Product Description
Dating back some five thousand years, Hinduism is the dominant faith of India and an increasingly powerful spiritual force in the West. But it is an unusually diverse religion--one divided by caste, community, language, and region--and is thus quite difficult for outsiders to grasp. Now, in Hinduism, Vasudha Narayanan offers an illuminating, compact introduction to this highly complex and ancient religion.Attractively illustrated with many full-color photographs, this informative guide takes readers through the most important aspects of Hinduism--its divinities, sacred places, ethical teachings, and sacred texts, as well as aspects of Hindu culture such as yoga. Readers learn that, though Hindus are monotheistic, there are the many manifestations of divinity, from Vishnu ("All-Pervasive"), Shiva ("Auspicious One"), and Shakti ("Energy"), to Shri-Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth and good fortune, whose picture graces millions of homes, shops, and businesses) and the elephant-headed Ganesha. Narayanan explores the sacred texts, from the earliest writings known collectively as Veda, which emphasized the role of sacrifice, to later works such as the Upanishads, which sought liberation from the cycle of life and death and introduced the notion of immortality. She examines the concept of "dharma" (a word with multiple layers of meaning, including "righteous behavior," "truth," "duty," and "law") and "karma" (the result of good or bad deeds, which can determine the quality of life both now and in later births) and she also includes brief but insightful discussion of Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism, all of which have their roots in Hinduism.Engaging, informative, and richly illustrated, this book offers a balanced approach to Hinduism that illuminates one of the great world religions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best academic intro to Hinduism
This is the best academic intro to Hinduism available. Highly recommended for undergraduate classes ... Read more

Product Description
This authoritative dictionary covers all aspects of Hinduism, including practices, festivals, beliefs, gods, sacred sites, languages, and religious texts--everything from Tantra to temples, from bhakti to Divali. The most wide-ranging dictionary of its kind, it features 2,800 clear, concise, up-to-date, and fully cross-referenced entries, including many biographical entries for key thinkers, teachers, and scholars. Its detailed appendices include maps, a useful pronunciation guide, a chronology, a list of principal sources, suggestions for further reading, and links to relevant websites. With accurate and easy-to-understand definitions that cover everything from the origins of the religion to Hinduism in the modern world, this dictionary is essential for students and teachers of Hinduism, theology, Asian studies, or philosophy, as well as the related disciplines of history, sociology, and anthropology. It is also a valuable source of information for all practicing Hindus and for anyone with an interest in Indian religions and culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Provides an overview of preparations for celebrations as well as a survey of basic beliefs
Joining others in the publisher's 'A Family, A Child, A Celebration' series are three new arrivals: HINDUISM IN BALI, ISLAM IN TURKEY and BUDDHISM IN THAILAND. Each offers 32 pages including an index, glossary, and color photos of contemporary children and families, and each provides an overview of preparations for celebrations as well as a survey of basic beliefs. ... Read more

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A comprehensive guide to Hindu history and philosophy, its traditions and practices, magnificently illustrated with more than 500 beautiful photographs ... Read more

Product Description
This book offers an excellent analysis and study of Hinduism from both its theoretical and its practical aspects.In very concise and understandable language, Swami Nikhilananda describes how the highest ideal of non-dualism, that is the oneness of existence as the ultimate truth, points the way to enduring happiness both here and here-after, and leads to the highest good.Also, described are the spiritual concepts that created and supported Indian culture for thousands of years and helped the leaders of India win the country's political freedom in the 20th century. ... Read more

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Issues in Christianity and Hinduism such as Divine Incarnation, grace and karma, devotion to God and God s love in return, non-resistance of evil, and resurrection are examined as shared spiritual truths, with a focus on their inspirational potency. ... Read more

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Popular Hinduism is shaped, above all, by worship of a multitude of powerful divine beings--a superabundance indicated by the proverbial total of 330 million gods and goddesses. The fluid relationship between these beings and humans is a central theme of this rich and accessible study of popular Hinduism in the context of the society of contemporary India. Lucidly organized and skillfully written, The Camphor Flame brings clarity to an immensely complicated subject. C. J. Fuller combines ethnographic case studies with comparative anthropological analysis and draws on textual and historical scholarship as well. The book's new afterword brings the study up-to-date by examining the relationship between popular Hinduism and contemporary Hindu nationalism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

obsolete stereotypes
Book is a disappointing contination of obsolete stereotypes. Fuller's observations of Hindu societies are strongly grounded in a 1970 theory HOMO HIERARCHICUS by Louis Dumont. Throughout the book, it seems like Fuller is looking for what is lacking in Hindu soceity instead of describing what are the religious phenomena of Hindus which have helped them survive for thousands of years.

