Texts on Bowing and Prostrations as Religious Practice

[Claude Setzer]

>From: Rev. Heng Sure <paramita at DNAI.COM>
>To: <INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK>
>Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 11:12 AM
>Subject: Texts on Bowing and Prostrations as Religious Practice
>
> Sanskrit and Pali sources would be useful, and also translations of
> texts into Tibetan and European languages.


All of the major religious groups in India have a large collection of texts
called Agamas that give detailed descriptions of every aspect of religious
practice. In the Vaishnava Pancaratra Agama, for example there are,
theoretically, 108 of these texts. Unfortunately most of them, although in
Sanskrit, have never been even transcribed into to Devanagari and are still
in Telegu script. Only two or three have been translated into English.

In addition to this, organizations like the University of Veda and Agama
(run by the Chinna Jeeyar Swami and his organization) in Andhra Pradesh
publish books on more specific topics that draw from several Agamas. These
too are mostly in Telegu script.

Probably the most important and most inclusive of the Pancaratra Agamas is
the Padma SamhitA that is published in Sanskrit/Devanagari by Pancaratra
Parisodhana Parisad, Madras.

Also H. Daniel Smith published a couple of summary and descriptive type
books on the Pancaratra Agamas.

Hope this helps,

Claude Setzer  cssetzer at mum.edu