"This book displays 'state of the art' scholarship on the mythology, literature, iconography, and practice surrounding Ganaa. No single scholar could take on the range of traditions, texts, languages, and practices that are represented here. It is a case of strength through diversities of scholarly background and interests with each study thoroughly grounded in original sources." -- Paul B. Courtright, Emory University
"I liked the wide-range of information presented about Ganaa from a variety of Asian countries, the depth of detail it makes available, the translations of texts otherwise not available, the data on actual rituals, and the data it gives on Tantrism. The book will be useful to those who want to explore a single theme that has run through South, Southeast, and East Asia. It is especially significant for the insight it provides into Tantric practices in Tibet and Japan." -- Dennis Hudson, Smith College
This book examines the complete Ganesh for the first time. Here is the God in his multiple forms from the different geographical areas in Asia. Particularly important are chapters that deal with his Buddhist and Tantric forms. The controversial question of his origins is also thoroughly discussed.
"It provides a great deal of original and unpublished material which will be of much interest to scholars in the field. It will be an indispensable reference work on the subject." --Pratataditya Pal, Senior Curator, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Robert L. Brown is Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Adjunct Curator of the Pacific Asia Museum.
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Table of Contents
Foreword
A. K. Narain
Acknowledgments
Note on Transliteration
Introduction
Robert L. Brown
1. Ganesa: A Protohistory of the Idea and the Icon
A. K. Narain
2. Ganesa: Myth and Reality
M. K. Dhavalikar
3. Ganesa's Rise to Prominence in Sanskrit Literature
Ludo Rocher
4. Ganesa as Metaphor: The Mudgala Purana
Phyllis Granoff
5. Images of Ganesa in Jainism
Maruti Nandan Tiwari and Kamal Giri
6. The Wives of Ganesa
Lawrence Cohen
7. "Vatapi Ganapatim": Sculptural, Poetic, and Musical Texts in a Hymn to Ganesa
Amy Catlin
8. Ganesa in Southeast Asian Art: Indian Connections and Indigenous Developments
Robert L. Brown
9. The Tantric Ganesa: Texts Preserved in the Tibetan Canon
Christopher Wilkinson
10. Ganesa in China: Methods of Transforming the Demonic
Lewis R. Lancaster
11. Literary Aspects of Japan's Dual-Ganesa Cult
James H. Sanford
List of Contributors
Index
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