% hea$yNmy ody tremles and my hair ristlesN

my mind is reeling+?36

At this point5 time apparently stops %hile &RSNa ta"les the dispassionate ArLuna ande*plains to him %hy it is his dhariduty to ight+

The Gtholds to the theme o attle5 e it the physi"al attle et%een enemies or theinternal attle a"ed y ArLuna o$er his s"ruples+ =ith ea"h attle5 &RSNa is seen tolend the moral guiding hand5 "ounselling ArLuna through+ &RSNa is portrayed as a"hara"ter o se"ure moral "ondu"t+ As a human he is a prin"e o a neighouring land5and a good riend and relati$e to the (ANDus+ He is a dedi"ated %arrior5 "ourteous andgra"ious %ho %ors %ithout atta"hment to his goals as he tries to tea"h ArLuna to dolie%ise+ =ithin this te*t as the inal push in "on$in"ing ArLuna o his duty to ight5&RSNa re$eals himsel in his multiorm "apa"ity@

Although ! am unorn and ha$e a sel that is eternal5although ! am lord o all eings5

y "ontrolling my o%n material nature ! "ome into eingNage ater age5 to prote"t the $irtuous and to destroy e$ildoers+3

33Siegel 1B85 334Cross 1BB45 83;

Eohnson 1BB45 *$iii36Eohnson 1BB45 ; Bhagvad-Gt @E28-3FA3Eohnson 1BB45 1B Bhagvad-Gt 4E-8A

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!n art the %arrior &RSNa is portrayed as a solemn yet ind a"ed man o lue sin todeine his status as deity "ompared to the other "hara"ters around him+ He is oten

ede"ed %ith gold and Le%els to display his %ealth and status and may ha$e a annero Hanuman in the a"ground or a numer o "on"h shells on display that in the Gt%ere seen as omens or the su""ess o the (ANDa$as on %hose side &RSNa ought+

)nly in his multiorm di$ine appearan"e does &RSNa "ome %ith numerous arms5other%ise he is seen as a mere human+ ,ore "ommonly depi"ted than the %arrior is&RSNa gopala %ho is again depi"ted %ith lue sin5 ut is more oten surrounded y"o%s5 groups o %omen or playing %ith riends+38This image is oten "hildlie inappearan"e again %ith the ind and gentle a"e5 yet ar less solemn than the %arrior5%ith a more mis"hie$ous t%inle+ -opala "an e portrayed either as "hild or youngadult7 more oten %hen sho%n as an adult he is either alone re"lining against a tree

playing the lute or is portrayed emra"ing RKdhK+


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23483 Theology and Religious Studies Dissertation THRS 30026 B

oered to Him5 e it a simple lea or gold5 is most %el"omed through his unendingindness so long as the oering is made %ith true de$otion in the heart+

Something rought %ith lo$e y my de$otees5e$en i insignii"ant5 e"omes great5

%hile something rought y a nonde$oteeis not ale to gi$e me satisa"tion5 e$en i it is great+42

=ith this in mind5 de$otion e"omes possile or e$eryone no matter their "aste orstation+ True de$otion is the only thing %ith utmost importan"e5 and this is a"hie$ale

y anyone+ This orm o 1haktiappears to tae similar $ie%s on "aste and gender tothose o %ealth5 in that the lo%er the status the etter or de$otion+ &RSNa o the

Bhgavata does not "riti"ise "aste ut a""epts it as an institution that supports so"iety5ho%e$er he disappro$es o the a"t that it seems to support the %ealthy more thananyone else7 "aste should not e an ine$itale result o one?s irth+ 43 #$en the9rahmins must %or or their sal$ation and not assume it is gi$en+ The re%ard o

-od?s lo$e "an e a"hie$ed y anyone5 ut their entire eing must e de$oted or su"ha re%ard+ This notion o in"lusi$eness appeals to many %omen and lo%er "astememers as this is one o e% Hindu traditions to oer su"h an opening or all+

!n "ontrast5 it is elie$ed that &RSNa as %arrior appeals more to men5 and the"ontemplati$e attitude o the Gt to upper "lasses %ith rele"tion on 1rahania+traditions o meditation and "ontemplation+ !n the Gt5 &RSNa ad$o"ates paths to,oSa as#araandna5 ut no dire"t mention is made to 1haktias another pathhere@

