Georgia Jackson, College of Arts and Sciences
Professor Gil Ben-Herut loves drama.
It鈥檚 what drew him to the work of the twelfth century figure Hampeya Harihara 鈥� whose stories about followers of the Hindu deity Shiva inaugurated a new era in south Indian literature 鈥� and inspired Ben-Herut to publish the first English translation of select Harihara works.
A large statue of Shiva in Bijapur, India. [Photo courtesy of Gil Ben-Herut]
鈥淭his is the first-ever translation of an important collection of saints' stories from the end of the twelfth century,鈥� said Ben-Herut, who worked with R. V. S. Sundaram on the translation. 鈥淎part from the historical and religious significance, I was very excited to get it out and into the world as great literature. It鈥檚 a fun read 鈥� even for people who are not interested in this particular religion.鈥�
Written in a mixture of verse and prose, Harihara鈥檚 stories are remarkably accessible to contemporary readers due to their short, linear plots. But what makes them so compelling, according to Ben-Herut, a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at USF, is their focus on 鈥渞egular people in regular settings who experience divine intervention, miracles, tragedy, violence and intense love."
The 18 stories collected and translated by Gil-Herut and Sundaram feature some of Shiva鈥檚 most famous devotees 鈥� Basava, Akka Mahadevi and Allama 鈥� as well as lesser-known saints.
In 鈥淕undayya, the Pot Maker Who Made the Lord Dance,鈥� a simple craftsman enters into a pot making frenzy so sweeping that Shiva can hear him from his celestial hall.
鈥淭his is a beautiful story because it brings God down to Earth to celebrate the devotion of the simple,鈥� said Ben-Herut.
In one of Ben-Herut's favorites of the bunch, 鈥淩evered Mahadevi, Who Left Her Husband for Shiva," a devoted woman leaves her marriage and her hometown to meet her god:
鈥淪tories of Shiva鈥檚 Saints: Selections from Harihara鈥檚 Ragales,鈥� is out now from Oxford University Press.
"Protected by the absolute renunciation created in the complete purity of her heart, Mahadevi left the city of Udutadi.
"She did not notice the people of the city who accompanied her.
She did not count the attendants who walked with her.
She did not show any interest in her lamenting father and mother who tagged along.
She did not concern herself with those falling at her feet on the side of the road.
"It was as if the city鈥檚 merit had taken on a female form and marched forth.
It was as if the city鈥檚 devotion to Hara had started walking in order to reach the
mountain.
"The great devotee Mahadevi of Udutadi continued walking. Having reached the sentiment of ultimate renunciation, her heart felt fulfilled."
For the book's cover, Ben-Herut chose an image of a headless saint named Ramayya, a nod to the fact that it was Harihara鈥檚 story about Ramayya 鈥� which Ben-Herut first encountered on a trip to Mysore 鈥� that sparked his interest in south Indian literature.
鈥淲hat I hope this book will do is show readers how a different religion from a different culture from a different period can actually make sense and be relatable and that we don鈥檛 necessarily need to be Hindu or even religious to enjoy the religious drama that Hinduism offers us,鈥� said Ben-Herut. 鈥淭here is something incredibly satisfying in learning religion. And I don鈥檛 mean your personal theological or faith needs. Religion is such a rich arena of human expression that it鈥檚 difficult not to be drawn to and excited by it 鈥� even when we are critical of it.
鈥淲orking with religion brings you back to these human questions that matter."
The book, titled is out now from Oxford University Press.