Hindu iconography and communication of ideas

[Mary Storm]

Dr.S.Kalyanaraman wrote:
>
> Friends,
>
> I shall be grateful for guidance on literature on the subject of ancient icons
> of gods and goddesses carrying weapons (apart from the classics of TA
> Gopinatha Rao and JN Banerjea). In particular, on s'akti pi_t.has in NW India
> and the iconography of Durga as mother goddess in ancient India and perhaps in
> Mesopotamia.
>
> Thanks and best regards,
> Dr. S. Kalyanaraman
>
Dear Dr. Kalyanaraman,

Apart from the classics like Banerjea you might try:

Beane, Wendell. Myth, Cult and Symbols in Sakta Hinduism: A Study of the
Indian Mother Goddess. Leiden: Brill, 1977.

Bhatacharyya, N. N. Indian Mother Goddess. Calcutta: R. K. Maitra, 1971.

Harper, Katherine. An Iconological Study of the Origins and Development
of the Saptamatrkas.

Mishra, V. Mahisasuramardini. Delhi: Rajesh Publications, 1983.

Nagar, Shanti lal. The Universal Goddess. Delhi: 1988.

Neumann, Eric. The Great Mother. Princeton: Bollingen, 1963.

Singh, Sheo Bahadur. Brahmanical Icons in Northern India: A Study of
Images of Five Principal Deities from earliest Times to ca. 1200 A.D.
New delhi: Sagar Publications, 1977.

Srivatsava, Balram. Iconography of sakti: A Study Based on
Sritattvanidhi. Delhi: Chaukhamba Orientalia, 1978.

Trivedi, R.D. Iconography of Parvati. Delhi: Agam Prakashan, 1981.

Good luck,
Mary Storm