Paradoxology: the Art of Praising the Deity

April 12, 2016
Picture of Vasudha Narayanan, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida
Vasudha Narayanan, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida

On Thursday, April 14, Vasudha Narayanan, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida, delivered the Center's inaugural Hindu Way of Life Lecture. This lecture series is generously funded by Akhilesh Gupta, former chairman of Blackstone India and current fellow in Harvard's Advanced Leadership Program.

Below, Narayanan spoke about her lecture, "Paradoxology: the Art of Praising the Deity," the role of paradox in the Vaishnava/ Hindu traditions, how she decided on the image of the Goddess Sri (Lakshmi) for the poster advertising her lecture, and her next projects.

HDS: Your lecture is entitled: "Paradoxology: the Art of Praising the Deity." What is "paradoxology," and how did you become interested in studying it?

VN: Paradox is one important way of understanding some aspects of the Hindu traditions.  While philosophers and theologians have teased out contradictions and apparent inconsistencies to present logical, sophisticated systems, I would like to argue for the significance of paradox as a way in which we have historically related to, and enjoyed, poetry, art, and narratives in the Vaishnava/ Hindu traditions.  Specifically, I will discuss how we can understand paradox as one way in which we conceptualize Vishnu. In the first part of my talk, I will work with Tamil and Sanskrit poetry, three popular stories of Krishna, as well as visual and expressive art, to show how Vishnu is praised (doxology) through the use of paradox.

These paradoxes invoke a sense of wonder and astonishment (adbhuta rasa and vismaya). The reaction of those who were in the story and those who participate in the story are examples of what literary connoisseurs call camatkara—the enjoyment and relishing of a poem or a story, the sense of enchantment when we respond to these works of art.

HDS: The poster advertising your lecture has a very striking temple sculpture on it. Can you tell us a little about that image and why you chose it?

VN: In the second part of my paper, I open up the concept of paradox to larger issues in Hinduism and focus on the deity "from whom all blessings flow"— specifically by looking at the traditional goals of a human being stated in the literature.  These are power, wealth, and sensual pleasure on the one hand, and liberation from the cycle of life and death on the other. I argue that auspiciousness is of two types: one which gives enhanced material glory and is life promoting and the other which gives spiritual benefit but which is considered to be life-negating in some ways.

The juxtaposition of both kinds of goals is seen in paradoxical forms in Hindu literature. We also see an embodiment of this idea in the figure of the Goddess Sri (Lakshmi) who reconciles these paradoxes.  She is addressed in regular prayers as one who gives worldly fortune and liberation; the locus classicus of this expression is in Indra's paen of praise to Sri when she emerges from the ocean of milk and the elephants ritually anoint her.  This is the scene depicted in the poster.  The sculpture is a pediment from Banteay Srey, a tenth century temple about 30 km from Angkor in Cambodia.

HDS: What is your next project?

VN: I have been working on Vaishnava traditions in Cambodia, Hinduism in America, as well as the translation of a ninth century Tamil poem for several years now.

by Melissa Coles, MDiv candidate

See also: Hinduism, Yes