DEPARTMENT
OF HUMANITIES & RELIGIOUS STUDIES | CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY,
SACRAMENTO |
Time & Place:
Spring 2006 |
|
Course Overview
DESCRIPTION: an exploration of the Mahabharata epic of Ancient India, one of the longest literary works in existence: a story revised and edited over many generations, which reached its current form in the first few centuries of the Common Era, and yet which continues to be retold and modified with each new retelling. We will approach this massive story, which serves as the frame for many smaller stories and soul-searching discussions, as a window into the religion, history, and literary culture of ancient & medieval South Asia. We will consider literary and dramatic adaptations of the Mahabharata, alongside of examining more closely the details of key episodes as described in the Sanskrit original; at each stage, academic studies of the text will serve as the basis for our own analyses. We will concluded the course by noting the relationship of the Mahabharata to the other great Indian epic, the Ramayana, and also to the voluminous Purana literature inspired by both these works.
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES : After
taking this course you should be able to:
1. successfully describe the basic story and characters of the Mahabharata.
2.
relate the details of the story to the distinct historical periods and religious movements that shaped its developments.
3. demonstrate increased competence in both
(a) accurate representation of different types of sources; and (b)
systematic reflection regarding the perspectives and conclusions presented
in those sources.
4. effectively communicate with others while working towards the above objectives.
5. appreciate both the emotional impact and intellectual fascination of the story.
6. continue to investigate, as modeled in this course, the powerful stories you encounter throughout your life.
SOURCES:You are responsible for obtaining the printed sources listed below at the Hornet Bookstore, and for bringing assigned sources to the appropriate class meetings.
William
Buck, Mahabharata (MB)
Stephanie Jamison. Sacrificed Wife/Sacrificer's Wife: Women, Ritual, & Hospitality in Ancient India (SWSW)
J.A. B. Van Buitenen (trans.),The Bhagavad Gita in the Mahabharata (BGM)
Alf Hiltebeitel, The Ritual of Battle: Krishna in the Mahabharata (RBKM)
(all of the above available at the Hornet Bookstore)
"HRS 220: Hindu Epic Literature " Course Pack (CP) [complied by & available from www.universityreaders.com:
at the above URL, click the red "Buy Now" button; or call 1-800-200-3908]
Additionally, fifteen (15) shorter readings, as well as eighth (8) excerpts from the Sanskrit original, will be available on reserve as listed in the schedule below. These readings may be accessed either by clicking link next to each title in the on-line version of this syllabus (but note that this requires a PIN, as explained in the introductory remarks to the schedule); or by visiting the library's Reserve Book Room (M-Th 8 am-9 pm, Fri & Sat 9 am-5 pm, Sun 1 pm-9 pm, across from the first-floor entrance of the main library). As explained during the first weeks of class, YOU WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PRINT OUT ALL OF THESE READINGS.
Additional resources (for those with special interests in South Asian religions that may not be fully satisfied by the course's specific focus):
William Mahony,The Artful Universe (TAU) [ISBN # 0-7914-3580-6]
Donald Lopez, Ed. Religions of India in Practice (RIIP) [ISBN #0691-04324-8]
Bowker, ed., Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions [Oxford Univ. Press, 2000: ISBN # 0-19-280094-9]
Encyclopedia Britannica
(On-line
entries re: India)
ATTENDANCE: Like most seminars, this course relies heavily on interactive learning, and such learning cannot take place without your being physically and mentally present in the classroom. Therefore the most fundamental requirement of this course is coming to class consistently, making certain to bring with you the assigned reading materials. In addition, while in the classroom, please be mindful of sights, sounds, and smells that are distracting to the instructor (food, cell phones, entering and exiting during the class meeting, side-talking, etc.), and to a significant number of students as well.
EMAIL: in order to receive updates regarding class sessions throughout the term, you are required to maintain an active email address for the duration of the course. Please send me an email to confirm this within the first ten days of the term; to facilitate my handling of student correspondence, please include the abbreviation "[HEMB]" in the subject heading of all emails. You may register for an advertisement-free email account from any open lab on campus; if you need help, call (278-7337) or visit the Saclink Desk (on the second floor of the new Academic Information Resource Center, just behind the library--follow signs to your right when exiting the elevator, all the way to Room 2005); or simply go to www.saclink.csus.edu and follow the instructions for "Set up Saclink" in the left-hand column.
ASSIGNMENTS:
three (2) reading analyses (5-7
pages, 2 x 25 points)
one
(1) synopsis
of an assigned class meeting (2 pages, 10 points)
one
(1) final paper (10-14 pages,
40 points)
[scale: 94-100 points=A, 90-93=A-, 87-89=B+, 84-87=B, 80-83=B-, etc.]
If you have a documented disability and verification from the Office of Services to Students with Disabilities (Lassen Hall 1008, x6955), and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact me within the first two weeks of the term. I will generally elect severe penalties for academic dishonesty on papers: a zero score for the assignment, and failing the course for a second offense. You are responsible for reading my comments regarding the importance of academic honesty in FAQ, #10-13, and for requesting clarification if there is anything you do not understand.
SCHEDULE: Readings below should be completed by the date of the class meeting under which they are listed. All numbers in the schedule are page numbers unless otherwise noted. The schedule for submission of reading analyses & the synopsis of an assigned class meeting will be worked out during the first week of class; both types of assignments will be distributed to and read by all students in the class.
ON-LINE READINGS: To access the on-line version of the reserve readings--if you do not already have a a library PIN for renewing books on -line, follow these directions on the library's web site. To download student papers simply click on the appropriate link for a given week; if you downlaod a PDF file and it does not open, download & install Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Stories Within Stories: Introduction & Overview (weeks #1-3)
January
23: personal introductions, review of syllabus, & the nature of stories
January
30: MB,
ix-xxiii, 1-211 (Parts 1-9)
RBKM, 27-59 (chapter 1)
February
6: MB,
215-412 (Parts 10-?)
"The
Mahabharata: Introduction" (CP: vol. 1, xi-xlix)
Fitzgerald, "The Mahabharata" (reserve)
Origins & Forest Exile: The Epic's Roots in Vedic Culture (weeks #4-7)
February
13:
selections from book 1 (reserve)
introduction
to Book 1 (CP: vol. 1, 1-18)
SWSW, 3-65 (parts I, II & III.A-C)
Witzel, "Rgvedic History," 307-20 (reserve)
student reading analyses (on-line)
[SWSW 65-74 is optional reading; but please be warned that this section contains sexually explicit language, as well as descriptions of sexual acts that may be highly offensive to some.]
"Full Moon Offering" (video)
[if unable to view video, download & install Free RealOne Media Player]
February
20: selections
from book 2
(reserve)
introduction
to Book 2 (CP: vol. 2, 1-31)
SWSW, 88-149 (part III.E-F)