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<p>Along with pilgrimage rituals vrata-s (a form of religious vow) are one of the major forms of religious observance in popular Hinduism. Details of how these vows should be practised, who may observe them and the merit that they confer are described in many of the Pura~as (compendia of Hindu religious lore, ritual practices, philosophy, myth, geneologies and so forth written in Sanskrit between c. 400 and 1400 A.D.).</p> <p>In this thesis my aim has been to provide an explicit picture of the nature and function of these vrata-s within the Purānic context. In the first section I have traced the meaning of the term 'vrata' from its earliest usage in the Rgveda to its usage in the Puranas where it became identified with a religious observance involving fasting, pūjā (worship), and dāna (the giving of gifts) directed to a deity in return for religious merit, a favour (e.g., sons), or as a form of expiation. In the next section of the thesis a selection of vrata-s from four Puranas have been described. These vrata-s are then analyzed according to nine categories, including deity to whom the vrata is to be directed, ritual requirements of the vratee, and the purpose for which the vrata is to be undertaken.</p> <p>In the process of researching this thesis certain prevalent ideas about the Purānic vrata-s found in secondary literature, such as the idea that these vrata-s are mainly directed to women or that low as well as high caste Hindus had equal privelege to observe them, were found to be misconceptions. A reason for the existence of these misconceptions is the tendency on the part of some writers to confuse sastric vrata-s (those sanctioned in the sacred texts) with popular or 'Folk' (laukika) vrata-s (those given less treatment or none at all in the texts).</p> <p>This thesis has also addressed the controversy over whether vrata-s represent a popularization of Vedic religion or a 'Brahmanization' of popular religious practice. It was determined that the texts themselves do not provide conclusive evidence for either position. Rather, all one can say is that the vrata-s incorporate elements of both Vedic or 'Brahmanic' and non-Vedic thought and practices and that this kind of fusion is itself a characteristic of the Puran.a literature.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

<p>Pages 22 and 156 have no text in the original hard copy other than the title at the top and the page number.</p> / <p>This dissertation undertakes an analysis of the two concluding books of the Sanskrit <em>Mahābhārata</em> or "Great Epic of India." Although the <em>Mahābhārata</em> is traditionally understood as a <em>smrti</em> or "remembered" work in contradistinction to the Vedic corpus of "heard" (<em>śruti</em>) scripture, I argue in this thesis that we can best understand the content and configuration of the<em> Māhābhārata</em>'s two final books by reading them against a background of Vedic ritual and myth. Adopting this hermeneutical approach, I treat the two key narrative issues which we find developed at the <em>Mahābhārata'</em>s conclusion: the manner in which the poem's principal characters die (chapters two and three of the thesis), and the account of their afterlife fates (chapter four of the thesis). In chapter two I argue that a Vedic ritual called the<em> yātsattra</em> helped to shape the substance and sequence of the narrative account of the epic heroes' deaths. In chapter three I pursue this issue further, arguing that, as elsewhere in the<em> Mahābhārata,</em> the <em>yātsuttra</em> in Books 17 and 18 is tied to the later ritual institution of circumambulatory pilgrimage or <em>tīrthayātrā</em>, a rite also figuring in the account of the characters' deaths. In treating the second narrative issue in chapter four, I examine the backdrop of Vedic myth which underlies the narrative of the entire <em>Mahābhārata</em>, and which is restated at the conclusion of the poem. As in chapters two and three, I argue that in order to understand the <em>Muhābhāratu</em>'s final scenes, we must appreciate the extent to which the poem has been fashioned against the paradigm of the Veda and its ritual and mythic world.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This exploratory study examined the nature of family myths as perceived by mid-life married men. Of particular interest was inquiry into the origin of family mythology and the transmission process of myths as perceived by men. The most pervasive themes were found around "relations with father." These themes were indicated in a two-fold typology of "father is absent" and "father is present." The findings from this research present evidence of family myths originating in the family of origin experiences and evolving into contemporary mythology related to conflict management, marital relations, and career roles. Discussion of methodological issues, as well as implications for future research and clinical interventions are presented. / Ph. D.

No / The papers collected in this volume are a selection from the proceedings of the Cultura Popular conference held at Manchester Metropolitan University in September 1999. The essays deal with aspects of contemporary Spanish or Latin American popular culture, and with the problematics of applying theories of Cultural Studies to these contexts. A diverse range of popular cultural forms is covered by contributors including mural art, artesanía, horror film, advertising, music, telenovela, television, literature and tourism, and case studies are drawn from Spain, Argentina, Peru and Mexico.