Srdhatriatiklottargama avec le commentaire de Bhaa Rmakaa by N. R. BhattReview by: Joel P. BreretonJournal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 103, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1983), p. 659Published by: American Oriental SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/602071 .Accessed: 13/06/2014 14:53

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Reviews of Books 659

Svetd?va I. 13. Also see Mundaka II. 3. However, one also finds instances of inaccuracies such as, "May you live for a hundred years, if you desire so" (Isa 2), or

He who sees unity in all diversities He who knows the self as the universal soul, Is beyond all illusions and bereavements, Is beyond all losses and gains (Isa 7).

MAHESH M. MEHTA

UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR

Sdrdhatrisatikdlottardgama avec le commentaire de Bhatta Rdmakanta. Edited by N. R. BHATT. Pp. ClXiv + 242. (Publications de l'Institut franqais d'Indologie No. 61) Pondichery: INSTITUT FRANCAIS D'INDOLOGIE. 1979.

The Sardhatri?atikdlottaragama (STK), the Kdllottardgama in three hundred fifty verses, is one of several recensions of the Kdlottaragama. This latter is an Upagama belonging to the Vatulagama, which is one of the twenty-eight Agamas of the Saiva Siddhdnta. This publication continues the work of the IFI in researching the Agamic tradition and in preparing editions of its texts. In that effort. Bhatt has already made a substantial contribution, for he has previously published editions of all or parts of four other Agama texts in this same series.

The STK was previously published by R. Torella in Revista degli Studi Orientali 50 (1976), pp. 279-318. In re-editing the text, Bhatt has taken a somewhat different approach. He accompanies the text with the commentary of Bhatta Rdmakantha (ca. 10th century) and for that reason has accepted the readings supported by the commentator and the verses considered authentic by him. It is thus explicitly a critical edition of the commentator's text.

The STK is terse and the commentary of Ramakantha, though indispensible, is also dense and occasionally obscure. The editor has provided access to both through two intro- ductions in French and Sanskrit and through a brief English summary. The Sanskrit upodghdta is the fuller of the two introductions. It discusses this edition of the STK, the other recensions of the Kalottaragama, and outlines the teachings peculiar to this Upagama, especially regarding ritual per- formance. The bulk of the introduction, however, is a review of the contents of the text, chapter by chapter. This review is fundamentally a recapitulation of Ramakantha's commentary. Indeed, much of it consists of direct quotation or paraphrase of the commentary with minimal elucidation. Because it presents the complete argument of the commentary coherently and recasts its sometimes cryptic expressions, the review is a

helpful guide in studying the commentary and the text. But also, by adhering so closely to the commentary, it occa- sionally does not clarify its meaning, nor does it explain references to technical terms or ritual procedures. The French introduction includes most of the material on the STK given in the Sanskrit introduction and gives a more summary version of the contents of the various chapters.

The text of the STK consists of twenty-seven chapters. It is not divided into the traditional topics of kriyad "rites," carena "practices," /iina, and yoga, but it does discuss all four and each of its chapters can be assigned to one of them. The text contains little that does not bear directly on ritual and religious practice. Even in the chapters which concern jfidna, it provides no statement of fundamental doctrines and little discussion of religious concepts central to the Agamic tradition. Of the topics it does discuss, it devotes special attention to the forms and powers of mantra. Bhatt's intro- duction outlines some of the differences between this and other Agama texts in the description of mantras, but there is much more information about them in the text itself. The STK's central concern with mantra is established in the first chapter, which treats the creation of mantras. Later chapters extend this discussion by presenting the stages of creation through the evolution of mantras (e.g., ch. 13), by associating parts of the mantra with divine beings and realities (ch. 22), and by establishing the place of mantras in the processes of yoga (ch. 23). In addition to its discussions of mantras, the text also outlines the daily and occasional rites, the different types of initiation, and ritual remedies for special circum- stances.

The publication of such critical editions of the texts of the Agamic tradition is significant, and the diligent work of Bhatt in preparing this edition merits high regard. Translations, with extensive annotation and close analyses, would be the next logical step in opening these texts to further examination and bringing them to the attention of historians of Indian religion.

JOEL P. BRERETON UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA

A History of Religious Ideas: Volume 2.-From Gautama Buddha to the Triumph of Christianity. By MIRCEA ELIADE. Translated by WILLARD R. TRASK. Pp. xiii + 565. Chicago and London: UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS. 1982. $25.00.

To do justice to Eliade's History of Religious Ideas in a review is an almost awesome task given its breadth of vision. A mere glance at the Index of the second volume is indicative:

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