Female Ascetics in Hinduism

Lynn Teskey Denton (1949–1995) was Assistant Professor of Religion at Concordia University and also taught at McMaster University.

• Foreword by Steven Collins Introduction 1. The Religious Life of Woman-as-householder 2. The Woman Who Is Not a Householder: Widowhood, Unmarriageability, and Female Asceticism 3. Unity and Diversity I: Basic Terminology 4. Unity and Diversity II: Sectarian Affiliation, Spiritual Path, and Ascetic Mode 5. Socioreligious Aspects of Female Asceticism in Varanasi 6. Sainthood, Society, and Transcendence: Legends and Poetry of Women Saints Notes Glossary of Hindi and Sanskrit Terms Bibliography Supplemental Bibliography by Meena Khandelwal Index

"Although renunciation and asceticism in India have received much attention, female asceticism - both historical and contemporary - has not. This is an important work, which makes a significant contribution to this topic." - Patrick Olivelle, author of Rules and Regulations of Brahmanical Asceticism"