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Hindu Nationalism: A Reader
by Christophe JaffrelotHindu nationalism came to world attention in 1998, when the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won national elections in India. Although the BJP was defeated nationally in 2004, it continues to govern large Indian states, and the movement it represents remains a major force in the world's largest democracy. This book presents the thought of the founding fathers and key intellectual leaders of Hindu nationalism from the time of the British Raj, through the independence period, to the present. Spanning more than 130 years of Indian history and including the writings of both famous and unknown ideologues, this reader reveals how the "Hindutuva" movement approaches key issues of Indian politics. Covering such important topics as secularism, religious conversion, relations with Muslims, education, and Hindu identity in the growing diaspora, this reader will be indispensable for anyone wishing to understand contemporary Indian politics, society, culture, or history.
Hindu Perspectives on Evolution: Darwin, Dharma, and Design (Routledge Hindu Studies Series)
by C. Mackenzie BrownProviding new insights into the contemporary creationist-evolution debates, this book looks at the Hindu cultural-religious traditions of India, the Hindu Dharma traditions. By focusing on the interaction of religion and science in a Hindu context, it offers a global context for understanding contemporary creationist-evolution conflicts and tensions utilizing a critical analysis of Hindu perspectives on these issues. The cultural and political as well as theological nature of these conflicts is illustrated by drawing attention to parallels with contemporary Islamic and Buddhist responses to modern science and Darwinism. The book explores various ancient and classical Hindu models to explain the origin of the universe encompassing creationist as well as evolutionary—but non-Darwinian—interpretations of how we came to be. Complex schemes of cosmic evolution were developed, alongside creationist proofs for the existence of God utilizing distinctly Hindu versions of the design argument. After examining diverse elements of the Hindu Dharmic traditions that laid the groundwork for an ambivalent response to Darwinism when it first became known in India, the book highlights the significance of the colonial context. Analysing critically the question of compatibility between traditional Dharmic theories of knowledge and the epistemological assumptions underlying contemporary scientific methodology, the book raises broad questions regarding the frequently alleged harmony of Hinduism, the eternal Dharma, with modern science, and with Darwinian evolution in particular.
Hindu Philosophy
by Theos BernardWho were India's foremost thinkers? What systems did they establish? What problems have agitated the minds of India's philosophers, intellectuals and mystics? Tersely and in pleasing style Dr. Bernard has answered these questions satisfactorily alike to the layman and the special student of India and her philosophic life without effecting a compromise with Western philosophy and its narrow categories. Moreover, the important Kashmir Shaivism, so long omitted from works on Indian Philosophy, has at last been given its due here. In a sense, a major portion of the book is also dictionary--a dictionary of Sanskrit philosophical terms, arranged alphabetically, explained as to grammatical construction or composition, and defined, often with emphasis on special meanings within the different types of philosophy. Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS (18 May 1872 - 2 February 1970), was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, social reformer, and pacifist. Although he spent the majority of his life in England, he was born in Wales, where he also died. Russell led the British revolt against Idealism in the early 1900s and is considered one of the founders of analytic philosophy along with his protg Wittgenstein and his elder Frege. He co-authored, with A. N. Whitehead, Principia Mathematica, an attempt to ground mathematics on logic. His philosophical essay On Denoting has been considered a paradigm of philosophy. Both works have had a considerable influence on logic, mathematics, set theory, linguistics and analytic philosophy. He was a prominent anti-war activist, championing free trade between nations and anti-imperialism. Russell was imprisoned for his pacifist activism during World War I, campaigned against Adolf Hitler, for nuclear disarmament, criticised Soviet totalitarianism and the United States of America's involvement in the Vietnam War. In 1950, Russell was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought.
