The author analyses the meaning of Narayana Guru's Saiva poems composed in Malayalam, Sanskrit and Tamil. The author points to how Narayana Guru's ideas connect to the doctrine of Saiva Siddhanta of Tirumandiram.

This full-scaled monograph, rich in factographic material, concerns Nryaa Guru (1855/56--1928), a founder of a powerful socio-religious movement in Kerala. He wrote in three languages (Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tamil), drawing on three different literary conventions. The world of this complex philosophic-religious literature is brought closer to the reader with rare deft and dexterity by the Author who not only retrieves for us the original circumstances, language and poetic metre of each work but also supplies histories of their reception. Thanks to numerous glosses, comments and elucidations supplied by the Author, we can much better understand how Nryaa's mystical universe creatively relates to the Tamil aiva Siddhnta and to Kerala's variety of Vednta tradition. Prof. Cezary Galewicz

Autorentext

Dr Hanna Urbanska is professor at the University of Wroclaw (Institute of Classics, Mediterranean and Oriental Studies). The present monograph, devoted to the influence of Tamil literature (Tirumandiram in particular) on the philosophical system of Narayäa Guru, is a fruit of many years' research conducted by the author in Kerala.

Klappentext

This full-scaled monograph, rich in factographic material, concerns Narayäa Guru (1855/56--1928), a founder of a powerful socio-religious movement in Kerala. He wrote in three languages (Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tamil), drawing on three different literary conventions. The world of this complex philosophic-religious literature is brought closer to the reader with rare deft and dexterity by the Author who not only retrieves for us the original circumstances, language and poetic metre of each work but also supplies histories of their reception. Thanks to numerous glosses, comments and elucidations supplied by the Author, we can much better understand how Narayäa's mystical universe creatively relates to the Tamil OEaiva Siddhanta and to Kerala's variety of Vedanta tradition. Prof. Cezary Galewicz

Inhalt

Philosophical system of Narayäa Guru's devotional hymns - the Li ga Concept in Narayäa Guru's works - Ku alini Yoga in OEiva OEatakam - Liberation (Mukti or Mok a) in philosophical works by Narayäa Guru - influence of Tamil and Sanskrit literature on OEiva OEatakam - philosophy of Tirumandiram