Sacred Hindu Symbols
Book Specification
| Item Code: | NAB016 |
| Author: | Gautam Chatterjee |
| Publisher: | ABHINAV PUBLICATION |
| Language: | English |
| Edition: | 2001 |
| ISBN: | 8170173973 |
| Pages: | 118 (Col. illus.:43) |
| Cover: | Hardcover |
| Other Details | 8.9" x 5.9" |
| Weight | 400 gm |
Book Description
From the Jacket: Hinduism is not merely a religion but a way of life. Hinduism, in its traverse of four thousand years, has accumulated many a belief and practice which encompass the whole socio-religio cultural life of a devout. Since the mythological past, Hinduism is studded with varied signs and symptoms which are mystic in character and symbolic in nature, and are also sacred symbols of spiritualism as well. These symbols are the sacred rivers; mystic mantras like 'OM' and Gayatri; the auspicious symbol of Swastika; the shivalinga, salagram shila or sacred stone objects; Tripundra Tilaks or Urdhapundra tilaks - the process of besmearing the body with different marks of sandal pastes; the sacred conch or Sankha and venerated trees which have medicinal value and spiritual ethos like Tulsi, Vata, Rudraksha, etc. All these are part of modern Hinduism but to many devouts and observers these symbols stand enigmatic! Thus this book attempts to explore and unearth the hidden philosophy of these signs and gauge the socio scientific base and tries to find out the real meaning of ritualistic methodologies of these symbols which are the great objects of veneration of the Hindus down the ages.
About the Author:
Gautam Chatterjee ( b.1958) is a New Delhi based research scholar and holds a Ph.D. Degree in History. He has been contributing to various newspapers, journals and periodicals of national repute for long. Topical writings as well as historical writes-up based on archival records are his forte. He has co authored a book Congress Secret Broadcast and storming Railway Tracks during quit India Movement. This book is considered today as a landmark book on Indian Freedom Struggle. Furthermore, he has contributed in 'Cultural Development of India' ( collection of Essays in Honour of Famous Historian Prof. J.N.Sarkar). Moreover, for over a decade he has done extensive research on Hindu Symbolism and got published many articles on this subject in the famous 'The India Magazine.'
Contents
| Preface | 7 | |
| List of Photographs | 11 | |
| 1 | Signs and Symptoms of Hinduism | 13 |
| 2 | Sacred Hindu Scriptures: An Overview | 15 |
| 3 | The Hindu Pantheism | 19 |
| 4 | Sacred Animal Symbols | 27 |
| 5 | The Mysticism of Mantra | 30 |
| 6 | The Mystic Mantra 'OM' | 33 |
| 7 | The Sacred 'Gayatri' Mantra | 36 |
| 8 | The Sacred Swastika | 38 |
| 9 | Symbol of Temple Worship | 41 |
| 10 | The Symbolic Water and Sacred Rivers | 44 |
| 11 | Namaskar or Pranam: The Sacred Posture of Hindu Salutation | 47 |
| 12 | The Sacred Sikha | 49 |
| 13 | The Sivalinga | 50 |
| 14 | Tripundra: The Shaivite Tilaks | 58 |
| 15 | Salagram Shila | 63 |
| 16 | Urdhapundra: The Vaishnavite Tilaks | 70 |
| 17 | Sankha - The Sacred Conch | 77 |
| 18 | The Symbolism of Sacred Trees | 81 |
| 19 | Rudraksha: The Tears of Shiva | 84 |
| 20 | The Sacred Tulsi | 93 |
| 21 | The Sacred Bilva Tree | 98 |
| 22 | The Sacred Vata Vriksha | 100 |
| 23 | The Sacred Peepal Tree | 102 |
| 24 | The Sacred Kadali Tree | 104 |
| 25 | Mango Tree | 106 |
| 26 | Betel Leaf or Pan | 107 |
| 27 | Durba Grass | 109 |
| 28 | Soma Plant | 110 |
| 29 | Sacred Karpura | 111 |
| 30 | Sacred Flowers | 112 |
| Select Bibliography | 113 | |
| Index | 116 |
Of Related Interest:
Om: An Inquiry into its Aesthetics, Mysticism, and Philosophy (Article)
Namaste: The Significance of a Yogic Greeting (Article)
Symbols of Art, Religion and Philosophy (Hardcover Book)
The Golden Germ: An Introduction to Indian Symbolism (Hardcover Book)
Principal Symbols of World Religions (Paperback Book)
Brahama's Hair The Mythology of Indian Plants (Paperback Book)
