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The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Hinduism, Second Edition, contains updated and expanded information on how the religion developed from its very fragmented origins, the basic Hindu beliefs, and the multiple Hindu deities, as well as the sociological aspects of the religion including ethics, sacraments, dietary habits, the caste system, and much more.
• Hinduism is the third-largest religion in the world, with over 765 million followers worldwide
• Updated information on the state of Hinduism today
• An exploration of the Hindu paths to enlightenment including karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, tantra and laya yoga
• Expanded information on the Hindu Reformation
| Part 1 | The Eternal Religion | 1 |
| 1 | Time for God | 3 |
| 2 | Hindus in History | 17 |
| 3 | The World Discovers Hinduism | 31 |
| 4 | Matrix of the Hindu Tradition | 45 |
| 5 | The People's Religion | 59 |
| Part 2 | What Hindus Believe | 71 |
| 6 | One God with Many Names | 73 |
| 7 | Born Again! | 87 |
| 8 | Turning On Your Inner Light | 101 |
| 9 | Truth Is a Multi-Layer Cake | 115 |
| 10 | The Sacred Sciences | 129 |
| Part 3 | Who Hindus Worship | 143 |
| 11 | "Can You Show Me God?" | 145 |
| 12 | Meet the Hindu Gods | 159 |
| 13 | Meet the Hindu Goddesses | 171 |
| 14 | Avatars: Gods in Human Form | 183 |
| 15 | The Main Denominations | 195 |
| Part 4 | How Hindus Live | 207 |
| 16 | A Classy Religion | 209 |
| 17 | The Ten Commitments | 221 |
| 18 | Sacraments and Holy Days | 233 |
| 19 | Temples and Sacred Sites | 245 |
| Part 5 | God's House Has Many Doors | 257 |
| 20 | The Path of Action | 259 |
| 21 | Straight from the Heart | 271 |
| 22 | The Razor in the Mind | 283 |
| 23 | The Royal Road | 295 |
| 24 | Tantra: Making Love to God | 307 |
| Part 6 | A Timeless Tradition | 319 |
| 25 | Timeless Tales | 321 |
| 26 | Living the Light | 333 |
| 27 | Ancient Religion in Modern Times | 345 |
| 28 | Hinduism in the New Age | 357 |
| Appendixes | ||
| A | Glossary | 369 |
| B | Who's Who in Hinduism | 381 |
| C | More to Read | 387 |
| D | Hindu Resource List | 393 |
| Index | 397 |
Anonymous
Posted February 26, 2003
My husband is an American, not committed to Christianity, his religion by birth. I am a Hindu, born and brought up in India. Despite the gulf of difference in our understanding of Hinduism, we both have learned tremendously from this book. The appeal of this book lies in the in-depth knowledge of the authoress, plus the reverent, and yet humorous style, in which it is written. It's a widely known fact that the oldest religion on this planet is as vast as the sky itself. It cannot be contained in one scripture/book nor mastered in one lifetime. This book is THE CLOSEST to being an "appetizer" for Hinduism: a MUST-READ for anyone who wants to graduate to more advanced levels. I have been looking for Hinduism-related books for several years, especially one that my children could read and understand without constant goading. I am very happy that I have finally found one.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 30, 2002
Hinduism which is widely believed to be the mother of all religions, is not only the oldest but very vast and complex to understand with various myths, fables, hear-says that form the core of the religion along with the mammoth works of Ramayana and Mahabharatha. This book is a very good starter for all those interested in learning about Hinduism. Amazing part of this book is the style of presentation - simple, factual, funny in places and with emphasis on the greatness of the religion in easy to understand words and format. Did i mean to mislead that it is only good for the starters? NO. it is not just for the starters - the references and explanations of various Hindu concepts of reincarnation (Poonar janmam), cosmic cycles (yugas), Atomic science (anu-paramanu vidya) and surprising facts like How caucasians still worship Hindu gods even today are appetizing even for a seasoned reader, Have studied sanskrit for several years and have read the works of several authors but this book is refreshing and inspires to learn more about Hinduism.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.bikjade
Posted July 20, 2012
If you want to buy a book that tells you about Hinduism, this book is definitely not the book you want to buy. It is BAD!!! I have never read a book that is so poorly written that it is just miserable. One thing very obvious is that the author sorely lacks sincerity to the subject matter. Throughout the entire book, it is just plain to all that she just does not take this religion seriously, which I think it is an insult to all those Hindus out there and those who want to know about Hinduism. Why can't the publisher find someone who actually loves Hinduism to write the book?
