The Character of the Self in Ancient India : Priests, Kings, and Women in the Early Upaniṣads.

Intro -- The Character of the Self in Ancient India -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- OPENING STATEMENT -- WHAT ARE THE UPANISADS? -- THE SELF, LIFE, DEATH, AND IMMORTALITY -- THE HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL CONTEXT -- CHARACTERIZING THE SELF -- LITERARY CHARACTERS -- THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF KNOWLEDGE -- MYSTERY OR MYSTIQUE: THE CHARACTER OF KNOWLEDGE -- 1. Teachers and Students: The Emergence of Teaching as an Object of Discourse -- INTRODUCTION -- SANDILYA AND THE TEACHING OF ATMAN AND BRAHMAN -- SANDILYA FROM RITUALIST TO TEACHER -- UDDALAKA ARUNI AND THE TEACHING OF TAT TVAM ASI -- UDDALAKA AND SVETAKETU:ACTING OUT THE UPANAYANA -- INDRA AS THE PERSISTENT STUDENT -- NARADA AND SANATKUMARA: KNOWLEDGE OF ATMAN AS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE VEDAS -- NACIKETAS AND THE INITIATION OF ANUPANISHADIC BRAHMIN -- THE GRADUATION OF A BRAHMIN STUDENTIN THE TAITTIRIYA UPANISAD -- SATYAKAMA AND THE BEGINNINGS OF A BRAHMIN HAGIOGRAPHY -- CONCLUSION -- 2. Debates between Brahmins: The Competitive Dynamics of the Brahmodya -- INTRODUCTION -- THE BRAHMODYA AND THE SACRIFICE -- UDDALAKA ARUNI AND THE BRAHMODYA IN THE SATAPATHA BRAHMANA -- YAJÑAVALKYA AND THE PHILOSOPHICAL TOURNAMENT -- YAJÑAVALKYA'S INTERLOCUTORS:THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF DEBATE -- YAJÑAVALKYA AND THE TACTICS OF DEBATE -- LOSING FACE OR LOSING ONE'S HEAD? THE MOTIF OF HEAD SHATTERING -- UPANISHADIC TEACHINGS AND MATERIAL WEALTH -- YAJÑAVALKYA AND RENUNCIATION -- THE LIFE STORY OF YAJÑAVALKYA -- CONCLUSION -- 3. Kings and Brahmins: The Political Dimensions of the Upaniƒads -- INTRODUCTION -- THE MYTH OF KSATRIYA AUTHORSHIP -- JANAKA AND YAJÑAVALKYA: NEGOTIATING THE BRAHMIN'S POSITION IN THE COURT -- JANAKA AND YAJÑAVALKYA IN THE BRHADARAN YAKA UPANISAD -- JANAKA AND Y≈JÑAVALKYA IN THE BRHADARAN YAKA UPANISAD.

KINGS AS TEACHERS: ASVAPATI TEACHES A GROUP OF BRAHMIN HOUSEHOLDERS -- UDDALAKA ARUNI AND SVETAKETU:INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO SEEK PATRONAGE -- CONFLICTING AGENDAS FOR HOW KINGS SHOULD TEACH BRAHMINS -- UPANISHADIC KNOWLEDGE AS A POLITICAL DISCOURSE -- THE BATTLE OF THE PRANAS AS A POLITICAL METAPHOR -- PRAVAHANA AND THE TEACHING OF THE FIVE FIRES -- CONCLUSION -- 4. Brahmins and Women: Subjectivity and Gender Construction in the Upanisads -- INTRODUCTION -- THE GENDER OF THE SELF: ATMAN AND THE MALE BODY -- THE SELF, VIRILITY, AND IMMORTALITY -- YAJÑAVALKYA AND SATYAKAMA:COMPETING IDEALS OF MALE SUBJECTIVITY -- THE MYTH OF RECOVERING AN AUTHENTIC FEMALE VOICE -- GARGI : THE DEBATING TACTICSOF A FEMALE PHILOSOPHER -- WOMEN AND GANDHARVAS:THE LACK OF AUTHORITY FOR FEMALE SPEAKERS -- THE AMBIGUITIES OF SATYAKAMA'S MOTHER AND WIFE -- MAITREYI AND KATYAYANI:KNOWLEDGE OF ATMAN VERSUS STRIPRAJÑA -- CONCLUSION -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Z.

Explores the narratives and dialogues of the Upanisads and shows that these literary elements are central to an understanding of Upanishadic philosophy.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.