Viraha-Bhakti: The Early History of Kṛṣṇa Devotion in South India

£40.00

Viraha-Bhakti: The Early History of Kṛṣṇa Devotion in South India

Name: Viraha-Bhakti: The Early History of Kṛṣṇa Devotion in South India
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6221
Price: 40.00 GBP
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Viraha-Bhakti: The Early History of Kṛṣṇa Devotion in South India, Friedhelm Hardy — 1st Edition

Publication: New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1983

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [xxi], 692.

Condition Report: Very Good. The book is securely bound in its original publisher's cloth, remaining structurally tight and square with no leaning to the spine, and the boards are free from notable wear. The dust jacket presents well but does exhibit some minor creasing and crinkling along the top edges, alongside mild surface rubbing to the white rear panel; it remains unclipped with the original 'Rs 250' Indian Rupee price printed to the rear. Internally, the text block is pleasingly clean and entirely free from tears or noticeable marks, though the paper stock exhibits a very faint, uniform oxidation and there is light surface dustiness to the top edge. Overall, a handsome, well-preserved copy.

Catalogue Note: This is the first edition of Friedhelm Hardy's highly regarded study on Indian religious culture, issued as part of the Oxford University South Asian Studies Series. While it lacks internal illustrations, the jacket features a striking line-drawn cover design.

The volume features an interesting academic provenance, bearing the ink ownership signature of Professor K. R. Norman, a British philologist and respected scholar of Middle Indo-Aryan languages, dated 21st October 1990 from Woodstock, inscribed to the front free endpaper.

While subsequent reprints of this work are available, the original first printing has become increasingly uncommon on the open market, particularly in a well-preserved, intact dust jacket.

Viraha-Bhakti offers a magisterial exploration of a profound religious shift in classical Indian culture. Friedhelm Hardy meticulously traces the evolution of 'Viraha-bhakti,' the intense, emotional devotion characterised by the pain of separation from the divine, focusing on how the South Indian Tamil Alvar poets transformed the mythos of Lord Kṛṣṇa. By exploring the interplay between Northern classical traditions, such as yoga and temple worship, and the passionate erotic mysticism of the South, Hardy dismantles the monolithic perception of Indian religion. This landmark scholarly work remains an essential text for understanding the dynamic and multifarious origins of Kṛṣṇa devotion before it swept across the broader pan-Indian religious landscape.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Friedhelm Hardy

Book Publisher: Oxford University Press

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Religion & Spirituality

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 692

Book Publication Year: 1983

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: Oxford University South Asian Studies Series

Country/region of manufacture: New Delhi, India

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

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Condition	Description
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Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
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