Naresh Keerthi, Elena Mucciarelli

Split in bhakti, United in bhakti

Introduction

Split in bhakti, united in bhakti. Explore violence, devotion & ritual in Jaimini’s Horse Sacrifice (Sanskrit & Kannada). Examines violence as a mode of Vaiṣṇava bhakti, using Mayūradhvaja's tale.

Abstract

Jaimini’s Book of the Horse Sacrifice (Jaiminīya Āśvamēdhikaparvan) is a late mediaeval Vaiṣṇava text that is unusual for several reasons. In this article we examine the interplay of violence, devotion and ritual in the Sanskrit vorlage and its Kannada transfiguration—the Jaiminibhārata of Lakṣmīśa (ca. 1500 CE). Violent emotions or extreme feelings are deeply imbricated in South Asia religious discourse. Extreme feeling is entangled with the history of texts that emerged as a result of interreligious and intra- religious debate. Our article puts forth the idea of violence as a mode of bhakti devotion, and we historicize the emergence of violence-as-bhakti in the Vaiṣṇava context, using the tale of Mayūradhvaja from Jaimini’s Book.

Review

The article "Split in bhakti, United in bhakti" presents a compelling and original examination of the complex interplay between violence, devotion, and ritual within the Vaiṣṇava tradition, specifically through Jaimini’s *Jaiminīya Āśvamēdhikaparvan* and its Kannada adaptation, Lakṣmīśa’s *Jaiminibhārata*. The authors effectively position their study within the broader discourse of South Asian religious thought, acknowledging the deep imbrication of extreme feelings and violent emotions in textual histories shaped by both interreligious and intra-religious debates. At its core, the paper advances a provocative and timely thesis: the conceptualization of violence as a legitimate mode of bhakti devotion. This central argument, historicized through a detailed analysis of the tale of Mayūradhvaja, promises to challenge conventional understandings of devotional practice. One of the significant strengths of this work lies in its rigorous comparative approach, analyzing both the Sanskrit vorlage and its Kannada transfiguration. This dual textual focus allows for a nuanced exploration of continuity and transformation in religious concepts across linguistic and regional contexts, a crucial aspect often overlooked in single-text studies. The explicit focus on "extreme feeling" as a lens through which to understand religious discourse is particularly insightful, offering a fresh perspective on the emotional landscapes of devotional traditions. The bold assertion that violence can function as a *mode* of bhakti devotion is not merely stated but is grounded in a commitment to historicize its emergence within a specific Vaiṣṇava narrative, suggesting a robust methodology that combines textual exegesis with historical contextualization. The chosen case study of Mayūradhvaja appears to be a well-selected exemplar to substantiate this challenging argument. While the abstract strongly indicates a highly original and significant contribution, readers would undoubtedly benefit from a deeper exploration of the theological and philosophical underpinnings that allow violence to be reconfigured as devotion. How do these texts justify or sacralize acts of violence within a devotional framework? Furthermore, the intriguing title "Split in bhakti, United in bhakti" could be explicitly revisited in the conclusion to synthesize how the concept of violence simultaneously creates division and fosters unity within the devotional sphere, thereby tying together the article's central themes with its overarching argument. This article is poised to make a substantial and thought-provoking contribution to the fields of South Asian studies, religious studies, and literary analysis, inviting scholars to reconsider the boundaries and definitions of devotion itself.

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