One thing is certain, the book leads you to nowhere. Suppose Hinduism is a cohesive whole. The author cuts it into thousand pieces and spreads it all out in no particular order and she tells a particular subject in fewer than 100 words and then you are on your own. And then you go to another unrelated subject which doesn't quite jive in (or at least to me) the previous sections and on and on.
To tell the truth, I feel tremendously disappointed about this book. This is my first Hindu book and I thought this book was going to help me out a lot on the foundation of this faith. Not until did I read my other book on world religion (which has Hinduism, of course) did I completely realize that this "Idiot" book is a really lousy book and how it takes me loop after loop and I am going spinning here. Now I really treasure my world religion book even though it only has 16 pages on Hinduism. But let me tell you, this "idiot" book will not stop me from wanting to know more about Hinduism! I am going still to find more good books about this religion. The truth is out there somewhere.
Anonymous
Posted December 27, 2011
Picked this book up from the library a few months ago and I haven't been able to put it down. I keep reading it over and over. Probably the best piece of literature I've encountered for anyone looking for an introduction to and an overview of Hinduism. Beautifully written, easy to comprehend, nicely laid out, and full of incredible content. I would give this ten stars if I could. :)
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Posted September 3, 2006
If the author's poor narrative is ignored, this book is very informative. The author may be attempting humor, but it instead seems to be a bit presumptious. She seems to assume that all people think that Hinduism and its beliefs are strange, just as she did previous to her learning about it. Although, this book is called 'for idiot's', a book that is supposed to be informative should be very careful to stay away from a biased narrative (this book does not). The information provided in this book, however, is given in a way that people can understand. 'Foreign' and 'difficult' concepts are simplified in order to make it easily understandable for those who are not familiar with other cultures and beliefs. After reading this book, if people would like to learn more, I would definately suggest looking at some of the books in her bibliography, as it appears they would be able to provide more in depth information.
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Posted April 5, 2005
I thought I knew quite a bit about Hinduism, but after reading this book, I realized I was wrong. It has so much to offer, both for believers and nonbelievers. I liked the writing style Johnsen used. She made the book very interesting and understandable. I especially loved the quotes in the little boxes. This book was very inspiring and educational, as well as entertaining.
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Posted April 8, 2003
This book is exactly what it says it is: a guide to Hinduism for idiots. Of course the word 'idiot' is used in the sense of someone who is ignorant, not someone who is stupid. The book gives a detailed analysis of all the major teachings of Hinduism. It is very comprehensive and not limited to just a specific denomination or sect of the religion. Linda Johnsen writes with humor, keeping in mind that we skeptical Westeners will scoff at some of the basic beliefs of Hinduism. I thought it was odd though that Johnsen frequently refers to stories in the Hindu scriptures as 'myths', but at the end of the book admits she is a avid Hindu herself. If she is such a strong Hindu, then why does she call the scriptures 'myths'? I guess she's like the Christian fundimentalists who don't believe the supernatural aspects of the Bible really happened. But I guess this is due to her Western conditioning. Other then that it is a very informitive book and clears up a lot of misconceptions people have about Hiduism and Eastern religions in general. I know have a better understanding of words like Kharma, Dharma, and Yoga. Though I don't intend on converting to Hinduism, I am much more interested in studying Eastern philosophy. So if you are a complete idiot when it comes to the 'Eternal Religion', enlighten yourself by reading this book!
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Posted October 20, 2002
Read This Book It Rules. It's a fun read and is very intriguing
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Posted January 11, 2010
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Posted October 9, 2010
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Overview
The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Hinduism, Second Edition, contains updated and expanded information on how the religion developed from its very fragmented origins, the basic Hindu beliefs, and the multiple Hindu deities, as well as the sociological aspects of the religion including ethics, sacraments, dietary habits, the caste system, and much more.
• Hinduism is the ...