Hinduism For Dummies

by Srinivasan, Amrutur V.

• ISBN13: 9780470878583
• ISBN10: 0470878584
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-07-12
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Your hands-on guide to one of the world's major religions The dominant religion of India, "Hinduism" simply derives from the word "India" and 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 rights, 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.

Author Biography

Dr. Amrutur V. Srinivasan, born in India, is primary founder and first president of the Connecticut Valley Hindu Temple Society. He has functioned as a Hindu priest performing a wide variety of pujas (worships), weddings, and other ceremonies since 1971.

Table of Contents

Introduction.

Part I: Introducing Hinduism.

Chapter 1: A Quick Overview of Hinduism.

Chapter 2: From Past to Present: A Condensed History of Hinduism.

Chapter 3: Hinduism’s Core Beliefs and Values.

Chapter 4: Major Hindu Denominations.

Chapter 5: The Structure of Hindu Society.

Part II: The Hindu Pantheon and Its Religious Leaders.

Chapter 6: Pantheism to Polytheism: From the One to the Very Many.

Chapter 7: Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

Chapter 8: The Avatars of Vishnu: The Divine Descent.

Chapter 9: Revering the Role of Religious Leadership.

Part III: The Sacred Texts.

Chapter 10: The Vedas: Centuries of Accumulated Treasures.

Chapter 11: Gaining Higher Knowledge with the Upanishads.

Chapter 12: Living with the Epics and Puranas.

Chapter 13: The Song of the Lord: The Bhagavad Gita.

Part IV: Hinduism in Practice.

Chapter 14: Worshipping at Home.

Chapter 15: Worshipping at Temples.

Chapter 16: Holydays and Festivals.

Chapter 17: Cradle to Cremation: The Life-Cycle Rites.

Chapter 18: Taking a Pilgrimage.

Part V: Delving Deeper into the Hindu Concept of Reality.

Chapter 19: The Six Schools of Thought: The Darshanas.

Chapter 20: Vedanta: The End of Knowledge.

Chapter 21: The Yogic Path to Salvation.

Part VI: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 22: Ten Common Questions About Hindus.

Chapter 23: Ten Common Prayers.

Chapter 24: Ten (Plus) Traditional Mandates.

Index.