Agama Encyclopaedia/S.K.Ramachandara Rao.12 Vols.

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[The Agama Encyclopaedia/S.K. Ramachandra Rao.] The Agama

Encyclopaedia/S.K. Ramachandra Rao. Second revised and enlarged edition.

Delhi, Sri Satguru, 2005, 12 Vols., lxxxiv, 1943 p., ISBN 81-7030-823-2.

 

Contents: Vol. I: Introduction: 1. The agama context. 2. Agama

outlook. 3. Temple culture. Appendices. References and notes.

 

Vol. II: Saiva and Sakta Agamas: 1. Sectarian developments. 2.

Worship of Siva. 3. Saivism. 4. Saiva-Siddhanta (1). 5. Saiva-Siddhanta

(2). 6. Sakta-agama. Appendices.

 

Vol. III: Vaikhanasa Agamas: 1. Historical prospective. 2. The

Vaikhanasa community. 3. Vaikhanasa Agama. 4. Vaikhanasa philosophy.

Appendices.

 

Vol. IV: Pancaratragama: 1. The Bhagavata background. 2. The

pancaratra literature. 3. The pancaratra outlook. 4. Pancaratra

ideology. 5. The deity and its modes. 6. Pancaratra practice. 7.

Tantra-sara-Sangraha. Appendices.

 

Vol. V: Devyagama: 1. Background. 2. The samaya ideology. 3. The

idea of Antaryaga. 4. Literature. Appendices.

 

Vol. VI: Alaya and Aradhana: 1. Alaya. 2. Worship in temple. 3.

Ritual requirements. 4. Daily rituals. 5. Festivals. 6. Symbolism of

rituals.

 

Vol. VII: Preparations for Puja: 1. The worship rituals. 2. Snana:

ritual bath. 3. Fivefold purification (Panca-Suddhi). 4. Articles in

worship.

 

Vol. VIII: Mudras in Puja: 1. Mudra in worship. 2. The modes of

Mudras. 3. Deity-specific Mudras.

 

Vol. IX: Consecrations: 1. The concept of consecration. 2.

Consecration of shrine. 3. Consecration of icons. Appendices.

 

Vol. X: Nityarcana: 1. Introduction. 2. Nityarcana in Siva Temples.

3. Nityarcana-vidhi (according to tantra-sara). 4. Nityarcana in a Visnu

temple (Pancaratra mode of worship). 5. Nityarcana of Devi.

 

Vol. XI: Utsavas.

 

"Vol.XII..Source Book

 

The Agama literature includes the Silpa-Sastra, which is basic to

iconography. Worship dealt with in the Agama necessarily involves images

which are worship-worthy. The rituals and sequences that are elaborated

in the Agama books find relevance only in the context of an icon which

is contained in a shrine. And icons are meaningful only in the context

of shrines and worship.

 

Agama texts are not easily accessible to the people. A large number

of them are still available only in manuscripts; some of them which have

been printed are only in their Sanskrit originals. There is need,

therefore, to present relevant excerpts from them at least, to make the

volumes on iconography more meaningful.

 

Further, Indian temples are to be considered only in the general

framework of temple culture, which include not only religious and

philosophical aspects but social, aesthetic and economic aspects also.

 

The volumes named Agama encyclopaedia deals with the temple culture

and Agama framework, the sectarian division of the agama into Saiva,

Vaisnava and Sakta, and the topics selected from the Agama, texts

follow. Thus, the entirety of the Agama literature in so far as it is

relevant to the temple-culture is brought within the scope of the agama

encyclopaedia

 

Thanking You Naresh Gupta Indian Books Centre

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