T&T Clark Handbook of Sacraments and Sacramentality


Book Description

Introducing readers to the contemporary field of sacramental theology, this volume covers the biblical and historical foundations, a survey of the state of the discipline, and a collection of constructive essays representing major themes, practices and approaches to sacraments and sacramentality in the contemporary world. The volume starts with a set of foundational essays that offer broad introduction to the field of sacramental theology from contemporary scholars, analysing a number of historical figures in order to illumine and inform contemporary sacramental theology. The second part of the volume is dedicated to a series of essays on sacramentality, and includes attention to elements of space, time, ritual action, music, and word, all as aspects of what Christians have termed “sacramental” reality. The third set of essays includes attention to each of the seven practices that have most commonly been termed “sacraments” in Christian traditions: baptism; eucharist/Lord's Supper; confirmation; confession, forgiveness and reconciliation; marriage; ordination; and anointing. The final part of this volume features scholars who are working on sacraments in conversation with contemporary academic disciplines: critical race theory, queer theory, comparative theology, and disability studies.




Sri Ramanuja


Book Description

On the life and works of Rāmānuja, 1017-1137, Vaishnavite leader and propagator of the Viśishtādvaita school in Hindu philosophy.




Ramanujar


Book Description

Indira Parthasarathy's Tamil play 'Ramanujar' was awarded the Saraswati Samman by the K.K. Birla Foundation in 1999 for promoting an understanding of the contemporary relevance of the renowned Vaishnava acharya of medieval India. The English translation by T. Sriraman and the accompanying critical apparatus by C.T. Indra make the play accessible to a wider audience for the first time. The book presents the saint not only as an exponent of the Visishtaadvaidic philosophy, but even more strikingly as a radical social reformer with an inclusive vision. The Epilogue, a playlet included in the present edition, presents an imaginary meeting of the aged renunciant with his long-separated wife. The searching questions she poses make the savant reflect upon and evaluate himself, his past, and the impact he has made on society.




Sri Ramanuja His Life Religion And Philosophy


Book Description

Bhakti Schools of Vedānta’, of which this volume is a part, is a work intended to bring to the notice of the general reader that it is not correct to equate Vedānta exclusively with Advaita Vedānta, associated with Śrī Śaṅkarācārya. There are several other Ācāryas who have expounded the Vedānta in quite a different way and whose status as teachers of Vedānta requires recognition. The personages treated in the above book are Sri Rāmānuja, Śrī Nimbārka, Śrī Vallabha, Śrī Madhva and Śrī Caitanya. Besides their theo-philosophies, detailed accounts of their lives are given. For it is the support of their lives that gives more authority to their teachings than the philosophical writings of mere armchair philosophers. The frame-work of their lives is mainly historical, but most of the miraculous and extraordinary incidents mentioned in them may largely be projections of the pious imaginations of their followers. These too are to be respectfully received and not pooh-poohed as mere cock and bull stories. It is the way of the Indian mind to convey the idea that these Ācāryas are endowed with extraordinary powers. But for this, their teachings could not have survived through so many centuries influencing the lives of innumerable generations of men.




A Tale of Two Cities: The Decline and Fall of the "Ubaya-Vedantins" - An outline of the History of Sri Vaishnavas of Tamil Nadu that was never Written.


Book Description

This book is an expansive outline of history which, at the same time, is also a very comprehensive history of the Sri Vaishnava community of Tamil Nadu, India. It spans a period of 1000 years — from the 11th century CE to the present day. It is The historical narrative is woven around a “tale of two cities” i.e. Sri Rangam and Kanchipuram, the two towns in South India from where a titanic struggle for ownership, power, legitimacy and control over not only temples but also for the very self-identity of the Sri Vaishnava identity was waged for over seven centuries by two major sects, the Tenkalais and Vadakalais. The struggle continues to this day, having been dragged deeply into and getting increasingly embroiled in the larger issues and dynamics of the Tamil State socio-politics viz. language, ethnology, demography and culture. The “tale of two cities” is a historical narrative about grievous loss of religious legacy, debility of cultural identity and decline of economic prosperity arising from social alienation… This book is an absorbing tale of human frailties.... of ambition, greed, deceit, envy, malice and betrayal.




Ramanujar


Book Description

Indira Parthasarathy's Tamil play 'Ramanujar' was awarded the Saraswati Samman by the K.K. Birla Foundation in 1999 for promoting an understanding of the contemporary relevance of the renowned Vaishnava acharya of medieval India. The English translation by T. Sriraman and the accompanying critical apparatus by C.T. Indra make the play accessible to a wider audience for the first time. The book presents the saint not only as an exponent of the Visishtaadvaidic philosophy, but even more strikingly as a radical social reformer with an inclusive vision. The Epilogue, a playlet included in the present edition, presents an imaginary meeting of the aged renunciant with his long-separated wife. The searching questions she poses make the savant reflect upon and evaluate himself, his past, and the impact he has made on society.




Sri Ramanuja in Karnataka


Book Description







Sri Varadarajaswami Temple, Kanchi: A Study of Its History, Art and Architecture


Book Description

Kanchi, the ancient capital city of the South, teems with historic temples of great beauty and grandeur. The magnificent temple of Lord Varadaraja, situated in Vishnu-Kanchi, has played a remarkable part in fostering the growth of Sri-Vaishnavism and has justly been ranked with the famous temples of Srirangam and Tirupati as the holiest of the holies. This is the first comprehensive and illustrated treatise on this hoary temple, focusing attention of the various aspects like the origin and the growth of the temple, critical review of the temple traditions, the role of the temple in the growth of Sri-Vaishnavism, the association of the acharyas like Ramanuja with the temple, besides the pivotal role the temple has played in the social and cultural life of the community. The vast literature that has grown round the temple and the five hundred and odd inscriptions that crowd the wall-spaces of the shrines provide a sumptuous source material for this study. One of the largest temple complexes of South India, the temple presents interesting variety of architectural and sculptural styles of different schools. The temple is particularly rich in Vaishnava iconography. The book provides a detailed study and interpretation of these features with the help of hitherto unpublished photographs and drawings. The book also brings to light the presence of fine paintings of the Vijayanagar times that are found in the dark cloister around the sanctum. The book is a distinct contribution to the field of historical and architectural studies of ancient Indian temples.