Author: Joseph Vellaringatt, SJ
Media House, Delhi
INR 320

The book ‘An Introduction to Hinduism’ is primarily addressed to Christians. But people belonging to other religions also can draw much profit from it. The purpose of writing this book is to free the followers of other religions, especially Christians, from all prejudices towards Hinduism so that they can look with respect and admiration not only on Hinduism, but also on their Hindu brothers and sisters. Only then can, through interreligious dialogue, a feeling of kinship and good will among all religions can be established in place of the fast-spreading virus of communalism and fundamentalism in India.

The introductory chapter deals with the correct attitude we need to have towards other religions. The documents of the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church (1962-65) present this attitude. Concerning the Church the Council asserts: “She looks with sincere respect upon those ways of conduct and of life, those rules and teachings which, though differing in many particulars from what she holds and sets forth, nevertheless often reflect a way of that Truth which enlightens all men.”

Through a detailed explanation of the first verse of the Ishopanishad, “By the Lord enveloped must this all be…” the author presents the core or essence of Hinduism, namely, the widely accepted Hindu understanding of the nature of God (Ish), the world (jagat) and human beings and of their mutual relationship. This is followed by the presentation of some salient features of Hinduism, such as, its antiquity, vitality, spirit of assimilation, tolerance, etc. After listing and briefly explaining the main Hindu religious Scriptures, the book describes the various concepts of God found in Hinduism, starting with the understanding of God found in the Rig Veda, leading to the highest speculative and mystical insights found in the Upanishads.

Next there is a description of the main deities worshipped in popular Hinduism, namely, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha and Surya. The various manifestations of the feminine aspect of God also find their due place in this section of the book. The Hindu understanding of God is closely followed by the concept of the human being. The essence or true nature of man is the spirit (atman), which is pure consciousness (chaitanya) like the divine spirit. The individual spirit (jivataman) and the Supreme Spirit (paramatman) are intimately related. Bondage (bandhan) consists in ignorance (avidya) concerning one’s own nature and accounts for the cycle of births and deaths (samsarachakra). Liberation (moksha) consists in the knowledge (vidya) of one’s real nature.

Man’s place in society is defined by the fourfold division of castes and stages of life (Varnashrama). Quoting authoritative sources, the author traces the origin of the caste system and describes the duties of each caste as given in Manusmriti. The life-styles appropriate to the four stages of life are also briefly described. Worship holds a very important place in the life of the Hindus. The book describes the different modes of worship and the meaning of the use of images or idols in worship. The important stages of one’s life is sanctified through the sacraments (samskara). Hence, the chief samskaras are presented in brief along with the common elements found in them.

After describing some household ritual the author presents the three paths of spiritual discipline (sadhana or marga), namely, jnana marga, bhakti marga and karma marga. The Bhagavadgita contains a beautiful synthesis of all the three: individual consciousness is transcended and merged in the Universal Consciousness of the Paramatman, finite love for the individual becomes universal love for the Lord and individual selfish action becomes action for the welfare of the world (lokasamgraha).

Celebrations of festivals occupy an important place among Hindu religious observances. On the occasion of these celebrations God is thanked for his wonderful deeds, especially for the victory of good over evil. It is due to these celebrations that Hinduism possesses great vitality and attraction in spite of the fact that it is one of the oldest religions of the world. The book describes the important festivals, such as, Mahashivaratri, Shri Krishna Janmashtami, Durga Puja, Rama Navami, Rakshabandhan, etc.

Apart from the three margas of spiritual discipline, the book also describes the various elements of Tantric Sadhana, in which through a process of sublimation man is liberated from his bondages and enabled to realize his highest spiritual potentialities. The ideal of asceticism (sannyasa) as described in Hindu scriptures is explained by the author.

The various sannyasa schools are also presented. The eight fold path of Yoga (ashtanga yoga) helps to unite man’s faculties towards the attainment of his spiritual destiny. The final section of the book deals with the lives and teachings of Hindu holy men and women who are held in high esteem and are a source of inspiration for all.