! ha$e taught o old that in this %orldt%o %ays are open@the dis"ipline o no%ledgeNand the dis"ipline o a"tion+44

This approa"h appeals to traditionalists parti"ularly those o a 1rahania+orientation%ho %ould opt or a path o nano%ledge/ as opposed to 1hakti+ The %arrior&RSNa has some o his greatest attriutes lying in his persona7 he is a "alm andgra"ious hero %ith a gentleness that appeals to %omen and a steady resol$e thatappeals to men+ As a %arrior he demonstrates strength %ith rationale7 pursuits are notentered into as a result o o$er%helming emotion5 ut rather are planned and

"onsidered+ As diplomat and prin"e5 &RSNa o theBhagvad-Gthas urther appealto higher "lass ollo%ers %ho are etter ale to empathise %ith him and the dire"tionhe gi$es as tea"her and role model+

!t has een said that the avataro theBhagavad-Gitais only or the thining e%+9ut the avatar o the Bhagavata is enshrined in the lo$ing hearts o millions+4;

Farma?s uote "learly sho%s the e*tent o popularity the Di$ine lo$er has o$er the%arrior among the general puli"+ The &RSNa o the Gtis seen as a less a""essile"hara"ter designed only or the elite in "ontrast to &RSNa gopala %ho e$oes

429ryant 20035 342 Bhgavata Purna H: 8@E3A43

Hopins 1B685 1644Eohnson 1BB45 1; Bhagvad-Gt 3E3A4;Farma 1B35 3B

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empathy rom a more uni$ersal mass o ollo%ers %ho "an relate his eha$iour totheir o%n li$es+ et the hero o the Gtalso holds puli" appeal as a "hampion o$ere$il on the sura"e %ithout looing into the depth o this "hara"ter?s tea"hings+ 'or1haktito truly %or5 the de$otee is e*pe"ted to assume the eelings and emotions othe "hara"ters that intera"t %ith &RSNa+

2) $%otional and intellectual bha&ti

During 9ritish "olonisation o !ndia5 Hindu te*ts %ere translated and or a long timemany su"h as theBhgavata PurNa%ith its eroti" o$ertones %ere ignored+ They%ere seen as >alse religion? and oten oended i"torian sensiilities %ith theamorous nature o &RSNa+46 The 9ritish too their $ie%s rom a predominantly

Brahin upper "aste %ho $ie%ed su"h te*ts as ase and degrading %ithout1rahania+ authority+ They %ere $ie%ed as a stupendous memorial to the easy"redulity o an ime"ile ra"e54lea$ing &RSNa gopala oten passed o$er in a$our othe more gallant and "hi$alrous &RSNa o theBhagvad-Gt+48'rom an intelle"tual

point o $ie%5 the poetry and e"stati" 1haktio the>+vr"4B that inluen"ed lateraiSNava traditions %as "ondoned y the Brahin"+ The 1rahania+ traditiona$oured an approa"h to;!kSathroughnaas opposed to de$otion+ !t %as seen asthe most intelle"tual and original path to tae5 and 1hakti, as the path o de$otionthrough lo$e %as seen as the third %ay to sal$ation5 designed as a less intelle"tual

path or the lo%er "lasses+ et 1haktidoes hold "ertain intelle"tual elements %ithin it+IGlaaNTa FKstrG suggests that theBhgavata PurANa%as %ritten in Southern !ndiasin"e this is the only pla"e in %hi"h simple surging emotional hati;0"ould e"omined %ith the intelle"tual Ad$aita philosophy o


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su"h a person5 atta"hed y 1haktito me5 O&RSNaP puriies the %orld+;

!n the emotional de$otion most reuently displayed y the 1hakti traditions oSouthern !ndia5 the greatest s"riptural o"us is upon the >R"a %+? se"tion o the

Bhgavata PurANa+;8This is %here theg!p"are dra%n into the orest a%ay rom

their duties y the sound o &RSNas lute5 and oneg!p in parti"ular5 most otenthought to e RKdhK5 orms a lo$ing relationship %ith Him+ The te*t as a %hole isinterspersed %ith the YRGgra-r"a in predominan"e and a "a"ophony o otheremotions are in use throughout+ This eroti" mood that predominates is uilt up romthe start o "hapter 2B %here the >R"a %+? is introdu"ed+ The moon rises and@

