The world of the Skandapurāṇa : : Northern India in the sixth and seventh centuries / / Hans T. Bakker.

• Superior document: Supplement to Groningen Oriental Studies,
• VerfasserIn: Bakker, Hans, 1948-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands ;, Boston, [Massachusetts] : : Brill,, 2014.; ©2014
• Year of Publication: 2014
• Language: English
• Series: Supplement to Groningen Oriental studies.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (332 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.
• Other title: Preliminary material /; Introduction /; The Twilight of the Gupta Empire /; The Maukharis /; A Reshuffle of Power in Madhyadesa /; The Reign of Harṣavardhana (AD 612–647) /; The Pāśupata Movement and the Skandapurāṇa /; The Skandapurāṇa and Bāṇa’s Harṣacarita /; The Myth of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice /; The Seven Brahmins, King Udayana, and Śveta’s Struggle with Death /; The Myth of Tilottamā and Maṇḍaleśvara /; Goddesses from the East /; Appendix /; Figures /; Plates /; Bibliography /; Index /
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• ISBN: 9004277145
• ISSN: 1566-7642
• Hierarchical level: Monograph
• Statement of Responsibility: Hans T. Bakker.

The World of the Skandapurāṇa explores the historical, religious and literary environment that gave rise to the composition and spread of this early Purana text devoted to Siva. It is argued that the text originated in circles of Pasupata ascetics and laymen, probably in Benares, in the second half of the 6th and first half of he 7th centuries. The book describes the political developments in Northern India after the fall of the Gupta Empire until the successor states which arose after the death of king Harsavardhana of Kanauj in the second half of the 7th century. The work consists of two parts. In the first part the historical environment in which this Purāṇa was composed is described. The second part explores six localities in Northern India that play a prominent role in the text. It is richly illustrated and contains a detailed bibliography and index.