Manasicha Akepiyapornchai, "Surrender to God Across Languages: Multilingual Intellectual History of Premodern India" (Oxford UP, 2026)

About this episode

The episode discusses the role of languages in the intellectual landscape of second-millennium India through six theological treatises.

Surrender to God Across Languages: Multilingual Intellectual History of Premodern India (Oxford UP, 2026) explores the role of languages in the intellectual landscape of second-millennium India by way of six theological treatises composed between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, each written by a key intellectual figure: Vātsya Varadaguru, Periyavāccān Pillai, Meghanādari Sūri, Pillai Lokācārya, and Vedāntadeśika. Drawing on theories of language politics and translation, Manasicha Akepiyapornchai proposes a new theoretical framework of "language sphere" to better capture the linguistic and intellectual interaction from a micro perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions

People in this episode

Host: Marshall Poe

Guest: Manasicha Akepiyapornchai

Topics covered

• multilingualism
• intellectual history
• theology
• language politics
• translation
• premodern India

Keywords

• multilingual intellectual history
• theological treatises
• second-millennium India
• language sphere
• Vātsya Varadaguru
• Periyavāccān Pillai
• Meghanādari Sūri
• Pillai Lokācārya
• Vedāntadeśika

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Oxford UP

Books & works: Surrender to God Across Languages: Multilingual Intellectual History of Premodern India

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