Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide

Front Cover
Penguin Books India, 2010 - Religion - 483 pages

Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest religions; an amalgam of diverse beliefs and schools, it originates in the Vedas and is rooted in Indian culture.

Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide illuminates complex philosophical concepts through lucid definitions, a historical perspective and incisive analyses. It examines various aspects of Hinduism, covering festivals and rituals, gods and goddesses, philosophers, memorials, aesthetics, and sacred plants and animals. The author also explores pivotal ideas, including moksha, karma, dharma and samsara, and details the diverse commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and other important texts. Citing extensively from the regional languages, the book describes Hinduism’s innumerable myths and legends, and looks at the many versions of texts including the Ramayana and Mahabharata, placing each entry in its historical context and tracing its evolution to the present.

 

Selected pages

Contents

Section 1
55
Section 2
89
Section 3
105
Section 4
131
Section 5
135
Section 6
139
Section 7
152
Section 8
162
Section 13
264
Section 14
287
Section 15
289
Section 16
321
Section 17
350
Section 18
405
Section 19
426
Section 20
435

Section 9
172
Section 10
183
Section 11
219
Section 12
226
Section 21
469
Section 22
476
Section 23
477

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