Bringing The Gods To Mind: Mantra And Ritual In Early Indian Sacrifice

Book Summary

"In her Bringing "The Gods to Mind Laurie Patton employs a rich mixture of theoretical insights to tease out the functions and meanings of the Vedic mantras within their ritual settings. With a deep understanding of not only the Vedic texts but also the later Brahmanical ritual tradition, Patton throws new and fresh light on the socio-religious history of ancient India. This is a pathbreaking study that will interest not only specialists in Indian religions but also scholars exploring the intersection between word and ritual, between speech and performance. A truly masterly tour-de-force."--Patrick Olivelle, author of "The Asrama System and translator of the "Upanisads, the "Dharmasutras, and the "Law Code of Manu This elegantly written book introduces a new perspective on Indic religious history by rethinking the role of mantra in Vedic ritual. In "Bringing the Gods to Mind, "Laurie Patton takes a new look at mantra as "performed poetry" and in five case studies draws a portrait of early Indian sacrifice that moves beyond the well-worn categories of "magic" and "magico-religious" thought in Vedic sacrifice. Treating Vedic mantra as a sophisticated form of artistic composition, she develops the idea of metonymy, or associational thought, as a major motivator for the use of mantra in sacrificial performance. Filling a long-standing gap in our understanding, her book provides a history of the Indian interpretive imagination and a study of the mental creativity and hermeneutic sophistication of Vedic religion.

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