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The Agama Encyclopaedia/S.K. Ramachandra Rao. Second revised and
enlarged edition. Delhi, Sri Satguru, 2005, 11 Vols., lxxxiv, 1943 p.,
ISBN 81-7030-823-2.
Contents: Vol. I: Introduction: 1. The agama context. 2. Agama
outlook. 3. Temple culture. Appendices. References and notes.
Vol. II: Saiva and Sakta Agamas: 1. Sectarian developments. 2.
Worship of Siva. 3. Saivism. 4. Saiva-Siddhanta (1). 5. Saiva-Siddhanta
(2). 6. Sakta-agama. Appendices.
Vol. III: Vaikhanasa Agamas: 1. Historical prospective. 2. The
Vaikhanasa community. 3. Vaikhanasa Agama. 4. Vaikhanasa philosophy.
Appendices.
Vol. IV: Pancaratragama: 1. The Bhagavata background. 2. The
pancaratra literature. 3. The pancaratra outlook. 4. Pancaratra
ideology. 5. The deity and its modes. 6. Pancaratra practice. 7.
Tantra-sara-Sangraha. Appendices.
Vol. V: Devyagama: 1. Background. 2. The samaya ideology. 3. The
idea of Antaryaga. 4. Literature. Appendices.
Vol. VI: Alaya and Aradhana: 1. Alaya. 2. Worship in temple. 3.
Ritual requirements. 4. Daily rituals. 5. Festivals. 6. Symbolism of
rituals.
Vol. VII: Preparations for Puja: 1. The worship rituals. 2. Snana:
ritual bath. 3. Fivefold purification (Panca-Suddhi). 4. Articles in
worship.
Vol. VIII: Mudras in Puja: 1. Mudra in worship. 2. The modes of
Mudras. 3. Deity-specific Mudras.
Vol. IX: Consecrations: 1. The concept of consecration. 2.
Consecration of shrine. 3. Consecration of icons. Appendices.
Vol. X: Nityarcana: 1. Introduction. 2. Nityarcana in Siva Temples.
3. Nityarcana-vidhi (according to tantra-sara). 4. Nityarcana in a
Visnu temple (Pancaratra mode of worship). 5. Nityarcana of Devi.
Vol. XI: Utsavas.
"The Agama literature includes the Silpa-Sastra, which is basic to
iconography. Worship dealt with in the Agama necessarily involves
images which are worship-worthy. The rituals and sequences that are
elaborated in the Agama books find relevance only in the context of an
icon which is contained in a shrine. And icons are meaningful only in
the context of shrines and worship.
Agama texts are not easily accessible to the people. A large number
of them are still available only in manuscripts; some of them which
have been printed are only in their Sanskrit originals. There is need,
therefore, to present relevant excerpts from them at least, to make the
volumes on iconography more meaningful.
Further, Indian temples are to be considered only in the general
framework of temple culture, which include not only religious and
philosophical aspects but social, aesthetic and economic aspects also.
The volumes named Agama encyclopaedia deals with the temple culture
and Agama framework, the sectarian division of the agama into Saiva,
Vaisnava and Sakta, and the topics selected from the Agama, texts
follow. Thus, the entirety of the Agama literature in so far as it is
relevant to the temple-culture is brought within the scope of the agama
encyclopaedia
copies from.
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