Historically, Kashmir was one of the most dynamic and influential centers of Sanskrit learning and literary production in South Asia. In Poetry as Prayer in the Sanskrit Hymns of Kashmir, Hamsa Stainton investigates the close connection between poetry and prayer in South Asia by studying the history of Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotras) in Kashmir. The book provides a broad introduction to the history and general features of the stotra genre, and it charts the course of these literary hymns in Kashmir from the eighth century to the present. In particular, it offers the first major study in any European language of the Stutikusumāñjali, an important work of religious literature dedicated to the god Śiva and one of the only extant witnesses to the trajectory of Sanskrit literary culture in fourteenth-century Kashmir. The book also contributes to the study of Śaivism by examining the ways in which Śaiva poets have integrated the traditions of Sanskrit literature and poetics, theology (especially non-dualism), and Śaiva worship and devotion. It substantiates the diverse configurations of Śaiva bhakti expressed and explored in these literary hymns and the challenges they present for standard interpretations of Hindu bhakti. More broadly, this study of stotras from Kashmir offers new perspectives on the history and vitality of prayer in South Asia and its complex relationships to poetry and poetics.

Historically, Kashmir was one of the most dynamic and influential centers of Sanskrit learning and literary production in South Asia. In Poetry as Prayer in the Sanskrit Hymns of Kashmir, Hamsa Stainton investigates the close connection between poetry and prayer in South Asia by studying the history of Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotras) in Kashmir. The book provides a broad introduction to the history and general features of the stotra genre, and it charts the course of these literary hymns in Kashmir from the eighth century to the present. In particular, it offers the first major study in any European language of the Stutikusum=añjali, an important work of religious literature dedicated to the god ''Siva and one of the only extant witnesses to the trajectory of Sanskrit literary culture in fourteenth-century Kashmir.The book also contributes to the study of ''Saivism by examining the ways in which ''Saiva poets have integrated the traditions of Sanskrit literature and poetics, theology (especially non-dualism), and ''Saiva worship and devotion. It substantiates the diverse configurations of ''Saiva bhakti expressed and explored in these literary hymns and the challenges they present for standard interpretations of Hindu bhakti. More broadly, this study of stotras from Kashmir offers new perspectives on the history and vitality of prayer in South Asia and its complex relationships to poetry and poetics.

Historically, Kashmir was one of the most dynamic and influential centers of Sanskrit learning and literary production in South Asia. In Poetry as Prayer in the Sanskrit Hymns of Kashmir, Hamsa Stainton investigates the close connection between poetry and prayer in South Asia by studying the history of Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotras) in Kashmir. The book provides a broad introduction to the history and general features of the stotra genre, and it charts the course of these literary hymns in Kashmir from the eighth century to the present. In particular, it offers the first major study in any European language of the Stutikusum=añjali, an important work of religious literature dedicated to the god ''Siva and one of the only extant witnesses to the trajectory of Sanskrit literary culture in fourteenth-century Kashmir.The book also contributes to the study of ''Saivism by examining the ways in which ''Saiva poets have integrated the traditions of Sanskrit literature and poetics, theology (especially non-dualism), and ''Saiva worship and devotion. It substantiates the diverse configurations of ''Saiva bhakti expressed and explored in these literary hymns and the challenges they present for standard interpretations of Hindu bhakti. More broadly, this study of stotras from Kashmir offers new perspectives on the history and vitality of prayer in South Asia and its complex relationships to poetry and poetics.

Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotra/stuti/stava) have been popular and influential within multiple religious traditions for thousands of years. Sanskrit hymns remain lively, meaningful parts of the religious lives of countless Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains today, and new stotras continue to be composed and recited around the world. The academic study of these hymns has made notable progress in recent decades as scholars have paid increasing attention to such compositions.This book brings together new scholarship by eleven scholars for the first such volume focused on this major genre of religious literature. Central themes of the volume include the stotra genre itself, the role of such hymns of praise in ritual and performative contexts (including liturgy and preaching), and the public and polemical dimensions of such hymns across traditions. The chapters dwell on theoretical, methodological, and comparative concerns, and they contain original translations of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain stotras.A valuable pedagogical resource for educators teaching about Asian religions and literature, especially in comparative contexts, this book also establishes the foundation for future research and scholarship on a genre of religious poetry popular across South Asian religious traditions.

Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotra/stuti/stava) have been popular and influential within multiple religious traditions for thousands of years. Sanskrit hymns remain lively, meaningful parts of the religious lives of countless Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains today, and new stotras continue to be composed and recited around the world. The academic study of these hymns has made notable progress in recent decades as scholars have paid increasing attention to such compositions.This book brings together new scholarship by eleven scholars for the first such volume focused on this major genre of religious literature. Central themes of the volume include the stotra genre itself, the role of such hymns of praise in ritual and performative contexts (including liturgy and preaching), and the public and polemical dimensions of such hymns across traditions. The chapters dwell on theoretical, methodological, and comparative concerns, and they contain original translations of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain stotras.A valuable pedagogical resource for educators teaching about Asian religions and literature, especially in comparative contexts, this book also establishes the foundation for future research and scholarship on a genre of religious poetry popular across South Asian religious traditions.

