If the first part of the title hints at a sensual book written by a young female scholar attempting to make 'male'-stream philosophy sexy again, the second evokes the repetitious feminist claim that women are the victims of an oppressive patriarchal structure. However, this book is neither a feminist manifesto nor a cleverly marketed erotic novel lacking in substance. Its aim is both more ambitious and provocative. Drawing on the ambiguous meaning of the notion of vulnerability, the book offers an innovative approach to the topic of the female body in relation to women's rights; going beyond the age-old dichotomy of casting women as either passive victims or conscious agents. Thanks to a profound confrontation with the works of Judith Butler and Adriana Cavarero on the concept of vulnerability, the book offers also a unique insight into the different feminist 'schools' to which these philosophers belong.

The first English translation of the oldest extant work in Apabhramsha, a literary language from medieval India, recounting the story of the Ramayana. The Life of Padma, or the Paumacariu, is a richly expressive Jain retelling in the Apabhramsha language of the famous Ramayana tale. The work was written by the poet and scholar Svayambhudeva, who lived in south India around the beginning of the tenth century. Like the epic tradition on which it is based, The Life of Padma narrates Prince Rama's exile, his search for his wife Sita after her abduction by King Ravana of Lanka, and the restoration of his kingship. The first volume of The Life of Padma begins by recounting the histories and noteworthy ancestors of Rama's allies and enemies, focusing on his antagonist, Ravana. Svayambhudeva connects central characters from the Ramayana tradition to one another and to Rishabha, the founding prophet of Jainism, in a complex web of family relations dating back generations. This is the first direct translation into English of the oldest extant work in Apabhramsha, accompanied by a corrected reprint in the Devanagari script of Harivallabh C. Bhayani's critical edition.

The first English translation of the oldest extant work in Apabhramsha, a literary language from medieval India, recounting the story of the Ramayana. The Life of Padma, or the Paümacariu, is a richly expressive Jain retelling in the Apabhramsha language of the famous Ramayana tale. It was written by the poet and scholar Svayambhudeva, who lived in south India around the beginning of the tenth century. Like the epic tradition on which it is based, The Life of Padma narrates Prince Rama’s exile, his search for his wife Sita after her abduction by King Ravana of Lanka, and the restoration of his kingship. The second volume recounts Rama’s exile with Sita and his brother Lakshmana. The three visit various cities—rather than ashrams, as in most versions; celebrate Lakshmana’s marriages; and come upon a new city built in Rama’s honor. In Dandaka Forest, they encounter sages who are masters of Jain doctrine. Then, the discovery of Sita’s disappearance sets the stage for war with Ravana. This is the first direct translation into English of the oldest extant Apabhramsha work, accompanied by a corrected text, in the Devanagari script, of Harivallabh C. Bhayani’s critical edition.

Drawing on the ambiguous meaning of the notion of vulnerability, the book offers an innovative approach to the topic of the female body in relation to women's rights; going beyond the age-old dichotomy of casting women as either passive victims or conscious agents.