About the Author

Patrick Olivelle is the Chair, Department of Asian Studies, and Director, Center for Asian Studies, at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is the Professor of Sanskrit and Indian Religion. Among his recent publications are: The Samnyasa Upanisads: Hindu Scriptures on Ascetism and Renunciation (Oxford, 1992), The Asrama System: History and Hermeneutics of a Religions Institution (Oxford, 1993), Rules and Regulations of Brahmanical Asceteicsm (State University of New York Press, 1994).