Hinduism

Hinduism is practised by nearly eighty per cent of India's population, and by some seventy million people outside India. In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott offers a succinct and authoritative overview of this major religion, and analyses the challenges facing it in the twenty-first century. She discusses key preoccupations of Hinduism such as the centrality of the Veda as religious texts, the role of Brahmins, gurus, and storytellers in the transmission of divine truths, and the cultural and moral importance of epics such as the Ramayana. In this second edition Knott considers the impact of changes in technology and the flourishing of social media on Hinduism, and looks at the presence of Hinduism in popular culture, considering pieces such as Sita Sings the Blues. She also analyses recent developments in India, and the impact issues such as Hindu nationalism and the politicization of Hinduism have on Hindus worldwide.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Upanisadernas många anonyma författare levde under de sju sista århundradena före vår tideräkning en tid av dramatiska förändringar i norra Indien, då nya läror som buddhismen och jainismen uppstod. Deras verk ger oss en fascinerande inblick i människans sökande efter sanningen, ofta i form av dialoger mellan mästare och lärjungar. Här möter vi för första gången i den indiska idéhistorien begrepp som karma och yoga, föreställningar om återfödelse och om andlig frigörelse genom självinsikt. Denna bok innehåller de tolv äldsta och mest välkända upanishaderna, som nu för första gången föreligger i direktöversättning från sanskrit till svenska. Den texttrogna översättningen grundar sig på den senaste forskningen, men riktar sig till en bred publik. Detta är ett av hinduismens mest kända verk vid sidan om Bhavadgita (utgavs av Norstedts i översättning av Martin Gansten).

The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord," is probably the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Easwaran's clear, accessible translation is the best-selling edition. The Gita opens dramatically, with prince Arjuna collapsing in anguish on the brink of a war that he doesn't want to fight. Arjuna has lost his way on the battlefield of life, and turns to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, the Lord himself. Krishna replies in 700 verses of sublime instruction on living and dying, loving and working, and the nature of the soul. This book includes an extensive and very readable introduction, which places the Gita in its historical setting, explains the key concepts, and brings out the universality of its teachings. Individual chapter introductions prepare the reader for the main themes, and notes, a Sanskrit glossary, and an index are included. Although the battlefield is a perfect backdrop, for Easwaran the Gita's subject is the war within, the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage. Arjuna's dilemma is acutely modern, and the Gita's message remains as relevant for us now as it was for ancient India.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI is at once a beautifully written account of an exceptional life and a profound introduction to the ancient science of Yoga and its time-honoured tradition of meditation. Profoundly inspiring, it is at the same time vastly entertaining, warmly humorous and filled with extraordinary personages.Self-Realization Fellowship's editions, and none others, include extensive material added by the author after the first edition was published, including a final chapter on the closing years of his life.Selected as "One of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century", Autobiography of a Yogi has been translated into more than 50 languages, and is regarded worldwide as a classic of religious literature. Several million copies have been sold, and it continues to appear on best-seller lists after more than sixty consecutive years in print. With engaging candour, eloquence, and wit, Paramahansa Yogananda tells the inspiring chronicle of his life: the experiences of his remarkable childhood, encounters with many saints and sages during his youthful search throughout India for an illumined teacher, ten years of training in the hermitage of a revered yoga master, and the thirty years that he lived and taught in America. Also recorded here are his meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Luther Burbank, the Catholic stigmatist Therese Neumann, and other celebrated spiritual personalities of East and West. The author clearly explains the subtle but definite laws behind both the ordinary events of everyday life and the extraordinary events commonly termed miracles. His absorbing life story becomes the background for a penetrating and unforgettable look at the ultimate mysteries of human existence.

