Book Review: THE HINDU WORLD

[Guest guest]

THE HINDU WORLD: Sushil Mittal, Gene Thursby — Editors; Pub. by

Routledge, New York & London, Distributed by Foundation Books,

Cambridge House, 4381/4, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002.

Rs. 1350.

 

Written by leading international scholars this book provides a

comprehensive and critical guide to the various literatures,

traditions and practices of Hinduism

 

This unique literary work invites the readers to consider the issues

relating to various aspects of the terms "Hindu" and Hinduism".

There are 24 articles classified under seven parts. Describing the

etymology of the terms the first three parts deal with oral teaching

and textual tradition of Hinduism. Part IV explains the metaphysical

aspect of the cosmic order and the next with the action and

structure of human goal. Part VI analyses the importance of the

Dharmic vitality and spiritual energy of people and sacred places.

The last part explains the significance of the language and

philosophy of Time in Hinduism.

 

In the first chapter the Hindu element in Hinduism is derived from

the name of the river Sindhu. Using the syllable "Ind" for their

land and people, the Greeks named Indians as Indikoi, Arab Muslims

called the land as "al Hind" and the British introduced the

terms "India" and "Hindu". The Hindu tradition originating with the

Vedas, passing through the Brahmanas, Upanishads, epics and the

Puranas absorbed within itself the features of the doctrines of

Dharma and Karma from different religions under one umbrella

called "Hinduism".

 

The next chapter describes the oral teachings of the four Vedas,

which formulated two important formulae called Brahmanas and Sutras

in order to interpret their oral tradition of Mantras for the Yajna.

Some part of the philosophy of the Brahmanas' ritual eventually

called the Upanishad explained the linkage between the true nature

of the Brahman and Atman.

 

Chapter III analyses the Mahabharata characters from a different

angle. The Pandava brothers were semi divine Kshatriya agents with

whose alliance the divine agency could establish Dharmic rulers on

the Earth. The Kauravas were the reincarnations of the defeated

demons of the past Yugas. The Supreme God, Visnu Narayana and Indra

planned with other gods and campaigned on the Earth in the form of

Krishna and the Pandavas.

 

Chapter IV introduces the Ramayana as an immortal work of Sage

Valmiki and it has unbelievable influence on the arts, cultures,

societies and religions of the region from the early times down to

the present time. While giving the number of Puranas as 36, chapter

five emphatically says that the Veda and the Purana are two

inseparable components of the language. While the Veda is important

for its sound, the Purana is important for its meaning.

 

SAIVISM

>From chapter VI one gets the message that Saivism is a cosmological

religion in which the tradition is constructed by Lord Siva himself

in the form of a Guru (Dakshinamurti) and initiated his power

(Sakti) in the form of mantras. The early Saivism which began during

the Gupta period along with Puranic Smarta worship followed

Varnashramadharma. On the other hand, emerging from the non-vedic

revelation of the Tantras, non-Puranic Saivism divided into two

groups — Atimarga and Mantramarga. Again the Mantramarga divided

into two branches — Saiva Siddhanta and non-Saiddhantika Saivism.

Saiva Siddhanta system originated in Kashmir and gradually fused

with devotional Saiva Siddhanta system in the 11th Century A.D. in

Tamil Nadu where it exists even today. It worshipped the form of

Sadasiva without a consort. The rituals were very much like that of

Smarta Brahmins followed in the Dakshinamarga.

 

On the other hand the non-Siddhantic group followed the teachings of

Bhairava and the Tantric traditions of the Vamamarga. It was called

Kapalika Saivism or Saivism of the left. This had again three

distinct traditions Kaula, Krama and Trika which form part of the

Kula ensemble. The Krama tradition in contrast to the Saiva

Siddhanta, which developed in Kashmir in the 10th and 13th Centuries

A.D. worshipped Goddess Kali without a male consort and surrounded

by 12 identical forms. It denied the Vedic distinction between

purity and impurity in rituals.

 

The Trika popularly known as Kashmir Saivism was absorbed into the

householder life in Kashmir. It was the influencing force of both

Saivism and Goddess tradition of the Srividya upasana in the South.

In the 11th century A.D. this fused with the devotionalism of Tamil

Saiva Nayanmars and the Tantric traditions of the Saiva Siddhanta of

Daksinamarga. The same occurred with the Lingayats in Karnataka and

the Namboodris in Kerala. Even today traditions are very much in

tune with Vedic worship but in practice follow the Tantric ritual of

Dakshinamarga.

 

SAKTISM

 

Chapter VII explains that Saktism is a kind of continuously

developing tradition but not a systematic and philosophical system,

and not totally independent of Saivism and Tantrism. In this the

female deity is Parasakti, the primordial power identified as the

Supreme Being. Sadhaka can worship this power either in its Saumya

svarupa (Sri, Lalita Paramesvari, Lakshmi) or Raudra svarupa (Candi,

Kali, Durga).

 

While Saumya svarupa is associated with Kashmir Saivism and Srikula

followed in Srividya upasana in South, Raudra form with esoteric

Tantric practices is followed in Assam, Bengal, Orissa and North

India. The beauty of feminine power lies in the fact that when it is

in union with Siva or Vishnu, it functions as their power of action

and movement. But when the same feminine power is identified as

Goddess Mahadevi in the Sakta tradition she becomes independent and

bestows Bhukti and Mukti. Having a minor position in the Vedas and

attaining a full fledged position in the epics the Goddess became

very powerful in the Puranas.

