Indology Ma
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The course aims to present the historical outlines of the most relevant cultural phenomena and movements of South Asian civilizations, from Antiquity to the Middle Ages; the main currents of thought, conceptions of reality, mythological imagery, literary expressions of the Indian civilization will be especially implied, in order to provide a critical perspective, for the understanding of the cultural complexity.
Expected learning outcomes
The course aims to provide students with knowledge, understanding and ability as follows:
- Knowledge of historical, geographical and cultural contextualization of the main currents of thought, and mythological and literary representations of the Indian civilization; understanding of the complex relationships between manifold aspects of the cultural heritage of South Asia.
- Knowledge and appropriate use of analytic means for the understanding of the cultural complexity and the development of critical perspective.
- Knowledge of specific lexicon and linguistic elements of correlated textual sources;
- Ability to critically consult the reference texts and their bibliography, understanding their main arguments, and applying diverse interpretative theories.
- Ability to critically evaluate sources on the internet and other media.
- Knowledge of historical, geographical and cultural contextualization of the main currents of thought, and mythological and literary representations of the Indian civilization; understanding of the complex relationships between manifold aspects of the cultural heritage of South Asia.
- Knowledge and appropriate use of analytic means for the understanding of the cultural complexity and the development of critical perspective.
- Knowledge of specific lexicon and linguistic elements of correlated textual sources;
- Ability to critically consult the reference texts and their bibliography, understanding their main arguments, and applying diverse interpretative theories.
- Ability to critically evaluate sources on the internet and other media.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Title of the course: the heroic status in ancient India, between sovereignty and divine role.
The course aims to present a rich survey concerning the heroic figure, outlined throughout the development of manifold cultural phenomena which characterised the history of the Indian subcontinent, since the Indo-Iranian phase (II mill. BCE) up to the classical age (400-600 CE). Therefore, different profiles of hero (Skr. vīra) are to be considered: the proto-Vedic hero, with his Indo-European heritage, the epic hero, both warrior and sage, the ascetic hero and the Buddhist hero, up to the hero of the classical dharma. Such a survey will be conducted on the basis of the main Sanskrit and Prakrit literary and epigraphical, and even iconographic sources of ancient India. By means of this fil rouge, the course will contextualize the historical and cultural complexity of the Indian civilization.The main topics discussed will be organized in three sections, 20 hours each, as follows
Section A (20 hrs.)
- Fundamentals of the Indo-Iranian cultural history: the lexical question; Mitanni warriors.
- Fundamentals of the Proto-Vedic cultural history and Kuru hegemony: proto-Rigvedic hero, the vrātya pattern, the Kuru sovereignty
- Fundamentals of the Late-Vedic cultural history: śramaṇa hero, on the edge of the ritualism.
- Maurya sovereignty: the cakravartin model
Section B (20 hrs.)
- Fundamentals of the post-Maurya cultural history: from the Brahmanical dharma to the Hindu dharma.
- The development of the Hindu hero: Arjuna and Yudhiṣṭhira in the Mahābhārata.
- The Bhagavadgītā and Kr̥ṣṇa Vāsudeva: heroic cult.
- The heroes' stones: heroic cult and elements of Śivaism.
Section C (20 hrs.)
- Sovereignty and dharma in the Rāmāyaṇa: the figure of Rāma; heroic cult and elements of Viṣṇuism.
- The 'Other' as hero: the case of the Buddha and the Bodhisattva.
The course aims to present a rich survey concerning the heroic figure, outlined throughout the development of manifold cultural phenomena which characterised the history of the Indian subcontinent, since the Indo-Iranian phase (II mill. BCE) up to the classical age (400-600 CE). Therefore, different profiles of hero (Skr. vīra) are to be considered: the proto-Vedic hero, with his Indo-European heritage, the epic hero, both warrior and sage, the ascetic hero and the Buddhist hero, up to the hero of the classical dharma. Such a survey will be conducted on the basis of the main Sanskrit and Prakrit literary and epigraphical, and even iconographic sources of ancient India. By means of this fil rouge, the course will contextualize the historical and cultural complexity of the Indian civilization.The main topics discussed will be organized in three sections, 20 hours each, as follows
Section A (20 hrs.)
- Fundamentals of the Indo-Iranian cultural history: the lexical question; Mitanni warriors.
- Fundamentals of the Proto-Vedic cultural history and Kuru hegemony: proto-Rigvedic hero, the vrātya pattern, the Kuru sovereignty
- Fundamentals of the Late-Vedic cultural history: śramaṇa hero, on the edge of the ritualism.
- Maurya sovereignty: the cakravartin model
Section B (20 hrs.)
- Fundamentals of the post-Maurya cultural history: from the Brahmanical dharma to the Hindu dharma.
- The development of the Hindu hero: Arjuna and Yudhiṣṭhira in the Mahābhārata.
