Hinduism (The Anthropology of a Civilization)

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About the Book:

It is a truism that Hinduism is a 'way of life' rather than a religion; that it is free of dogma and infinitely accommodating. Biardeau brings to light the many constituents of this 'way of life', using evidence from archaeological monuments and literary texts. She presents the underlying unity beneath the bewildering diversity of this living tradition whose history can be traced back three millennia.

In this engaging account of a much-studied society and culture, Biardeau takes the reader through an interpretation of the epics, traditional customs and social norms. Guarding against ethnocentrism, her narrative digresses to point to parallels with the Western world.

This book will be of interest to those seeking an understanding of India's culture.

About the Author:

Madeleine Biardeau is Professor of Indian Religious at Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Section des Sciences Religieuses, Paris.

Introduction

CHAPTER 1: MAN AND THE ABSOLUTE

The Absolute and the Brahmans
Two Paths to salvation
The hermit Brahman
Hindu man

CHAPTER 2: THE FOUR GOALS OF MAN

The levels of
Love: women's duty
The craft of kingship
Portrait of the ideal Brahman
Two types of men
Renuciation and human love

CHAPTER 3: SALVATION THROUGH DEEDS: THE YOGIN WARRIOR

An Anthropology of desire
• The eternity of speech and the power of vision
  Instantaneity
  From renunciation to
The universe of bhakti
• God as yogin and creator
  • First Cosmology
    and
    Second Cosmology
  Cyclic time
  Salvation
  The end of the world and individual salvation
Desireless activity

CHAPTER 4: DIVINE LOVES

Privileged experiences
The goddess
The divine game
Tantrism
Tantrism and bhakti

CHAPTER 5: HINDUISM AND THE FUTURE
Notes
Glossary