Co$ering the a"e o the hea$ens%ith its "opper"oloured soothing rays+

!t %iped a%ay the "ares o the onlooers5lie a lo$er %ho has een asent or a long time+;B

Then &RSNa egins to play his lute@

"apturing the hearts o the eautiuleyed %omen+60

=hen theg!p""ome into "onta"t %ith &RSNa and gain his attention5 they are illed%ith pride at their a"hie$ement5 at %hi"h point &RSNa then deserts them lea$ing themto lament their loss+61He then spends time %ith his >a$oured? g!pand the others

e"ome Lealous until he returns to sedate them %ith a r"adan"e %hi"h sho%s &RSNaas his maniold di$ine sel+62They are then all illed %ith sulime happiness and the

liss o 5aadhi+ The prote"tion o aith in -od is sho%n to them resulting rom their

unailing de$otion+63Anything that "ausesed su"h strong emotion that "an e dire"tedto%ard &RSNa %as then seen as the height o de$otion+

The more intelle"tual approa"h to de$otion tends to "entre on the traditions o theBhagvad-Gt+ Certain te*ts it more easily into the intelle"tual rame%or o 1haktias opposed to an emotional one+ The 1hakti o the Gt or e*ample is more"ontemplati$e and uiet in its stru"ture than that o theBhgavata+64The Gtis set in

attle ut still has#RSNa-ratilo$e o &RSNa/ in play as its de$otional element utthe lo$ing emotion is more intelle"tual in its pursuit5 in that the lo$e here as %ithe$erything else is "ontemplati$e and rational rather than eing emotional outpourings%ithout thought+ !ts purpose here is to o"us de$otion on &RSNa so that atta"hment toall else might e orgotten+ &RSNa says@

! "onsider the most e*pert in yoga to e those %hoe$erdis"iplined5 ha$ing i*ed their minds on me5

;Hopins 1B685 B Bhgavata Purna HI: @4E23-24A;8enates%aran 1B685 141;B9ryant 20035 12; Bhgavata Purna H: 29E2A609ryant 20035 12; Bhgavata Purna H: 29E3A61enates%aran 1B685 1;;62

enates%aran 1B685 1;;63enates%aran 1B685 1;;64Hopins 1B685 B

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attend on me illed %ith the highest aith+6;

"learly sho%ing a more traditional meditation ased approa"h to 1haktithrough*!ga5and the ideal o deta"hment rom the %orld+ Sal$ation in this orm o 1haktiis oeredthrough uiet "ontemplation o the tea"hing o the deity+

'or those %ho resign e$ery a"tion to meNmeditating on me5

%ith e*"lusi$e dis"ipline %orship me5! am the one %ho rapidly hauls them

out o the o"ean o N "ontinual reirth+66

All o the tea"hings oered in this te*t are set out in a similarly matteroa"t tone%ithout any use o emoti$e language to ring a point to ear+ This is thought to e thestrongest appeal to intelle"tuals o this orm o 1hakti+

an 9uitenen has suggested that the 5an"kritiati!n6 o 1hakti mo$ements ys"holars su"h as RKmKnuLa5 may ha$e helped to in"orporate 1haktistudies into the1rahania+ traditions5 and in ee"t intelle"tualised them+ There are t%o generalideas ehind the "on"ept o "an"ktitiati!n5 the irst is the notion o translation andrendering something rom a $erna"ular into 5an"krit+ The se"ond $ie%s 5an"kritas a%ay o lie5 or %hi"h the language is merely the $ehi"le+ > 5an"kritiati!n? is thenadaptation o traditions so that they it into the 5an"kriti%ay o lie+68The pro"ess%herey a person or a group "ons"iously relates himsel or itsel to an a""eptednotion o true and an"ient ideology+6BSome te*ts as outlined ao$e are more easilyadaptale to this 5an"kritiormation ased on their a"tual "ontent+ )$erall5 it %ouldseem that these s"holars managed to euate iSNu o personal de$otion0 %ith9rahman5 the supreme prin"iple o the paniSad"+1 The adoration o the%orshipper euated %ith ;!kSa+2 'or the Bhgavata PurANa it is suggested thatmost >"an"kritiati!n?%as done in order to mae the te*ts sound more ediin originsin"e old oundations3 need to support the ne% edii"e+4Although or manyyears the "laim has een made that thePurANa"are thought o as thefifth edaany%ay+ Through this the a"ts o %orship and $eneration;o the 1haktitraditions "an

e "lassed alongside rites pres"ried y s"ripture and tradition56 %ith ediauthority+

