Victory to the Mother: The Hindu Goddess of Northwest India in Myth, Ritual, and Symbol [Paperback]

Kathleen M. Erndl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 11, 1993

The worship of Devi (the Goddess) is one of the most vigorous and visible religious phenomena in north-west India today. In this ground-breaking field-based study, Kathleen Erndl uses interviews, participant observations, and textual analysis to explore the nature of the Goddess and her devotees' experience of her.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is clearly written, informative, and engaging because of E.'s personal style which draws us along with her on her discoveries. It is an excellent resource on Indian worship traditions for religious studies and anthropology students in senior undergraduate or graduate studies and mandatory reading for those engaged in research on Hindu goddesses."--Hillary Rodrigues, The University of Lethbridge

"An important book, comprising a historical and ethnographic study of Vaisno Devi, invaluable descriptions of the cults of women who are believed to be living vehicles of the goddess, and a useful summary of the literature and current debates regarding goddess worship in Hinduism....An important contribution to the literature on Hindu goddesses and will be of particular value as a textbook for courses on popular Hinduism and goddess worship." --William S. Sax, University of Canterbury, in History of Religions

"[A]dmirable at revealing what Hinduism means from day to day to its believers."--Asian Affairs

"This monograph provides valuable evidence on the Hindu goddess's cult in north-western India....Erndl's monograph is concise and well written, and strikes a nice balance between the demands of technical scholarship and accessibility to non-specialists."--Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies

"My students really enjoyed this book because it helped them get a real sense of positive aspects of women's lives, the role of the goddess, general Hindu attitudes, and India. They appreciated the combination of scholarly analysis and personal experiences--India became 'alive' for them."--Elisabeth Benard, Southwestern University

"An outstanding contribution to scholarship in the study of religion in India. Erndl combines scholarly sophistication and a readable style simple enough for undergraduates."--Kay K. Jordan, Radford University

"Excellent....An important addition to the growing collection of first-rate studies on goddess traditions in India."--Paul Courtright, Emory University

"Illuminates a facet of regional piety that has suffered some neglect."--D.A. Fox, Colorado College

"Intensive, worthwhile study."--F.W. Blackwell, Washington State University

"Good reference book for students who are trying to determine the reasons for women remaining in a patriarchal religion."--Marianne Ferguson, Buffalo State College

About the Author

Kathleen M. Erndl is at Lewis and Clark College.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 11, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195070151
• ISBN-13: 978-0195070156
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #847,120 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book about Kali/Durga/Shakti., January 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Victory to the Mother: The Hindu Goddess of Northwest India in Myth, Ritual, and Symbol (Paperback)

A beautiful book! Altho Kali/Durga/Shakti is a well-known Goddess to many in the West, almost all information about Her worship comes from the Tantrik cults of Southern India.
Here, Erndl introduces the reader to the Northern India Seranvali cult, in which the Goddess is worshipped as the Great Mother.

We are taken on pilgrimages to many Goddess sites, walked through a night-long ceremony in Her honor, and told Her important myths.

This book moved me deeply. Jai Mata Di (Victory to the Goddess)!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars To Know The Goddess, September 30, 2007

By 

Louise Marquis - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Victory to the Mother: The Hindu Goddess of Northwest India in Myth, Ritual, and Symbol (Paperback)

I've been seeking an historical analysis of The Goddess, particularly Vaishno Devi. (When might she have lived? Did she live an ordinary childhood? Etc.) I didn't find quite as much of that here as I'd hoped, but I found more here than anywhere else. What impressed me about this book is that although the author is an American academic, she didn't limit herself to the dry, detached approach that academics usually take. She took her time and participated in many rituals and got to know the devotees and their experience of the Goddess. She even seemed to have developed some passion for her subject. So I feel that I have gotten the Goddess experience as much as is possible from my armchair.

5.0 out of 5 stars awful, May 15, 2010

By 

Ashley E. Johnson - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Victory to the Mother: The Hindu Goddess of Northwest India in Myth, Ritual, and Symbol (Paperback)

Erndl is very knowledgeable about the topic but this book is not written very well. SO BORING.