For expert and layman alike
Fuller's excellent work does a good job of making the complexities of Hinduism comprehensible even to a non-expert--not an easy task. The Hindu religion is of course not an institution in the Western sense, but rather a collection of beliefs and practices, ever-changing, in many cases highly local, and bewildering to the Western monotheistic mind with its "330 million" gods. Its complexities both drive and result from the infinite complexities of Indian society itself, and an understanding of Hinduism is crucial for any understanding of the country. I read the book in preparation for my second trip to India, and it made the experience infinitely more enjoyable and understandable.

Fuller's explanation of the principle of "hierarchy" as the underpinning for both Hinduism and Indian society as a whole was very enlightening, as one realizes that it is completely antithetical to Western thought which values individual freedom above all else. Particularly good is the description of the structure of Hindu worship, or "puja," which despite its infinite variations Fuller contends consists of 16 (more or less) steps, of offerings and services to the deity. The description of the caste system, which bears almost no relationship to the Western notion of class, is excellent. Fuller's explanation of the concept of purity, and how it drives the status and treatment of women, is also very good.

More casual readers may feel a bit bogged down as later chapters explore more esoteric subjects such as devotionalism and village rituals. From a scholarly point of view, I'd say this book is at the college text level, and like college texts it gets more complex as you work your way through. But this work is more than worth it even if you focus on the first few chapters. Highly recommended!

Filling the gap
Fuller provides an up-to-date presentation of the popular practice of Hinduism in India. Using ethnographic data and personal field research in a Minakshi temple in south India, Fuller provides a window into daily worship unladen with ancient textual scriptures and controversial philosophies, however, giving careful representation of the traditional, and mainly centralist, view of Hinduism as a point of reference. Fuller presents the basic why's of Hindu practice in an easy-to-follow format and language throughout the text. Beginning with an anthropological account of Hindu society in India, he continues with chapters on gods and goddesses, worship, sacrifice, rituals, devotion, pilgrimage, and misfortune, giving special attention to women's issues in the second chapter on devotion. I found this work extremely helpful in understanding the practical application of many previous works' attention to the Vedic texts and philosophies. A work of this subject and caliber had been lacking in Hindu scholarship until this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Well organized reference on Hinduism in a single volume
For scholars and writers like myself, or just folks with curious minds, there is nothing quit like an easy to access and reasonably thorough encyclopedia of information on a topic of interest. Constance Jones and James Ryan have given us just that, in detail and with a reliability that we can depend on. If you have a question about Hinduism and want find a reliable answer quickly, don't go to Wikipedia: find it quickly in this single-volume authoritative work.

Allan Combs, Ph.D.
Professor of Transformative Studies
California Institute of Integral Studies

An immensely important book for Westerners
This is an immensely important book for Westerners

As a Westerner who became interested in Eastern spiritual teachings thirty years ago, I was appalled to discover then, my own ignorance and the ignorance of others in the West about Hinduism and its spinoff, Buddhism, the principal Eastern religions.

There is even today in the West, thirty years later, a vacuum of knowledge about Hinduism. The Encyclopedia of Hinduism by professors Jones and Ryan helps to fill this vacuum in a simple, straightforwsrd way.

The entries are arranged alphabetically, and one can find information on the key concepts in Hinduism along with biographical and other information about the key historical and contemporary figures in this great world religion.

Of even more importance for the Westerner, in my view, is the ten page introduction explaining Hinduism's origins, its sacred texts, its contemporary situation, and its esoteric aspects sometimes known as Vedanta or Advaita which carry their own entries and typify the thorough nature of this Encyclopedic work.

You will not regret owning this book. Highly recommended.

