Hinduism Faith And Practice

A guide to the philosophy and beliefs of Hinduism, exploring how Hindu thought and spirituality are expressed through worship, dress, cuisine, philosopy, architecture, story, myth and the performing arts.

This title deals with the Four Paths, Deities, Sacred Places, and Hinduism Today. It is a guide to the philosophy and beliefs of Hinduism, illustrated with over 320 photographs. It explores how Hindu thought and spirituality are expressed though worship, dress, cuisine, philosophy, architecture, story, myth and the performing arts. "This illustrated encyclopedia of Hinduism provides a highly readable and comprehensive introduction to Hinduism. Rasamandala Das presents a lively account." (Professor Gavin Flood, Academic Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies). A magnificent introduction to the world of Hinduism and its vibrant culture, this inspirational book focuses on spiritual practices and those activities that nurture faith, wisdom and communion with the Supreme. It reveals the four main paths of action, knowledge, meditation and devotion, the fascinating array of Hindu deities, and practices that celebrate sacred time and place. The book analyses ways in which Hindus engage with this world through to the present day, and how their spirituality has been expressed and organized. It provides the perfect opportunity for anyone wishing to further explore the compelling faith and culture that is Hinduism.

Hinduism has been a major religious faith for well over 3000 years, and Hindus today account for over 600 million people. Lipner's book is a highly readable study of its evolution, its multidimensional nature, and influence.

This book, first published in 1968, is a collection of twenty-five lectures by Swami Prabhavananda, the outstanding scholar and translator of Hindu scriptures. They present a direct and pragmatic approach to spiritual life, and a clear guide to Hinduism.

Drawing on personal experiences of Hinduism on the ground, this book provides a reflective context within which religious practices can be understood and appreciated. It conveys the rich realities of the Hindu tradition and the academic approaches through which they are studied. The chapters cover a wide range of topics, including dance, music, performance, festival traditions, temples, myth, philosophy, women’s practices, and divine possession. The engaging narratives are accompanied by contextual discussions and advice on such topics as conducting fieldwork, colonialism, Hindu seasonal celebrations, understanding deities, and aesthetics in Hinduism. All the entries are accompanied by photographs and suggestions for further reading.

Your hands-on guide to one of the world's major religions The 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 system Information on the rites, 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.

In Indic religious traditions, a number of rituals and myths exist in which the environment is revered. Despite this nature worship in India, its natural resources are under heavy pressure with its growing economy and exploding population. This has led several scholars to raise questions about the role religious communities can play in environmentalism. Does nature worship inspire Hindus to act in an environmentally conscious way? This book explores the above questions with three communities, the Swadhyaya movement, the Bishnoi, and the Bhil communities. Presenting the texts of Bishnois, their environmental history, and their contemporary activism; investigating the Swadhyaya movement from an ecological perspective; and exploring the Bhil communities and their Sacred Groves, this book applies a non-Western hermeneutical model to interpret the religious traditions of Indic communities. With a foreword by Roger S Gottlieb.