This book, in a short space, covers an extensive ground of Hindu teachings. It provides a panoramic view of a Hindu approaches to religion, philosophy, science, politics, mythology, art, the role of women, and the past andthe future of humanity.—Dr. David Frawley Redundancy of the idea of religion seems to be growing inan age in which any mystery can be demystified by science. It also seems as if patronising religion is outdated in today’s so-called progressive world. However, adaptability and progressiveness have been the basic requisites of Hindu philosophy. Hence it requires its followers to evolve with change. Through this book, the authors have tried to endorse the role of Hinduism in the formation and development of human society. They have looked back at the conception, evolution and sustenance of Indian society through the lens of Hinduism, and have tried to explain this process through short Hindu mythological tales. We believe decoding folklore is also a source of understanding the history of any given period. Different tales spanning different ages and times bring forth a completely different picture of the mores and morality of our society, which still abide with the constant basic principles of Hinduism. This signifies the adaptability of this great religion with changing times.The reader will discover that, eventually, the core values of Hinduism remain the same and support its relevance today and will continue to do so for eternity. The universe is made up of stories, not of atoms.—Muriel Rukeyser, Writer and Poetess
IS THE HISTORY OF HINDUISM, THE HISTORY OF BRAHMANAS FROM RIGVEDIC TIMES TO THE PRESENT? Or, does the story of Hinduism begin with the descriptions of the ancient roots as revealed by archaeological findings and the evidence from present day tribal, village and regional cultures? This book looks at both. The history of Brahmanas, tracing their lineage to the fifty-odd Rigvedic poets, is dealt with through the chronological ordering of the Sanskrit texts which were first handed down to us as oral narratives from Gurus to shishyas. The circumstances and purposes for which these texts were written is examined, along with events of a true historical nature. This is followed by a sequential treatment of Hinduism as a ‘Rigvedic religion’, the two Mimamsas, Buddhism, Jainism, Dharmasastras, the Epics and the Puranas. The growth of Hindu temples, the role of Adi Sankaracharya and the Bhakti movement is delved into, and the influences of Muslim and British rule of the subcontinent on Hinduism is analysed. The author explores one major reason for the survival of Hinduism—the support of prehistoric tribal and village cultures which were not modified or destroyed by the later-day Brahmanas. Much of tribal and village deities and practices were co-opted into concurrent Hinduism, so-much-so that today these cannot be separated from mainstream Hindu practices and traditions. They exist in all their colourful glory to this date and make Hinduism vibrant. It is these ancient folk religions that provide a stable foundation for the survival of Hinduism, argues author R Ramachandran, presenting in this book an all-encompassing landscape view of Hinduism as it has been for the last five thousand years. Finally, the present status of Hinduism is discussed along with its survival in the future.
India's folklore and classical literature abound with stories of parents who sacrifice their children. In The Hungry God, David Shulman examines one set of such tales—Hindu texts that bear similarities to the biblical aqedah, the account of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac. In all the stories that Shulman explores, the sacrifice proceeds from a divine command and has no utilitarian explanation or rationale.
From the preserver of the universe Lord Vishnu to the mighty Hanuman, from the mysterious Ganesha to the dutiful son Rama, the rich Hindu spiritual landscape is populated by characters that empower millions even today. Featuring 365 colourful artworks of significant mythological figures from across India, this fascinating book opens the doors to a spellbinding world of legends and stories.
