Cosmology and cosmic manifestations: Shaiva thought and art of Kashmir

• Publisher: ADITYA PRAKASHAN Indological Publishers & Booksellers

• Language: English

• Edition: 2015

• Binding: Hardbound

• Subject(s): Fine Arts

• ISBN 13: 9788173055164

• ISBN 10: 8173055165

About the Book
Indian thought-currents are deeply rooted in the concept of rtam, the framework in which the processes of creation, sustenance, and dissolution unfold. This holistic view connects man and nature through the essentials of space, time, primal elements, and the faculties of sense perception. The author engages in an intensive interdisciplinary dialogue, spanning art history, archaeology, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, astrophysics, and microbiology, with a primary focus on the Shaiva thought and art of Kashmir.

Kashmir, with its rich history, mystic spiritualism, and artistic traditions, is portrayed as a paradise on Earth—a place where various paths to the absolute truth, including Vaishnavism, Shakti cults, Shaivism, Buddhism, and Sufism, have flourished. This volume delves into the interconnectedness of nature, culture, and cosmology, offering a cosmological interpretation of Kashmir Shaivism and its synthesis with modern science.

The book also examines Kashmir Shaivism from a historical perspective, exploring its metaphysics, iconography, and the interrelationship of the Shiva-Shakta cults. It provides a comprehensive study of the primary sources of images and icons depicting Shaiva themes and uses literary materials to reconstruct the history of the Shaiva religion, offering new interpretations of its iconography.