Unravel the puzzle that is the mysterious and misunderstood son of Mahadeva-KARTIKEYA. Kartikeya was born from the flames of a desperate need, an ardent desire, and an utmost devastation. In him was distilled the terrible powers of Mahadev, at its fiercest and most deadly. Although he fought many wars and slew many tyrants, yet his gifts to humanity have always been those of mercy, compassion and love. What makes this possible? For Kartikeya, there have always been more questions than answers. Did he really walk away from his family over a piece of fruit? What about the women in his life-was he the ravisher he is at times accused of being, or the protector of women? Was he the violent warrior who revelled in bloodlust, or a gentle family man? What was his relationship with his more popular sibling, Ganesha? Anuja Chandramouli weaves together myth, imagination and folklore while looking to answer these questions, and recreates for modern readers the story of one of the most enigmatic gods-Kartikeya.

Same-Sex Love in India presents a stunning array of writings on same-sex love from over 2000 years of Indian literature. Translated from more than a dozen languages and drawn from Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, and modern fictional traditions, these writings testify to the presence of same-sex love in various forms since ancient times, without overt persecution. This collection defies both stereotypes of Indian culture and Foucault's definition of homosexuality as a nineteenth-century invention, uncovering instead complex discourses of Indian homosexuality, rich metaphorical traditions to represent it, and the use of names and terms as early as medieval times to distinguish same-sex from cross-sex love. An eminent group of scholars have translated these writings for the first time or have re-translated well-known texts to correctly make evident previously underplayed homoerotic content. Selections range from religious books, legal and erotic treatises, story cycles, medieval histories and biographies, modern novels, short stories, letters, memoirs, plays and poems. From the Rigveda to Vikram Seth, this anthology will become a staple in courses on gender and queer studies, Asian studies, and world literature.

The series Religion and Society (RS) contributes to the exploration of religions as social systems - both in Western and non-Western societies; in particular, it examines religions in their differentiation from, and intersection with, other cultural systems, such as art, economy, law and politics. Due attention is given to paradigmatic case or comparative studies that exhibit a clear theoretical orientation with the empirical and historical data of religion and such aspects of religion as ritual, the religious imagination, constructions of tradition, iconography, or media. In addition, the formation of religious communities, their construction of identity, and their relation to society and the wider public are key issues of this series.

ABOUT THE BOOK:The Kumarasambhava of Kalidasa is a tour-de-force of literary effort of a very high order, and is in fact the oriflamme of Indian Poetic genius. It is a gem among Kalidasa's poetic works. It Sings of divine love and of the strife betwee

A kite needs a string in order to fly through the sky. In a similar way, the Shiva Sutras offers threads to uplift our mind and let it soar to new heights. The Shiva Sutras describes the goal of life as: life radiating the light of inner joy. The Magic of the Shiva sutras is that each sutra is complete, offering us a way to go deeper into our own nature, which is joy. Step by step, with inimitable humor and wisdom, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar takes examples from everyday life to guide readers on this journey of innocence and love

Includes the following titles: Sati and Shiva, Shiva and Parvati, Tales of Shiva, Ganesha, Karttikeya

A bi-lingual Sanskrit/English classic rarely available.

Many modern scholars say Shiva linga is a phallic symbol. Most devotees disagree. Who is right? To make sense of a mythological image one has to align the language heard stories] with the language performed rituals], and the language seen symbols]. This book also looks at the sexual metaphors.