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The Supreme Refuge, Volume 2: History, Myths, Worship, and Meanings of the Hindu Great Goddess, Durgā (paperback)

Author:Hillary P. Rodrigues
ISBN:9789376540112
Binding:Paperback
Pages:414
Size:16 x 24 cm
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About the Book
Demonstrates the historical and ritual forces that secured Durgā's position as Hinduism's Great Goddess, combining textual, inscriptional, and iconographic evidence with rich, firsthand accounts of contemporary worship.

This is the second installment in a two-volume, comprehensive examination of the Hindu Great Goddess (Mahādevī) Durgā. Whereas the first traced the goddess’s emergence as Mahādevī through the sophisticated metaphysics of the Devī Māhātmya, the present work investigates the historical, regional, and ritual processes that further consolidated her supremacy across the Hindu world. Drawing together textual, inscriptional, and iconographic evidence with firsthand ethnographic observation, it first follows Durgā's development in India and Nepal before turning to Southeast Asia—especially Java and Bali—where her persona took on distinctive forms. With Banāras as a focal point, the analysis then examines major ritual institutions, including Durgā Pūjā and the temple networks associated with the Nine Durgā pilgrimage. It also explores both exoteric and esoteric dimensions of devotion, showing how ritual practice intersects with interpretations articulated through yantras, mantras, mythic narratives, and embodied performance. Taken together, these strands reveal how Durgā’s appeal expanded beyond sovereign empowerment to encompass her roles as supreme refuge and ultimate reality—an enduring source of protection, grace, and ontological grounding for worshippers across the Hindu world.
About the Author
Hillary P. Rodrigues

Hillary P. Rodrigues is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Lethbridge. His previous books include Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess: The Liturgy of the Durgā Pūjā with Interpretations and, coedited with Caleb Simmons and Moumita Sen, Nine Nights of the Goddess: The Navarātri Festival in South Asia.
Editorial Reviews



“A welcome addition to the relatively small amount of English-language scholarship on Himalayan music. It will be useful as a resource for a wide variety of scholars interested in comparing Ladakhi music with that of other nearby regions and as a resource on musical and historical/cultural basics for scholars intending to look at facets of Ladakhi musical life from varied perspectives.”
—Anna Stirr, University of Hawaii at Manoa
“This is a very valuable book on a region's music that is barely researched. While there is quite a lot of anthropological work on Ladakh, there is scarce work on music. The book is also valuable as it is written by someone with a deep knowledge of the area and the music, someone who has learned instruments and many of the genres he describes.”
—Anna Morcom, Director, Center for India and South Asia, UCLA
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