In India, the birthplace of some of the world's major faiths and home to many more. religion is a way of life, existing as mich in temples, mosques, churches and wayside shrines as it does in social laws, cultural practices and the political arena.
The Religions of India contains, in a single volume, a comprehensive account of every major falth practised in the country today-Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism. Jalnism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Bahal faith. This meticulously researched work traverses a vast range of topics-from Somnatha Temple and Babri Masjid to Tirthankaras and the Akali Movement: from the Shariat and the Eucharist to Shabuoth and nirvana It places each religion in its historical context, tracing its evolution from its inception to the present.
Religion is an integral part of life in India, where nine major religions, along with several other beliefs, coexist with the highest and most complex philosophies.
This book is the result of years of reading and study, accompanied by inner reflection and thought. It reflects the ideas of the greatest thinkers and spiritual leaders of India, who saw that all religions are different aspects of One Truth, and that a truly religious person can never be divisive. From the sages of the Upanishads, to the Bhakti saints, the Sufi mystics, and the spiritual gurus of more recent times, they all emphasize the Oneness of life and the sense of universal love that underlies every spiritual experience. The quotes given below are a few examples of thousands of similar sayings:
'God has no country, dress, form, limit or hue. God is omnipresent, his universal love is everywhere.' (Guru Gobind Singh, Jap Sahib)
'In every age and dispensation all Divine Ordinances are changed and transformed according to the requirements of time, except the law of love. (Bahaullah)
'I have come to light the lamp of Love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added lustre. I have not come on behalf of any religion." (Sathya Sai Baba, 4 July 1968)
Recognizing that all religions, spirituality and philosophy represent One Truth, each religion, sect and group has equal importance in this book. However, there is no one religion that is the sole representative of Truth, or has all the answers.
"Truth cannot be shut up in a single book, Bible or Veda or Quran, or in a single religion. The Divine Being is eternal and universal and infinite,' says Sri Aurobindo, and adds, 'All religions have some truth in them, but none has the whole truth; all are created in time and finally decline and perish. (The Integral Yoga: Selected Letters, p. 352) This can clearly be seen in India, where so many religious beliefs coalesce, and where religions change over time, and are re-created, emerging in different forms.
There are several different approaches to religion, including the sociological approach, the Marxist approach, the psychoanalytical approach, as well as the anthropological, historical and phenomenological approaches.
In a descriptive book of this kind, it is not possible to use any one approach, or to go into extensive analyses. In general, this book explains religion in a historical and social context, and looks at the ways in which religion is practised. It incorporates philosophy, ethics, deities, rituals, beliefs, myths and legends. It examines the expression of religion in material form, as images, and in temples, mosques and other religious monuments.
It emphasizes the spiritual essence behind all forms.
The sources for the study of religion are immense. They include artefacts and material remains, discovered through archaeological explorations and excavations; texts of all kinds, beginning with the Rig Veda; coins, seals and inscriptions; sculptures, images, and various extant structures.
The religions Each of these religions is equally vast but in this book the nine religions and other miscellaneous beliefs dealt with are approximately proportionate to the number of their followers, and their significance and antiquity within India. For worldwide religions such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism, apart from some basic principles, the emphasis is on the specific nature of the religion within India. For Buddhism, which originated in India but then spread to other parts of the world, the focus is on its origin, growth and decline within India, and its re-introduction in the last two centuries.
Hinduism is the most widely prevalent religion, practised in most parts of India. It has a wide variety of beliefs and practices, with some common underlying concepts. In India, even adherents of other religions. accept some of its basic principles such as karma and reincarnation. Included within the broad framework of Hinduism are the six ancient philosophies of Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, Yoga, Samkhya and Vedanta. Jainism has ancient origins, but emerged in its present form in the sixth century sce. With its emphasis on non-violence and asceticism, and its unique method of philosophical analysis, it has an important role in India.
Vedas (1182)
Upanishads (493)
Puranas (624)
Ramayana (741)
Mahabharata (354)
Dharmasastras (165)
Goddess (496)
Bhakti (242)
Saints (1503)
Gods (1290)
Shiva (370)
Journal (187)
Fiction (60)
Vedanta (362)
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