Goddess Traditions in Tantric Hinduism

Taylor & Francis

Goddess Traditions in Tantric HinduismHistory, Practice and Doctrine\nAuthor(s): Bjarne Wernicke Olesen\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd, United Kingdom\nImprint: Routledge\nISBN-13: 9781138583788, 978-1138583788\nSynopsis\nHinduism cannot be understood without the Great Goddess and the goddess-orientated ??kta traditions. The Goddess pervades Hinduism at all levels, from aniconic village deities to high-caste pan-Hindu goddesses to esoteric, tantric goddesses. Nevertheless, the highly influential tantric forms of South Asian goddess worship have only recently begun to draw scholarly attention. This book addresses the increasing interest in the Great Goddess and the tantric traditions of India by exploring the history, doctrine and practices of the ??kta tantric traditions. The highly influential tantric forms of South Asian goddess worship form a major part of what is known as ??ktism, and is often considered one of the major branches of Hinduism next to ?aiv.