Historically, Kashmir was one of the most dynamic and influential centers of Sanskrit learning and literary production in South Asia. In Poetry as Prayer in the Sanskrit Hymns of Kashmir, Hamsa Stainton investigates the close connection between poetry and prayer in South Asia by studying the history of Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotras) in Kashmir. The book provides a broad introduction to the history and general features of the stotra genre, and it charts the course of these literary hymns in Kashmir from the eighth century to the present. In particular, it offers the first major study in any European language of the Stutikusumāñjali, an important work of religious literature dedicated to the god Śiva and one of the only extant witnesses to the trajectory of Sanskrit literary culture in fourteenth-century Kashmir. The book also contributes to the study of Śaivism by examining the ways in which Śaiva poets have integrated the traditions of Sanskrit literature and poetics, theology (especially non-dualism), and Śaiva worship and devotion. It substantiates the diverse configurations of Śaiva bhakti expressed and explored in these literary hymns and the challenges they present for standard interpretations of Hindu bhakti. More broadly, this study of stotras from Kashmir offers new perspectives on the history and vitality of prayer in South Asia and its complex relationships to poetry and poetics.

Historically, Kashmir was one of the most dynamic and influential centers of Sanskrit learning and literary production in South Asia. In Poetry as Prayer in the Sanskrit Hymns of Kashmir, Hamsa Stainton investigates the close connection between poetry and prayer in South Asia by studying the history of Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotras) in Kashmir. The book provides a broad introduction to the history and general features of the stotra genre, and it charts the course of these literary hymns in Kashmir from the eighth century to the present. In particular, it offers the first major study in any European language of the Stutikusum=añjali, an important work of religious literature dedicated to the god ''Siva and one of the only extant witnesses to the trajectory of Sanskrit literary culture in fourteenth-century Kashmir.The book also contributes to the study of ''Saivism by examining the ways in which ''Saiva poets have integrated the traditions of Sanskrit literature and poetics, theology (especially non-dualism), and ''Saiva worship and devotion. It substantiates the diverse configurations of ''Saiva bhakti expressed and explored in these literary hymns and the challenges they present for standard interpretations of Hindu bhakti. More broadly, this study of stotras from Kashmir offers new perspectives on the history and vitality of prayer in South Asia and its complex relationships to poetry and poetics.

Historically, Kashmir was one of the most dynamic and influential centers of Sanskrit learning and literary production in South Asia. In Poetry as Prayer in the Sanskrit Hymns of Kashmir, Hamsa Stainton investigates the close connection between poetry and prayer in South Asia by studying the history of Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotras) in Kashmir. The book provides a broad introduction to the history and general features of the stotra genre, and it charts the course of these literary hymns in Kashmir from the eighth century to the present. In particular, it offers the first major study in any European language of the Stutikusum=añjali, an important work of religious literature dedicated to the god ''Siva and one of the only extant witnesses to the trajectory of Sanskrit literary culture in fourteenth-century Kashmir.The book also contributes to the study of ''Saivism by examining the ways in which ''Saiva poets have integrated the traditions of Sanskrit literature and poetics, theology (especially non-dualism), and ''Saiva worship and devotion. It substantiates the diverse configurations of ''Saiva bhakti expressed and explored in these literary hymns and the challenges they present for standard interpretations of Hindu bhakti. More broadly, this study of stotras from Kashmir offers new perspectives on the history and vitality of prayer in South Asia and its complex relationships to poetry and poetics.

Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotra/stuti/stava) have been popular and influential within multiple religious traditions for thousands of years. Sanskrit hymns remain lively, meaningful parts of the religious lives of countless Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains today, and new stotras continue to be composed and recited around the world. The academic study of these hymns has made notable progress in recent decades as scholars have paid increasing attention to such compositions.This book brings together new scholarship by eleven scholars for the first such volume focused on this major genre of religious literature. Central themes of the volume include the stotra genre itself, the role of such hymns of praise in ritual and performative contexts (including liturgy and preaching), and the public and polemical dimensions of such hymns across traditions. The chapters dwell on theoretical, methodological, and comparative concerns, and they contain original translations of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain stotras.A valuable pedagogical resource for educators teaching about Asian religions and literature, especially in comparative contexts, this book also establishes the foundation for future research and scholarship on a genre of religious poetry popular across South Asian religious traditions.

Sanskrit hymns of praise (stotra/stuti/stava) have been popular and influential within multiple religious traditions for thousands of years. Sanskrit hymns remain lively, meaningful parts of the religious lives of countless Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains today, and new stotras continue to be composed and recited around the world. The academic study of these hymns has made notable progress in recent decades as scholars have paid increasing attention to such compositions.This book brings together new scholarship by eleven scholars for the first such volume focused on this major genre of religious literature. Central themes of the volume include the stotra genre itself, the role of such hymns of praise in ritual and performative contexts (including liturgy and preaching), and the public and polemical dimensions of such hymns across traditions. The chapters dwell on theoretical, methodological, and comparative concerns, and they contain original translations of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain stotras.A valuable pedagogical resource for educators teaching about Asian religions and literature, especially in comparative contexts, this book also establishes the foundation for future research and scholarship on a genre of religious poetry popular across South Asian religious traditions.