Sound of the Kiss, or The Story That Must Never Be Told

Pingali Suranna wrote during the Vijayanagara period, the heyday of classical Telugu poetry. Velcheru Narayana Rao is Krishnadevaraya Professor of Languages and Cultures of Asia at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the author of pathbreaking works on the history of Telugu and Sanskrit literature and poetics. David Shulman is professor of Indian studies and comparative religion at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and one of the preeminent scholars of South Asian literature.

• The Beginning Chapter 1 Dvaraka City, Where the Story Begins Kalabhashini on the Swing and Rambha in the Sky Chapter 2 Narada Studies Music Enter Manistambha Manikandhara's Pilgrimage Chapter 3 Rambha Entices Manikandhara Kalabhashini Flies off with the Siddha The Temple of the Lion-Riding Goddess Kalabhashini Returns Rambha Meets Rambha Nalakubara Meets Nalakubara Chapter 4 The Story of Salina and Sugatri Enter Alaghuvrata. Kalabhashini Is Sacrificed Manistambha Tours the World with His Wife Chapter 5 The Baby Who Talks Sarasvati Decodes Brahma's Story Manistambha and Sumukhasatti Exchange Genders A Lecture on Yoga Svabhava and Madasaya at Srisailam Chapter 6 Manikandhara Fights the Porcupine Demon The Story of Alaghuvrata and His Sons Satvadatma's Question Madhuralalasa Comes of Age Chapter 7 Kalapurna in Love The Wedding of Kalapurna and Madhuralalasa Abhinavakaumudi Becomes Jealous Chapter 8 Kalapurna Conquers the World Homecoming The Story of the Necklace Invitation to a Second Reading Guide to Pronunciation and List of Characters Index of Names and Technical Terms

"Enormous in scope, brilliant in content, rich in literary and religious meanings.... a great read. Every page has something wonderful, memorable and touching." - Wendy Doniger, author of The Implied Spider and translator of The Rig Veda.