Tantra originated in India many centuries ago but it's uniquely placed to help people use real life as grist to the mill for spiritual transformation. The purpose of the book is to articulate what Tantra can be in our modern times and how it can be applied to all aspects of our everyday life. Traditionally Tantra was a path that brought spirituality out of the caves and monasteries and into the life of householders. It didn't seek to separate sexuality and spirituality and to force people to make a choice but rather to integrate the life of family and relationship with spirituality. This includes sexuality but it's not all about sexuality, and this is a rare book that applies Tantra to every aspect of life.Living Tantra is a body of work that aims to bring the essence and core message of tantra into relevance for our contemporary life and society as a path of spiritual growth and human development. It's based on her legendary workshops which book up via word of mouth and attracts attendees from across Europe and North America, especially Sweden, Austria, USA, Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic. The exercises here come out of these workshops and mean that we can benefit from this work in our own homes.The principles of Living Tantra are to use all life, all experience to learn and become more conscious of ourselves and the world around us, to care more for ourselves, each other and the world and to develop greater compassion. Tantra includes everything. It is ""the weaving together of all that is"".

Among the oldest of India's spiritual texts, the Upanishads are records of intensive question-and-answer sessions given by illumined sages to their students - in ashrams, at family gatherings, in a royal court, and in the kingdom of Death. The sages share flashes of insight, extraordinary visions, the results of their investigation into consciousness itself. The Upanishads have puzzled and inspired wisdom seekers from Yeats to Schopenhauer. In this best-selling translation, Eknath Easwaran makes these challenging texts more accessible by selecting the passages most relevant to readers seeking timeless truths today. This book includes an overview of the cultural and historical setting, with chapter introductions, notes, and a Sanskrit glossary. But it is Easwaran's understanding of the wisdom of the Upanishads that makes this edition truly outstanding. Each sage, each Upanishad, appeals in a different way to the reader's head and heart. For Easwaran, the Upanishads are part of India's precious legacy, not just to Hinduism but to humanity, and in that spirit they are offered here.

Discover the traditional stories and wisdom behind your favourite yoga poses in this stunningly illustrated book of Indian mythology for yogis of all levels.A beautifully written introduction to Indian mythology, join storyteller, scholar and teacher, Dr Raj Balkaran, and explore the unforgettable tales behind 50 key yoga poses, such as: Vīrabhadrāsana II, the original warrior poseTāḍāsana, mountain poseBhujaṅgāsana, cobra poseGaruḍāsana, eagle posePadmāsana, lotus poseVīrāsana, hero poseŚavāsana, corpse pose Meet iconic Gods and Goddesses, from Gaṇeśa, the elephant-headed god of wisdom, to Śiva, Lord of Yogis, and Kali, goddess of mind, body, soul and death. Explore the rivalry between the sages Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra, and their cosmic feud over a wish-fulfilling cow.Plunge into the depths of one of the richest myths in Hinduism: the battle between the demons and the gods who churn the cosmic oceans in search for the elixir of immortality. And learn how Śiva got his blue throat!  Learn, through the mythology of the poses, more about the roots of this ancient practice and how you can use their teachings to better appreciate and respect yoga’s true origins.  Enhance your practice by reading one story before or at the end of class, and incorporating the poses and their teaching into your life, as well as your yoga practice, and transform the way you view and practice this timeless art.

The Upanishads, the earliest of which were composed in Sanskrit between 800 and 400 bce by sages and poets, form part of the Vedas - the sacred and ancient scriptures that are the basis of the Hindu religion. Each Upanishad, or lesson, takes up a theme ranging from the attainment of spiritual bliss to karma and rebirth, and collectively they are meditations on life, death and immortality. The essence of their teachings is that truth can by reached by faith rather than by thought, and that the spirit of God is within each of us - we need not fear death as we carry within us the promise of eternal life.

