Bhakti and Philosophy - Hardcover

Singh, R. Raj

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0739114247 ISBN 13: 9780739114247

Publisher: Lexington Books, 2006

Synopsis

Bhakti is a remarkable feature and tendency of human existence having to do with one's devoted involvement with a person, object, deity, or creative project. In Bhakti and Philosophy, R. Raj Singh traces the larger meanings and roles of bhakti as it historically emerged in some of the well-known thought systems of India, such as Vedanta and Buddhism, with a special focus on the seminal texts such as the Vedas, Upanishads, the Bhagvadgita, the Bhakti sutras and the Buddhist sutras. The book specifically outlines the connection between bhakti and philosophy, a connection hitherto missed in most studies on bhakti, which happen to focus on the religious dimension as opposed to the secular and existential meanings of this pivotal tendency. The value of this work lies not only in its substantive contribution to philosophy and religious studies, but also in advancing our understanding of bhakti as a universal tendency and a vital component in resolving the ever-enigmatic philosophical problem stated in the simple question "what is love?"

About this title

About the Author:

R. Raj Singh is professor of philosophy at Brock University.

Review:

Challenging the narrow religious conception of bhakti linked with Hindu devotionalism, the author successfully presents historical evidence in favour of a broader and richer interpretation of this concept within the various Indian traditions. Essential for a deeper understanding of what living philosophy means from an Indian perspective, bhakti is understood here as an existential loving attitude joining together knowledge and action. (Rosa Fernandez-Gomez, University of Malaga, Spain)

One of the merits of Professor R. Raj Singh's Bhakti and Philosophy is to point the way to a fertile reconsideration of the Indian traditional notion of devotion (bhakti) by bringing to light through knowledge and insight what makes piety a crucial factor in the broader horizon of human experience where ethic, aesthetic and transcendental values play an equal role in the construction of a true self saturated with fervour in the multi-oriented directions of creativity, contemplation and action. (Grazia Marchianò, University of Siena-Arezzo, Italy)

About this edition

• Publisher: Lexington Books
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0739114247
• ISBN 13: 9780739114247
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 121