A Primer Of Hinduism

I HINDUISM, BRAHMANISM OR VEDANTA-WHICH?

An exposition of Hinduism, either in its primary or detailed form, is far more difficult than that of other great world religions. Being the oldest of all religions, and being also the end product of a long process of interaction of various cultures, creeds and cults in the crucible of time, it has gained a complexity, a width and a depth, which other religions do not have. A religion devoid of a founder, or a date of origin, or any definite creed; noted for a plethora of scriptures, deities and rituals; practicing an attitude of tolerance for all kinds of cults based on bewildering mythologies; possessing no authorized church or priesthood to interpret or enforce its practices and teachings-Hinduism presents a chaotic appearance, which makes the task of an interpreter very formidable. It is true of all religions that it is only one born and brought up in it who can get an insight into its structure and tenets. In the case of Hinduism this is all the more so. A religion is a simple lived experience for a participant, but for an exponent it becomes a conceptualized something, analyzable into parts and present able for an objective study. With all the imperfections of this approach, that is the only way in which a religion can be studied and interpreted.

We shall not in this Introduction attempt to expound the principal teachings of Hinduism, as it has been ably done by the author of this Primer.

**Contents and Sample Pages**

**Contents and Sample Pages**