ÄNTLIGEN NYUTGÅVA PÅ SVENSKA! Bhagavad-Gita, Herrens sång, är en av världens mest älskade böcker. Genom århundraden har Krishnas ord till den förtvivlade Arjuna väglett villrådiga sökare med sin tidlösa visdom. Bhagavad-Gita visar vägen till ljuset, bevittnandet och glädjen. Den inspirerar och stillar sinnet. Den hjälper dig att öppna ditt hjärta. ”När tvivlen jagar mig...och jag inte kan se en enda stråle av hopp vid horisonten...då vänder jag mig till Bhagavad-Gita...och då börjar jag omedelbart att le trots att jag är överväldigad av sorg.” Mahatma Gandhi ”Gitan är...den eviga kärlekens ljus, som förtar fruktan, min största fiende.” Dan Andersson

Almost certainly the most detailed and practical work available dealing with two of the most fundamental concepts of Tantra, namely Kundalini and the Chakras. Section 1 outlines all aspects of the theory of Kundalini and its awakening. Section 2 is an in-depth study of the Chakra system. Section 3 systematically outlines the practices involved for working with the Chakras as well as fully detailing the previously unpublished practices of Kriya Yoga. Section 4 concerns itself with scientific and medical research into the subject. An essential work for students of Yoga and Tantra.

LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER * USA TODAY BESTSELLERA radical understanding of caring through the lens of consciousness, from a renowned neuroscientist, Vedic scholar, and New York Times best-selling authorWho cares?It’s a phrase often said with a shrug—a signal of indifference, fatigue, or even quiet frustration. But it may also be one of the most important questions we can ask.What if it’s the starting point of a better life?In The Power of Caring, renowned Vedic scholar and neuroscientist Dr. Tony Nader explores the nature of caring itself—what shapes it, why it so often leads to overwhelm or withdrawal, and how it can become a source of clarity rather than confusion.Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and decades of experience with Transcendental Meditation, Dr. Nader reveals a deeper perspective: caring is not just a personal act—it reflects a fundamental connection we share with others and with life itself. When understood this way, caring becomes not a burden, but a powerful source of purpose, resilience, and fulfillment.Moving from the personal to the planetary, this book explores essential questions:· What is the true nature of caring, and why should we care at all?· How can we care for both ourselves and others without burning out?· When does caring turn into control, and how do we set wise boundaries?· How does care expand beyond the personal, shaping ethics, culture, and the future?Through engaging reflections, relatable examples, and practical “reset” tools, readers will learn how to:· Care without becoming overwhelmed· Set boundaries without losing compassion· Align their actions with what truly matters· Transform everyday choices into meaningful contributionsWhether you’re feeling stretched thin, searching for purpose, or simply asking yourself what really matters, this book offers a clear and empowering insight:Caring—done consciously—is not just something we give. It’s something that shapes how we live.

Hinduism is practised by eighty per cent of India''s population, and by thirty million people outside India. In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott combines a succinct and authoritative overview of a major religion with an analysis of the challenges facing it in the twentieth century. She discusses key preoccupations of Hinduism such as the centrality of the Veda as religious texts, the role of brahmins, gurus, and storytellers in the transmission of divine truths, and the importance of epics such as the Ramayana. Issues such as the place of women and dalits (untouchables) in contemporary society are also addressed, making this book stimulating reading for Hindus and non-Hindus alike. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

This book provides a rigorously researched, critically comparative introduction to yoga. Is This Yoga? Concepts, Histories, and the Complexities of Contemporary Practice recognizes the importance of contemporary understandings of yoga and, at the same time, provides historical context and complexity to modern and pre-modern definitions of yogic ideas and practices. Approaching yoga as a vast web of concepts, traditions, social interests, and embodied practices, it raises questions of knowledge, identity, and power across time and space, including the dynamics of "East" and "West." The text is divided into three main sections: thematic concepts; histories; and topics in modern practice.This accessible guide is essential reading for undergraduate students approaching the topic for the first time, as well as yoga teachers, teacher training programs, casual and devoted practitioners, and interested non-practitioners.

Experience the profound and enlightening teachings of The Spanda Karikas in this beautifully designed edition. This ancient Indian text explores the nature of consciousness and the path to spiritual liberation. With a stunning cover design and insightful commentary, this edition is perfect for spiritual seekers and scholars of Indian philosophy.

