Customer Reviews

Sources of Indian Tradition, Vol. 1: From the Beginning to 1800 (Introduction to Oriental Civilizations)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

India has one of the richest and most intricate cultures in the world. Imagine a book that compiled all the ancient sources of this culture into a single volume. This book is as close to that ideal as possible. This volume covers India from pre-historic times until the mid 18th century. It includes selections from the Vedas and the Upanishads, foundational Hindu texts; selections from important Jain texts; and selections from early Theravadan and Mahayanan Buddhist texts. It them embarks on an elaborate discussion of Hinduism, organized on the four goals of life -- *dharma*, *artha*, *kama*, and *moksha* (the section on *moksha* contains selections from the *Bhagavad Gita*, other scriptures, and the writings of mystics & saints). The last section of the anthology is a detailed treatment of the Muslims period in India, from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Overall, this is an invaluable sourcebook for anyone who wants to know more about the history of India.

This book is an essential part of one's study of India and her history (to the end of the Mughal dynasty). In fact, it might very well be the most often used "textbook" in college courses on the subject. Countless students of Indic civilization, including myself, have cut their teeth on it and there is good reason. Professor Embree, the father of South Asian Studies in the USA, and an array of other notable scholars have written introductions to, and translated excerpts from, some of the most important texts in Indic religious, political and social history. That said, however, the emphasis is on religious developments - with major chapters on Vedic, Upanishadic, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, Hindu devotional and Islamic traditions (among other topics). In sum, this is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in India. A must have - period!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It is such an excellent source of information, especially since South Asian history always seemed so obscure to me in the past even though I'm Bangladehsi myself and have always been keen to learn about the history of my region.