Hindu Pilgrimage: Shifting Patterns of Worldview of Srisailam in South India (Routledge Hindu Studies Series)
by Prabhavati C. ReddyIn recent years, changes in religious studies in general and the study of Hinduism in particular have drawn more scholarly attention to other forms of the Hindu faith that are concretely embodied in temples, icons, artworks, rituals, and pilgrimage practices. This book analyses the phenomenon of pilgrimage as a religious practice and experience and examines Shrî Shailam, a renowned south Indian pilgrimage site of Shiva and Goddess Durga. In doing so, it investigates two dimensions: the worldview of a place that is of utmost sanctity for Hindu pilgrims and its historical evolution from medieval to modern times. Reddy blends religion, anthropology, art history and politics into one interdisciplinary exploration of how Shrî Shailam became the epicentre for Shaivism. Through this approach, the book examines Shrî Shailam’s influence on pan-Indian religious practices; the amalgamation of Brahmanical and regional traditions; and the intersection of the ideological and the civic worlds with respect to the management of pilgrimage centre in modern times. This book is the first thorough study of Shrî Shailam and brings together phenomenological and historical study to provide a comprehensive understanding of both the religious dimension and the historical development of the social organization of the pilgrimage place. As such, it will be of interest to students of Hinduism, Pilgrimage and South Asian Studies.
Hindu Pluralism: Religion and the Public Sphere in Early Modern South India
by Elaine M. FisherAt publication date, a free ebook version of this title will be available through Luminos, University of California Press’s Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. In Hindu Pluralism, Elaine M. Fisher complicates the traditional scholarly narrative of the unification of Hinduism. By calling into question the colonial categories implicit in the term “sectarianism,” Fisher’s work excavates the pluralistic textures of precolonial Hinduism in the centuries prior to British intervention. Drawing on previously unpublished sources in Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu, Fisher argues that the performance of plural religious identities in public space in Indian early modernity paved the way for the emergence of a distinctively non-Western form of religious pluralism. This work provides a critical resource for understanding how Hinduism developed in the early modern period, a crucial era that set the tenor for religion's role in public life in India through the present day.
Hindu Selves in a Modern World: Guru Faith in the Mata Amritanandamayi Mission (Routledge South Asian Religion Series)
by Maya WarrierThis book explores devotional Hinduism in a modern context of high consumerism and revolutionised communications. It focuses on a fast-growing and high-profile contemporary Hindu guru faith originating in India and attracting a transnational following. The organisation is led by a vastly popular female guru, Mata Amritanandamayi, whom devotees worship as an avatar and a healer of the ills of the contemporary world. By drawing upon multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork among the mata's primarily urban, educated 'middle class' Indian devotees, the author provides crucial insights into new trends in popular Hinduism in a post-colonial and rapidly modernising Indian setting.
Hindu Widow Marriage
by Ishvarchandra Vidyasagar Brian A. HatcherBefore the passage of the Hindu Widow's Re-marriage Act of 1856, Hindu tradition required a woman to live as a virtual outcast after her husband's death. Widows were expected to shave their heads, discard their jewelry, live in seclusion, and undergo regular acts of penance. Ishvarchandra Vidyasagar was the first Indian intellectual to successfully argue against these strictures. A Sanskrit scholar and passionate social reformer, Vidyasagar was a leading proponent of widow marriage in colonial India, urging his contemporaries to reject a ban that caused countless women to suffer needlessly. Vidyasagar's brilliant strategy paired a rereading of Hindu scripture with an emotional plea on behalf of the widow, resulting in an organic reimagining of Hindu law and custom. Vidyasagar made his case through the two-part publication Hindu Widow Marriage, a tour de force of logic, erudition, and humanitarian rhetoric. In this new translation, Brian A. Hatcher makes available in English for the first time the entire text of one of the most important nineteenth-century treatises on Indian social reform. An expert on Vidyasagar, Hinduism, and colonial Bengal, Hatcher enhances the original treatise with a substantial introduction describing Vidyasagar's multifaceted career, as well as the history of colonial debates on widow marriage. He innovatively interprets the significance of Hindu Widow Marriage within modern Indian intellectual history by situating the text in relation to indigenous commentarial practices. Finally, Hatcher increases the accessibility of the text by providing an overview of basic Hindu categories for first-time readers, a glossary of technical vocabulary, and an extensive bibliography.
