Hinduism Redefined

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This book seeks to redefine Hinduism in modern perspective. Tracing the historical background of the religion, starting from the Indus Valley Civilization through Vedic and Brahmanic periods to the wise of Hinduism, both classical and modern, it explains in detail how the Hindu beliefs have been emanated.

The book unfolds the best in Hinduism, along with its certain inadequacies. It also contains opinions of a large number of people focusing on what a Hindu is expected to do today. How new customs and traditions have cropped up into the system, and why people have apathy to visiting temples and performing religious rituals have been elaborated as well.

A.P. Sharma, born at Dholpur, Rajasthan on 25th Dec., 1932, graduated from Agra College Agra in 1954 joined Maharaja's College at Jaipur and obtained post- graduate degree in English literature. He also obtained post-graduate degrees in Education and Philosophy in 1966 and 1969 respectively, as also Ph.D. in Educaton and Philosophy from the Rajasthan University. After serving the Department of Education in Rajasthan University for almost 15 years, he proceeded to Nigeria to join Sokoto University as a Senior Lecturer and became Associate Reader at the University before he left for India around 1985. The same year, he was appointed Principal of RMV College of Education at Udaipur. After a couple of years, he shifted to IASE Vidyabhawan, Udaipur and joined there as a Professor of Educational Philosophy. Later on, he also visited Willamette University at Salem, Oregon, USA. So far he has written 22 books and 65 articles. He has guided seven Ph.D. scholars successfully.

It is really difficult to trace the time when the dawning of Hinduism started. The Western and the Indian scholars differ in this respect. The more we read about it, the more complicated the issue becomes as the exact dates of the beginning and growth of the religion are not known. Still it is considered by a number of scholars that the religion started sometime during two to three thousand years before Christ. In view of that, it has been my sincere efforts to trace the history of Hinduism from as close an angle as possible. My basic concentration has been on the issues, precepts and the beliefs that finally culminated into a religion known as Hinduism.

The first chapter is, therefore, totally devoted to the historical background of the religion starting from the Indus Valley Civilization through Vedic and Brahmanic periods to the rise of Hinduism, both classical and modern. All this has been done through extensive research and after collecting the material very carefully. In fact, most people know only vaguely about the beginning of the religion. There are many books, which deal with different kinds of gods, goddesses and religious practices in Hinduism. But there is hardly any authentic book, which unfolds how the human beliefs developed from the ancient to the modern times and formed into one religion. Thus, the first chapter deals with all that and marks distinctly that Hinduism, though mostly understood as a way of life, has a history of its own and can be conceived as one of the greatest religions of the world.

The second chapter deals with how Hindu beliefs have been emanated. Starting with inadequate interpretations of Hinduism by some Western and even eastern scholars, I have developed the chapter enumerating the process of inception of the beliefs. It is the most interesting part of the book, as a great number of people, who claim to belong to the religion, still don't know how actually the Hindu beliefs started. The chapter deals with when and how the beliefs got matured. It also deals with how Hinduism as a liberal religion project varied ways of liberation. In this respect, it is one of the unparalleled religion of the world.

The third chapter unfolds the best in the religion. Although its certain inadequacies have also been projected, it contains extensively the best in the religion. Everything that is peerless in religion, that include liberalism, variety not stagnation, implicit kindness, Hinduism as a accommodating religion etc. have been discussed. What are good reasons for visiting the four dhams, stress on moral conduct, duty for duty's sake, multiple ways of liberation, and rich philosophical background and literature have also been highlighted in it quite extensively and intimately.

The fourth chapter is partially an outcome of research and includes opinions of couple of hundreds of people in India and abroad. It focuses on what a Hindu is expected to do today. It contains how new customs and traditions have cropped up into the system, why people have apathy to visiting temples, corruption at holy places, lack of availability of the experts in religion, and what is really expected of a Hindu in a situation of current turmoil, etc. What is the way to solve these problems and save the religion from getting polluted from the rapid changes that are taking place on account of the new practices adopted by the people? These are some of the issues that have been highlighted in it. Besides, it also contains what a Hindu is required to do? And what he must do to remain aliened with the religion to help perpetuating it smoothly?' The definition of Hinduism is redefined precisely to enable each Hindu- minded person to keep in view what Hinduism is in reality.

**Contents and Sample Pages**