The Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of the World's Oldest Religion [Paperback]

Swami Bhaskarananda (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2002

This book gives clearly written explanations of the basic ideas and practices of Hinduism and its culture. It answers so many questions—Do the Hindus worship many gods? Are the Hindus idol worshippers? What is the purpose of life? What are Hinduism's spiritual practices?—and so on, covering the most mundane to the most profound ideas and questions of Hinduism.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Swami Bhaskarananda, a monk of the Ramakrishna order, here offers a brief catechism aimed at Westerners unacquainted with Hindu religious traditions. Perforce covering those traditions in broad terms without going into doctrinal complexities, his book has a straightforward style that should appeal to casual readers and students at a basic level but will not interest advanced students and scholars. Bhaskarananda, who has founded and led several Vedanta societies, has also been involved in interfaith relations. His tone is frequently apologetic, and he corrects American stereotypes about India and Hindus. In general, he points out, Hinduism emphasizes family and personal devotion over communal celebration and values variety in viewpoint and observance. While this book is not broad enough to be a reference work and is somewhat biased toward the Vedanta philosophical school of thought, it could fill a gap in collections on Hindu philosophy and practice, especially in those collections dominated by the works of individual gurus. Recommended for public libraries. James F. DeRoche, Alexandria,
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

...fills a great need of Hinduism worldwide...perfect for Hindus who need to know more about their own religion -- Hinduism Today

...mine of interpretative material on the essentials of Hinduism presented in concise and ready form consonant with modern aptitudes. -- The Vedanta Kesari

...remarkable for its directness and lucidity, fresh and devoid of cliches to an extent that is truly rare nowadays. -- Walter H. Maurer, Ph.D.,Professor of Sanskrit, University of Hawai'i, at Manoa

...valuable...introduction into the richly diverse traditions of one of the world's oldest religions, and... a succinct reference tool. -- "India West"

..well-written... compact, yet covering every aspect of Hinduism....combining an easy style with deep philosophical insights -- "Vedanta"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 247 pages
• Publisher: Viveka Press; 2nd edition (January 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1884852041
• ISBN-13: 978-1884852046
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #48 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Ethics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Both scholarly and readable, April 3, 2002

By 

Andrew Oliver (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of the World's Oldest Religion (Paperback)

This book was exactly what I was looking for: something to help me understand the basics of Hinduism without either oversimplifying or overcomplicating things. I had previously thought that Hinduism was difficult to understand, but it turns out that it just needed to be explained properly, something this book does far better than any others I have encountered. Bhaskarananda fills the pages with colorful stories and analogies, and sets up much of the book in a question-and-answer format, making it a delight to read. I found that almost all of the basic questions I had about Hinduism were answered. Questions are given in large, bold headings organized by topic, and are then answered in a concise but clear manner. Since Essentials of Hinduism is organized so well, it is excellent for keeping on the bookshelf as a quick reference. If you only buy one book on Hinduism, this should be it.

42 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A concise introduction to Hinduism, May 20, 2002

By 

Marion Lee (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of the World's Oldest Religion (Paperback)

This is a concise and comprehensive introduction to a complex subject. I have read a few books on Hinduism, and this is by far the most understandable. The author has a gift of making even obtuse concepts appear simple by means of his lucid writing style and apt analogies. Students of Hinduism of all levels should benefit from this reference book.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book on Hinduism, May 11, 2006

By 

Doctor in London (London UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of the World's Oldest Religion (Paperback)

In August of 1997, during my visit to India from England, I was travelling with my [...] daughter from Benaras to Delhi by train. Our first class, air conditioned compartment was completely full. With us there were many lecturers and professors from the Benaras Hindu University. They were discussing different intellectual topics and we were listening to them with interest.

When the topic of Hinduism arose, one lady opened her hand bag and took out a book. She raised the book in her hand and showed it to everybody around and said, "This is the best book on Hinduism that I've ever read, I always carry this book in my hand bag." It was "The Essentials of Hinduism" by Swami Bhaskarananda. That lady said that she was the professor of Anatomy in Benaras Hindu University.

My daughter and I were overjoyed to hear what she had said, because we also had the same opinion about that book. When we first read the book in 1994, my husband said ,"This is the best book to learn about Hinduism," and started recommending the
book to all his friends in England who wanted to know about that religion.