2:iiA Dev!tee interati!n

The PurANa" in their simplest orm are %ors o poetry designed to pass oninormation "on"erning genealogies and legends o eminent "hara"ters+ The reason or

6;Eohnson 1BB45 ;; Bhagvad-Gt @2E2A66Eohnson 1BB45 ;; Bhagvad-Gt @2E-7A6an 9uitenen 1B685 3368an 9uitenen 1B685 346Ban 9uitenen 1B685 3;0an 9uitenen 1B685 361an 9uitenen 1B685 332an 9uitenen 1B685 333an 9uitenen 1B685 364

an 9uitenen 1B685 36;an 9uitenen 1B685 336an 9uitenen 1B685 33

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their set up in this predominantly poeti"al ormat %as to popularise the %ors amongthe general puli" o !ndia+!t %as the simplest %ay o passing on "opious amountso inormation %ith little eing lost+ Through the poeti" genre5 the de$otees5

parti"ularly those o less edu"ated "lasses5 %ere etter ale to intera"t %ith the te*ts+(oetry is ale to pro$oe empathy rom the reader through emoti$e styles o %riting

as opposed to a"tual do"umentary te*ts+ The poeti"al aspe"t %as parti"ularlyad$antageous in the earliest days o de$otion5 %hen e%er oos %ere %ritten5 andmost religious traditions %ere passed on orally+ This allo%ed the de$otees to intera"t%ith the inormation %hilst eing inormed through poetry and stories+

!n the emotional pra"ti"e o 1hakti5 "omplete emotional o$erload is e*pe"ted o allde$otees+ 'or this reason many %ill oten pra"ti"e together in temple ased5"ommunity %orship+ They %ill oten display madness %ith the e"stasy o theirreLoi"ing in &RSNa+ Temple "eremonies demonstrate many orms o de$otion all inthe name o the deity7 these "an range rom e"stati" singing and dan"ing or re"itationso passages o s"riptural poetry5 to the ritual %aing5 dressing5 eeding and later

putting to ed o images+8 (redominantly the "hara"ter o &RSNa most "ommonlyused in this orm o de$otion is in the image o gopala5 %ho is est suited to theemotional outpourings o de$otees along %ith RKdhK+ All a"tions are perormedthrough utter de$otion+ Hope o re%ard or the a"tion should ne$er e e*pe"ted5 theymust e "arried out %ith "omplete deta"hment rom their ee"ts+BDe$otion should

e"ome a %ay o lie or the 1haktailled %ith selless dedi"ation to the


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aspe"ts o no%ledge seen in terms o eauty and estheti"s5 and se*ual andemotionalN e*perien"es as a means to the e*perien"e o the di$ine+ 86 9engaliaiSNavi" as a %hole tends to distinguish et%een do"trine and enthusiasti"

pra"ti"e5 dra%ing a distin"tion et%een intelle"tual and emotional 1hakti+ Caitanya%as ho%e$er seen as the leader o the enthusiasm+ 8His %ritings are taen rom a

de$otional point o $ie%+ They are not theologi"al $erse88 that might eintelle"tualised in any %ay ut are purely de$otional in an enthusiasti" and emotionalmanner+ He %as so popular %ith his emotional 1hakti5 that he %as sometimes said to

e an avatar7 the untied or"e o RKdhK and &rishna in a single ody+8B

As dis"ussed ao$e5 >"an"kritiati!n?is proaly the iggest %ay in %hi"h s"holarsha$e intera"ted %ith intelle"tual orms o 1hakti in re"ent times5 dire"ting 1haktide$otion to%ards a more traditional orm o religion+ Although this said there %ere"ertain elements %ithin it that %ere already 5an"kritiin origin+ The "hara"ter o the%arrior &RSNa through the;ah1hratatea"hes ArLuna many traditional approa"hesto duty5 karaand;!kSa+ All o these are taught in a "lear e*planatory manner thatis intelle"tually "on"ise and ormal %ithout urther elaoration through e*tensi$eallegory as is oten used in more emotional te*ts+ The nature o tanis "lassi"allye*plained thus@

