Hinduism: An Introduction, Vol. 1 & 2 (Two Volume Set) - Hardcover

Sadhu Vivekjivandas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 8175264330 ISBN 13: 9788175264335

Publisher: Swaminarayan Aksharpith, 2011

Synopsis

Hinduism is a grand mosaic of many denominations, philosophies, rituals, festivals, temples, holy places, sadhus and scriptures. Thus, it is often referred to by many scholars as a family of religions. Within these rich diversities, one can perceive common threads that bind Hinduism into a fascinatingly profound religion subscribed to by nearly one-sixth of humankind.

Hinduism: An Introduction, informs readers about the spiritual, cultural and social heritage of Hinduism. It introduces the reader to Hinduism through many different lenses. As a great service to beginners and students, this book explores some of the most prominent philosophies and theologies, customs and traditions, scriptures and spiritual luminaries, avatars and deities, histories and geographies of the vast religion of Hinduism.

Sadhu Vivekjivandas presents Hinduism from many different perspectives: he articulates Hindu conceptions of history and time; he explains the categories, role, and respect given to different scriptures; he even introduces the reader to prominent Hindus, ancient and modern, who were either great devotees or significant reformers. He addresses controversial, scholarly topics, such as the Aryan invasion theory, with well-researched, traditional Hindu views. At the same time, he holds the readers hands through a walk across India, where he points out Hinduism's sacred places and practices. His delicate balance of scholarly and lived Hinduism and of discussions of aesthetics and philosophy make this the perfect book for beginners and students of Hinduism.

Hinduism: An Introduction is attractive, with over 700 beautiful color photographs and illustrations, and expansive, consisting of more than 700 pages over two volumes.

Volume 1 features a brief history of Hinduism, the core beliefs of Hinduism, as well as exposition on sacred texts, various denominations, temples, holy men and women, sacred places and rivers, festivals, rituals, and sacred symbols and objects.

Volume 2 expounds on the Hindu spiritual life, great devotees of Hinduism, sages and thinkers of ancient India, Hindu perceptions, Hindu ways of life, Hindu reformers, the varnashrama system, appreciation of Hinduism abroad, Hindu concepts of creation, the Swaminarayan Sampraday, and frequently asked questions on Hinduism.

About this title

About the Author

Raised in the United Kingdom, Sadhu Vivekjivandas was initiated as a Hindu monk in 1977 under the guidance of Pramukh Swami Maharaj of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. Since then, he has studied Sanskrit, philosophy, theology, and sacred Hindu texts. For a number of years, he served as an instructor at the Swaminarayan School of Philosophy in Gujarat, India. He is a highly sought after speaker because of his ability to present ancient Hindu concepts in modern ways. A prolific writer, he is the editor of the Swaminarayan Bliss, a Hindu magazine with a worldwide audience, and the author of twelve books on topics related to Hinduism.

Review

...well-written with beautiful thoughts and adorned with beautiful photographs.... I gleaned from it great messages of societal tolerance and societal righteousness...I was highly inspired by the book as it brings out these unifying and universal concepts of Hinduism... a great synthesis for succeeding with peace and happiness in life.... I congratulate Sadhu Vivekjivandas for this beautiful work.
-- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India

Systematic and scholarly presentation of the subject... so engrossing that the reader is switched off from outside pressures and distractions... attractively printed, beautifully illustrated...I commend reading of these volumes to every man of faith, be he of any religion, to all seekers of spiritual attainment, and, also to those who derive pleasure from digging into historic events or from floating in mysticism.
-- R.C. Lahoti, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India

In this introduction to Hinduism...the whole of Hinduism is presented in all of its grand diversity.
-- Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Hinduism Today Magazine

...a very comprehensive and balanced introduction to Hindu beliefs, scriptures, deities, sacred places, festivals, spiritual practices, rituals, sages and thinkers. The book is well-planned and beautifully presented.
-- Prof. Swatantra Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, GK University, Haridwar, India

...a guide and inspiration for every student/scholar who wishes to know more about Hinduism...
-- Prof. V.S. Vishnupotty, Dean of faculty of Sanskrit, SCSVMV University, Tamil Nadu, India

...a wonderful compendium to understand Hinduism or the Sanatana Dharma in its totality and depth...very, very useful both to an ordinary curious reader as also to university teachers, students and scholars.

---- Dr. Mohan Gupta, Vice-Chancellor Maharshi Panini Sanskrit and Vedic University, Ujjain, India

I have studied Hinduism: An Introduction by Sadhu Vivekjivandas. It is indeed well-written with beautiful thoughts and adorned with beautiful photographs. The book explains Hinduism as Sanatana Dharma, the eternal law by its adherents. The book is a beautiful contribution and full of well-articulated thoughts.

When I studied both parts of the book Hinduism: An Introduction, I found that Hinduism is like a great river that tenaciously moves forward retaining the ancient while dynamically evolving to meet the present and the future. The book, extending into thirty chapters, discusses a wide range of topics like Hindu philosophy, a Hindu way of life and Hindu Sampradayas. It also introduces in a clear-cut manner the large body of Hindu canon, divided into revealed (Sruti) and remembered (Smruti) texts. These texts discuss theology, philosophy and mythology, and provide information on the practice of religious living (Dharma). Among these texts, the Vedas are the foremost authority, importance and antiquity. Other major Scriptures include the Upanishads, Puranas, and the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The book explains daily morality, based on the notion of Karma -- the effects of all deeds actively shaping past, present and future experiences. It is a great synthesis for succeeding in peace and happiness in life.