A journey into the sacred rhythm of existence.

Explores the nature of consciousness, reality, and the path to liberationOffers practical insights and guidance for self-discovery and spiritual growthWritten in a clear and accessible manner, suitable for both beginners and experienced seekersInvites readers to explore self-discovery and spiritual transformationBeautifully designed edition with a stunning cover design

Hinduism has two major roots. The more familiar is the religion brought to South Asia in the second millennium BCE by speakers of Aryan or Indo-Iranian languages, a branch of the Indo-European language family. Another, more enigmatic, root is the Indus civilization of the third millennium BCE, which left behind thousands of short inscriptions in a forgotten pictographic script. Discovered in the valley of the Indus River in the early 1920s, the Indus civilization had a population estimated at one million people, in more than 1000 settlements, several of which were cities of some 50,000 inhabitants. With an area of nearly a million square kilometers, the Indus civilization was more extensive than the other key urban cultures of the time, in Mesopotamia and Egypt. Yet, after almost a century of excavation and research the Indus civilization remains little understood. What language did the Indus people speak? How might we decipher the exquisitely carved Indus inscriptions? What deities did they worship? Are the roots of contemporary Hinduism to be found in the religion of the Indus civilization as well as in the Vedic religion?Since the rise of Hindu nationalist politics in the 1980s, these questions have been debated with increasing animosity, colored by the history of modern colonialism in India. This is especially true of the enigmatic Indus script, which is at the hub of the debates, and a particular focus of this book. Asko Parpola has spent fifty years researching the roots of Hinduism to answer these fundamental questions. In this pioneering book, he traces the Indo-Iranian speakers from the Aryan homeland north of the Black Sea through the Eurasian steppes to Central, West, and South Asia. Among many other things, he discusses the profound impact of the invention of the horse-drawn chariot on Indo-Aryan religion, and presents new ideas on the origin and formation of the Vedic literature and rites, and the great Hindu epics.

Allt fler säger sig tro på ett liv efter döden. I själva verket finns det en mängd belägg för att reinkarnation är ett faktum. I "Bortom födelse och död" förklarar Indiens främsta vediska auktoritet vår verkliga identitet, hur själen färdas genom olika kroppar, hur man kan ta sig ur födelsens och dödens kretslopp och slutligen nå en tillvaro som är fri från den materiella världens fyra problem: födelse, sjukdom, ålderdom och död.

Bob Cohen, en ung amerikansk fredskårist, reser till andra sidan jorden i sitt sökande efter mening. I en bambuhydda i den lilla västbengaliska byn Mayapur träffar han en av Indiens största helgonlika mästare, en lärare som verkar kunna besvara alla hans frågor. Från mästarens synpunkt följde Bob Bhagavad-gitans påbud; därav titeln "Perfekta frågor". På de frågor han ställde med respekt fick han "Perfekta svar", framförda av en ödmjuk budbärare från dem som kommit före honom.

Autobiography of a Yogi is one of the most famous Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century, written by Paramahansa Yogananda. With over 80 archival photographes in this book,he explains memorable findings of the world of saints and yogis and also explained science and miracles, death and resurgence. With soul-satisfying consciousness and endearing wit, he enlightens us with the hidden secrets of life and the world, opening our hearts and minds to the happiness, splendour and limitless spiritual capacities that last in the lives of every human being. This edition has been offered specially from Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, the association established by the writer. The book containing extensive content about all of his desires. Moreover, the book has over 80 high definition pictures. It is a spiritual treasury that will make you understand the meaning of life. Hence this book is a real treasure for people who are on a spiritual quest. About the Author, Paramahansa Yogananda,is not only famous among the Indians but also popular among the westerners as a great Yogi. He teaches millions of people mediation and Kriya Yoga through this master piece, Autobiography of a Yogi.

