The Power of the Nath Yogis

Yogic Charisma, Political Influence and Social Authority

Daniela Bevilacqua editor Eloisa Stuparich editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Amsterdam University Press

Published:22nd Jul '22

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The Power of the Nath Yogis cover

The volume collects a series of contributions that help reconstruct the recent history of the Nath tradition, highlighting important moments of self.reinterpretation in the sampradaya’s interaction with different social milieus. The leitmotif tying together the selection of articles is the authors’ explorations of the overlap between religious authority and political power. For example, in which ways do the Naths’ hagiographical claim of possessing yogic charisma (often construed as supernatural powers, siddhis) translate into mundane expressions of socio-political power? And how does it morph into the authority to reinterpret and recreate particular traditions? The articles approach different aspects of the recent history of the Nath sampradaya, spanning from stories of yogis guiding kings in the petty principalities of the eighteenth century to gurus who sought prominence in the transnational environments of the twentieth century; examining some Nath lineages and institutions under the British Raj, in the history of Nepal, and in contemporary India.

''...it is a well-organised book that discusses a valuable question from a dialogical perspective. It places a political–philosophical question at the core of its discussion while also touching on the mutation and adaptation of religious ideas in historical and social dynamics. The book has an attractive title that will captivate readers, including undergraduates and scholars. It will be especially helpful for those specialising in South Asian Studies and Religion, particularly in the topic of Yog. and Hinduism''.
- Li Jingwei, Religion, Vol. 54, No. 2, 2024

ISBN: 9789463722544

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

312 pages