Dictionary of Bhakti

Book Detail

• Author: Winand M. Callewaert
• Brand: D.K. Printworld Pvt. Ltd.
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of Pages: 2240
• Release Date: 01-12-2009
• Publisher: D.K. Printworld Pvt. Ltd.
• Genre: Linguistics / Bhakti Literature / Dictionary
• ISBN/EAN: 9788124605295
• Language: English
• Package Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 2.0 inches

Details:
After CE 1000, India witnessed a significant shift in its religious landscape with the arrival of Muslim rulers. The introduction of Persian as the official court language, along with Islamic mysticism, posed a dual challenge to Hindu traditions. By CE 1300, a remarkable movement of bhakti mystics emerged, rejecting both Brahmanical ritualism and Islamic orthodoxy. These reformers preached monotheism, personal devotion, and an egalitarian society, expressing their teachings in regional vernaculars instead of Sanskrit.

Bhakti literature developed as a unique linguistic medium, incorporating words from Sanskrit, Persian, and local dialects. However, this language has not been extensively documented in grammars or dictionaries. The oral nature of bhakti hymns and their continuous adaptation across regions present challenges in textual study and linguistic analysis.

The Bhakti Hindi–English Dictionary aims to bridge this gap by providing structured access to this literary and linguistic tradition. It enables scholars and general readers to understand and interpret bhakti texts that have been preserved primarily in manuscript form. This dictionary is an essential resource for linguists, historians, and students of Indian devotional literature.