Eust as a man "asting o %ornout "lothestaes up others that are ne%5

so the emodied sel5 "asting o its %ornout odies5goes to other5 ne% ones+B0

RKmKnuLa "+101113/ %as a aiSNa$a theist and philosopher5 elonging to a

de$out se"t+ Their de$otion %as o"used on the Bhgavata PurANa5 ut RKmKnuLa%anted to mae their tradition more orthodo* relating it to the te*ts used y FaGara5o the Bhagvad-Gt and paniSad"+B1 RKmKnuLa?s philosophy "omined t%othreads o Hindu thought5 the irst %as the idea o the personal -od as portrayed inthe Gt5 and the se"ond %as the "on"ept o the unity o ultimate reality and o itsimmanen"e in the uni$erseB2 that is to say he attempted to "omine aspe"ts otheism and the philosophy o the asolute+ B3The personal -od or RKmKnuLa %asiSNu5 or his avatar"5 %ho he elie$ed mer"iully sa$ed us %hen true de$otion issho%n+ !ntelle"tually he euated de$otion %ith lieration at the hand o a mer"iul9rahman %ho %as "guna %ith ualities/ in the orm o &RSNa as avatara oiSNu+ !n tying these t%o an"ient threads o thought together5 RKmKnuLa "ould eseen to e >"an"kritiing?1haktior a more elite group o ollo%ers+

2:iiiA va+uati!n !f their purp!"e"

86Dimo" 1B685 428Dimo" 1B685 4388Dimo" 1B685 438BDimo" 1B685 43B0Eohnson 1BB45 B Bhagvad-Gt 2E22AB1

Hamilton 20015 131B2Hiriyanna 20005 383B3Hiriyanna 20005 383

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re"ognised in standard "ourtly poetry5 and so the g!p" "ould not e su"h+103 Therelationship et%een the g!p" and & RSNa is eyond normal standards omorality5104a point %hi"h is pro$en %hen $ie%ing theg!p"as &RSNas


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an e"stasy o passionate lo$e or &rishna+112This orm o 5aadhiga$e him a senseo supreme e"stasy and union %ith -od through identii"ation predominantly %ith His"onsort RKdhK+

Bhakti"an seem to ha$e an emphasis on sumission eore god5 the mee ha$e a

head start and %omen are %ell trained to e de$out+ 113!n other %ords a %oman orlo% "lass Hindu has an ad$antage %ithin 1hakti as they are already pressed intosumission y their natural role in lie+ The male 1hakta5 must either $isualise himselin the role o a %oman intera"ting %ith the deity that is male as RAmAkRSNa did5 orsee himsel through homose*ual imagery+114 'or %omen5 1hakti oers anin"lusi$eness that "annot e ound in other traditions that per"ei$e them in the lo%eststatus no matter %hat their "aste+ The only thing lo%er than the a$erage %oman is the%ido%5 and elo% them are out"astes and untou"hales+ !ndian %omen5 no mattertheir "aste5 at some point %ill ind themsel$es eing shunned as a lesser order o eingto the men around them+ &insley suggests that de$otion or some %omen "an e seenas a %ay out o these prolems in that it "an help them a$oid marriage+ 11; The

Bhagvad-Gttea"hes that de$otion is "ompatile116%ith dhara5 and yet here it%ould seem that the %omen %ho tae up 1hakti are doing so in order to a$oidmarriage and thereore a$oid their dharaas GRha"thahouseholder+/ !n truth5 manyemale saints asso"iated %ith 1hakti lie ,ahade$iyaa and ,iraai %orshippedtheir gods as lo$er and husand+11They oten ound their passions or their lords?all"onsuming so that they %ere unale to intera"t %ith their %orldly husands at all+

Dharae"ame osolete in the light o asolute de$otion to -od+ !n ,iraai?s poetryher o$er%helming emotion o lo$e118is "learly $isile@

