Hinduism has been a major religious faith for well over 3000 years, and Hindus today account for over 600 million people. Lipner's book is a highly readable study of its evolution, its multidimensional nature, and influence.

Originally published in 1997 -- "A wonderful balance of detail and clarity with excellent introductory essays on the Indus Valley civilization, the Vedic Period, the Upanishads, and devotional Hinduism," Religious Studies Review; Choice Outstanding Academic Book - selling over 10,000 copies, and now revised and expanded to two volumes (Volume I: Major Deities and Social Structures) Herewith an outstanding introduction to the development of the religion of Hinduism from earliest times. While historical tradition is explored from as far back as pre-Aryan times in the fascinating ancient civilization that existed in India a few thousand years BCE, later expressions of religion and philosophy that informed early Hindu tradition are gleaned from its sacred texts. The author examines how present beliefs and practices have been informed by past traditions, and the resulting accommodation in Hinduism today. The book serves as an introduction to the two strands of theism and philosophical thought that emerged from early scriptures as they are expressed independently in Hinduism as well as in those traditions where they are woven together to create new religious movements. No prior knowledge of Hinduism is required. Contents include: The Indus Valley Civilization; The Vedic Period; Vedanta; The Advaita Vedanta of Sankara; Influential Theories (Samkhya and Yoga); Devotional Hinduism; The Bhagavad Gita; Songs of the Poets; The theistic philosophy of Ramanuja; The devotional theism of Caitanya; Unity and diversity.

Your hands-on guide to one of the world's major religions The dominant religion of India, "Hinduism" refers to a wide variety of religious traditions and philosophies that have developed over thousands of years. Today, the United States is home to approximately one million Hindus. If you've heard of this ancient religion and are looking for a reference that explains the intricacies of the customs, practices, and teachings of this ancient spiritual system, Hinduism For Dummies is for you! Provides a thorough introduction to this earliest and popular world belief system Information on the rites, rituals, deities, and teachings associated with the practice of Hinduism Explores the history and teachings of the Vedas, Brahmans, and Upanishads Offers insight into the modern daily practice of Hinduism around the world Continuing the Dummies tradition of making the world's religions engaging and accessible to everyone, Hinduism For Dummies is your hands-on, friendly guide to this fascinating religion.

A selection of Gandhiji s articles drawn mainly from his contributions to young india, the Harijan and the Navjivan on Hinduism. Written on different occassions, these articles present a picture of hindu dharma I all its richness, comprehensiveness and sensitivity to the existential delimmas of human existence.

Why don't Hindus eat beef? Why do Hindu women wear a dot on their forehead? Who is the Monkey God? Who's that God with the elephant head? Children can ask the weirdest of questions and sometimes it's difficult to tell them the answers to these questions. The reality is that even the adults don't know the answers to many of these questions. The fact is, Hinduism is a complex religion even to those who are born Hindus. This book covers a complex religion in simple questions and answers. 'Hinduism For Kids: Beliefs And Practices' is designed mainly for children of all ages of reading abilities for all nationalities and religious beliefs. The book can be used by non-Hindu parents who want to teach their children about Hinduism, its beliefs, practices and rituals. It will also be useful to children and adults alike who are considering taking a course on Hinduism or simply those who want to learn about Hinduism. Those thinking of visiting India especially those in pursuit of spirituality will find some of the answers in this book. Finally, parents of Hindu children who want to teach their children about their ancestral religion will also find the book useful. Here are the topics covered in 'Hinduism For Kids: Beliefs And Practices What is Hinduism? Who are the Hindus? Where do Hindus live? Where do Hindus worship? When was Hinduism discovered? What are the Hindu holy books? What are the Vedas? What is a bhajan? What is Aum? What is the swastika? What is Ishvara? Who is a sadhu? Meaning of aarti in Hinduism? What is ahimsa? Do Hindus eat meat? Why don't Hindus eat beef ? Do Hindus eat pork? Why is the River Ganges holy? What is the importance of the lotus in Hinduism? Why do Hindu women put a dot on their head? Why do Hindus put a dot on their forehead? Who is Lord Ganesha? How did Ganesha get the elephant head? Who is Lord Rama? Who is Lord Shiva? Who is Lord Krishna? Who is Lord Vishnu? Who is Goddess Durga? Who is Goddess Lakshmi? Who is the Monkey God? What is Holi? What is Diwali? What is Raksha Bandhan? What is the caste system? What is reincarnation? What is moksha? What is yoga? What is the Bhagavad Gita? What is the Ramayana? What is the Mahabharata? What is aatma? What is maya? What is the Gayatri Mantra? What is the Saraswati Mantra? What are the other Hindu Festivals? What is Namaste? Where do Hindus go for pilgrimage? Why are cows sacred in Hinduism? Is Buddhism the same as Hinduism? Who are the Jains? Who are the Sikhs?

