Introduction to the. Hindu Traditions of India

Transcription

1 Harvard University Extension School Spring 2009 RELI E-1710/W Introduction to the Hindu Traditions of India Wednesdays 5:30 7:30 pm Sever Hall 206 Instructor: Office: Office Hours: Anne E. Monius Professor of South Asian Religions Harvard Divinity School CSWR #214, 42 Francis Avenue Mondays and Tuesdays, 9:00 am 12:00 noon, by appointment (please contact Danielle Cotter at or at to schedule an appointment) This course is designed as an introduction to the many distinct yet interrelated religious traditions of South Asia that are often labeled "Hinduism." From the ritually reconstituted cosmos of the ancient Vedic texts to the philosophical speculations of the Upanisads and the devotional outpourings of the great vernacular poets, we will examine the historical foundations of the three Hindu paths or margas ritual, contemplative renunciation, and devotion as they have been lived and practiced down to the present day. Focusing on the key concepts of dharma or duty, karma, and bhakti or love for the lord, we will consider the ways in which Hindus from a variety of historical time periods, local traditions,

2 2 and social backgrounds have attempted to make sense of their world and their lives within it. No previous study of either Hinduism or religion is presumed, and there are no prerequisites for enrolling in the course. Please note that this course is writing intensive. Writing-intensive courses at Harvard Extension School offer students the opportunity to develop their writing skills in the context of a particular academic discipline (in this case, the study of religion), and they all feature common elements, including: * the development of core writing skills * multiple writing assignments of varying lengths, 2 of which must be revised * a minimum of pages of writing, exclusive of the required revisions, over the course of the term * detailed feedback on drafts and revisions, on both content and style/ expression Requirements: (1) Regular class attendance is obviously a must. Although the format will vary from week to week, depending on the material being covered, in general we will divide our time equally between background information/lecture, videos, and discussion of the reading. Please be sure to come to class each week ready to discuss the assigned material. (2) There will be two writing assignments of 4-5 pages each, due as indicated in the syllabus below. Specific instructions for each of the first two assignments will be given in class the week before each essay is due. Each of the first two essays will be rewritten according to specific instructions given out when the first version of the paper is returned to you. Rewriting is NOT optional! If you fail to turn in a rewritten assignment as indicated below, your initial grade will be averaged with a 0. (3) The third and final paper will be slightly longer, roughly pages. The final paper topic provided it has something to do with the study of the Hindu traditions of India will be of your own choosing. Those taking the course for graduate credit must submit a longer (20-page) essay on a topic to be selected in consultation with the instructor. (4) Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the expectations of academic honesty found in the Extension School Catalogue. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense, and all cases without exception will be reported to the Extension School s Dean of Students. Grading: Your overall grade for the course will be calculated as follows:

3 3 First writing assignment (averaged with rewrite grade) 25% Second writing assignment (averaged with rewrite grade) 30% Third writing assignment 35% Participation in class discussion: 10% Books Available for Purchase: The following required readings for the course are available for purchase at the Harvard Coop. All required readings are also on reserve in Grossman Library, Sever Hall. Also on reserve in Grossman Library are a number of articles (marked on reserve below) for you to borrow and photocopy. (1) Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), ISBN: (2) Wendy Doniger O Flaherty, The Rig Veda (New York: Penguin, 1981), ISBN: (3) Patrick Olivelle, Upanisads (New York: Oxford, 1998), ISBN: (4) Wendy Doniger, The Laws of Manu (New York: Penguin, 1991), ISBN: (5) William Buck, trans., Ramayana (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000), ISBN: (6) Barbara Stoler Miller, trans., The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna's Counsel in Time of War (New York: Bantam Books, 1986), ISBN: (7) Edward C. Dimock and Denise Levertov, trans., In Praise of Krishna: Songs from the Bengali (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981), ISBN: (8) Leonard Nathan and Clinton Seely, Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair: Selected Poems to the Mother Goddess (Hohm Press, 1999), ISBN: (9) U.R. Anantha Murthy, Samskara: Rite for a Dead Man (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989), ISBN: Schedule of Meetings: Week I (Jan. 28 th ): Introduction Hinduism: 330 Million Gods (50 mins.) The Origins of Indic Culture and Civilization

4 4 Week II (Feb. 4 th ): Indus Valley Civilization and Current "Aryan" Debates Reading: Flood, pp selections from Indus: The Unvoiced Civilization (50 mins.) Sruti: Sacred Texts of Revelation Week III (Feb. 11 th ): The World of the Vedas Reading: O Flaherty, The Rig Veda, pp , Week IV (Feb. 18 th ): "Altar of Fire" (45 mins.) The Upanisads: Philosophical Speculation and the Life of Ascetic Contemplation Reading: Flood, pp Olivelle, Upanisads, 7, 40-41, 46-52, , , "Four Holy Men: Renunciation in Indian Society" (37 mins.) FIRST PAPER DUE Smrti: Revered Texts of Tradition Week V (Feb. 25 th ): Dharma: Caste, Purity, Law, and Social Order Reading: Flood, pp Doniger, The Laws of Manu, pp. 3-73, , Week VI (March 4 th ): Dharma in the Great Epic Narratives: The Ramayana Reading: Flood, pp Buck, Ramayana Indian televised Ramayana (in Hindi with subtitles) (40 mins.) Week VII (March 11 th ): FIRST PAPER REWRITE DUE Dharma and Devotion in the Great Epic Narratives: The Bhagavad-Gita

5 5 Reading: Barbara Stoler Miller, trans., The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna's Counsel in Time of War Bhakti: Loving the Lord in His/Her Many Forms Week VIII (March 18 th ): Traditions of Devotion (A): Visnu and His Avataras Reading: Flood, pp Dimock and Levertov, In Praise of Krishna: Songs from the Bengali Week IX (March 25 th ): Week X (April 1 st ): "Puja: Expressions of Devotion" (12 mins.) NO CLASS HAPPY SPRING BREAK! Traditions of Devotion (B): Worshipping the Siva Linga Reading: Flood, pp Peterson, Poems to Siva, selections (on reserve) Week XI (April 8 th ): Week XII (April 15 th ): SECOND PAPER DUE NO CLASS VISITING SCHOLAR LECTURING ON RELIGION IN INDIA! Traditions of Devotion (C): Hindu Goddesses Reading: Flood, pp Nathan and Seely, Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair: Selected Poems to the Mother Goddess Devi: The Goddess (selections) Women in a Male-Dominated Hindu "Tradition" Week XIII (April 22 nd ): Hindu Ritual and the Place of Women in Hindu Societies Reading: Flood, pp Mary McGee, "Desired Fruits: Motive and Intention in the Votive Rites of Hindu Women (on reserve) Mary E. Hancock, "The Dilemmas of Domesticity (on reserve) Paul B. Courtright, "Sati, Sacrifice, and Marriage (on reserve) SECOND PAPER REWRITE DUE

6 6 Modern Adaptations of "Tradition" Week XIV (April 29 th ): "Hindu Renaissance" and the Modern Nation-State Reading: Flood, pp Glyn Richards, A Source-Book of Modern Hinduism, selections (on reserve) Week XV (May 6 th ): Reading: Week XVI (May 13 th ): Making Sense of Tradition in the Modern World Anantha Murthy, Samskara: A Rite for a Dead Man FINAL PAPER DUE