Seminar “The Devī Māhātmya: Narrative and Structure”
Dear colleagues and all those interested!
The Center for South-Asian Studies of the A. Krymskyi Institute of Oriental Studies of National Academy of Science of Ukraine invites to the Seminar
“The Devī Māhātmya: Narrative and Structure”
May 27, 2025
Ukraine time – 6 00 pm
Los Angeles, California, USA – 8 00 am
Toronto, Ontario, Canada – 11 00 am
Speakers:
1. Yulia Fil, PhD, scholar in Indology (A. Krymskyi Institute of Oriental Studies of NASU), Ukraine.
Introductory word. The relevance of the Devī Māhātmya in Ukrainian context (5 min).
2. Raj Balkaran, PhD, scholar of Sanskrit Narrative Literature, Public Intellectual, Online Educator (Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies), Canada
The Devī Māhātmya: An Ode to World-Affirmation (25 min).
2. Alisa Lozhkina, translator, artist, historian, the author of numerous academic articles on art history, the translator of Devī Māhātmya into Ukrainian (PhD candidate in Comparative History at Central European University, Vienna; alumna of Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies)
Opening the Door to Sacred Space: The Angas of the Devi Mahatmya and the Transformation of Epic into Ritual (25 min)
3. Q&A session (25 min)
Short description
Raj Balkaran
The Devī Māhātmya—“The Greatness of the Goddess”—is a revolutionary Sanskrit scripture that elevates the feminine divine to the highest place. In this ancient Indian text, the Supreme is not a He, but a She—a radiant Goddess who is both the source of the cosmos and intimately present within it. Unlike many spiritual traditions that emphasize transcending the world, the Devī Māhātmya insists that the world matters. The Goddess is not only transcendent but also immanent: she is here, woven into the fabric of nature, humanity, and everyday life. She battles to protect the earth, responds to calls for help, and ensures the flourishing of life. This talk explores how the Devī Māhātmya goes against the grain of much classical Indian thought by placing deep value on this world—its safety, its beauty, and the sovereignty of those who dwell in it. It is, in essence, a sacred hymn to the power of the feminine and to the sanctity of embodied life.
Alisa Lozhkina
This presentation explores the angas—often underappreciated ritual appendices of the Devi Mahatmya—as a mechanism that transforms mythic narrative into liturgical experience. Through the angas, the Devi Mahatmya ceases to be merely a fragment of a Puranic epic and becomes a dynamic gateway into sacred space. Far from being peripheral charms, the angas function as tantric keys that unlock the living presence of the Goddess within the text.
Please, join us via Zoom link:
Meeting ID: 756 9702 6912
Passcode: 4UjM6L