'I have heard the supreme mystery, yoga, from Krishna, from the lord of yoga himself.'Thus ends the Bhagavad Gita, the most famous episode from the great Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata. In its eighteen short chapters Krishna's teaching leads the warrior Arjuna from perplexity to understanding and correct action, in the process raising and developing many key themes from the history of Indian religions.The Bhagavad Gita is the best known and most widely read Hindu religious text in the Western world. It considers social and religious duty, the nature of sacrifice, the nature of action, the means to liberation, and the relationship of human beings to God. It culminates in an awe-inspiring vision of Krishna as God omnipotent, disposer and destroyer of the universe.ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

The Aṣṭāvakra Gītā, also known as the Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā, is a short treatise on Advaita Vedānta, ascribed to the great sage Aṣṭāvakra. Sage Aṣṭāvakra demonstrates a profound knowledge of Brahman that Swami Nityaswarupanand of Ramakrishna Mission has placed before the readers in this book in simple, easy-to-understand English.

The subtle philosophical truths are expounded in the form of a lucid dialogue between the teenage sage Aṣṭāvakra and his royal disciple, King Janaka. To Aṣṭāvakra, self-knowledge through direct mystical intuition is the only goal to be reached and experienced in the dynamic silence of one’s own deepest meditation.

Swami Nityaswarupanand’s English translations, word definitions, commentary, and scholarly introduction have all significantly increased the worth of the original text.

This classic collectible is a must-read for all!

It is one of the famous spiritual books that has captured the hearts of people for decadesIt will deliver humbling, comforting truths about life and existenceThe thought-provoking ideas will lead you to deep introspectionA promising read to begin your spiritual journeyWisdom to lead a better and meaningful life

Re-creates the fascination with which many intellectuals of prewar Europe regarded Eastern spirituality as they discovered more and more of its resources, from yoga to tantric texts. This book explains why Jung thought that the comprehension of Eastern thought was essential if Western psychology was to develop.

Approximately two thousand years old, The Yoga-Sutra of Patañjali is the landmark scripture on classical yoga. The translation and commentary provided here by Georg Feuerstein are outstanding for their accessibility and their insight into the essential meaning of this ancient and complex text. A scholar of international renown who has studied and practiced yoga since the age of fourteen, Feuerstein also brings to The Yoga-Sutra of Patañjalihis experience as a professional indologist. His faithful and informed rendering of the aphorisms (sutras) is based on extensive personal research into the Sanscrit sources. Each word is explained so that the entire text becomes readily available to the western reader and student of yoga.

Some postcolonial theorists argue that the idea of a single system of belief known as "Hinduism" is a creation of nineteenth-century British imperialists. Andrew J. Nicholson introduces another perspective: although a unified Hindu identity is not as ancient as some Hindus claim, it has its roots in innovations within South Asian philosophy from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. During this time, thinkers treated the philosophies of Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga, along with the worshippers of Visnu, Siva, and Sakti, as belonging to a single system of belief and practice. Instead of seeing such groups as separate and contradictory, they re-envisioned them as separate rivers leading to the ocean of Brahman, the ultimate reality. Drawing on the writings of philosophers from late medieval and early modern traditions, including Vijnanabhiksu, Madhava, and Madhusudana Sarasvati, Nicholson shows how influential thinkers portrayed Vedanta philosophy as the ultimate unifier of diverse belief systems.This project paved the way for the work of later Hindu reformers, such as Vivekananda, Radhakrishnan, and Gandhi, whose teachings promoted the notion that all world religions belong to a single spiritual unity. In his study, Nicholson also critiques the way in which Eurocentric concepts--like monism and dualism, idealism and realism, theism and atheism, and orthodoxy and heterodoxy--have come to dominate modern discourses on Indian philosophy.

World-renowned philosopher and spiritual teacher Ram Dass—author of the groundbreaking classic Be Here Now—presents the contemporary Western audience with a lively, accessible guide to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, the classic Hindu text that has been called the ultimate instruction manual for living a spiritual life.