Hinduism An Introduction

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Item Code: NAC176
Publisher: Rupa Publication Pvt. Ltd.
Author: Dharam Vir Singh
Edition: 2003
ISBN: 8171679536
Pages: 154 (Illustrated Throughout in Full B/W
Cover: Paperback
Other Details 9.0 inch X 9.0 inch
Weight 430 gm
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Book Description
From the Book

The vastness of Hinduism and some aspects of Indian culture have been systematically put together in this compact book Hinduism. It talks about the most revered gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon tells why Krishna is blue why is the cow sacred why do Hindu gods have so many arms and the like. A part from this ancient Indian sciences fairs and festivals Indian music musical instruments and dances and also tips on how to drive an elephant are discussed.

With such extensive information being compiled in a book like this Hinduism is the most reliable source of knowledge on the mentioned and related subjects.

About the Author

Hailing from an illustrious family of Rajasthan Dharam Vir Singh after completing his post graduation in English Literature got involved, for some years with the capitol Records EMI group. His association with the travel trade for the past many years has taken him to destinations the world over. He specializes in researching and planning special interest tours and escorting them. He also organizes tours for the universities of California and Columbia as also for various American museums. He is also working on numerous interesting aspects of the history of Jaipur. This project has been placed on the selected list for the Rolex Awards, Geneva, Switzerland.

Introduction

It is hard to define Hinduism. It is not a religion in a narrow sense associated with the word religion. Its comprehensiveness bypasses the human mind. No single approach is able to enunciate its basic concept and philosophy. In a very broad sense Hinduism is a way of life. From time immemorial, indigenous religious consciousness has continuously enriched it. It has been influenced by the aspirations and needs of the human society from time to time. It embraces the indigenous religions of India which have been modified almost continuously with the development of ideas and the needs of local communities. As a result Hinduism is a mixture of sects, cults and doctrines which have had a profound effect on Indian culture. In spite of this diversity there are a few of its aspects which do not rely in some way or the other on the authority of Indian religious literature the Vedas the Epics and the Puranas.

Vedic Deities

The Vedic gods who eventually became established in India may have been the result of the fusion of ideas brought by migrants and those of the indigenous people.

These deities were defined in the Vedas along with meticulous descriptions of the ceremonies that were intended to propitiate them.

There is a popular school of thought which disputes the theory of the migrants having brought in ideas and is of the opinion that Hinduism was highly developed much before. It is however nor within the scope of this book to go into this controversy.

It is evident from the Vedas that these deities were to a certain extent visualized as having human or animal forms. But it is not certain whether they were worshipped in the form of images. There remains the possibility important for its effect on the later development of images that some of the lower castes worshipped images in human or animal form and that this practice gradually spread upwards to the higher sections of society. At a much later period the Vedic deities were given human form and reproduced as images.

In response to the forces of development the old Vedic religion underwent several changes. These chiefly concerned the deities that were worshipped and the forms of ritual. Some deities changed their function or gained or lost popularity while the powers of mediation between the deity and the devotee became monopolized by the priests (Brahmins) who alone could perform the necessary rites and rituals. This made this deities remote and some the them acquired awesome aspects. Consequently while many of the old deities were relegated to minor positions in the pantheon others were elevated and new deities were introduced. Parallel with this and as a possible reaction against the strict orthodoxy of the priests the need gradually arose for a more satisfying relationship between the worshipper and the worshipped. This need for devotion (Bhakti) towards a personal god stimulated the desire for images which would make the deity more approachable. Their introduction was a slow uneven process and it is likely that images were made at first only of minor deities in the pantheon. One of the earliest references to images for worship is around the fifth century B.C. of the Yakshas (tree spirits) and Nagas (snake gods).

Epic Deities

Further stimulus to a more personal relationship between gods and men was given by the two great epics of Indian literature the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The stories of these epics are secular in nature but they not only describe the feats of their heroes but refer to the influence that the gods had on their exploits. Thus the stories of the gods were supplemented and expanded as they were woven into the narratives and the heroes themselves got assimilated into Indian popular religion and became deified.

