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Examines K¿¿¿a's hint of laughter (prahasann iva) in the Bhagavadg¿t¿, its interpretations in the Ved¿nta commentarial tradition, and its significance in K¿¿¿aite iconography and literature.
Behind K¿¿¿a's Smile offers a wholly original perspective on the celebrated Bhagavadg¿t¿, or "Song of God." The book investigates K¿¿¿a's hint of laughter (prahasann iva) in Bhagavadg¿t¿ 2.10, which is generally understood to be the turning point of the famous poem, signaling the outpouring of his grace and teaching to Arjuna. Remarkably, it is from this verse that ¿äkara and other leading theologians begin to write their commentaries. In addition to exploring the momentousness of K¿¿¿a's hint of laughter and its impact on the poem's central teachings, Behind K¿¿¿a's Smile provides a crucial interpretation of K¿¿¿a's prahasann iva in the Ved¿nta commentarial tradition, from ¿äkara up to modern times. The book also considers the meanings of the stock phrase prahasann iva in the larger epic framework of the Mah¿bh¿rata and R¿m¿yäa. Moreover, the book offers the first comprehensive review of the significance of K¿¿¿a's smile in K¿¿¿aite iconography and literature, demonstrating that there is a unified canon bringing together the literary and performative dimensions of K¿¿¿a's hint of laughter.
Info autore
Antonio Rigopoulos is Professor of Sanskrit Language and Literature at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy. His previous books include
The Hagiographer and the Avatar: The Life and Works of Narayan Kasturi and
Dattātreya: The Immortal Guru, Yogin, and Avatāra, both published by SUNY Press.
