The Bhagavadgita is one of the most renowned texts of Hinduism because it contains discussions of important issues such as liberation and the nature of action as well as the revelation of the Krishna as the highest god and creator of the universe. It is included in the ancient Indian Mahabharata epic at one of its most dramatic moments, that is, when the final battle is about to begin. In contrast to many other studies, this book deals with the relationship between the Bhagavadgita and its epic contexts. On the basis of a thorough analysis of the text Angelika Malinar argues that its theology delineates not only new philosophical concepts and religious practices but also addresses the problem of righteous kingship and appropriate use of power. Malinar concludes by considering the Bhagavadgita's historical and cultural contexts and those features of the text that became paradigmatic in later Hindu religious traditions.

The Bhagavadgita is one of the most renowned texts of Hinduism because it contains discussions of important issues such as liberation and the nature of action as well as the revelation of the Krishna as the highest god and creator of the universe. It is included in the ancient Indian Mahabharata epic at one of its most dramatic moments, that is, when the final battle is about to begin. In contrast to many other studies, this book deals with the relationship between the Bhagavadgita and its epic contexts. On the basis of a thorough analysis of the text Angelika Malinar argues that its theology delineates not only new philosophical concepts and religious practices but also addresses the problem of righteous kingship and appropriate use of power. Malinar concludes by considering the Bhagavadgita's historical and cultural contexts and those features of the text that became paradigmatic in later Hindu religious traditions.

The last decades of the twentieth century have witnessed an enlarged understanding of the notion of text as not only comprising written documents, but also rituals, artifacts and the like. Thereby, texts were brought closer to the social religious or historical contexts that help to interpret texts. Scholars, traditionally divided in different disciplines that deal either more with texts (historians, philologists, etc.) or with contexts (sociologists anthropologists, etc.) became interested in the methods and perspectives of the other disciplines. This has resulted in a renewed interest in the theoretical issues implied in the notions of text and context. The essays in this volume reflect these debates and show how they influence and enrich research on South Asia. Anthropologists, historians, literary critics, philologists and historians of religion deal with the mutli-layered interplay between texts and contexts in past and present Orissa. Orissa, renowned for the cults related to the Jagannatha Temple in Puri, is marked by a rich cultural diversity. In dealing with the interdependence between text and context the eassys provide fresh insights to the complexity and fluidity of cultural contexts that use text as stable points of reference. The traditions of Orissa are considered in their uniqueness as well as in their relationship to South Asian cultural contexts on a larger scale.

English summary: A comprehensive depiction of Hinduism, which explains hictorical correlations and selected social, practical and religious subjects. German text. German description: Der Hinduismus ist nicht allein durch eine lange Geschichte, sondern auch durch eine Vielfalt religioser Traditionen und Praktiken gepragt, die zum grossten Teil bis heute lebendig sind. Angelika Malinar bietet eine einfuhrende Darstellung dieses religiosen Pluralismus und beschaftigt sich zunachst mit den Problemen und Deutungsvorschlagen, welche Definition und Beschreibung des Hinduismus aus einer wissenschaftlichen Perspektive aufwerfen. Anhand eines Uberblicks uber die Epochen der Geschichte des Hinduismus, die von den Anfangen in der vedischen Religion (ca. 1500 v.Chr.) bis in die Gegenwart reicht, werden die verschiedenen Texttraditionen und Religionsformen vorgestellt. Ausgewahlte Themen und religiose Praktiken werden im zweiten, systematisch angelegten Teil behandelt, wobei den sozialen und praktischen Dimensionen des Hinduismus besonderes Gewicht zukommt. Die Bedeutung des Tempels sowie der Rituale und Feste werden ebenso diskutiert wie wichtige religiose Praktiken wie Pilgerschaft und Formen des religiosen Umgangs mit Krisensituationen. Die sozialen Dimensionen hinduistischer Religion werden in einer Darstellung des Kastensystems und des damit verbundenen Konzepts einer sozio-kosmischen Ordnung (dharma) in den Blickpunkt geruckt. Eine umfangreiche wissenschaftliche Bibliographie erlaubt eine weiterfuhrende Beschaftigung mit dem Thema.

Thinking about notions of time in India still evokes images of circles and wheels symbolising the fading away of collective and individual histories into the repetitious, cyclical movement of cosmic death and rebirth. However, time is perceived and reckoned in India in many different ways mirrored in a wide spectrum of philosophical and theological interpretations, methods of calculation, mythological narratives and ritual performances. The richness of concepts and practices shows the concern for different dimensions of the experience of time in Indian cultures. The interplay between time as quality and quantity persists in many aspects of social life in India and has not been replaced by the advent of modern standardisations. Thus, ritual calendars and the concern for auspicious or inauspicious moments co-exist with other methods of time reckoning. Such as the digital clock or dynastic eras. The essays collected in this volume highlight this multiplicity by studying both notions and practices of time in relation to the different contexts in which they are enacted. Scholars from different disciplines address these topics with regard to history, religion, methods of time-reckoning, festivals, life-cycle rituals kinship and modern historiography. The essays deal with both, pan-Indian notions and traditions located in Orissa. While there are some distinct features that relate to Orissa in particular, the regional and local traditions often draw on conceptual frameworks used in other parts of the subcontinent too.

Das Heimatland ihrer Eltern und Grosseltern kennen in der Diaspora geborene Tibeterinnen und Tibeter meist nur aus Erzahlungen. In den letzten Jahrzehnten wurde dem Leid der tibetischen Fluchtlinge sehr viel Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt und in Bildbanden, Filmen, Studien und Romanen dokumentiert. Die Nachkommen der Fluchtlinge fanden bisher aber nur wenig Beachtung. Doch gerade weil sie die Erfahrungen und Erlebnisse ihrer Eltern und Grosseltern nicht teilen, ihre Sozialisation in einem anderen Land erfahren haben und sich dennoch stark mit dem Schicksal Tibets verbunden fuhlen, drangen sich kulturwissenschaftliche Fragen auf - vor allem die nach ihrer Verbindung zur tibetischen Herkunft. Die vorliegende Studie befasst sich erstmals ausfuhrlich mit Biografien von Tibeterinnen und Tibetern der zweiten Generation in Indien und in der Schweiz. Zentrale kulturelle Aspekte wie der Bezug zum Buddhismus, zur tibetischen Sprache oder zu Rezeptionen tibetischer Identitat werden mit zahlreichen Zitaten, Bildern und Forschungsanekdoten eindrucksvoll dargestellt. Daneben finden auch die Sozialisation, politisches und soziales Engagement sowie Traume und Ziele dieser Generation Beachtung.