ABOUT THE BOOK Hinduism is a religion, or a way of life, found most notably in India and Nepal. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanâtana Dharma, “the eternal law,†or the “eternal way,†beyond human origins. Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions,with diverse roots and no founder. This “Hindu synthesis†started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE following the Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500 BCE). Literature pertaining to the Hindu religion and philosophy is an ocean in itself. This book aims to provide a bird's eye view (along with a deeper understanding) of all aspects of the Hindu religion and its various philosophies to the general reader. Religions have acknowledged that simultaneously with ongoing seasonal and geological changes there is a wholeness and a holiness in the earth. This evolving cycle of life and death is, in part, what has engaged religious systems seeking to integrate their intricate symbolic and ritual structures with life processes. Life, death, and rebirth in the natural world are frequently symbolized in religious traditions. This alignment of the passage of human life with natural systems constitutes a profound dynamic of religious energy expressed in cosmological myths, symbols, and rituals. Along with this alignment, religions have developed injunctions against overuse of land and species found in numerous scriptures. The students, teachers, research scholars will find the book very useful and most informative. The libraries and information and research centres will welcome the addition of this document in religion, philosophy and culture section
