The goddess and the king in Indian myth: ring composition, royal power and the dharmic double helix

The Sanskrit narrative text Devi Mahatmya, 'The Greatness of The Goddess', extols the triumphs of an all-powerful Goddess, Durga, over universe-imperiling demons.

These exploits are embedded in an intriguing frame narrative: a deposed king solicits the counsel of a forest-dwelling ascetic, who narrates the tripartite acts of Durga which comprise the main body of the text.

It is a centrally important early text about the Great Goddess, which has significance to the broader field of Puraic Studies.

This book analyses the Devi Mahatmya and argues that its frame narrative cleverly engages a dichotomy at the heart of Hinduism: the opposing ideals of asceticism and kingship.