described in the tantric texts, which
involve violating deeply embedded
taboos on nonvegetarian food, con-
sumption of alcohol, and illicit sexuality.
On the one hand, Woodroffe was
addressing the British, who were the
political masters of the time, and on the
other, educated Indians, many of whom
would have preferred to dismiss the
tantras as an aberration. His publica-
tions and lectures were instrumental in
helping make tantrism respectable,
although more careful scholarly work
has been done since that time.
World Parliament of Religions
Meeting in Chicago in 1893 to which
representatives from major world reli-
gions were invited, including Asian reli-
gions. It marks a watershed in the
Euro-American conception of non-
Christian religions, in which they were
no longer seen as simple idolatry but
taken seriously as genuine religious
paths. It is also notable that many main-
line Christian churches were not repre-
sented there, and that the main
Christian presence came from histori-
cally black churches. One of the
Parliament’s highlights was the address
by Swami Vivekananda, in which
Hinduism—in its rational, Vedantic
form—was first seriously received by his
Western hearers. Vivekananda’s pres-
ence was charismatic enough that he
spent the next four years living in
America and in 1897 founded the
Vedanta Society.
Worship
Two separate words can be used to
describe Hindu worship, with two
groups of assumptions that come with
it. The first and most common act of
worship is called darshan(“seeing”), in
which devotees (bhakta) view the image
of the deity, and believe that the deity
is also looking at them. Darshan is thus
an interaction between deity and
devotee, an exchange of glances
that carries understanding. Worship
involving offerings and objects
usually falls under the rubric of the word
Puja(“homage”).Worship of Tools
A rite traditionally performed on the fes-
tival of Dussehraby members of certain
artisan groups. This festival has two dif-
ferent charter myths, both of which
mark the triumph of good over evil. It is
celebrated as the day that the god Rama
slew the demon Ravana, and is also
associated with the triumph of the
Goddessover a demonnamed Mahi-
shasura. For the artisans, such wor-
shipritually marks the importance of
their tools as a means to earn their
livelihood, and such propitiation is
also believed to guarantee success for
the following year.Worship of Weapons
In earlier times, a common rite among
the warrior classes on the festival of
Dussehra (usually occurring within
October and November). This festival
has two different charter myths, both of
which mark the triumph of good over
evil. It is celebrated as the day that the
god Ramaslew the demon Ravana, and
is also associated with the triumph of
the Goddess over a demon named
Mahishasura. Given the martial tone of
both charter myths, it is easy to see how
it would be associated with soldiers and
fighting, and thus this was considered a
day to worshipone’s weapons, as a sym-
bol of the deity. According to popular
belief, any endeavor begun on this festi-
val day will invariably succeed, and for
this reason, Dussehra has been a
favored day to begin military cam-
paigns. Since Dussehra comes after the
end of the monsoon rains, in which any
travel is nearly impossible, this is a
favorable time from a strategic perspec-
tive as well.World Parliament of Religions