Exploring The Hindu Mind

Hinduism has a rich cultural heritage spanning the past four thousand years or more. In this long epoch starting from the Vedic times and its evolution through spiritual and Puranic periods in a multi-ethnic and multi -linguistic settings, the religion had absorbed many changes and modifications to blossom into modern Hinduism. In this book, an attempt is made to bring out the symbolisms apparent or hidden in the ideas of Hindu mythology, rituals and cultural practices touching some visible parallel thoughts in modern science. Explaining the concept of God in India, the book discusses at length the Hindu mythology of earthly life, cultural advance, network of Hindu godheads, Vedic symbolism, rituals, iconography, marriage customs, temple culture, and music and dance.

Hinduism has a rich cultural heritage spanning the past four thousand years or more. In this long epoch starting from the Vedic times and its evolution through spiritual and Puranic periods in a multi-ethnic and multi -linguistic settings, the religion had absorbed many changes and modifications to blossom into modern Hinduism. In this book, an attempt is made to bring out the symbolisms apparent or hidden in the ideas of Hindu mythology, rituals and cultural practices touching some visible parallel thoughts in modern science. Explaining the concept of God in India, the book discusses at length the Hindu mythology of earthly life, cultural advance, network of Hindu godheads, Vedic symbolism, rituals, iconography, marriage customs, temple culture, and music and dance.

The aim of this book is to present the fundamental concepts of all aspects of the Hindu religious, philosophical, cultural and spiritual heritage for the readers of all ages. Thus, the basic concepts are exhaustively discussed and illustrated in a simple and straightforward language. The unique contribution of the book is that it shows the interconnections among diverse dimensions of Hinduism in a rational, interesting and objective manner.

This book studies the diverse and often competitive strands of Hindu traditions, Hindu festivals and life-cycle rituals and examines them in the context of globalized religions.

Designed to help readers deepen their understanding of Hinduism, and reflecting themes central to the study of religion and culture, Jessica Frazier explores classical Hindu theories of self, the body, the cosmos, and human action. Case studies from Hindu texts provide readers with direct access to primary sources in translation, ranging from ancient cosmology to philosophical teachings and modern ritual practices. Hinduism is often depicted as being so diverse that it is the most difficult of all of the world religions to understand or explain. Hindu Worldviews explains core ideas about the human mind and body, showing how they fit into concepts of the Self, and practices of embodiment in Hinduism. It draws on western theoretical concepts as a point of entry, connecting contemporary Hindu culture directly with both western and classical Hindu theories. Through the theme of the Self in classical Hindu sources, the chapters provide an interpretative framework for understanding classical approaches to ethics, liberation, and views of the body and the mind. These provide a key to the rationale behind many forms of modern practice such as divinisation rituals, worship of deities, and theological reflection. Reflecting central themes in courses on Hinduism and Indian Philosophy, Hindu Worldviews provides an accessible new perspective on both Hinduism and modern theory in the study of religion.