Crossing the Lines of Caste: Visvamitra and the Construction of Brahmin Power in Hindu Mythology

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Adheesh A. Sathaye (Associate Professor, Department of Asian Studies, Associate Professor, Department of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia)

Crossing the Lines of Caste

Visvamitra and the Construction of Brahmin Power in Hindu Mythology

Adheesh A. Sathaye (Associate Professor, Department of Asian Studies, Associate Professor, Department of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia)

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
09 July 2015

Hinduism; Educational: Religious studies: Hinduism

What does it mean to be a Brahmin, and what could it mean to become one? Over the years, intellectuals and dogmatists have offered plenty of answers to the first question, but the latter presents a cultural puzzle, since normative Brahminical ideology deems it impossible for an ordinary individual to change caste without first undergoing death and rebirth.

There is, however, one notable figure in the Hindu mythological tradition who is said to have transformed himself from a king into a Brahmin by amassing great ascetic power, or tapas: the ornery sage Visvamitra. Through texts composed in Sanskrit and vernacular languages, oral performances, and visual media, Crossing the Lines of Caste examines the rich mosaic of legends about Visvamitra found across the Hindu mythological tradition. It offers a comprehensive historical analysis of how the ""storyworlds"" conjured up through these various tellings have served to adapt, upgrade, and reinforce the social identity of real-world Brahmin communities, from the ancient Vedic past up to the hypermodern present.

Using a performance-centered approach to situate the production of the Visvamitra legends within specific historical contexts, Crossing the Lines of Caste reveals how and why mythological culture has played an active, dialogical role in the construction of Brahmin social power over the last three thousand years.

By: Adheesh A. Sathaye (Associate Professor Department of Asian Studies Associate Professor Department of Asian Studies University of British Columbia)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 160mm, Width: 239mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 612g
ISBN: 9780199341108
ISBN 10: 0199341109
Pages: 334
Publication Date: 09 July 2015
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Note on Transliteration Abbreviations About the Companion Website Introduction: Crossing the Lines of Caste Foundations 1. Poet, Priest, and Prince: Glimpses of Visvamitra in Vedic Literature 2. Genealogy of the Brahmin Other in the Sanskrit Epics Adaptations 3. Spinning the Brahmin Other in the Early Puranas 4. Geo-Mapping the Brahmin Other in Regional Puranic Literature Confrontations 5. Encountering the Brahmin Double in Medieval India 6. Becoming a New Brahmin in Modern India Conclusions: Texts, Performances, and Hindu Mythological Culture Catalogue of Visvamitra Legends Bibliography Index

Adheesh A. Sathaye (PhD, UC Berkeley, 2005) is an Associate Professor of Sanskrit Literature and South Asian Folklore at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He writes on Hindu mythology, Sanskrit drama, story literature, and the broader connections between performance, textual production, and traditional culture in South Asia.

Reviews for Crossing the Lines of Caste: Visvamitra and the Construction of Brahmin Power in Hindu Mythology

""[A] really superb book that is a model of what Indological scholarship can be. It makes a major contribution to the image of the brahmin from late Vedic literature up to the present day and also, whether intended or not, is exceptionally incisive on how myth can be reinterpreted and received by consecutive generations subsequent to its original composition and dissemination.""--Journal of the American Oriental Society ""This book makes us appreciate how fortunate we are to have reached a point where a single young author can show command of texts from multiple periods, genres, and South Asian languages to present an inside story that never stops retelling itself from the Rig Veda into modern times. For a class, or for the general reader, I can think of no better introduction to the peccadillos of Hinduism."" --Alf Hiltebeitel, Professor of Religion, George Washington University