{"product_id":"the-fall-of-the-indigo-mccomas-taylor-9780791471784","title":"The Fall of the Indigo Jackal: The Discourse of Division and P\u0026#363;r\u0026#7751;abhadra's Pañcatantra","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eContemporary critical theory is brought to the consideration of caste in the \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePañcatantra\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e, one of the best-known cycles of Indian tales.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery child growing up in India knows the story of the jackal who fell into the vat of blue dye, and discovering the power of his majestic new appearance, declared himself king of the forest. In spite of his pretenses, the jackal, eventually betrayed by his own instincts, was set upon by the other animals. This and many similar narratives are found in the \u003ci\u003ePañcatantra\u003c\/i\u003e, the collection of Sanskrit tales for children compiled by a Jaina monk named Pūrṇabhadra in 1199 CE.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this book, McComas Taylor looks at the discourses that give shape and structure to the fall of the indigo jackal and the other tales within the \u003ci\u003ePañcatantra\u003c\/i\u003e. The work's fictional metasociety of animals, kings, and laundrymen are divided according to their \u003ci\u003ejāti\u003c\/i\u003e, or \"kind.\" This discourse of caste holds that individuals' essential natures, statuses, and social circles are all determined by their birth. Taylor applies contemporary critical theory developed by Foucault, Bourdieu, Barthes, and others to show how these ideas are related to other Sanskritic master-texts, and describes the \"regime of truth\" that provides validation for the discourse of division.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e McComas Taylor\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0791471780\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780791471784\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e State University of New York Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/05\/2008\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 250\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.75lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.96h x 5.98w x 0.59d","brand":"McComas Taylor","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49096729526527,"sku":"9780791471784","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-fall-of-the-indigo-mccomas-taylor-9780791471784","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}