Hinduism: In The Context of Manusmriti, Vedas & Bhagavad Gita

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Hinduism is often difficult to comprehend due to its ancient origin, multifariousness, vastness and absence of one authority. No book on Hinduism, therefore, can be complete. This book, however, tries to attempt a well-documented and holistic view of Hinduism from historical and sociological perspectives. It intends to serve as a basic introductory text.

The presentation is based on a first-hand reading of Hindu scriptures in Sanskrit combined with knowledge of social sciences. The emphasis is on three major Hindu scriptures: the Bhagavad Gita, the Manusmriti and the Vedas, particularly the Rigveda. These three texts constitute the basic framework of Hinduism. This book provides adequate information about the three scriptures and discusses in detail terms such as gotra, jati, varna and dharma. It also discusses the issue of divine punishment for violating the dharma.

The book provides a detailed history of the origin of the culture and religion that flourished along the Indo-Gangetic Plains. It discusses migrations, their impact and the emergent civilizations. The objective is to understand how the religion evolved with people.

It also studies the recent developments, particularly the impact of science and technology with regards to the Hindu society. Whether the Rigvedic values are relevant today have also been explored.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR R Ramachandran

R Ramachandran born into a large family of orthodox Brahmanas, the author obtained his basic training in Vedic religion and rituals from his father, who was a high school headmaster and a scholar in Vedic literature. Higher education first in the University of Madras and later in the United State brought new perspectives to his thinking on religion. Although specialized in the academic discipline of geography, the author developed a special interest in social anthropology and ancient Indian history that helped him understand Hinduism better.After completing his academics career, he joined the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, and spent nearly three decades in that institution. He was Professor and Head of the Department of Geography, University of Delhi, for well over a decade and held various other important positions in the university. After retirement in 1996, the author devoted all his time to the study of the Hindu scriptures in Sanskrit. The present work is the outcome of his labour for well over a decade.