Theology of Karman: merit, death and release in the case of Varanasi, India
In this article, the focus is on the question as to what motives the pilgrims may have for performing pilgrimage, and, in doing this, the author deals especially with the Hindu tradition, namely with pilgrimage to Varanasi, Banaras or Kāśī, which is often considered the Hindu sacred city par excelle...
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doaj-2ddef43b07304602bf502a24a320a4c32020-11-24T22:02:35ZengDonner InstituteScripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis0582-32262343-49372010-01-012210.30674/scripta.67373Theology of Karman: merit, death and release in the case of Varanasi, IndiaErik Reenberg Sand0University of CopenhagenIn this article, the focus is on the question as to what motives the pilgrims may have for performing pilgrimage, and, in doing this, the author deals especially with the Hindu tradition, namely with pilgrimage to Varanasi, Banaras or Kāśī, which is often considered the Hindu sacred city par excellence by both Hindus and Westerners alike.The sacred power of Varanasi has three sources: the eternal presence of Śiva from the time of creation, the cremation ghāṭand the presence of the river Gaṅgā. Furthermore, we found that the most characteristic thing about the power of Varanasi is its connection with death and its power to confer on the pilgrim the fruit of complete release from the circle of birth, death, and rebirth, something which is normally the privilege of the adherents of ascetic and other non-worldly systems. This feature is still reflected in the fact that many elderly people come to Varanasi in order to die and get cremated here, and many people from the surrounding areas still take the bodies of their dead relatives to Varanasi for cremation.https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67373Pilgrims and pilgrimages -- HinduismHinduism -- RitualHindu theologyDeathSacred spaceVārānasi (Uttar Pradesh, India) |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Erik Reenberg Sand |
spellingShingle |
Erik Reenberg Sand Theology of Karman: merit, death and release in the case of Varanasi, India Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis Pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Hinduism Hinduism -- Ritual Hindu theology Death Sacred space Vārānasi (Uttar Pradesh, India) |
author_facet |
Erik Reenberg Sand |
author_sort |
Erik Reenberg Sand |
title |
Theology of Karman: merit, death and release in the case of Varanasi, India |
title_short |
Theology of Karman: merit, death and release in the case of Varanasi, India |
title_full |
Theology of Karman: merit, death and release in the case of Varanasi, India |
title_fullStr |
Theology of Karman: merit, death and release in the case of Varanasi, India |
title_full_unstemmed |
Theology of Karman: merit, death and release in the case of Varanasi, India |
title_sort |
theology of karman: merit, death and release in the case of varanasi, india |
publisher |
Donner Institute |
series |
Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |
issn |
0582-3226 2343-4937 |
publishDate |
2010-01-01 |
description |
In this article, the focus is on the question as to what motives the pilgrims may have for performing pilgrimage, and, in doing this, the author deals especially with the Hindu tradition, namely with pilgrimage to Varanasi, Banaras or Kāśī, which is often considered the Hindu sacred city par excellence by both Hindus and Westerners alike.The sacred power of Varanasi has three sources: the eternal presence of Śiva from the time of creation, the cremation ghāṭand the presence of the river Gaṅgā. Furthermore, we found that the most characteristic thing about the power of Varanasi is its connection with death and its power to confer on the pilgrim the fruit of complete release from the circle of birth, death, and rebirth, something which is normally the privilege of the adherents of ascetic and other non-worldly systems. This feature is still reflected in the fact that many elderly people come to Varanasi in order to die and get cremated here, and many people from the surrounding areas still take the bodies of their dead relatives to Varanasi for cremation. |
topic |
Pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Hinduism Hinduism -- Ritual Hindu theology Death Sacred space Vārānasi (Uttar Pradesh, India) |
url |
https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67373 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT erikreenbergsand theologyofkarmanmeritdeathandreleaseinthecaseofvaranasiindia |
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