An important book
This is a very important book.A concise explanation of Hinduism in an easily understood format that is not an ordeal to read.This Encyclopedia takes the reader through the historical origins of Hinduism and its evolution to the present day.It has a comprehensive index of all the saints,sages and personalities associated with the subject and a wonderful bibliography.If people read this book there will be greater understanding between peoples of different religious beliefs and consequently greater tolerance.This book should be on all shelves along with the others in the series.

A thorough reference
This book is a must for anyone who is interested in Hinduism. Finally, there is a place to go for answers about who, what, and when in the Hindu world,as one makes one way through various Hindu writings. Having a reference like this is extremely valuable for the western reader. It covers everything! ... Read more

Product Description
Covering the earliest Sanskrit rulebooks through to the codification of 'Hindu law' in modern times, this interdisciplinary volume examines the interactions between Hinduism and the law. The authors present the major transformations to India's legal system in both the colonial and post colonial periods and their relation to recent changes in Hinduism. Thematic studies show how law and Hinduism relate and interact in areas such as ritual, logic, politics, and literature, offering a broad coverage of South Asia's contributions to religion and law at the intersection of society, politics and culture. In doing so, the authors build on previous treatments of Hindu law as a purely text-based tradition, and in the process, provide a fascinating account of an often neglected social and political history. ... Read more

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Drawing on a large body of previously untapped literature, including documents from the Church Missionary Society and Bengali newspapers, Brian Pennington offers a fascinating portrait of the process by which "Hinduism" came into being. He argues against the common idea that the modern construction of religion in colonial India was simply a fabrication of Western Orientalists and missionaries. Rather, he says, it involved the active agency and engagement of Indian authors as well, who interacted, argued, and responded to British authors over key religious issues such as image-worship, sati, tolerance, and conversion. ... Read more

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Hinduism, because of its many dimensions, is often regarded as a mixture of various components. However, the archeological monuments and literary texts discovered over the past few centuries indicate an underlying unity. The most crucial of these "testimonies of Hindu civilization" are of a socio-religious nature and have special meaning for most Hindus. Madeleine Biardeau demonstrates that the Hindu religion is intricately connected to the caste system, but in spite of this, the Hindu religion has evolved and diversified over time augmenting its unmistakable and enduring character. This fascinating analysis uncovers the basic components of the Hindu way of life shedding new light on Hinduism's unity. ... Read more

Product Description
Dr Momen examines the Bahá'í approach to:* Darshana* Dharma* Mokshaand gives an account of:* significant Hindu prophecies* the Bahá'í social teachings, laws and history* the Bahá'í community.Hinduism is one of the most ancient of the existing religious traditions; the Bahá'í Faith is the most modern. Here is an introduction to the Bahá'í Faith for those of the Hindu tradition.Most presentations of the Bahá'í Faith have been from Western, Christian or Islamic viewpoint. This approach excludes much of the world's population. By presenting it from the perspective of the Hindu tradition, Dr Momen provides people from this background with information about the Bahá'í Faith in a way which is meaningful to them while giving Bahá'ís new insights into their religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The need to lsiten
At the beginning of Hinduism and the Baha'i Faith Dr. Momen announces that Baha'is do not believe that the Baha'i Faith has come to supplant Hinduism. Rather one of its aims is to take the tradition on to a further stage of its development. (xi) To the extent that his book has opened up an arena for both current and future dialogue between the Hindu and Baha'i traditions, it must be measured a success. Moreover, its attempts to find a common ground of religious truths shared by the traditions can only help in this enterprise.Where differences are noted and critiqued, it can only be hoped that such analyses will produce among its readers (of whatever religious or secular affiliation) what Huston Smith has termed the wisdom of listening. Without listening, the world is left with a myriad of loud assertions, and even louder counter assertions, to which the fundamentalisms of our time -- including certain strains of militant Hindutva and of theocratic Bahaism -- readily attest. In Smith's own words: "Those who listen work for peace, a peace built not on ecclesiastical hegemonies but on understanding and mutual concern"

People from all religions will profit from this book
All religions have as their foundation stone the Golden Rule which in Christianity is expressed as "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you". In Hinduism the Golden Rule is expressed as: "This is the sum of duty: do naught to others that which if done to thee would cause pain" while the Bahai Faith expresses it as: "Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself." If we are to prevent religious rivalry progressing to religious war it is important that we learn about other religions and try to identify and emphasize our common heritage rather than highlight our differences. While "Hinduism and the Bahai Faith" has been written as an introduction to the Bahai Faith to those of the Hindu tradition, it is helpful for those of other religions who wish to gain an insight into both religions and who may, perhaps, seek to identify areas of similarity with their own religion.

