The Hindu Religious Traditions

The Hindu religious traditions have attracted many popular analogies. These include ocean, banyan tree, encyclopaedia, kaleidoscopic vision, poly-paradigmatic structure, family of religious traditions, conglomeration of myths, stories and ideas and multifarious structures. But they do not exhaust pointers to fully grasp the depth and width of the nature, origin and development of India's major Hindu religious traditions. The nature of the Hindu religious traditions and their literary presentations is collectively unique, often perplexing and sometimes stunning. With a recognition of a plethora of materials, this book claims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the Hindu traditions with their decisive moment, unique stories, sects, symbols and thought forms.

Aiming at meeting the needs of graduate and post-graduate students of the theological institutions affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University), this book gives basic details in a possible coherent order. It avoids academic sophistication, but uses lucid language, key words of the original, both Sanskrit and vernacular, and presents significant stories and scriptural texts in some detail with historical and geographical references. Where indispensable, scholarly works are consulted. A great tapestry of the Hindu religious traditions in words is presented in a miniscule, including the so-called classical traditions, folk traditions, and a section on the Hindu diaspora. One may find the range of traditions, moral ideals, tensions, conflicts, synthesis touched in this book quite unique. For perceptive readers, it will not only be informative and interesting, but also stimulating to pursue further research.