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Examining the caste system, culture, religious rules, and traditions, as well as the ambivalent relationship between handed-down cultural values and the new values of a changing world, Samskara looks at deeper moral and philosophical issues like how to lead a righteous life, the validity ofcustoms, and the concept of brahminism in a contemporary world. A classic of modern Indian literature, it is both a religious novel and a contemporary reworking of ancient Hindu themes and myths.Probing multiple meanings of the word 'Samskara', which means rite of passage, ritual, preparation, transformation, as well as death rites, this novel is an engrossing tale of the personal transformation of a man living in a community that refuses to change with the times. This Oxford IndiaPerennials edition includes detailed notes that explain Hindu myths, customs, Indian names, flora, and other terms, an afterword that explores the various dimensions of the novel's substance and meaning, and an essay by Susheela Punitha based on an interview with the author.… (more)
User reviews
As the acharya whom the village turns to wrestles with the “correct” answer according to the religious and philosophical texts, more and more people are falling sick and dying: a plague has struck the area. On one hand, the issue is clear: do we, as a community, elevate form (rite and ritual) over substance (humanity)? On the other, our protagonist has his own personal issues. How good must one be? While the larger issues are clear, the story is so deeply embedded in expositions of classic texts (like the Veda) and Vedanta philosophy are to be very hard to follow at some points. It is, by all accounts, a world classic; the notes were generally helpful although I found it very difficult to follow some parts as Anantha Murthy has a weakness for introducing (and then dropping) obscure and arcane (to me, anyway) fine points of Brahmin obligations.