Hinduism is not merely a religion, it is a collection of religious traditions that have evolved to represent a wide variety of views about most matters while the pivotal points of the Bahai Faith are the belief in a progressive, recurring divine revelation and the unity of all religions. The Qur'an tells us that God sent messengers to all peoples and that He made known His will and His truth through Noah, Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammed. All religions have their origin in God and are different reflections of the same truth. As every age requires a fresh measure of the light of God, every divine revelation has been sent in a manner befitting the circumstances of the age in which it appeared. The Lord Krishna talks about progressive revelation in these words: "Whenever there is a decline in righteousness, O Bharat, and the rise of irreligion, it is then that I send forth My righteousness. I manifest myself from age to age."

Momen explains the philosophy, the law and morals, and the right way of living, in both the Hindu and Bahai Faiths to show that there is no conflict between the two, and provides a table showing the similarities of the two faiths. An Indian once said to 'Abdu'l-Baha, the son of Baha'u'llah the founder of the Bahai Faith: "My aim in life is to transmit as far as in me lies the message of Krishna to the world." 'Abdu'l-Baha replied: "The message of Krishna is the message of love. All God's prophets have brought the message of love." We need to be constantly reminded that love is the only way that we will find a solution to our problems. Whatever the reader's religious background, he or she will profit from learning about the religious truths that unite us.

Two religions compared � with sympathetic insight
At first glance it would seem hard to find two religious systems with less in common than Hinduism and the Baha'i Faith. Both are established "world religions" but that seems to be about all.

Hinduism is very old, has a huge following, and is concentrated in one part of the world, indeed is intimately associated with it ("Hindu" and "India" have the same root). Its rich tapestry includes elements of popular polytheism. Baha'i is only just over a century and a half old, with a much smaller following spread throughout the world, is very definitively of the "Abrahamic" tradition of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and is sternly monotheistic.

And yet it is a basic Baha'i teaching that the world's religions have a common source, share a basic spiritual truth, and have more in common than what divides them. How, then to reconcile these two faiths?

Momen, a noted scholar of the Baha'i teachings, makes a brave attempt in this short book. It is aimed at the general reader and so lacks the weight that academics are looking for, but within that framework the result is interesting and challenging. And it is always good to read a book about different religionswhich is not going down the "I am right, you are wrong" route but rather says "Let's look and see whether we might both be right". ... Read more

Product Description
Yoga. Karma. Reincarnation. Most Americans are familiar with a few basic ideas of Hinduism, but are unfamiliar with the big picture. This beginner?s guide covers the major Hindu thinkers and their philosophies as well as the dharma, the moral way of life that Hindus practice. In a straightforward style, the authors explain the philosophy, gods, texts, and traditions of the world?s third-largest religion, including: the power of karma; Yoga as a path to God; the authority of the Vedas; the development of Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism; the legacy of Mohandas Gandhi; Hinduism in popular culture; and more. This guide is stimulating reading for westerners who want to learn the basics of this ancient and mystic religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Christian missionary's views on Hinduism - a funny book
This is a funny book. Here is an easy exercise to see why this book is funny --

Go to the Index (via Amazon link for 'Click to look Inside').

Now try searching for these terms - Siva/Shiv, Visnu, Ganesha, Rama, Devi, Durga, Kali, Laxmi, Saraswati - 0 (zero) pages! That is, the Hindu pantheon - a total of 0 pages!

*EVERYTHING* Hinduism indeed. (Imagine an Everything Christianity book that does not mention God (analogous to Siva) or Christ (Rama) or Mary (Devi) but contains chapters on Aquinas (Sankara) and the Chinese philosophers!)

How about checking for Ramayana or Mahabharata - the most popular Hindu texts/epics and holy references? DIY.

