Willam P. Harman

Moving beyond  traditional understanding of the catagory of  ''sacred marriage'' derived from studies of the ancient Near East, Harman reveals that sacred marriage in India functions as a devotional metaphor for Hindu devotees, a way understanding how deities act toward one another and toward who worship them. Combining sdystematic textual study with descriptive fieldwork, Harman offers us an original and perceptive exploration of the relationship between the human and the divine in Hindu life.