Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata in the Western Deccan : exploring kingship and religious identity (c.4th-14th century) / Prachi Sharma

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sharma, Prachi, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Deccan (India)--Religion.

Deccan (India).

Deccan (India)--Kings and rulers.

Kings and rulers.

Religion.

India--Deccan.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2026]

Summary:

"This book explores the pivotal role of the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata traditions in the political discourse and the socio-religious sphere of the Deccan during the period between the 4th and the 14th centuries ce through an in-depth analysis of inscriptions, with a special focus on the eulogies (praśastis). The kingdoms in the Deccan considerably appropriated the epic-purāṇic tradition to construct a robust image of kingship. This is mirrored in the statements of power made by ruling elites in their inscriptions laden with motif and symbolism borrowed from the epics. The inferences drawn from inscriptions suggest that the importance of the epic traditions transcended the religious domain. By being a prominent source of inspiration for the formation of the ideology of kingship, the epic traditions were an important part of the political discourse of the times. The analysis reveals that their relevance in the Deccan in the period between the 4th and the 14th centuries did not remain unchanged. Thus, though the epic traditions began to be employed by the eulogy composers to carefully construct the idea of the perfect monarch from an early period (3rd/4th century), it was only by the 10th/12th century that they began lending religious identity to the people of the Deccan"-- Oxford Academic

Contents:

Political ideology of the early and later Kadambas

Epic traditions in the Hoysaḷa ideology of kingship

Epic traditions and the political ideology of the ‘minor dynasties’ in the Deccan

Jainism and the Rāmāyaṇa tradition in the Deccan

Rāma and Hanumān worship

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index

Online resource; title from PDF title page (Oxford Academic, viewed June 24, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version: Sharma, Prachi Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata in the Western Deccan

ISBN:

9780198969518

0198969511

9780198939191

0198939191

9780198969501

0198969503

OCLC:

1586474033

Publisher Number:

CIPO000298316

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license