Lehrende: Ph. D. Sadananda Das
Veranstaltungsart: Seminar
Orga-Einheit: 03-Indologie und Zentralasienwissenschaften
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Semesterwochenstunden: 2
Unterrichtssprache: Englisch
Offizielle Kursbeschreibung: We are going to read Sanskrit meters & Recitation and Sivastotrvali of Utpaladeva In Sanskrit IV, we shall continue reading the Sanskrit meters and recitation for two hours. More than half of the Sanskrit literature is written in poetry form. Therefore, it becomes important for the students of Sanskrit literature to learn about the technics of Sanskrit meters and the recitation of different meters. In the previous semester we have learned about 15 meters and their recitation. We shall continue to explore more meters and their recitation technics in this semester. The other 2 hours we shall read the Sivastotrvali of Utpaladeva, A Mystical Hymn of Kashmir. Utpaladeva (ca. 925-975) was one of the greatest philosophers of Kashmir who developed and established the School of Recognition of Pratyabhijña to its hight. He was a mystical poet and has composed a splendid hymn collection “Sivastotravali” containing twenty Hymns in the praise of Lord Siva. Sivastotravali is a unique text in bhakti literature: the best testimony of the living spiritual tradition of the non-dualistic Saiva philosophy of Kashmir as well as Utpaladeva’s devotional sentiments and his mystical experiences. Utpaladeva is considered as a philosopher, a great devotee, a perfected being (siddha), and a mystic with enormous mystical experiences, which he expresses in his hymns from time to time. In the five eternal functions (pañcak?tyas) of Siva i.e., s???i (creation or emanation), sthiti (maintenance), sa?hara (reabsorption), tirodhana (concealment) and anugraha (grace), the last one (anugraha) is essential for the process of reunion with Lord Siva. It becomes manifest as the devotee’s devotion (bhakti) to the lord. In the hymns of Sivastotravali devotion and grace are equally important. When the devotee merges his identity, he recognizes that the very act of his devotion is but another aspect of the Lord’s bestowing of grace. The Lord is pleased when we are devoted to him and the devotion comes to us when He is pleased. One does not happen without the other. A verse states that bhakti and liberation are not different. Indeed, the ripened devotion (vipakva bhakti) is liberation. We will read first few hymns and some selected verses from the other hymns of this wonderful text.
