Hinduism For Today

Understanding Hinduism today requires an understanding of how it is practised in the contemporary world. Stephen Jacob's new introduction tackles these central issues, beginning with case studies of the grassroots practice of Hinduism in India and in diaspora communities. He covers issues of singular importance in the modern study of Hinduism, including the importance and role of mass media to this essentially orally transmitted religion. Other major areas covered include the concept of Hindu dharma, particularly in relation to caste, gender and Hindu nationalism, key and often controversial concepts in Hinduism.

"Since 1979 the international magazine Hinduism Today has been producing a treasury of educational features on all aspects of Sanatana Dharma. Guided by the founder, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, the magazine's editors, who are initiated monks of Kauai's Hindu Monastery, collaborated with holy men and women and experts around the world in creating graphically rich guides to virtually every important aspect of Hinduism. The best of those works are assembled in "What Is Hinduism?" for Hindus and non-Hindus alike to discover the culture, beliefs, worship and mysticism that is India's greatest gift to humanity." --Back cover.

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.

Each issue contains exclusive interviews with spiritual leaders, as well as international news and issues, and resources on yoga, Ayurveda, astrology, meditation, vegetarianism, and much more.

What is Hinduism? Who is a Hindu? What form should Hinduism take in this day and age? This book proposes serious answers to these important challenging questions and presents them in an engaging way. Four men and four women, committed Hindus from different walks of life, gather under the format of a seminar to discuss these questions. They engage in the hard thinking necessary to develop a four-point definition of Hinduism. They construct foundations of a moderate viable Hinduism using the definition. They show how different structures can be built on the foundations allowing expression of individual creativity and freedom. The book is the dialog of the eight diverse Hindus who show human emotions and passion along with acute reasoning, evolving a fascinating discourse. They traverse far and wide over the panorama of world religions as well as Eastern and Western philosophy. The result is a comprehensive philosophy of life that can inspire and empower not only Hindus but also all humans deeply interested in universal humanistic spirituality with competitive intellectual underpinning relevant for today.

Sanatan Hindu Dharma is like a huge tree. Different kinds of assumptions have, merged into it from time immemorial. As human population grew and time changed, beliefs and faiths changed as a result of continuous thinking of scholars and growing maturity in their ideas. As a consequence,’ the branches and sub-branches of Hindu religion also grew. Is there any scientific basis of beliefs and faiths propagated in Hinduism? This question agitates the minds of intellectual readers again and again. Now, that time has come to an end, when you cited from the religious scriptures and said, “Baba vakya pramanam” (here is the statement from the author as evidence). Comprehensive thinking about religious beliefs has become the most essential call of the age today. First of all, the average reader has to understand what is science. The word ‘vigyan (science) is formed by prefixing ‘vi to ‘gyan’ (knowledge). ‘Vishishta gyanam iti vigyanam, ‘Vishesh gyanam iti vigyanam’, ‘Vishuddha gyanam iti vigyanam (Specific knowledge is science, Special knowledge is science, Pure knowledge is science), these definitions are clear in themselves. Science, in fact, is based upon cause and effect relationship. ‘Karya karan sarnbandh iti vigyanam’, ‘punah punah parikshanam prayoganch kritam’ (Science is cause and effect relationship. Experiment is made again and again). Where we come to know the cause and effect relationship, then that knowledge automatically passes into the category of science. True knowledge of an object, based on facts, is a part of science itself. ‘Punah punah nirikshit gyanam iti vigyanam,’ When the results are the same on repeated observations, then those facts become science. Ancient Rishis-Munis (seers and saints) formed some rules and principles under the cover of religion to civilize humanity. They offered the charms of heaven and fears of hell, so that, men adopted them in their conduct. Today, in the age of computer, no one accepts heaven or hell, piety or sin, religion or irreligion. It is a transition period. Innumerable questions are cropping up in the minds of the intellectuals. To clarify the scientific basis of Hindu beliefs has become a need of the day.

A selection of Gandhiji s articles drawn mainly from his contributions to young india, the Harijan and the Navjivan on Hinduism. Written on different occassions, these articles present a picture of hindu dharma I all its richness, comprehensiveness and sensitivity to the existential delimmas of human existence.