LIVING MANTRA— MANTRA, DEITY AND VISIONARY EXPERIENCE TODAY
(Palgrave Macmillan Anthropology of Religion Series: USA/UK, 2019)
How does one examine if a deity vision is real or imagined? Is vision visual? Are deity-visions mediated by culture? If mantras are effective, what is the role of devotion? Are mantras language? Living Mantra interrogates not only theoretical questions, but also those a practitioner would ask: how does one choose a deity, for example, or what might bind one to a guru? Rao breaks fresh ground in redirecting attention to the moments that precede systematization and canon-formation, showing how authoritative sources are formed.
Includes interviews with visionary gurus including Guruji Amritananda Saraswati, Amma Venu Syama, Guru Karunamaya of Devipuram, Swami Siddheswarananda Bharati of Svayam Siddha Kali Pitham, Swami Nachiketananda and Swami Paramahamsa Sivananda Puri of Nachiketa Tapovan ashram and many other mantra-sadhakas.
Review: International Journal of Hindu Studies, 2020 by Meera J Kachroo →
Interview: In POV.com by Usha Akella →