Hinduism is a much contested term used to describe the religious beliefs and practices of more than 800 million people, most of whom live in India. Yet Hinduism is a religion that lacks a set of core beliefs (there is no founder, no single scripture nor any central organization). The sheer diversity of beliefs (Hindus may be atheists, polytheists and monotheists) and practices that vary across social groups and regions has led some to claim that the term 'Hindu' is almost meaningless. What Do Hindus Believe? argues, however, that there are central threads in this diversity which can be traced through more than three thousand years, from the prehistoric depictions of Hindu deities in the Indus Valley civilization, through classical, medieval and colonial periods. The book's examination of Hinduism in the twenty-first century discusses the rise of Hindutva (or Hindu-nationalism) in India and examines beliefs and practices in the Hindu diaspora, with particular emphasis on Britain. The book also examines the depictions in the media of Hindu beliefs and practices ('religious soap operas', such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana; religious ceremonies and miracles in popular cinema) and looks at the significance of media (the Internet, satellite and cable television) in connecting the Hindu diaspora to India. The concluding chapter also discusses some of the cults which have become popular in the west, notably those based around spiritual teachers or gurus.

Most overviews of Hindu belief and practice follow a history from the ancient Vedas to today. Such approaches privilege Brahmanical traditions and create a sense of Hinduism as a homogenous system and culture, and one which is largely unchanging and based solely on sacred texts. In reality, modern Hindu faith and culture present an extraordinary range of dynamic beliefs and practices. 'Contemporary Hinduism' aims to capture the full breadth of the Hindu worldview as practised today, both in the sub-continent and the diaspora. Global and regional faith, ritualised and everyday practice, Brahmanical and non-Brahmanical belief, and ascetic and devotional traditions are all discussed. Throughout, the discussion is illustrated with detailed case material and images, whilst key terms are highlighted and explained in a glossary. 'Contemporary Hinduism' presents students with a lively and engaging survey of Hinduism, offering an introduction to the oldest and one of the most complex of world religions.

Hinduism in the Modern World presents a new and unprecedented attempt to survey the nature, range, and significance of modern and contemporary Hinduism in South Asia and the global diaspora. Organized to reflect the direction of recent scholarly research, this volume breaks with earlier texts on this subject by seeking to overcome a misleading dichotomy between an elite, intellectualist "modern" Hinduism and the rest of what has so often been misleadingly termed "traditional" or "popular" Hinduism. Without neglecting the significance of modern reformist visions of Hinduism, this book reconceptualizes the meaning of "modern Hinduism" both by expanding its content and by situating its expression within a larger framework of history, ethnography, and contemporary critical theory. This volume equips undergraduate readers with the tools necessary to appreciate the richness and diversity of Hinduism as it has developed during the past two centuries.

This substantial volume of thirty-three original chapters covers the full range of issues in religious diversity. An indispensable guide for scholars and students, its essays make novel contributions and are crafted by recognized experts who represent a wide variety of religious and philosophical perspectives and backgrounds.

Some postcolonial theorists argue that the idea of a single system of belief known as "Hinduism" is a creation of nineteenth-century British imperialists. Andrew J. Nicholson introduces another perspective: although a unified Hindu identity is not as ancient as some Hindus claim, it has its roots in innovations within South Asian philosophy from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. During this time, thinkers treated the philosophies of Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga, along with the worshippers of Visnu, Siva, and Sakti, as belonging to a single system of belief and practice. Instead of seeing such groups as separate and contradictory, they re-envisioned them as separate rivers leading to the ocean of Brahman, the ultimate reality. Drawing on the writings of philosophers from late medieval and early modern traditions, including Vijnanabhiksu, Madhava, and Madhusudana Sarasvati, Nicholson shows how influential thinkers portrayed Vedanta philosophy as the ultimate unifier of diverse belief systems. This project paved the way for the work of later Hindu reformers, such as Vivekananda, Radhakrishnan, and Gandhi, whose teachings promoted the notion that all world religions belong to a single spiritual unity. In his study, Nicholson also critiques the way in which Eurocentric concepts—like monism and dualism, idealism and realism, theism and atheism, and orthodoxy and heterodoxy—have come to dominate modern discourses on Indian philosophy.