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.

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.

Table of Contents

Preliminary material / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- Introduction / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- The Twilight of the Gupta Empire / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- The Maukharis / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- A Reshuffle of Power in Madhyadesa / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- The Reign of Harṣavardhana (AD 612–647) / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- The Pāśupata Movement and the Skandapurāṇa / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- The Skandapurāṇa and Bāṇa’s Harṣacarita / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- The Myth of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- The Seven Brahmins, King Udayana, and Śveta’s Struggle with Death / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- The Myth of Tilottamā and Maṇḍaleśvara / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- Goddesses from the East / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- Appendix / Yuko Yokochi -- Figures / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- Plates / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- Bibliography / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa -- Index / Editors The World of the Skandapurāṇa.