=hen ! am inally "onsumed5

smear your ody %ith my ashes5merge my lame %ith your ire+11B

Thus ar the predominan"e o identii"ation or de$otees has een %ith emales in thestories+ This is elie$ed to e lined to the Bhgavatapredominantly5 and the $ie%that it "asts o %omen as the epitome o de$otion+120 The 1hakta relates to theemotions o theg!p"in order to eel a union %ith -od+ !n an"ient editradition5 the1hakta"ould not approa"h god eroti"ally121yet later traditions odvaita !ni"identiied the %orshipper %ith god spe"ii"ally+122)ther hati traditions relating toFi$a or De$G instead o iSNu more reuently identiy the %orshipper %ith thedeity+123 !n )antri"on the other hand5 the de$otee may identiy himsel %ith the

deity or the "onsort5 and in some "ases may e$en $isualise himsel as oth the god

112Farma 1B35 12113)'laherty 1B805 88114)'laherty 1B805 8811;&insley 1B81116&insley 1B815 8311&insley 1B815 88118&insley 1B815 8B11BIandy 1B;5 68120)'laherty 1B805 88121

)'laherty 1B805 8122)'laherty 1B805 8123)'laherty 1B805 88

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and the goddess+124!n perorming in the roles o RKdhK and &RSNa5 humanind "an"ome "loser to a"hie$ing this realisation o reality and ultimately get "loser tolieration+12;

3:ivA videne !f ea+e d!inane&"hift" in gender d!inane (ithin indu

te/t"=hen looing at Hindu s"ripture5 =endy )?'laherty has noted a great shit in genderdominan"e as time progressed5 and more importantly that this shit has "oin"ided %iththe rise o 1haktiorientated te*ts+ #arly s"ripture su"h as the eda"made $ery e%reeren"es to %omen at all+ ,ale dominan"e held its true strength in the edis"riptures+ =ithin the g eda5 emale deities looed upon the a$erage %oman inderogatory terms5 yet they %ere $ie%ed y the men as little etter+ 'emale deities%ere al%ays se"ond "lass %ith e%er reeren"es made to them+ =omen are des"riedin terms o oolishness or aggression e$en y the goddesses@

The oolish %oman su"s dry the panting %ise man+126

The man is seen as %ise yet a $i"tim %ho is su"ed dry to a point o %eaness andlet panting y the aggressi$e %oman+ The only edipraise %omen get is as thesour"e o lie5 ut e$en this is mostly o$ershado%ed y negati$e "onnotations+ Da%nand Iight are oth praised as eautiul %omen5 yet despite this praise o eauty it is"ondemned as a di$ersion rom their true natures sin"e Da%n is said to do e$il5 and so!ndra as the god o storms is made a hero or ha$ing slain Da%n+ 12The position o%i$es in the eda"again are lo%ered as ar as possile5 su"h a role has no real

position e$en i they are the %i$es o deities+ !ndra?s %ie or e*ample is not e$ennamed ut is merely no%n as !ndrKNG5 literally ,rs !ndra+128Her sole purpose in

the te*t is simply to gloat aout her husand?s se*ual dimensions and pro%ess+12B

,o$ing onto thepi")?'laherty egins to note the irst e$iden"e o this shit ingender dominan"e+ Io longer do the male "hara"ters and gods e*"lusi$ely dominatethe te*ts as the only "hara"ters %ith po%er and goodness+ At $arious times oth maleand emale "hara"ters in the pi" are portrayed %ith aspe"ts o dominant"hara"teristi"s+ The;ah1hratamaintains its male dominan"e primarily through thesimple a"t that the %ar and attles are depi"ted through male "hara"ters+ The eyemale in the #pi" ho%e$er is &untG5 the %ie to (ANDu+ (ANDu illed an as"eti"

posing as a deer in the orest %hilst mating %ith his doe+130As a result the "ouple are"ursed not to ha$e inter"ourse+ Thus &untG taes it upon hersel to "on"ei$e ea"h o

her i$e sons y a dierent edigod+ This in turn adds to the po%er on their side5and is seen as a good omen+ &untG?s dominant po%er is not only seen through the"reation o her sons5 ut also y the a"t that to "reate them she %as the mortal%oman %ith i$e immortal "onsorts+131The other great epi"7 the R*aNa132alsodisplays aspe"ts o oth male and emale dominan"e %ithin the relationship o RKmK

