SUNY Press Logo

Enjoy 30% off with code NBN624. Offer expires July 31, 2024.

Now Available in Paperback

The Literary Life of Yājñavalkya_over

The Literary Life of Yājñavalkya

Steven E. Lindquist


A literary and historical investigation into an ancient Indian religious thinker, tracing his rise in importance in the Hindu tradition.


"Lindquist traces the textual references to Yājñavalkya from their pre-Buddhist beginnings to their classical and postclassical contexts, all while avoiding the pitfalls of mostly pointless inquiries into the 'historicity' of Yājñavalkya. As such, the book is unique within the field of Indology because it goes beyond the usual dismissive descriptions of such personalities as mere eponyms or arbitrary placeholders for sagely authority. In contrast, Lindquist shows how coherent features of thought and rhetorical style provided a solid core text-persona called Yājñavalkya, around whom a host of distinctive ideas and styles of debate and expression were carried through several genres of Vedic and classical Hindu sacred writing." — Donald R. Davis Jr., University of Texas at Austin


READ MORE

You May Also Like

The Character of Self in Ancient India

The Character of the Self in Ancient India

Priests, Kings, and Women in the Early Upaniṣads

Brian Black


Explores the narratives and dialogues of the Upanisads and shows that these literary elements are central to an understanding of Upanishadic philosophy.


"Black's book is well researched and intelligent … Most impressive is his ability to bring out the concrete and the social in these narratives, including issues of wealth, prestige, regional rivalry, and gender relations." — Journal of the American Oriental Society


READ MORE

Fall 2024 Catalog ~ Author Events

Connect with us
Facebook  X  Instagram