Hindu Widow Marriage
by Ishvarchandra VidyasagarBefore the passage of the Hindu Widow's Re-marriage Act of 1856, Hindu tradition required a woman to live as a virtual outcast after her husband's death. Widows were expected to shave their heads, discard their jewelry, live in seclusion, and undergo regular acts of penance. Ishvarchandra Vidyasagar was the first Indian intellectual to successfully argue against these strictures. A Sanskrit scholar and passionate social reformer, Vidyasagar was a leading proponent of widow marriage in colonial India, urging his contemporaries to reject a ban that caused countless women to suffer needlessly.Vidyasagar's brilliant strategy paired a rereading of Hindu scripture with an emotional plea on behalf of the widow, resulting in an organic reimagining of Hindu law and custom. Vidyasagar made his case through the two-part publication Hindu Widow Marriage, a tour de force of logic, erudition, and humanitarian rhetoric. In this new translation, Brian A. Hatcher makes available in English for the first time the entire text of one of the most important nineteenth-century treatises on Indian social reform.An expert on Vidyasagar, Hinduism, and colonial Bengal, Hatcher enhances the original treatise with a substantial introduction describing Vidyasagar's multifaceted career, as well as the history of colonial debates on widow marriage. He innovatively interprets the significance of Hindu Widow Marriage within modern Indian intellectual history by situating the text in relation to indigenous commentarial practices. Finally, Hatcher increases the accessibility of the text by providing an overview of basic Hindu categories for first-time readers, a glossary of technical vocabulary, and an extensive bibliography.
Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume I A-L (Routledge Library Editions: Hinduism #4)
by Benjamin WalkerThis work, first published in 1968, presents the fabulous world of Hinduism in its entirety in two volumes. It is the first general encyclopedia of Hinduism covering every major aspect of Hindu life and thought, embodying the results of modern scholarship yet not ignoring the traditional point of view. It contains over 700 articles, each of which gives a comprehensive account of the subject, and by a system of cross references interlinks all topics related to it, so that a single theme may be traced in all its ramifications through the whole book. An index of over 8,000 items, which in itself forms a veritable treasury of Sanskrit terms and names, will further assist the researcher finding their way among the lesser topics treated in the work.
Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume II M-Z (Routledge Library Editions: Hinduism #5)
by Benjamin WalkerThis work, first published in 1968, presents the fabulous world of Hinduism in its entirety in two volumes. It is the first general encyclopedia of Hinduism covering every major aspect of Hindu life and thought, embodying the results of modern scholarship yet not ignoring the traditional point of view. It contains over 700 articles, each of which gives a comprehensive account of the subject, and by a system of cross references interlinks all topics related to it, so that a single theme may be traced in all its ramifications through the whole book. An index of over 8,000 items, which in itself forms a veritable treasury of Sanskrit terms and names, will further assist the researcher finding their way among the lesser topics treated in the work.
Hindu and Buddhist Ideas in Dialogue: Self and No-Self (Dialogues in South Asian Traditions: Religion, Philosophy, Literature and History)
by Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad Jonardon Ganeri Irina KuznetsovaThe debates between various Buddhist and Hindu philosophical systems about the existence, definition and nature of self, occupy a central place in the history of Indian philosophy and religion. These debates concern various issues: what 'self' means, whether the self can be said to exist at all, arguments that can substantiate any position on this question, how the ordinary reality of individual persons can be explained, and the consequences of each position. At a time when comparable issues are at the forefront of contemporary Western philosophy, in both analytic and continental traditions (as well as in their interaction), these classical and medieval Indian debates widen and globalise such discussions. This book brings to a wider audience the sophisticated range of positions held by various systems of thought in classical India.
Hindu-Catholic Encounters in Goa
by Alexander HennThe state of Goa on India's southwest coast was once the capital of the Portuguese-Catholic empire in Asia. When Vasco Da Gama arrived in India in 1498, he mistook Hindus for Christians, but Jesuit missionaries soon declared war on the alleged idolatry of the Hindus. Today, Hindus and Catholics assert their own religious identities, but Hindu village gods and Catholic patron saints attract worship from members of both religious communities. Through fresh readings of early Portuguese sources and long-term ethnographic fieldwork, this study traces the history of Hindu-Catholic syncretism in Goa and reveals the complex role of religion at the intersection of colonialism and modernity.
