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Hinduism and Tribal Religions pp 1–5Cite as

Kāpālikas

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Indian Religions ((EIR))

Synonyms

Bhairavikas; Kālamukhas; Kāpālikavratins; Kāpālins; Mahāvratins; Somasiddhāntins

Definition

Itinerant Śaiva practitioners belonging to the Kāpālika order/Tantric adepts following the skull-bearer’s observance (kāpālikavrata).

The Kāpālikas (“skull-bearers”) were antinomian itinerant ascetics worshiping the terrific hypostases of Śiva (e.g., Kapālin, Kapāleśvara/Kapālīśa, Bhairava) and/or the Goddess (e.g., Cāmuṇḍā, Caṇḍā Kāpālinī). They are first mentioned in a handful of sources from the early centuries CE, including Hāla’s Sattasaī (third–fifth century CE; [1], p. 13), the Bṛhatsaṃhitā of Varāhamihira (first half of the sixth century), and, possibly, other Buddhist and Jaina sources from the fourth–fifth century ([2], p. 5 note 17). From the seventh century, references to Kāpālikas become widespread in the Sanskrit and vernacular literature from all over the Indian Subcontinent and beyond (e.g., Java; see below), eventually fading away after the twelfth century. Their name...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE, PSL), Paris, France

    Andrea Acri

Authors
  1. Andrea Acri
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Correspondence to Andrea Acri .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Anthropology, The University of North Texas Dept of Anthropology, Denton, Texas, USA

    Pankaj Jain

  2. The Graduate Theological Union , Berkeley, California, USA

    Rita Sherma

  3. Jamia Millia Islamia, Centre for the Study of Comparative Reli Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India

    Madhu Khanna

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Acri, A. (2018). Kāpālikas. In: Jain, P., Sherma, R., Khanna, M. (eds) Hinduism and Tribal Religions. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1036-5_99-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1036-5_99-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-024-1036-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-024-1036-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Religion and PhilosophyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Humanities

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Kāpālikas
    Published:
    14 December 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1036-5_99-2

  2. Original

    Kāpālikas
    Published:
    23 March 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1036-5_99-1

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