Veṅkaṭanātha and the tradition of Pāñcarātra
In their religious practices, Veṅkaṭanātha and a number of other representatives of the school of Rāmānuja were followers of the Vaiṣṇava tradition of Pāñcarātra. In several works, Veṅkaṭanātha deals with the religious teachings and practices of Pāñcarātra and aims to prove that the Pāñcarātra scriptures (Saṃhitās) are as authoritative as the Vedas, which are usually considered the only authority by Vedic orthodox traditions.
From a religious-historical perspective, this project examines topics related to the theology, ritual and social structures of the Vaiṣṇava tradition on the basis of Veṅkaṭanātha’s works as well as the Pāñcarātra-Saṃhitās.
Publications
Gerhard Oberhammer, Marion Rastelli (eds.), 2007
Studies in Hinduism IV: On the Mutual Influences and Relationship of Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta and Pāñcarātra. (BKGA 54.) Wien: VÖAW, 2007 (download [open access] or order online).
Project Data
- Head and research:
Marion Rastelli - Subject: Indian studies
- Running period: since 2010
- Funding: ÖAW