Delightful classic stories from ancient India. Includes questions after each chapter to enhance understanding and help readers apply the lessons learned. Hindu mythology is large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism as contained in Sanskrit literature Ancient Tamil literature several other works, most notably the Bhagavata Purana, claiming the status of a Fifth Veda and other religious regional literature of South Asia. As such, it is a subset of mainstream Indian and Nepali culture. Rather than one consistent, monolithic structure, it is a range of diverse traditions, developed by different sects, people and philosophical schools, in different regions and at different times, which are not necessarily held by all Hindus to be literal accounts of historical events, but are taken to have deeper, often symbolic, meaning, and which have been given a complex range of interpretations. ** (Excerpt) Thanks to Mr. S. M. Mitra, the well-known Hindu psychologist and politician, who has done so much to draw more closely together the land of his birth and that of his adoption, I am able to bring within reach of English children a number of typical Hindu Tales, translated by him from the Sanskrit, some of them culled from the ancient classics of India, others from widely separated sources. The latter have hitherto been quite inaccessible to western students, as they are not yet embodied in literature, but have been transmitted orally from generation to generation for many centuries. These tales are not only of a kind to enchain the attention of children. They also illustrate well the close affinity between the two chief branches of the great Aryan race, and are of considerable ethical value, reflecting, as they do, the philosophy of self-realisation which lies at the root of Hindu culture. They have been used from time immemorial by the best teachers of India as a means of building up the personalities of the young and maintaining the efficiency of the adult. They serve in fact as text-books of the unique system of Mind-Training which has been in use in India from remote Vedic times, the root principle of which is as simple as it is effective. Hindu children become familiar at their mothers' knees with these stories, and are trained to answer questions on them, subtly chosen to suit their ages and call into action their mental faculties. Appealing to them as an amusing game, in which they vie with each other in trying to solve the problems presented for their consideration, the boys and girls, who are educated together till they are ten or twelve years old, early learn to concentrate their attention; whilst the simultaneous development of all their powers is encouraged and they are, imperceptibly to themselves led to control their thoughts and emotions from within, instead of having to obey orders which they do not understand from without. They realize indeed, whilst still in the nursery, the ideal suggested by the sage Vidura in the Mahabharata: "Seek to know thyself by means of thyself, keeping thy mind, intellect and senses, under control; for self is thy friend as it is also thy foe." About the Author: Siddha Mohana Mitra born in 1856 and died in 1925 Siddha Mohana Mitra was born in 1856 and died in 1925. He was of Hindu-Bengali origin and had lived in Hyderabad for a number of years. Mitra had been editor of the Deccan Post. From the begining of the twentieth century, Mitra wrote a number of books, published in London, on India. He was a regular contributor to the Asiatic Quarterly Review. He was a member of the Royal Asiatic Society and met a number of high-ranking Anglo-Indian officials. His book, Indian Problems, cited by Lord Curzon in a House of Lords debate in 1912 revealed Mitra's argument that the partition of Bengal had not had a detrimental effect on the region. George Birdwood wrote an introduction to this book, and encouraged Mitra to publish his work of fiction, Hindupore.
An engrossing and definitive narrative account of history and myth that offers a new way of understanding one of the world's oldest major religions, The Hindus elucidates the relationship between recorded history and imaginary worlds. The Hindus brings a fascinating multiplicity of actors and stories to the stage to show how brilliant and creative thinkers have kept Hinduism alive in ways that other scholars have not fully explored. In this unique and authoritative account, debates about Hindu traditions become platforms to consider history as a whole.
A god transforms into a nymph and enchants another god. A king becomes pregnant. A prince discovers on his wedding night that he is not a man. Another king has children who call him both father and mother. A hero turns into a eunuch and wears female apparel. A princess has to turn into a man before she can avenge her humiliation. Widows of a king make love to conceive his child. Friends of the same sex end up marrying each other after one of them metamorphoses into a woman. These are some of the tales from Hindu lore that this unique book examines. The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore is a compilation of traditional Hindu stories with a common thread: sexual transformation and gender metamorphosis. In addition to the thought-provoking stories in The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore, you'll also find: an examination of the universality of queer narratives with examples from Greek lore and Irish folklore a comparison of the Hindu paradigm to the biblical paradigm a look at how Hindu society and Hindu scripture responds to queer sexuality a discussion of the Hijras, popularly believed to be the “third gender” in India--their probable origin, and how they fit into Hindu society With the telling of each of these tales, you will also learn how the author came upon each of them and how they relate to the context of dominant Hindu attitudes toward sex, gender, pleasure, fertility, and celibacy.
