Politics and Religion in Eighteenth-Century India

This book explores the contribution of Gau?iya Vai??ava theology to polity and public engagement during the reign of Jaisingh II in the early eighteenth century in North India.

The book analyses specialised treatises produced by the Gau?iya Vai??avas which provide theological foundations to endorse and encourage responsible public conduct. Using a two-fold approach, the book offers a close reading and examination of Sanskrit primary sources combined with an exploration of the key themes in these works in light of the wider political context. These works were born in a precise historical context; thus, to fully appreciate these works, this book adopts an approach that smudges the boundaries between history, religion and politics. It provides a historical account of the rise of the Kachvaha clan to become the chief partners of the Mughal regime, exploring the effects, reign and governance of the celebrated Kachvaha King Jaisingh II and examines the Gau?iya Vai??ava community’s trials and tribulations as they entered an intensely political world.

A detailed analysis of a fascinating period within Gau?ia Vai??va history, this book will be of interest to scholars in the fields of South Asian Studies, Indology, Religious Studies, South Asian History and Hindu Studies.