Hinduism
by Madhu Bazaz WanguOne of the most ancient and complex of the world's spiritual traditions, Hinduism is the religion of more than four-fifths of the Indian subcontinent's population. Written in an accessible style that dispels many of the myths and mysteries surrounding this major world religion, Hinduism, Third Edition provides readers with an up-to-date understanding of the interconnection between religion and politics in India today. Coverage includes: *Roots of Hinduism *Hindu customs and beliefs *Hindu gods and devotionalism *Hindu rites of passage *The Hindu nationalist movement in India *Hindu-Muslim relations in India *The conflict in Kashmir.
Hinduism (Routledge Revivals)
by A. C. BouquetFirst published in 1948, Hinduism presents an introductory outline of the story of Hinduism from the earliest times, and paves the way for further and more detailed study, as well as interests the general reader. It intends to exhibit Hinduism as an event rather than as something static; as an organism, developing, reforming itself, and even changing and absorbing new elements, rather than as a rigid creed, or even as a survival from the past. This book will be of interest to students of religion, history and South Asian studies.
Hinduism - An Introduction
by Owen Cole V P KanitHinduism, with its rich variety of religious traditions, can often be hard to define. This book is an informative guide to those traditions, and their underlying unity. Covering all important aspects of Hinduism, from deities and temples to mythology and philosophy, and exploring what it means to lead a Hindu life, this book will let you discover this fascinating religion and understand its relevance today.NOT GOT MUCH TIME?One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.AUTHOR INSIGHTSLots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the authors' many years of experience.TEST YOURSELFTests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGEExtra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of psychology.FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBERQuick refreshers to help you remember the key facts.TRY THISInnovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.
Hinduism - An Introduction: Teach Yourself (TY Religion)
by Vp Hermant Kanitkar Owen ColeHinduism, with its rich variety of religious traditions, can often be hard to define. This book is an informative guide to those traditions, and their underlying unity. Covering all important aspects of Hinduism, from deities and temples to mythology and philosophy, and exploring what it means to lead a Hindu life, this book will let you discover this fascinating religion and understand its relevance today. NOT GOT MUCH TIME? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. AUTHOR INSIGHTS Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the authors' many years of experience. TEST YOURSELF Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of psychology. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. TRY THIS Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.
Hinduism Before Reform
by Brian A. HatcherHow did Hindu reformers make the religion modern? Brian Hatcher argues that this is the wrong question to ask. Exploring two nineteenth-century Hindu movements, the Brahmo Samaj and the Swaminarayan Sampraday, he challenges the notion of religious reform.
Hinduism For Dummies
by Amrutur V. SrinivasanYour hands-on guide to one of the world's major religionsThe 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 systemInformation on the rites, rituals, deities, and teachings associated with the practice of HinduismExplores the history and teachings of the Vedas, Brahmans, and UpanishadsOffers insight into the modern daily practice of Hinduism around the worldContinuing 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.
Hinduism For Dummies
by Amrutur V. SrinivasanDiscover one of the world's most popular belief systems Hinduism is a fascinating and widespread religion with a diverse array of traditions, practices, scriptures, and deities. In Hinduism For Dummies, 2nd Edition, you'll get a clear view into this widely-practiced and ancient creed. The book contains an easy-to-follow introduction to Hinduism, including its four different sects—Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism—it's major rituals, and its most sacred teachings. You'll understand how to recognize the different major gods and goddesses in the Hindu pantheon and the differences that give each of the four sects their distinct culture and theology. You'll also explore the history of what some consider to be the world's oldest religion that's still widely practiced today. Inside, you'll: Understand core beliefs and values Discover Hindu wisdom and teachings (including life-cycle rites) Discover how to worship inside and outside of your home Know the Hindu concept of reality An interesting and unbiased read, Hinduism For Dummies, 2nd Edition is the go-to guide for everyone who wants to learn more about Hinduism and its most fundamental tenets.
