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Tables of Contents for Hinduism
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Preface
ix
 
Note on pronunciation of Indian words and names
x
 
Maps
xi
 
Introduction
1
6
Part I: THE VEDIC TRADITION
Origins of Hinduism
7
8
Sources of Hinduism
7
4
India -- the Holy Land of Hinduism
11
1
Is there a religion called Hinduism?
12
3
The Scripture of Hinduism: The Veda
15
12
Sruti -- the Veda as revelation
16
3
Smrti -- sacred tradition
19
2
Other authoritative literature
21
2
Pramana -- interpretation of sacred texts
23
2
The power of the revealed word
25
2
The Vedic Ordering of Life
27
9
A day in the life of a Hindu
27
3
The four stages of life
30
3
The four varnas: castes and sub-castes
33
3
Vedic Ritual
36
11
The vedic sacrifice
36
2
The Hindu sacraments
38
2
The meaning of Karma
40
2
Revival of vedic ritual
42
5
Part II: THE HINDU RELIGIONS
The Heart of Hinduism
47
10
The Puranas: the Bibles of Hinduism
47
3
The Mahabharata: the great epic of India
50
2
The Ramayana: the Hindus' favourite book
52
2
The Bhagavadgita
54
3
Lord Visnu and His Devotees
57
10
Lord Visnu
57
3
Visnu avataras
60
2
Image worship and its rationale
62
2
Vaisnava theology
64
1
Vaisnava Sampradayas
65
2
Siva Means Grace
67
10
The sources of later Saivism
67
3
Saiva schools of thought
70
3
Saiva asceticism
73
1
Siva in art
74
3
The Goddess and Her Worshippers
77
10
Goddess myths and celebrations
78
2
Tantras and yantras
80
2
The renewal of Goddess worship
82
1
The making of new Goddesses
83
4
Part III: THE HINDU PHILOSOPHICAL QUEST
The Wisdom of the Upanisads
87
9
The four stages of knowledge
87
2
The self and the all: atman and brahman
89
3
Liberation from rebirth: moksa
92
2
The Great Sayings
94
2
The Philosophy of Yoga
96
9
The Samkhya System
96
2
The Yogasutras of Patanjali
98
1
The eightfold practice of Yoga
99
2
Reaching Kaivalya
101
4
Sankara and His Advaita Vedanta
105
8
The life and achievement of Sankara
106
2
Advaita Vedanta as philosophy
108
2
Advaita Vedanta as religion
110
3
Vaisnava Theistic Vedanta
113
15
The Acaryas of Srirangam
113
4
Visistadvaita: the teachings of Ramanuja
117
1
Anti-Advaita polemics
118
1
Madhva's Dvaita Vedanta
119
1
Vallabha's Pustimarga
120
1
A trend towards devotionalism
121
7
Part IV: HINDUISM ENCOUNTERS OTHER RELIGIONS
Hinduism Welcomes Modern Western Ideas
128
11
The first stirrings of Hindu reform: Ram Mohan Roy (1772--1833) and the Brahmo Samaj
128
3
An unwilling patron saint of a Hindu missionary movement: Ramakrishna (1834--1886)
131
1
The first modern Hindu Monk: Vivekananda (1863--1903)
132
2
A Hindu political saint: Mahatma Gandhi
134
5
Hinduism Rejects the Modern West
139
10
Dayananda Saraswati's Arya-Samaj
139
4
The first Hindu political party
143
2
Militant Hinduism: the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
145
1
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad
146
3
New Faces of Hinduism
149
14
Ramana Maharshi (1879--1950)
149
2
Aurobindo Ghose (1872--1950)
151
2
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888--1975)
153
1
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1896--1977)
154
2
Sri Krishnaprem Vairagi (1898--1965)
156
2
Babas and Mas
158
1
Sathya Sai Baba (1926-- )
158
1
Anandamayi Ma (1896--1983)
159
2
Ma Jnanananda (1931-- )
161
2
Hinduism and the Challenges of Today
163
8
Index
171