Bøker av Nicholas Sutton

In this in-depth, engaging guide to the Mahabharata, Hindu Studies scholar Nicholas Sutton explores the central messages of the work's core narratives and passages of instruction, demonstrating how the questions the text poses are as relevant today as they were to those who composed this mighty treatise on human existence. The Mahabharata is a truly vast work of early Sanskrit literature that reflects on a wide range of issues which have concerned people throughout different epochs. Within the context of Indian culture, the significance of the Mahabharata cannot be overstated, as its themes, characters, narratives, and preoccupations have reverberated across the region for centuries. It is well-known that the whole of the epic is structured around a central narrative that tells of an ancient conflict between two branches of the same royal house, the Pandavas and Kauravas. Yet it is also a clearly didactic work that addresses the fundamental meaning of human existence. In Light on the Mahabharata: A Guide to India's Great Epic, Nicholas Sutton examines the multi-faceted manner in which the Mahabharata does this, elucidating the diverse and multi-layered answers the text offers to the many questions it raises. Sutton's book explores why the main characters behave in the manner that they do, the vision of life that motivates them, and the extent to which they are able to prioritise enlightened wisdom over narrow self-interest. Unravelling the Sanskrit epic's myriad lines of reflection, Light on the Mahabharata demonstrates that the questions the work poses and the range of answers it suggests are as relevant in the present day as they were in remote antiquity. OXFORD CENTRE SERIES: The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Publishing Series offers authoritative yet accessible introductions to a wide range of subjects in Hindu Studies. Each book in the series aims to present its subject matter in a form that is engaging and readily comprehensible to persons of all backgrounds - academic or otherwise - without compromising scholarly rigour. The series thus bridges the divide between academic and popular writing by preserving and utilising the best elements of both. Other books in the series include The Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation and Study Guide; The Hindu Temple and Its Sacred Landscape; and Women in the Hindu World. EXPERT AUTHOR: Nicholas Sutton has spent the four decades studying, teaching, and writing on the Mahabharata. Sutton is the Director of the Continuing Education Department of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, an academy for the study of Hindu cultures, societies, philosophies, religions, and languages. He received his PhD from Lancaster University, writing his doctoral dissertation on the Mahabharata, and currently writes and tutors online courses on Hindu religious traditions. EDUCATION AID: This book serves as a comprehensive resource for both classwork and independent study of Hinduism. With the integration of discussion questions, suggested further readings, and glossary of Sanskrit terms, Light on the Mahabharata offers an accessible introduction to this enduring Sanskrit epic.

Dr. Nicholas Sutton provides accessible translation and lucid commentary into the text, philosophy, and significance of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the ancient foundational text of yoga that remains one of the most venerated wisdom books of India.The popular practice of yoga finds its origin in one of the most venerated wisdom books of India: the Yoga Sutras. Comprised of 196 short statements on the essential teachings of yoga, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is almost universally accepted as the foundational text for Yoga. The Sutras highlight a yoga practice beyond the physical body, prescribing a means by which the mind can be transformed into a tool of enlightenment and liberation. In Exploring the Yoga Sutras, Dr. Nicholas Sutton, a course facilitator at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, offers an accessible translation and commentary without sacrificing any of the original text's profound wisdom. With guided questions for each chapter and resources for additional study, this edition allows the reader to dive into the meaning and philosophy behind this ancient text, the doctrine of classical yoga, and its contemporary relevance. Yoga students, practitioners, and scholars alike will find knowledge and wisdom to apply to their own understanding and practice of yoga. OXFORD CENTRE SERIES: Exploring the Yoga Sutras joins The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Mandala Publishing Series. This book joins other accessible texts on Hinduism authored by expert scholars, including The Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation and Study Guide; The Hindu Temple and Its Sacred Landscape; and Women in the Hindu World. EXPERT AUTHOR: Nicholas Sutton is the Director of the Continuing Education Department of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, an academy for the study of Hindu cultures, societies, philosophies, religions, and languages. He received his PhD from Lancaster University, writing his doctoral dissertation on the Mahabharata, and currently writes and tutors online courses on Hindu religious traditions. EDUCATION AID: This book serves as a comprehensive resource for both classwork and independent study of Hinduism. With the integration of discussion questions, suggested further reading, and images throughout, Exploring the Yoga Sutras offers an accessible introduction to the ancient roots of modern yoga.