Hinduism For Dummies

by Amrutur V. Srinivasan

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470878583
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	07/12/2011
Series:	For Dummies Books
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	390,335
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

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.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Introducing Hinduism 7

Chapter 1: A Quick Overview of Hinduism 9

Chapter 2: From Past to Present: A Condensed History of Hinduism 21

Chapter 3: Hinduism’s Core Beliefs and Values 37

Chapter 4: Major Hindu Denominations 51

Chapter 5: The Structure of Hindu Society 65

Part II: The Hindu Pantheon and Its Religious Leaders 79

Chapter 6: Pantheism to Polytheism: From the One to the Very Many 81

Chapter 7: Hindu Gods and Goddesses 89

Chapter 8: The Avatars of Vishnu: The Divine Descent 111

Chapter 9: Revering the Role of Religious Leadership 125

Part III: The Sacred Texts 141

Chapter 10: The Vedas: Centuries of Accumulated Treasures 143

Chapter 11: Gaining Higher Knowledge with the Upanishads 155

Chapter 12: Living with the Epics and Puranas 169

Chapter 13: The Song of the Lord: The Bhagavad Gita 193

Part IV: Hinduism in Practice 205

Chapter 14: Worshipping at Home 207

Chapter 15: Worshipping at Temples 221

Chapter 16: Holydays and Festivals 235

Chapter 17: Cradle to Cremation: The Life-Cycle Rites 255

Chapter 18: Taking a Pilgrimage 269

Part V: Delving Deeper into the Hindu Concept of Reality 287

Chapter 19: The Six Schools of Thought: The Darshanas 289

Chapter 20: Vedanta: The End of Knowledge 305

Chapter 21: The Yogic Path to Salvation 319

Part VI: The Part of Tens 331

Chapter 22: Ten Common Questions About Hindus 333

Chapter 23: Ten Common Prayers 337

Chapter 24: Ten (Plus) Traditional Mandates 343

Index 349