thanks deb for an amazing list of shakta literature! !

[Guest guest]

Hi Adi:

 

Thanks for your exhaustive commentary on my list!

 

*** i found madhu khanna missing ! is this an

oversight? ***

 

No, I love Madhu! Her most essential book, in my

opinion, is "The Tantric Way," but it's out of print

in the U.S., and does not appear in Amazon's database

to link. A more recent contribution, her long essay on

Shakti in Gayatri Sinha's lovely "Woman/Goddess," is

an India-only publication.

 

*** i was surprised to see you mentioning daugters of

the goddess by linda johnson ***

 

As I said, her style's a bit New Agey for my taste,

but there's no denying her valuable contribution to

Shakta literature in English.

 

*** about devdutt patnaik 's book on the goddess of

india ... a bit too erotic *** [and] *** i have had a

look at vidya dehija's book also ... a little too

'erotic' to non-tantriks!***

 

As we've often discussed in the Group (and in the old

Club), the symbolically rich visual language of Shakta

and Tantra tend to reflect what's in our own minds. If

we see and feel something "bad" in a given symbol - if

it provokes lust or disgust or other strong feeling -

we are only seeing a map of the places we need to work

on in ourselves. The symbols themselves are innocent

and pure.

 

*** is coburn a practicing tantrik or a shakta? well,

our swami satyananda saraswati is a practicing tantrik

and a shakta par excellance ***

 

Coburn's text is valuable to me precisely because he

does not profess to be a Shakta or spiritual leader.

He is simply a Sanskrit scholar and an academic,

trained in objectivity. He therefore has no stake in

what the text says; he simply says "here is the best

surviving manuscript" (and why), "here is my method in

translating it" (and why) and "here are some different

ways people approach it" (and why). Any

interpretations of the text are set in footnotes and

commentaries, not worked into the scripture itself.

 

Now, that is not to disparage other translations. But

devotees of any scripture - in any religion - can (and

do) argue endlessly about "what does it mean?" And

when one of them sit down to translate a text, they're

bringing their own interpretations with them. That's

not wrong - it's the stuff of sects. Just as the

Christian Catholics and Protestants have their own

canons and translations of the Bible, reflecting their

particular interpretations and beliefs, so can

different Shakta sects have their own preferred spins

on Devi Mahatmyam.

 

"Devi Mahatmyam" is Swami Satyananda's spin on Devi

Mahatmyam, and - to his great credit - he does not

pretend otherwise. He doesn't call it Devi Mahatmyam -

he calls it "Chandi Path," because Chandi is his

preferred approach to Devi. It is his learned and

devotional interpretation of the text, and an

indispensable resource for those who follow him. But,

since this Group attempts to encompass all approaches

to Shaktism, I recommended Coburn as a top-notch

"neutral" translation, simply setting out what the

original scripture says, and leaving it to the

original reader to interpret or spin as they wish.

 

Finally, you recommended that I include Brooks'

Srividya text in my list -- an excellent suggestion, I

agree. Perhaps I will, since Amazon has already

reduced my list from 25 books to 24! Brown's "Triumph

of the Goddess" is apparently out of stock for good!

You're right! Where's my commission?! ;-)

 

Anyway, thanks a million, Adi, as always, for your

detailed and thoughtful commentary.

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

 

 

 

 

 

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