Now check for Socrates, Tolstoy, Thoreau, Martin Luther - a full chapter!

In the Acknowledgments, the first author admits of getting his inputs on Indian culture from a Catholic priest born in India. The 2nd author, a South Indian Christian by name, authored 'Hindutva: The Hydra at Work' and is one "who sees Hinduism clearly for what it is" (leading to a significant amount of discussion on the problems of Dalits and Hindutva).

Well, their clarity of vision is precisely a Christian missionary's age-old take on Hinduism. Only Hinduism is blessed with such experts. In the book, Hinduism is portrayed in general in positive light. But while the authors are ok with accepting Hinduism as philosophy, they are deeply unfamiliar or uncomfortable with its popular, religious and realistic aspects.

One nice thing about the book is the collection of chapters on the different orthodox and heterodox schools (darsana-s) of Indian philosophy, but if you want to learn about Indian philosophy, this is hardly the preferred text to buy.

Try to avoid the book.


... Read more

Product Description
This gem of a book encapsulates the esoteric wisdom of one of humanity's oldest religions in an easy-to-understand conversational format. Covering the entire sweep of Hindu belief, answering questions Westerners ask about Hindu practice (like what exactly is the law of Karma and reincarnation? why do Hindu women wear a red dot on their forehead? and why do Hindus worship so many Gods?) answering life's most enduring questions has been hailed as a much-needed primer to this major religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (63)

If you truly attempt to understand Sanathana Dharma, you won't label youself as a 'Hindu'
This books is intended as a site map of Hinduism. Does it succeed in doing that? If you are a total newcomer it does point out the major landmarks of what we today call as Hinduism, but it fails to go beyond that. Where it explains facts such as the names of the Vedas, number of Upanishads and their names, Avatars, etc, it does a good job. Where it attempts to interpret the scriptures or carry out analysis, it's unfortunately not up to the mark; interpretations seem to lack depth and at times seem a bit childish.

Here are a few issues with this book I can think off the top of my head,

-Author takes the liberty in deciding what is part of Hinduism and what is not. For example, in the chapter on Kama Sutra he says, 'Hindus do not even acknowledge this book as part of Hinduism since it can lead to spiritual decline....'. If you can proudly term the work of Aryabhatta and Bhaskara as 'Hindu Mathematics', Kama Sutra probably should be a part of Hinduism as the rest. It doesn't belong to Hinduism in a scriptural sense, but it belongs in a cultural sense. At the beginning of the book the author states that Hinduism is is receptive to all thoughts (taking Charvaka philosophy as an example). So why then do we have to be uncomfortable with Kama Sutra?

- Throughout the book one notices an attempt at validating Hinduism using Old/New Testament statements or vice versa. This, at least to me, acts as a major distraction.

- Interpretations of the notion of Karma and Reincarnation comes across as lacking in depth. Karma cannot be interpreted merely as straight up causality.

- You come across statements the authenticity of which is doubtful. For example, the author mentions something to the effect that Hindus don't worship Buddha, but every Hindu temple has a Buddha statue. As a kid tagging along with grandma I've been to quite a few temples in South India and I had never seen a Buddha statue in any of those temples. (I come from a place which is only a few miles from where the author belongs to; so I doubt this is a location related issue). Another point I can think of is about Oppenheimer "gleefully" quoting from the Gita after the Trinity explosion. I've read a few books related to the Manhattan project and his emotions towards the end were along the lines of Arjuna, i.e. how can I kill my fellow brothers, sisters and teachers?. He certainly wasn't gleeful when he made that quote. These may be minor points but it raises doubts about the quality of the research.

- Blanket and one-sided statements lacking any analysis. For example, the author talks about how the divorce rate is less than 1% attributing that to the arranged marriage system. For the sake of a balanced discussion it would make sense if one also conjectures whether this low rate is due to the fact the divorce used to be difficult both from a social, cultural and legal standpoint. You see statements like this peppered throughout the book.

Not what I expected
Maybe I was expecting something more from this book.... It is a very matter of fact type...I was looking for the science behind why we hindus do certain things .... The book just brushes over them...
Though if you r a new bee to hinduism and want to know the facts of the religion..this is the book for u....