- The Bhagavadgītā and Kr̥ṣṇa Vāsudeva: heroic cult.
- The heroes' stones: heroic cult and elements of Śivaism.
Section C (20 hrs.)
- Sovereignty and dharma in the Rāmāyaṇa: the figure of Rāma; heroic cult and elements of Viṣṇuism.
- The 'Other' as hero: the case of the Buddha and the Bodhisattva.
Prerequisites for admission
No prerequisites for admission.
Teaching methods
The course consists both of taught classes and participative classes. The former ones are adopted mainly for learning theoretical subjects, and are supported by Power Point slideshows, whereas the latter ones aim at the analysis of textual sources, especially the literary ones, and at the discussion of the didactic material, previously assigned. The attendance is recommended, in particular for this section of the course. For other initiatives and news, students should also regularly refer to the Sanskrit Language and Literature page of Ariel, and the website of the Indological courses of our university (https://sites.unimi.it/india/).
Teaching Resources
6 ects: Sections A and B
- G. Flood, L'induismo. Temi, tradizioni, prospettive, Torino: Einaudi, 2006, pp. 3-172.
- Ya. Vassilkov, ""Words and things": An attempt at reconstruction of the earliest Indo-European concept of heroism" or "Indian "hero-stones" and the Earliest Anthropomorphic Stelae of the Bronze Age", in Journal of Indo- European Studies, 39.1-2, 2011: 194-229. Download from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yaroslav-Vassilkov/publication/303720620_Indian_hero-stones_and_the_Earliest_Anthropomorphic_Stelae_of_the_Bronze_Age/links/574f3ff508ae1880a8225f09/Indian-hero-stones-and-the-Earliest-Anthropomorphic-Stelae-of-the-Br…
- S. de Martino, "The Mittani State: The Formation of the Kingdom of Mittani", in J. Eidem (ed.), Constituent, confederate, and conquered space: the emergence of the Mittani state, De Gruyter, 2014, pp. 61-74.
- A. Pelissero, Letterature classiche dell'India, Brescia: Morcelliana, 2007, pp. 19-93.
- Arjuna e l'uomo della montagna (dal Mahābhārata), a cura di A. Pelissero, Torino: Il leone verde, 1997.
- J. L. Fitzgerald, The Mahābhārata: the Epic of the Greater Good, 27th J. Gonda Lecture 2019, download from https://brown.academia.edu/JamesFitzgerald
- V. Pisani, "L'uccisione di Bhīshma", in Mahābhārata: episodi scelti, Torino: Utet, 1954, pp. 371-484. [uploaded in Ariel]
- V. Pisani, "L'ascesa al cielo", in Mahābhārata: episodi scelti, Torino: Utet, 1954, pp. 590-560. [uploaded in Ariel]
- P. M. Rossi, "Una stele eroica ritrovata a Lisbona. Il destino ultraterreno del guerriero", in "Argumenta Antiquitatis", a cura di G. Zanetto - M. Ornaghi, Quaderni di Acme 109, Milano: Cisalpino, 2009, pp. 117-134.
Selection of hymns from the Ṛgvedic collection, passages from the Vedic Upaniṣads, and from the Bhagavadgītā will be suggested during the lessons.
For NON ATTENDING STUDENTS: the following texts are to be added:
- J. Bronkhorst, Greater Magadha, Leiden: Brill 2007.
- K. K. Saxena, "Growth of the Cult of Vāsudeva-Kṛṣṇa", in Before Kṛṣṇa : Religious Diversity in Ancient Mathura, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2021, pp. 162-182.
9 ects: Section C:
- Rāmāyaṇa: il grande poema epico della mitologia indiana, Milano: Mimesis, 2018: vol. II Araṇyakāṇḍa, pp. 17-47; Kiṣkiṇḍhyākāṇḍa, pp. 204-225.
- Aśvaghoṣa, Le gesta del Buddha (Buddhacarita), a cura di A. Passi, Milano: Adelphi, 1993.
- G. Pasqualotto, Dieci lezioni sul Buddhismo, Venezia: Marsilio Editori, 2008.
- Selection of Buddhist Jātakas will be suggested during the lessons.
For NON ATTENDING STUDENTS: the following texts are to be added:
- R. Gombrich, "The Vessantara Jataka, the Ramayana and the Dasaratha Jataka", in Journal of American Oriental Society 105.3 (1985), pp. 427-437.
- P.M. Rossi, Vessantara, Milano: Mimesis, only edition 2012
- S. Sani, "L'epica indiana: il Rāmāyaṇa", in G.F. Gianotti (ed.), Tradizioni epiche e letteratura, Bologna: il Mulino, 2011, pp. 57-79.
- G. Flood, L'induismo. Temi, tradizioni, prospettive, Torino: Einaudi, 2006, pp. 3-172.