Hinduism is fascinatingly diverse, yet it has common threads or core beliefs among the many sampradayas. I was highly inspired by the book as it brings out these unifying and universal concepts of Hinduism. They are Vasudeva Kutumbkam, meaning - the whole world is one family; Yatra bhavati vishwam ekanidam, meaning - the whole world is one nest; Sarve Sukhinaha Santu, expressing - let all be happy and blissful; and, Ano Bhadraha Kratava-yantu Vishwataha, meaning let noble thoughts come to us from whole universe. I consider these four noble thoughts of Hinduism, as author puts it, as the spiritual foundation of Hinduism.

When I read the all the chapters of Hinduism, I gleaned from it great messages of societal tolerance and societal righteousness. This includes tolerance for people s opinions, cultures, belief systems, styles, and new discoveries and disruptive technologies. In fact, such an attitude of tolerance, be it that of an individual or a society, is the hallmark of civilization and that is what characterizes and differentiates life from sheer existence. In this respect, the book, Hinduism: An Introduction elaborately describes this tolerance in Hinduism.

I congratulate Sadhu Vivekjivandasji for this beautiful work.

-- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India

The two volumes on Hinduism are really a wonderful compendium to understand Hinduism or the Sanatana Dharma in its totality and depth. They systematically develop the concept and practice of Hinduism with its entire body scriptural texts, rituals, methods of worship and its social contexts.

These volumes on Hinduism are very, very useful both to an ordinary curious reader as also to university teachers, students and scholars.

-- Dr. Mohan Gupta, Vice-Chancellor Maharshi Panini Sanskrit and Vedic University, India

Hinduism is so multifaceted, so varied in its modes of worship, so rich it is philosophical thoughts, so diverse in its place of worship and rituals that no single book, however voluminous, can describe it in its entirety. Nevertheless, Hinduism, An Introduction published by Swaminarayan Aksharpith, goes a long way in doing that. It is a very comprehensive and balanced introduction to Hindu beliefs, scriptures, deities, sacred places, festivals, spiritual practices, rituals, sages and thinkers. The book is well-planned and beautifully presented.

-- -- Prof. Swatantra Kumar. Vice-Chancellor, GK University, India

The two volumes of Hinduism: An Introduction are a benign presentation of research intensive and extensive, both by Sadhu Vivekjivandas, his team, his associates and his guide, all blessed by Shri Pramukh Swamiji Maharaj.

To one who believes in Hinduism, this book would elevate the belief to faith, enabled by better understanding of the subject. To one who is inquisitive about Hinduism, or, is on a journey for searching the souls of several religions on earth, the book would quench one's thirst for knowledge to the extent of Hinduism.

Systematic and scholarly presentation of the subject in two volumes, is so engrossing that the reader is switched off from outside pressures and distractions; their vision gradually gains clarity as cobwebs of confusion created by conflicting opinions are removed; and, the reader finds himself in an ocean of quietness with a sense of spirituality setting in, descending from the Supreme.

Swaminarayan Aksharpith has done a great service to humanity and also attempted at partially repaying its debt to Hinduism by publishing these volumes attractively printed, beautifully illustrated and well bound. I commend reading of these volumes to every man of faith, be he of any religion, to all seekers of spiritual attainment, and, also to those who derive pleasure from digging into historic events or from floating in mysticism.

-- R.C. Lahoti, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India

This introduction to Hinduism is different from most in a number of important ways. We have chosen to comment on three. Firstly, the whole of Hinduism is presented in all of its grand diversity. So often in Hindu books does a part present itself as the whole. One philosophy is given as if it is what all Hindus believe. One Deity is mentioned as if all Hindus only worship Him or Her. The back cover introduces this concept effectively in saying: "Hinduism is a grand mosaic of many sampradayas, philosophies, rituals, festivals, mandirs, holy places, sadhus and shastras, and is often referred to by many scholars as a family of religions . Within these rich diversities, one can perceive common threads that bind Hinduism into a fascinatingly profound religion subscribed to by nearly one-sixth of humankind."

Secondly, it shows the reader many facets of modern Hindu temple worship again a topic often ignored in introductions to Hinduism. The scriptures upon which the ceremonies and architecture are based, the Agamas, are well detailed. The centrality of rituals in Hindu life is succinctly stated: "Rituals form an integral part of worship and have been practised from generation to generation in countless homes and mandirs. They are deeply embedded in the Hindu culture." Devotional practices from the key forms of personal worship through elaborate yajnas are described with the sanctity of them all emphasized in this key statement: "Hindus believe that the deity is present in the sacred murti."

Thirdly, though presenting the multiplicity of Deities in Hinduism, the book stresses that Hindus all worship a Supreme Being. Chapter Two begins with: "The traditional defining principles of most Hindus are the belief and faith in one Supreme Divine Reality or Paramatma... (who) manifests in various forms. The belief in one Supreme God is called Ekeshwaravada." This is a helpful counter to what is unfortunately still encountered in many introductions to Hinduism which is that Hindus believe in a trinity of Gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.

-- -- Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Hinduism Today Magazine

About this edition

• Publisher: Swaminarayan Aksharpith
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 8175264330
• ISBN 13: 9788175264335
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 711
• Editor: Dr. Janakbhai Dave (Editorial Consultant)