Symbols of Art, Religion and Philosophy

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From the Jacket: The present book is unique and is one of its own kind. During the last decade, several books on symbols have been published by oriental publishers but not a single book has touched those symbols which are tackled here by the present author. More so, almost all the books took Indian symbols partially. Sometimes, they deal them with the literary evidences and sometimes with the help of Archaeological proofs. Elsewhere, they have been interpreted through the art forms. The present writer, being unhappy by the partial approach of different authors, has tried to analyse through her discussions the nine symbols as have been represented in the art forms, religions and philosophies of India. Besides the elaborate treatment given to the nine symbols of Rudraksa, cakra, Prabha mandala, Mudra, Salagrama, Svastika, Sikhara, Circumambulation and Philosopher's stone, the author has deciphered at least more than a hundred symbols which are connected with the studies of these symbols. A manuscript on Salagrama, together with the details of other manuscripts on salagrama, has been photo printed from the Govt. Manuscript Library of the BORI, Poona under the Appendix No.I. In the Appendix no.II , the plates and sketches concerning nine symbols have been given. This book has been devoted to the discovery of India through symbols.

About the Author:

Dr. Padma Sudhi is a famous poet and author, and Sanskrit Scholar since 1955. Born during world war II, she was a post graduate student of Sanskrit in the University of Delhi. Received the degree of Ph.D. from Poona University. Learnt Music, Painting and Yoga, together with Typing in the States. Published 12 books in Hindi and English, fiction and nonfiction. Fetched five scholarship in India and America. Appointed thrice as visiting professor to the university of Colorado, California and Texas. Visited 12 states of the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, Western European countries, Nepal, Japan, Thailand and whole of India. Presently Research Professor in the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Instt. Poona 411004. Presently she has become a publisher of the firm, Western Ghat Publication, Poona 411025.

Contents:

Table of Contents
Abbreviation
Corrigenda
Acknowledgement
Author's Notes
CHAPTER I
SYMBOL OF SIRAS-CAKRA
1.  Siras-cakra

CHAPTER II 
SYMBOL OF CAKRA
1.  Cakra
2.  Bhava-cakra and Samkhya-philosophy
3.  Cakras of six seasons
4.  Cakras of Yoga
5.  Yantra, Cakra and Mandala
6.  Circles and Tringles in Cakra
7.  Meaning of Lotus in the Concept of Cakra
8.  Sri-Cakra
9.  Cakra-Puja
10. Sundarsana-Chakra
11. Mandala of the warfare and Cakra-Vyuha
12. Cakra-Dhvaja
13. Cult of Cakra-worship
14. Cakra-stambha
15. Cakravarti
16. Brahma-Cakra
17. Dharma-Cakra
18. Kala-Cakra
19. Cakra of Indian Poetics and Astrology

CHAPTER III 
SYMBOL OF MUDRA
1.  Mudras, Asanas and Rajayoga
2.  Mudras in the Bharata-Natya-Sastra
3.  Word Mudra and its different meaning
4.  Yogic Mudras
5.  Etymology of the Mudra
6.  Number of Mudra
7.  Mudras in Indian Iconometry
8.  Mudras of Buddha-Yoga
9.  Mudras belonging to Jaina-sadhana
10. Mudras of classical Dances
11. Conclusion

CHAPTER IV
SYMBOL OF SIKHAR
1.  Temple Architecture
2.  The meaning of Sikhara
3.  The Origin of temple in India
4.  The arguments of the author for origin
5.  What is Sikhara?
6.  Purusa-Mandala
7.  Vastu-Purusa-Mandala
8.  The symbol of Amalaka, Amrta-kalasa, Amrta-ghata and Srividya-cakra
9.  The decorative motifs of Sikhara
10. Dhatu-garbha and Stupa
11. Concept of Sikhara in the Pancaratra
12. Religion symbol of India on Sikhara
13. Three styles of temple based on Sikhara
14. South Indian Temples and Sikhara
15. Nagara-style of Temples and Sikhara

CHAPTER V
SYMBOL OF SVASTIKA
1.  Svastika
2.  History of Svastika
3.  Symbolical significance of Svastika in Hinduism
4.  Symbolic significance of Svastika in Buddhism
5.  Symbolic significance of Svastika in Jainism
6.  Symbolic significance of Svastika outside India

CHAPTER VI
SYMBOL OF SALAGRAMA
1.  Salagrama
2.  Importance of Salagrama in Indian Worship
3.  Different stones Worshipped in India as different Divinity
4.  Different meaning ascribed to the worship of Salagrama
5.  Classification of Salagrama
6.  Cakras inside the Salagramas
7.  Mythological stories of the birth of Salagrama
8.  Mode of worshipping Salagrama
9.  Different types of Salagrama
10. Result of worshipping the different Salagrama
11. Icons of Salagramas  

CHAPTER VII
THE SYMBOL OF RUDRAKSA
1.  Rudraksa
2.  Meaning of Rudraksa
3.  Physiognomy of Rudraksa and Rudra
4.  Birth of Rudraksa
5.  Different sizes and number of Rudraksa and their effects
6.  Different facets of Rudraksa and Mantras
7.  Japa-Kriya and Rudraksa
8.  Division of Rudraksas and their qualities
9.  Rosary of Rudraksa. How to make rosary?
10. Fifty letters of Sanskrit and their effect in worshipping Rudraksas
11. Rudraksa in Tantras

CHAPTER VIII
SYMBOL OF SPARSA-MANI OR PARASA-MANI
1.  Sparsa-Mani
2.  Magic of Philosopher's stone and its history
3.  Meaning of Philosopher's stone
4.  Brief history of Indian Alchemy
5.  Two schools of Alchemy in India
6.  Methods of Making fake gold
7.  Alchemy imparts precious metal to basers
8.  Theories of Alchemists
9.  Parasa-Mani pertaining to Yoga and Tantra
10. Western discovery of Philosopher's stone

CHAPTER IX
SYMBOLS OF CIRCUMAMBULATION
1.  Circumambulation or Pradaksina
2.  Purpose of Circumambulation 
3.  Motif of Circumambulation and its birth and objective
4.  Pillar-cult and Circumambulation
5.  References of Pradaksina in stories
6.  Interpretation of the symbol of Pradaksina
7.  Circumambulation related to different ceremonies
8.  Circumambulation as a rite of superstitions
9.  Magic and Circumambulation
10. Religious practice of Circumambulation
11. Circumambulation and temple-architecture

CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX NO. 1
       Manuscript on Rudraksa
APPENDIX NO. 2
       Plates and sketches
INDEX