Darsan: Seeing the Divine Image in India

Diana Eck is a wonderful scholar who has written several great books on Hinduism. Darsan (or "darshan," if you're transliterating it simply for an English-speaking audience) is a wonderfully simple introduction to Hindu iconography and the related ritual experience, a subject that is overwhelmingly broad and often unwieldy.If you are an undergraduate studying Eastern religions, a graduate student new to Hinduism, a Western devotee wanting better cross-cultural knowledge of how to respectfully relate to your chosen god or goddess as Hindus do, or a curious layperson wanting to know more about the Hindu religious experience and what all the images and rituals are about, this is a great book for you to begin with. This slim volume doesn't go into elaborate depth, but covers a lot of ground and introduces many key terms in a very readable way, and is a useful introductory work.

Classic text, central for cultural studies of South Asia. Prof. Eck’s writing is clear and very accessible to the general reader, as well.

Excellent explanations but pictures were poor quality.

Diana Eck's book provides information about image and idol worship in Hinduism. It specifically discusses the nature of darsan and "seeing" in the culture of Hinduism and the complex rituals involving consecration of images/"murtis". This book effectively introduces Hinduism from an alternate, arguably more effective, perspective of perhaps one of the most central "Hindu" practices. I read this book for my Introduction to Hinduism class and can say it greatly enhanced my knowledge of Image/Idol worship in Hinduism.

This is a terrific book for people interested in religion and who want to know about culture things! Very recommended!

I bought this book to use for a school paper. For that reason, this book was a very good one to use and I'm glad I chose this one. It's very informative and helpful. But, it's a little wordy and not interesting. I wouldn't read it for pleasure. It was in excellent condition; no marks, torn pages, etc.

This is the third edition of a very good book by a scholar of Indian art. It explains the idea of darshan--that the devotee not only sees the sacred image, but that the deity sees them. Well written.

Excellent read and very educational. I wanted to read it again as soon as I had finished it, tonreally let the information settle in. This is a doorway into the Hindu world, and I truly enjoyed the journey.

An interesting introduction to hindu worship... if you read it twice. A lot of foreign terms here. Not long though. A book you can cover in 1-3 hours.

A very accessible introduction to the practice of image worship in Hinduism. Eck's account is sensitive, well-informed and deeply insightful. She focuses usefully on the myriad aspects involved in the practice of image worship and in so doing offers an important 'visual hermeneutic' with which students can learn to see 'the divine image in India'.

good