Contents

Introduction
Vedic Deities 10
Epic Deities 11
Puranic Deities 11
Why do Hindu Deities have so many Arms? 12
Worship 13
Gods and Goddesses
Brahma 16
Vishnu 18
Shiva 20
Shiva: Nataraja 22
Female Goddesses 23
The Nava Durgas 24
Shailputri
Brahmacharini
Chandraghanta
Kushmanda
Skandamata
Katyayani
Kalaratri
Mahagauri
Siddhidhatri
The Sapta Matrikas 26
Brahmani
Maheshwari
Kaumari
Vaishnavi
Varahi
Indrani
Chamunda
The Ten Mahavidyas 28
Kali
Tara
Chinnamasta
Bhuvaneshwari
Bagala
Dhumavati
Kamala
Matangi
Sodasi
Bhairavi
Incarnations of Vishnu 31
Matsya
Kurma
Varaha
Narasimha
Vamana
Parashurama
Rama
Krishna
Buddha
Kalki
Agni 41
Balarama 42
Durga 43
Ganesha 45
Ganga 47
Hanuman 49
Indra 50
Kamadeva 51
Kartikeya 52
Kuber 54
Lakshmi 55
Nandi 57
Parvati 58
Saraswati 59
Soma 61
Surya 62
Varuna 63
Vayu 64
Vishwakarma 65
Yama 66
The Weekly Deities 68
Ravi
Som
Mangal
Budh
Brihaspat
Shukra
Shani
Miscellany
Aum/Om74
Ahimsa74
Ashrama74
Atman 75
Bhagavad Gita75
Bhakti 76
The Caste System77
Chakra78
Color in Hinduism 79
The Holy Cow81
Dharma81
The Four Stages of Life82
Funeral Rites 83
Guru 84
The Hindu Marriage 85
Incarnation (Avatara) 86
Karma 87
Lotus Flower 87
Mahabharata 88
Mandala89
Mantra 89
Moksha 90
Namaskar 90
Nirvana 90
Ramayana 91
Rudraksha Beads 92
Sacred Mountains93
Sacred Places 94
Sacred Rivers 96
Sacred Trees and Plants 96
Sadhus 98
Salagrama Stone 99
Sects and Sectarian Marks 100
Shiva-Linga 102
Shraadh103
Status of women in Hindu Society 103
Swastika104
Tantra 105
Tantra and Erotic Sculpture106
Structure of a Hindu Temple 106
Tilak 107
Transcendental Meditation 108
Vedas108
Yantra 109
Yoga 109
Fairs and Festivals
Maha Kumbha Mela (Fair)112
Vasanta Panchami113
Shiva Ratri113
Holi 113
Mahavira Jayanti 114
Vaisakhi114
Buddha Jayanti114
Naga panchami 114
Raksha Bandhan114
Ganesha Chaturthi 115
Dussehra 115
Diwali 115
Ramanavami115
Gurpurab 115
Shraadh 116
Some Important Regional Festivals
Kashmir (Ladakh) 116
Punjab/Haryana 116
Uttar Pradesh 116
Orissa 117
Rajasthan 117
Andhra Pradesh/ Tamil Nadu 118
Karnataka 119
Kerala 119
Ancient Sciences and Arts
The Sciences 122
Medical Science 122
Ayurveda 123
Surgery
Atreya and His Academy of Medicine
Mathematical Sciences 126
Algebra
Geometry
Other Sciences 128
Astronomy
Physics and Chemistry
Architecture
Science of Warfare
The Arts
Music 133
Some Common Indian Musical Instruments 135
Shankh (Conch-shell)
Chimta (Iron Fork)
Dholak (Drum)
Bansuri (Flute)
Ghungroo (Ankle bells)
Harmonium
Pungi/Been
Sarangi
Sarod
Shehnai
Sitar
Tabla
Tanpura
Veena
Classical Dances 139
Bharatnatyam 140
Kathakali 140
Kathak 141
Manipuri 141
Painting 142
Sculpture 143
Appendix
Puranic Deities & Vedic Deities 147
Mother Goddess 148
Some Sacred Cities of India 149
Some sacred Rivers and Mountains of India 150
Glossary 151
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