- Ya. Vassilkov, ""Words and things": An attempt at reconstruction of the earliest Indo-European concept of heroism" or "Indian "hero-stones" and the Earliest Anthropomorphic Stelae of the Bronze Age", in Journal of Indo- European Studies, 39.1-2, 2011: 194-229. Download from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yaroslav-Vassilkov/publication/303720620_Indian_hero-stones_and_the_Earliest_Anthropomorphic_Stelae_of_the_Bronze_Age/links/574f3ff508ae1880a8225f09/Indian-hero-stones-and-the-Earliest-Anthropomorphic-Stelae-of-the-Br…
- S. de Martino, "The Mittani State: The Formation of the Kingdom of Mittani", in J. Eidem (ed.), Constituent, confederate, and conquered space: the emergence of the Mittani state, De Gruyter, 2014, pp. 61-74.
- A. Pelissero, Letterature classiche dell'India, Brescia: Morcelliana, 2007, pp. 19-93.
- Arjuna e l'uomo della montagna (dal Mahābhārata), a cura di A. Pelissero, Torino: Il leone verde, 1997.
- J. L. Fitzgerald, The Mahābhārata: the Epic of the Greater Good, 27th J. Gonda Lecture 2019, download from https://brown.academia.edu/JamesFitzgerald
- V. Pisani, "L'uccisione di Bhīshma", in Mahābhārata: episodi scelti, Torino: Utet, 1954, pp. 371-484. [uploaded in Ariel]
- V. Pisani, "L'ascesa al cielo", in Mahābhārata: episodi scelti, Torino: Utet, 1954, pp. 590-560. [uploaded in Ariel]
- P. M. Rossi, "Una stele eroica ritrovata a Lisbona. Il destino ultraterreno del guerriero", in "Argumenta Antiquitatis", a cura di G. Zanetto - M. Ornaghi, Quaderni di Acme 109, Milano: Cisalpino, 2009, pp. 117-134.
Selection of hymns from the Ṛgvedic collection, passages from the Vedic Upaniṣads, and from the Bhagavadgītā will be suggested during the lessons.
For NON ATTENDING STUDENTS: the following texts are to be added:
- J. Bronkhorst, Greater Magadha, Leiden: Brill 2007.
- K. K. Saxena, "Growth of the Cult of Vāsudeva-Kṛṣṇa", in Before Kṛṣṇa : Religious Diversity in Ancient Mathura, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2021, pp. 162-182.
9 ects: Section C:
- Rāmāyaṇa: il grande poema epico della mitologia indiana, Milano: Mimesis, 2018: vol. II Araṇyakāṇḍa, pp. 17-47; Kiṣkiṇḍhyākāṇḍa, pp. 204-225.
- Aśvaghoṣa, Le gesta del Buddha (Buddhacarita), a cura di A. Passi, Milano: Adelphi, 1993.
- G. Pasqualotto, Dieci lezioni sul Buddhismo, Venezia: Marsilio Editori, 2008.
- Selection of Buddhist Jātakas will be suggested during the lessons.
For NON ATTENDING STUDENTS: the following texts are to be added:
- R. Gombrich, "The Vessantara Jataka, the Ramayana and the Dasaratha Jataka", in Journal of American Oriental Society 105.3 (1985), pp. 427-437.
- P.M. Rossi, Vessantara, Milano: Mimesis, only edition 2012
- S. Sani, "L'epica indiana: il Rāmāyaṇa", in G.F. Gianotti (ed.), Tradizioni epiche e letteratura, Bologna: il Mulino, 2011, pp. 57-79.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is oral, and lasts approximately for 30 minutes. It aims to ascertain acquired knowledge and skills about three main issues: general preparation concerning Hinduism, on the basis of the texts specified by the program; the historical and literary context of the cultural phenomena delivered during the course; textual analysis, lexicon and linguistic features of the sources, especially the literary ones, as specified by the program.
Grading, on a scale of 30 (minimum passing grade 18), will take into account: the student's general preparation, and the familiarity with the bibliography of the course; knowledge and skills concerning the textual sources, especially the literary ones; understanding and command of fundamental historical and cultural concepts; capacity for synthesis and critical analysis in the presentation; use of appropriate language; accuracy and relevance in the oral presentation.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also, students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
Grading, on a scale of 30 (minimum passing grade 18), will take into account: the student's general preparation, and the familiarity with the bibliography of the course; knowledge and skills concerning the textual sources, especially the literary ones; understanding and command of fundamental historical and cultural concepts; capacity for synthesis and critical analysis in the presentation; use of appropriate language; accuracy and relevance in the oral presentation.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also, students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
L-OR/18 - INDOLOGY AND TIBETOLOGY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Rossi Paola Maria Antonietta
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)