Good Book
Its a very informative book and a huge collection of topics. Even if you know a lot about Hindu Philosophy, you will still enjoy this book and read something which you don't know.

Well researched, poorly written
The author here has truly done a tremendous amount of research into Hinduism, and presents a wealth of information for the reader.However, I doubt I would recommend this book to any but the most critical of minds.The book seemed very patronizing in tone, and while he was presenting an enormous amount of material, it felt, at times, that I wasn't getting the whole story (even if I was).Furthermore, for all his references to Christianity, he only appears to understand Christianity within the terms of Hinduism, and does not understand Christianity in terms of itself.The information presented on Hinduism here, however, is vast and informative.If you can get past the tone and writing style, there is much to learn here.

A Good Primer for Hinduism
The author does a credible job of taking on trying to explain what Hinduism is about. Not an easy task in a 321 page book. I had some concepts of what he was trying to convey from my long association with the study of yoga and meditation - but I believe he made the task easier to understand even for those who have never been exposed to these materials.

An index of where the author was going (subject wise) for easier reference would have been one thing I wouldask the editors or publishers to include should they do a revised edition sometime. But over-all, the book is well written, interesting and at times, actually entertaining.

A good book to start off with for those interested a quick study of Hinduism is. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume discusses various aspects of Hinduism. Since the 1990s there has been significant historical scholarship on 'Hinduism', including some in the nature of political commentary. The focus is on tracing broadly the changing perception of Hinduism through the ages, to the current trends in the rise of Hindutva. In its selection of articles from a broad range of perspectives this volume discusses the relationship between national identity and religion, and the role of religion in the public sphere. It draws a clear sketch of early Hindu traditions and practices and their social role, the engagement of Hinduism with minority traditions, and its modern political and social context. The essays touch upon various themes providing a historical perspective of early Hindu traditions (Hardy, Stientencron), religious authority (Malinar), movements (Dalmia), engagement with minority traditions (Das), law (Conrad), and contemporary trends, especially in historiography (Pandey), performance (Kapur), Hindutva (Chatterjee, Jaffrelot), and gender (Paola Bacchetta) among others.A comprehensive introduction by Vasudha Dalmia situates the essays in their proper political and social context and also provides an update on recent developments. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a single volume, concise Encyclopedia of Authentic Hinduism which details all the aspects of Hinduism at one place. It relates the authentic form of Hindu culture, religion and the history of India since the very beginning of human civilization and describes the real Divine aspect of the Vedas, Upnishads, Puranas, Gita and the Bhagwatam. This all inclusive book presents an enormous amount of information with scriptural, logical, historical and scientific evidences. It is the first time in hundreds of years that such an encyclopedia has been produced which reveals the true form of Hinduism and the correct history of India to the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

The best book ever written on Indian History


Most of the Indian History written in English is tarnished by western views of India; this is the only Indian History book in English which is not biased by the western viewpoint. British Empire ruled India for a long time and created propaganda to tarnish the true Indian Culture. To this effect they created vast amount of false information and circulated it everywhere in the 18th and the 19th century. All the books on India were based on these viewpoints including those of Indian writers like Nehru, RadhaKrishnan etc. This book is a rare gem and the author has unparallel knowledge which is apparent in the simple style of writing and the facts by which each subject is supported by

Ground-breaking revelation on British distortion of Hinduism
This book shows for the first time how the British rulers of India in the Victorian age and after attempted to distort Hindu religion and culture to both discredit it and give Hindus an inferiority complex!!! The mass collection, distortion and desruction of ancient Hindu manuscripts is well documented and also is highlighted how the many thousands of books on Hinduism today are incorrect and representative of a distorted view of Hinduism perpetrated by the British in a manner so ingenious that modern 'so-called' Indian experts of the Hindu religion have had the wool pulled over their eyes for decades !!!!!!!!!! - A MUST READ - the World is attempting to supress the depth of knowledge contained in the Vedic scriptures............buy this book and pass on the message to everyone

A must read for anyone interested in learning about India and Hinduism
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about the accurate ancient and recent history of India.It is truly a gem and gives a true representation of Hindusim.A must read for anyone interested in learning about and understanding Hinduism which is often misrepresented and misunderstood.