124)'laherty 1B805 8812;Siegel 1B85 2;126)'laherty 1B805 B g eda @E@79E4A12)'laherty 1B805 B128)'laherty 1B805 B12B)'laherty 1B805 B130

an 9uitenen 1B35 246 ;ah1hrata @E@F9E@-3FA131)'laherty 1B805 80132Iarayan 1B2

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23483 Theology and Religious Studies Dissertation THRS 30026 1B

and SGtK+ Sometimes RKmK is depi"ted primarily as a mortal ing5 and at other timesas the avataro iSNu+ SGtK lie%ise is sometimes seen %ith di$ine "hara"teristi"s asa goddess o the earth5 and at other times is merely the human %ie o a mortal ing+133

=hen thePurANa"are rea"hed5 there is a stronger o"us on emale dominated "ouples

that o$ershado%s the amiguity o "hangeo$er e*hiited in the pi"+ =omen aresuddenly euated %ith the emale prin"iple134o the uni$erse7PrakRti%ho is the"onstant "ompanion OtoP PuruSa5 the male+13;The main o"us o tales told %ithinthe (urANas tend to e ased on one o t%o themes@ attle or marriage5 oth o %hi"hare situations %rought %ith strong emotions+


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Ohis trun resting on her a"PJ142

Theg!p"spea o this %oman in the Bhgavata%ho has stolen &RSNa a%ay romthem as ana* rdhitaH5 the %oman %ho has propitiated143Hari5 and Hardy "laimsthat $arious authors ha$e dra%n attention to this phrase and ha$e suggested that

rdhitais an allusion to &RSNas a$ourite RKdhK+144The reason he suggests thatshe is not spe"ii"ally named is in order to eep in line %ith the iSNu PurANaand$arious )ai+sour"es %hi"h do not name anyg!p"either+14;!n a"t they do not e$enseparate one g!pout as a$ourite5 ut rather suggest that &RSNa reLe"ts one or the

pride she displays at ha$ing re"ei$ed a lo%er rom him+146

Conclusion

The se*ual lo$e o theg!p"and espe"ially RKdhK in theBhgavata PurANa%ould

seem to "ontradi"t the predominant tea"hings o theBhagvad-Gtoered to ArLuna%ho %as seen as the ideal de$otee o intelle"tual 1hakti+ RKdhK is portrayed as theepitome o emotional 1hakti5 so "onsumed y her de$otion that all so"ial duty is "astaside5 in "ontrast to ArLuna %ho is taught to uphold his dharaand ight+ et despitethis apparent opposition5 the tea"hings "an a"tually e euated in that ArLuna is taughtto ollo% his dhara totally deta"hed rom its %orldly ee"ts5 and the g!p""an eseen to ha$e already a"hie$ed su"h deta"hment y totally ignoring their so"ialoligations+ Deta"hment "an e seen as the main underlying theme o 1hakti%hi"hrelates it to the"an*"intradition that promoted it in its earliest orm+ The emotionalstru"ture o 1haktie$ol$ed later than the intelle"tual %hi"h "an e noted y this ideathat the g!p" ha$e "ome urther than ArLuna in their uest or sal$ation+ Total

surrender to the deity is assumed in oth ormats5 ut in dierent manners+ 'or the%arrior &RSNa surrender is e*pe"ted rom ArLuna in a""eptan"e o &RSNastea"hings5 and or the Di$ine &RSNa the Co%herd and Di$ine


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,ibliograph-:

Anand+ S+ 1BB6+ )he $a* !f %!veE )he Bhgavata D!trine !f Bhakti Ie%Delhi@ ,unshiram ,anoharlal (ulishers/

Ar"her+ =+ -+ 1B;+%!ve" !f #ri"hna in Indian painting and p!etr*


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&nott+ &+ 1BB8+ indui"E er* 5h!rt Intr!duti!n )*ord@ )*ordVni$ersity (ress/


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=hittaer+ C+ #d+/ 2002+ n Intr!duti!n t! 0rienta+ ;*th!+!g*

ba dissertation krsna as warrior and cowherd

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