Editor: Steven J. Rosen
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1996

This book presents a major contribution to research on women in Hinduism and in particular on women's status, roles and accomplishments in Vaishnavism. The work succeeds in demonstrating that women in Vaishnavism have a relatively high status on account of the scriptures on which the religion is based, and because of the doctrinal tenets that consider feminine devotion the ideal form of worship.

Though not all the Vaishnavis discussed in this work are worshippers of Krishna, they are all bhaktas (devotees) and have in common a single-minded, tenacious devotion to, and love for, their God. Refusing to be a victim in oppressive and untoward situations, each of these Vaishnavis asserts her individuality and musters the courage and determination to follow her conscience. Each of them has charisma and spiritual depth; each is in some way a leader. By desiring communion with the Transcendent, they all have become transmitters and shapers of tradition, as well as role models who may help Vaishnavas today (and indeed, members of other religious traditions) to appropriate their spiritual legacy and enlarge the vision of their religion.

To show that Vaishnavis have been an influential force in religious thought and to demonstrate the choices and possibilities open to them, Steven Rosen has brought out a collection of nine stimulating and thought-provoking essays by recognised scholars, poets and essayists in the field. Most of the articles have previously been published in the Journal of Vaishnava Studies and will now, hopefully, gain greater exposure in university and public libraries.

In her thoroughly-researched and lucidly-written contribution, Nancy Martin explores the religious choices available to women in Vaishnavism by first focusing on the life of a sixteenth century saint named Mirabai, and then discussing four twentieth-century women who consciously follow her example. Martin points out their commonalities and shows how these modern-day Miras have been influenced by their sixteenth-century predecessor. She persuasively argues that Mira gives today's bhaktas as individuals, and as communities, the possibility to develop personally and spiritually.

Andrew Schelling, himself a poet and a translator of note, seeks to counter the hagiographical information on Mirabai by placing her life in a socio-historical context, and by interpreting factual and legendary materials about her from a non-religious perspective. Schelling's excellent translation and interpretation of Mirabai's poetry is characterised by deep empathy and a rare gift for understanding her lyrical visions. The reader, confronted with a woman of such passion and obstinate individualism, cannot but long to know more about her as a human being. As a poet, according to Schelling, she will be immortalised first and foremost on account of her wild passion that reflects aspects of primal religion.

The following essay, a very carefully researched scholarly contribution by Jan Brzezinski, describes the life and achievements of a number of women saints in the Caitanya Gaudiya tradition. Dividing the movement's history into three periods, early, middle and modern, Brzezinski comes to the conclusion that female followers' status was the highest in the middle period, the time shortly after Caitanya's death. In those days, female devotees had the opportunity to take on important roles of leadership and to participate in the propagation of the religion. Brzezinski argues that, though women in Gaudiya Vaishnavism were considered inferior to men early on in Vaishnava History (seen more as obstacles to the latter's soteriological endeavours), there is no overt misogynism in the Caitanya Movement. He is right in pointing out that the women whose lives he has researched deserve more critical attention than has previously been accorded them.

Steven J. Rosen focuses on Gaudiya Vaishnavism, explaining in a valuable, detailed discussion one of its most confidential, and in a sense controversial teachings: raganuga bhakti. Caitanya is said to have come into this world and to have introduced this passionate form of devotion, in order to help followers to re-establish their lost relationship with God. Yet many devotees have denigrated the practice, partly because it is esoteric and highly advanced. As Rosen points out, it is meant to bring out the inner woman in Gaudiya Vaishnava sadhana (spiritual practice). He further discusses the concept of Manjari-bhava, another esoteric revelation, considered Caitanya's major legacy. This stimulating contribution should be of special interest to Caitanya devotees.

In the following article, Mary McGee describes with great insight and empathy the life and conflicts of Bahinabai, a seventeenth-century bhakta. This Vaishnavi's profound spirituality and devotion helped her to endure her husband's almost intolerable abusiveness, and to reconcile her role as a wife and mother with her desire to dedicate herself totally to her God. Exploring Bahinabai's autobiography, the most unique among her hymns, McGee convincingly argues that Bahinabai adopted a philosophy of living in the world without really being part of it, and persuasively contends that the latter represents an example of how the conflict between stridharma1 and devotional life could be solved.

Dennis Hudson's article is a welcome extension of his publication 'Antal Alvar: A Developing Hagiography' that can be found in the Journal of Vaishnava Studies. By placing Antal in a socio-historical context, he portrays her as a human being rather than a mystified saint and focuses on her exceptional poetic gifts.

In a very detailed and perceptive analysis Hudson builds up a helpful series of metaphors and motifs in her work and interprets their implications. He persuasively demonstrates that Antal tried to establish a link between the Bhagavad-gita and her own collection of poetry. His incisive discussion of Antal's work gives readers a new sense of the importance of her achievement.

Another Antal comes to life in Nancy Ann Nayar's essay. In a balanced, authoritative account she presents information about this twelfth-century Srivaishnava woman who, in accordance with the tenets of her religion and on account of her positive marital relationship, managed to reconcile her devotional life with the precepts of stridharma. Nayar perceptively analyses the rather scanty factual information about Antal and argues that the latter was mentioned in the male dominated hagiographical texts not only because she was the wife and mother of two prominent Srivaishnavas, but because of her own strength of character.

Katherine Young's contribution is a piece of exemplary scholarship. Her familiarity with the Tamil language, her careful study of the socio-historical context in which the theology of Srivaishnavism developed, coupled with astute interpretational skill rewards the reader with many new and valuable insights. Young illustrates the reasons for the difference between conservative Brahmanism and Srivaishnavism and analyses the acaryas' (the main spiritual leaders) motives for their support of women. She comes to the conclusion that especially the Tenkalai heritage may provide the basis for a universal theology that focuses on contemporary women's issues.

Kim Knott's clearly written, carefully researched and critically valuable investigation sheds some light on the status and function of women in the Hare Krishna Movement. She argues convincingly that in order to learn about women's position in ISKCON, one has to look at the status of men. Adducing information regarding the views of members as well as those of sociologists who look at the movement from an outsider's perspective, Knott infers that, though women are considered equal spiritually, male and female devotees still have not gained complete material equality. For years, members have struggled to reconcile the values of tradition with the demands of present-day reality. However, Knott rightly points out that neither the scriptures, nor the philosophy of ISKCON, nor the founder's own writings provide an obstacle to women achieving total equality with men. It is encouraging that male and female devotees are now working together to overcome the problems that women faced in the movement during the 1970s. At that time, some sannyasis had actually tried to prevent women from being initiated into the religion. Fortunately, female members of ISKCON are becoming more self-assured and actively dare to define their role in the movement.

Rosen's collection will certainly provide an incentive for future scholarship, and critical readers, and those wishing to begin to investigate the field, will have a valuable guidebook to accompany them.

Doris M. Klostermaier

1. Formally women were excluded from the system that governed religious conduct under the requirements of varnashrama-dharma delineated according to scripture, and instead women had their own dharma. Various women exemplify different aspects of this, for example, Kunti, Draupati and Sita. Although these women were devotees, their roles were essentially supportive. Their role was to serve their husbands. Though even these women experienced some difficulties.