Hmmm...what do I think of this book?...Okay...Let me mention that...
this is a fairly well written book. It has some interesting material that I would want non-Indians and non-Hindus to be familiar with, especially when it comes to historical events in Indian history, the earlier Indians themselves, and the cultural, scientific, linguistic, and religious contributions that the ancient Indians made prior to the future societies. In general, the ancient Indians were also geniuses in terms of architecture, technology, and medicine. The author does a great job of defeating negative myths about our religion and culture. Although the encyclopedia helps me gain some knowledge of my Indian heritage, there are still a few cons about thebook. He seems to lose track of emphasizing that Hinduism, since ancient times, has been a religion of acceptance, tolerance, oneness of God, and universalism; although he encourages interfaith peace and respect at the end of the book and a few times throughout his writings. I am nearly a conservative individual myself when it comes to religious values but I believe that the author comes from a Hindu sect that is different from the one that I belong to. At least a few of his religious beliefs and teachings contradict the ones that my Hindu sect teaches. In the book, he seems to put more focus on what his sect teaches instead of concentrating on Hinduism as a whole perspective. I am aware that the ardent supporters of this book will disagree with me completely regarding this but the Hindu faith does not just consist of one sect with one specific set of beliefs and practices. Like other religions, Hinduism has many sects with a variety of beliefs and practices. I am willing to look at additional sources the next time if I want more information regarding my Hindu culture and religious faith. Another thing that makes me feel uneasy about this book is that it is over priced. The author also needs to be more organized in how he presents material because he keeps going from topic back to topic throughout the book and he is redundant in mentioning information as well. Nevertheless, this is one of the books that I still recommend that an individual reads if he or she has a passion for studying cultures and religions of the world and wishes to gain access to the fair portrayal of Hinduism. In general, I wish that more and more people could positively view Hinduism with accuracy and not be mislead by negative stereotypes about us.

An Angry Book of Questionable Worth
I purchased this book based on the strong recommendation of an acquaintance on goodreads, but now that I have had a chance to look at it I am returning it to amazon for a refund. I was really looking forward to a comprehensive, authoritative book on "The True History and the Religion of India," but that's not even remotely what this book is about.

A pair of Western scholars (Michael Witzel and Steve Farmer, "Horesplay in Harappa," Frontline Magazine, 10/13/00) have observed: "In the past few decades, a new kind of history has been propagated by a vocal group of Indian writers, few of them trained historians, who lavishly praise and support each other's works. Their aim is to rewrite Indian history from a nationalistic and religious point of view. Their writings have special appeal to a new middle class confused by modern threats to traditional values. With alarming frequency their movement is backed by powerful political forces, lending it a mask of respectability that it does not deserve." I believe this is precisely one such book, and will be happy to have it out of my house.

I recommend that readers new to the subject consult the works of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami instead of this one --Dancing With Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism is an excellent place to begin, and in addition to being offered for sale here on amazon and elsewhere, all Subramuniyaswami-ji's writings can be read for free in their entirety on the Himalayan Academy website. As a general rule of thumb, I maintain that a Guru who does not show respect for any non-Indian cultures or religions does not represent the true Sanatan Dharma.

... Read more

Product Description
An authoritative and colorful glimpse into the Hindu world! Succinct and authoritative, this detailed introduction to Hinduism brings into grand focus the history, peoples, traditions, and geography of South Asia. David Knipe integrates his own study of the basic Hindu texts with his years of primary research and fieldwork in South Asia. Knipe creates a fivefold model for presenting the rich complexities of the Hindu world, offering an absorbing survey of the central Hindu deities, myths, doctrines, rituals, sects, and personalities. One chapter brings to vivid life the essential features of this fascinating tradition by narrating a single day in the life of a Hindu woman and the life history of a forty-year-old man. Hinduism also features a glossary of Hindu terms and a list of Hindu deities, powers, and deified heroes, providing readers with a precise and colorful understanding of the Hindu pantheon and world view. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Well written
I have this book for a World Religion class I am taking online. I find it very clear and concise and easy to understand, however the quality of the writing is fabulous. He is a vibrant writer who gives lots of imagery in his descriptions of the Hindu religion. ... Read more