Article sent from The Hindu

[Guest guest]

This is an overview of Hinduism both ancient and modern.

 

=============================================================

This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( rchandran )

=============================================================

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

 

 

`Universal way of life'

 

 

 

 

 

A STUDY OF HINDUISM: Dharm Dee Singh; Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 576,

Masjid Road, Jungpura, New Delhi-110014. Rs. 425.

 

THE AUTHOR of the book under review is by profession a geneticist. He has served

as Director and Professor of Genetics in the U.S. as well as in India. His

academic record is most impressive. He has published scientific papers in his

chosen field of genetics. In addition, he has published a book on the basics of

Hinduism.

 

The present book is an attempt at a far fuller, wider-ranging, more

comprehensive account of the world's oldest religion. He brings to his

self-chosen task in this book, knowledge of the fundamental scriptures, the

basic texts and the attempts by great sages and teachers of olden times to

present the "dharma", the essential "dharma" set out in these scriptures. Among

these scriptures, the Vedas, the smritis, the Ramayana of Valmiki, the

Mahabharata and the Bhagavatam of Vyasa, Manu Smriti, the Bhagavad Gita and the

Upanishads have been covered. One could hardly ask for a wider range of study

and reference than these texts indicate. These texts are sufficiently

comprehensive, though works like Sankara's Bhashya on the Brahmasutra, Sri

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's Gospel, Sri Ramana's Gospel of Self-Enquiry, Sri

Aurobindo's Life Divine do not figure in any significant way in the citations,

Dr. Singh makes from the basic scriptural teachings of Hinduism. We do not

regard this as a!

defect or weakness of the book. The essence of Hinduism has been caught by the

author and besides, he brings to the exposition of this substance of Hinduism a

critical, modern mind which does a vivid "vivechana" of that which matters and

that which does not matter at all.

 

The book is in three parts, which are not watertight compartments, excluding

matter covered in other parts. The first part covers Religion and Dharma, Hindu

scriptures, the Bhagavad Gita, Karma, Reincarnation, Life and death, Men and

God. The purpose of religion is correctly stated to be to make one a good human

being, a good citizen and a happy and contented person. The business of religion

is to help in the art of living righteously through right action. This is

admirably set out. The way religion is practised today by various religious

groups is a violent deviation from the purposes and function of religion. Dr.

Singh's approach makes nonsense of religious exclusiveness, fanaticism and

religious intolerance. Hinduism, as Dr. Singh sets out, is as the Kanchi

Paramacharya put, "a universal way of life," a way of life which embraces all

humanity and excludes no living creature whatsoever.

 

Dr. Singh's approach to his task is difficult which he has discharged very

adequately indeed. The other two parts of the book deal with and quite

adequately, topics like the Soul and ego, Idol worship and Murti puja, Nama

Japa, the Pranava Mantra Om, the Gayatri Mantra, which is a heartfelt prayer for

illumination.

 

A chapter entitled "Hinduism and Christianity" deals with the intellectual

contacts between the West and the East, between Plato, Philo, Plotinus and the

sages of ancient India. One has to infer from the striking similarities of their

thought that there must have been some kind of contact though we cannot map out

the manner of such contact. One feels bound to point out that the excellent

material, as the book unquestionably contains, is marred here and there by words

spelt in rather unorthodox fashion like "happyness", "pramahamsa" which are

possibly the work of the notorious printer's devil. The quotations from the

Yakshaprasna, the Gita, Tirukkural etc., add richly to the value of the book. We

strongly recommend the book to all readers interested in knowing how a

scientific mind presents spiritual truths with devotion to accuracy and human

needs.

 

 

 

 

S.R.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyrights: 1995 - 2001 The Hindu

 

Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly

prohibited without the consent of The Hindu