 

Her worshippers are called Saktas. In the 7th Century A.D. Srividya

upasana emerged in which Lalita Paramesvari was worshipped in three

manifestations; Sthula (icons); Suksma (Srividya mantra) and Para

form (yantra or Srichakra form). These traditions are still in

practice in India. There are Saktipithas in India, which represent

her dynamic force. Saktism and Tantrism are inter-related.

 

VAISNAVISM

 

Chapter VIII talks about Vaishnavism in great detail in which the

deity is Vishnu. It has two traditions — Srivaishnavism of Tamil

Nadu and Gaudiya Vaishnavism of Bengal. While explaining

Srivaishnavism it describes the devotion of the Alwars, and the

theology propagated by Ramanuja, which is called Visishtadvaita.

 

The next chapter explores the form of Bhakti which had originated in

the Vedas, developed in the epics, Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavata Purana

and the Devi Mahatmya. Saiva Siddhantins, Alvars and saints did help

to understand the Saguna and the Nirguna forms of Brahman.

 

The following chapters talk about the four goals of human life

called Purusharthas — Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksa. The doctrine of

Karma is critically analysed with reference to Vedic perception,

Upanishadic ideology, post-Upanishadic and popular notion in

Hinduism. Chapter 15 describes how the practice of Samskara of an

individual begins from the womb of the mother and ends with death.

The term Jati is explained to denote a race or clan. But in the

modern time, it is mistakenly used for denoting the caste. Similarly

Varna means colour but in the post-Vedic period it is used to denote

the four classes of society.

 

Ashrama denotes a system of four orders of life for four social

classes that is called Varnashramadharma. The remaining chapters

explain that village or grama is a place where different communities

live in their own localities with the temples for their protection;

that for a shrine, sanctum is very important. In India every village

has temples in the name of different deities.

 

The next is the significance of Tirthas which provide access to the

divine presence and to perform religious rituals. The Tirthas are

associated with all religious sects. The role of language in the

human civilisation is emphasised. Starting from the Vedic seers the

history of phonetics and its gradual development is described.

 

The term Darsana denotes a philosophical system consisting of six

branches all based on the Veda. These Darsanas are for both

reflection and practising in one's life. It originated and were

compiled between 2000-400 B.C.

 

The last chapter describes how Time or "Kala" has different

definitions in the schools of Advaita, Samkhya, Vaiseshika,

Yogabhasya and Saiva Siddhanta. The Svetasvara Upanishad says that

the Lord is the architect of Time. Every chapter has its own merit.

It will be a very ideal text for both researchers and scholars.

 

SOURCE: THE HINDU, Chennai: "Hindu traditions and practices," by

Haripriya Rangarajan

URL: http://www.hindu.com/br/2005/06/14/stories/2005061400201700.htm

[Guest guest]

Wow! Or maybe "Ow!" Amazon.com has this book--list price $235 U.S.!

(used, starting at $98)

 

, "devi_bhakta" <devi_bhakta>

wrote:

> THE HINDU WORLD: Sushil Mittal, Gene Thursby — Editors; Pub. by

> Routledge, New York & London, Distributed by Foundation Books,

> Cambridge House, 4381/4, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002.

> Rs. 1350.

>

> Written by leading international scholars this book provides a

> comprehensive and critical guide to the various literatures,

> traditions and practices of Hinduism

>

> [....]

>

> SOURCE: THE HINDU, Chennai: "Hindu traditions and practices," by

> Haripriya Rangarajan

> URL: http://www.hindu.com/br/2005/06/14/stories/2005061400201700.htm

[Guest guest]

Okay, so Amazon is not our ideal source for this one. *lol* The

suggested retail price of Rs. 1350 is about U.S. $31, which is still

hefty, but not nearly as prohibitive as the prices you quote.

 

I'd say your best bet for this book (and frankly, for most any India-

published book) could probably inquire with sellers who specialize

in Indian books, such as:

 

* Vedams Books (https://www.vedamsbooks.com/)

* South Asia Books (http://www.southasiabooks.com/); or in the U.S.,

* India Club (http://www.indiaclub.com/shop/home.asp)

 

These merchants will probably quote you the Indian price (in the

case of the U.S. sellers, with a set percentage mark-up), plus a few

dollars shipping. It's not in any of their online catalogs yet, but

that doesn't mean they don't have it -- it's a brand-new release and

may simply not have been added to their listings yet. Also, they're

all nice about special queries.

 

DB

 

, "msbauju" <msbauju>

wrote:

>

> Wow! Or maybe "Ow!" Amazon.com has this book--list price $235

U.S.!

> (used, starting at $98)

>

> , "devi_bhakta"

<devi_bhakta>

> wrote:

> > THE HINDU WORLD: Sushil Mittal, Gene Thursby — Editors; Pub. by

> > Routledge, New York & London, Distributed by Foundation Books,

> > Cambridge House, 4381/4, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-

110002.

> > Rs. 1350.

> >

> > Written by leading international scholars this book provides a

> > comprehensive and critical guide to the various literatures,

> > traditions and practices of Hinduism

> >

> > [....]

> >

> > SOURCE: THE HINDU, Chennai: "Hindu traditions and practices," by

> > Haripriya Rangarajan

> > URL:

http://www.hindu.com/br/2005/06/14/stories/2005061400201700.htm