What is Hinduism?

This book is an engaging introduction to the complex religious tradition of Hinduism. With study questions, glossaries, and lists of key contemporary figures, this book is an essential and comprehensive resource for students encountering the multiplicity of Hinduism for the first time.

Autorentext

Michael Baltutis is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, USA, where he teaches courses on the religions of Asia. He is the author of The Festival of Indra: Innovation, Archaism, and Revival in a South Asian Performance (2023).

Inhalt

Introduction. Multiplicity: the One, the Many, and the Multiple 1. Indra and the Vedas: ritual knowledge, royal power, and fertility in ancient India 2. Shiva and yoga: transgression and liberation on the banks of the Ganges River 3. Ram and dharma: preservation, power, and politics in the eternal city of Ayodhya 4. Krishna and bhakti: devotion, play, and performance in the twelve forests of Braj 5. Lakshmi and shri: glory, femininity, and domesticity among Hindu women 6. Durga and shakti: power, control, and sacrifice in the tantric world 7. Swaminarayan and seva: service, spirituality, and reform in the British empire 8. Amma and the guru: the dynamics of Global Hinduism Conclusion. Kamadhenu: the Hindu cow, politics, and the environment Bibliography Index