Skip to content

The Lord Who Is Half Woman: Ardhanarisvara in Indian and Feminist Perspective
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Lord Who Is Half Woman: Ardhanarisvara in Indian and Feminist Perspective Hardcover - 2002

by Ellen Goldberg


From the publisher

The designation "Lord Who Is Half Woman" refers to the androgynous Hindu god Ardhanarisvara (also known as Siva-Sakti). While iconographical aspects of this significant image have been addressed, the complex theological, philosophical, and social implications inherent in a dual gendered deity have not. This book provides the first extensive study of the influence of Ardhanarisvara, exploring four distinct areas of Indian culture, namely iconography, hatha yoga, devotional poetry (bhakti), and mythology. Ellen Goldberg also offers a feminist analysis of the ways in which "male" and "female" have been constructed in this image and the various representations pertaining to the broader gender implications of an androgynous deity.

Details

  • Title The Lord Who Is Half Woman: Ardhanarisvara in Indian and Feminist Perspective
  • Author Ellen Goldberg
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition First Edition
  • Pages 193
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher State University of New York Press, New York, USA
  • Date June 2002
  • Illustrated Yes
  • Features Bibliography, Illustrated
  • ISBN 9780791453254 / 0791453251
  • Weight 0.88 lbs (0.40 kg)
  • Themes
    • Religious Orientation: Hindu
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2001049305
  • Dewey Decimal Code 294.521

About the author

Ellen Goldberg is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.