[INDOLOGY] Fwd: IJTS Vol. 9 N. 1 (Sept. 19, 2013)

[Enrica Garzilli]

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I am happy to announce that we have just published the International
Journal of Tantric Studies (IJTS) vol. 9, n. 1:
http://asiatica.org/ijts/vol9-1/

In this issue
Editorial Note
Papers: “A Spirituality of Pleasure: Deciphering Vijñānabhairava Verse
68” by John R. Dupuche”; “Shaping the Italian Policy on the North-West
Frontier: Giuseppe Tucci and the Limits of the Strategy of “Peripheral
Destabilization” (1936-1943)” by Gianluca Pastori

Abstracts

"A Spirituality of Pleasure: Deciphering Vijñānabhairava Verse 68"
by John R. Dupuche

This heavily coded śloka from the tantric literature of Kashmir Shaivism 
has been misinterpreted and misused, to the detriment of the reputation 
of tantra in the West. This paper studies the original text and ancient 
commentaries, and elucidates the several levels of meaning of this 
arcane verse. It also looks at the various translations and commentaries 
in English, French, German, which do not bring out the full meaning of 
the text or contradict each other or gloss over problems or bend the 
verse to suit their agendas. As a result, this paper concludes that, far 
from being disreputable or trivial, the sloka describes a spirituality 
of pleasure in every-day life which is profound and important for our age.


"Shaping the Italian Policy on the North-West Frontier: Giuseppe Tucci
and the Limits of the Strategy of “Peripheral Destabilization" (1936-1943)"
by Gianluca Pastori

Giuseppe Tucci played an important role in shaping Italian politics
towards Asia under both Fascism and the Republic. In the Fascist period, 
Rome was a rally point for Asian nationalists such as Subhas Chandra 
Bose and Mohammad Iqbal Shedai. On the field, the Italian Legation in 
Kabul forged links with the frontier tribes to spread sedition along the 
North-West Frontier. Nonetheless, their joint efforts to fuel a strategy 
of “peripheral destabilization” proved unfruitful. Confirming Tucci’s 
opinion, the intellectuals and the Indian population were unwilling to 
replace the Raj with another foreign domination. If they wanted to free 
themselves from the British, «it was not to place someone else in their
shoes» (Iqbal).

Enjoy!

Dr Enrica Garzilli
Editor-in-Chief