Hinduism and Buddhism
by Ananda K. CoomaraswamyThe renowned Sri Lankan metaphysician presents his enlightening insight into the essential kinship between Hinduism and Buddhism.In this probing work, Ananda K. Coomaraswamy examines the foundational myths and spiritual underpinnings of Hinduism and Buddhism. Discarding the Western narrative of philosophical divergence, Coomaraswamy instead explores the essential unity between these two major religions. In his perspective, one is merely an outgrowth of the other. Dividing the book into two parts, Coomaraswamy begins each section with an overview of each religion&’s foundational myths. The section on Hinduism then covers concepts such as karma, maya, reincarnation, sacrifice, and caste. In the section on Buddhism, he demonstrates that Buddha never intended to start a new religion, but to deepen the spiritual understanding of the existing one.
Hinduism and Environmental Ethics: Law, Literature, and Philosophy (Routledge Hindu Studies Series)
by Christopher G. FramarinThis book argues that the standard arguments for and against the claim that certain Hindu texts and traditions attribute direct moral standing to animals and plants are unconvincing. It presents careful, extensive, and original interpretations of passages from the Manusmrti (law), the Mahābhārata (literature), and the Yogasūtra (philosophy), and argues that these texts attribute direct moral standing to animals and plants for at least three reasons: they are sentient, they are alive, and they possess a range of other relevant attributes and abilities. This book is of interest to scholars of Hinduism and the environment, religion and the environment, Hindu and/or Buddhist philosophy more broadly, and environmental ethics.
Hinduism and Hindi Theater
by Diana DimitrovaThis book explores the representation of Hinduism through myth and discourse in urban Hindi theatre in the period 1880-1960. It discusses representative works of seven influential playwrights and looks into the ways they have imagined and re-imagined Hindu traditions. Diana Dimitrova examines the intersections of Hinduism and Hindi theatre, emphasizing the important role that both myth and discourse play in the representation of Hindu traditions in the works of Bharatendu Harishcandra, Jayshankar Prasad, Lakshminarayan Mishra, Jagdishcandra Mathur, Bhuvaneshvar, Upendranath Ashk, and Mohan Rakesh. Dimitrova'a analysis suggests either a traditionalist or a more modernist stance toward religious issues. She emphasizes the absence of Hindi-speaking authors who deal with issues implicit to the Muslim or Sikh or Jain, etc. traditions. This prompts her to suggest that Hindi theatre of the period 1880-1960, as represented in the works of the seven dramatists discussed, should be seen as truly 'Hindu-Hindi' theatre.
Hinduism and Hindu Nationalism Online (Routledge Studies in Religion)
by Juli L. GittingerThe way people encounter ideas of Hinduism online is often shaped by global discourses of religion, pervasive Orientalism and (post)colonial scholarship. This book addresses a gap in the scholarly debate around defining Hinduism by demonstrating the role of online discourses in generating and projecting images of Hindu religion and culture. This study surveys a wide range of propaganda, websites and social media in which definitions of Hinduism are debated. In particular, it focuses on the role of Hindu nationalism in the presentation and management of Hinduism in the electronic public sphere. Hindu nationalist parties and individuals are highly invested in discussions and presentations of Hinduism online, and actively shape discourses through a variety of strategies. Analysing Hindu nationalist propaganda, cyber activist movements and social media presence, as well as exploring methodological strategies that are useful to the field of religion and media in general, the book concludes by showing how these discourses function in the wider Hindu diaspora. Building on religion and media research by highlighting mechanical and hermeneutic issues of the Internet and how it affects how we encounter Hinduism online, this book will be of significant interest to scholars of religious studies, Hindu studies and digital media.
Hinduism and Law: An Introduction
by Donald R. Davis Jr. Timothy Lubin Jayanth K. KrishnanCovering 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.
Hinduism and Popular Cults in Mauritius: Sacred Religion and Plantation Economy
by Suzanne Chazan-Gillig Pavitranand RamhotaThis book presents an original and comprehensive reading of the contemporary Mauritian society where Hinduism is practised by more than half of the population. It discusses themes such as the genesis of the Mauritian multicultural society; religious and cultural transformations; the cult of kalimai; the building of social relations and the birth of associations; and the link between Mauritian Hinduism and sugar plantation economy to highlight the interactions of the religious with the political economy of the nation. First of its kind, this book, with its rich ethnographic accounts, will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of religion, Hinduism, social anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, diaspora studies, sociology of religion and African studies.