Introducing Hinduism

by Hillary P. Rodrigues

Overview

Introducing Hinduism is an invaluable resource for those seeking an authoritative and comprehensive academic overview of the key tenets and diverse practices of Hinduism, past and present. This third edition includes substantial treatments of Tantra, South India, politics, and gender, as well as expanded discussions of Western configurations of Hinduism as in postural yoga and neo-nondual spirituality, and Hinduism in popular culture. Its lively presentation features: updated case studies, photographs, and scenarios that invite the reader into the lived world of Hinduism; introductory summaries, key points, discussion questions, and recommended reading lists at the end of each chapter; narrative summaries of the great epics and other renowned Hindu myths and lucid explanations of complex Indian philosophical teachings, including Sankhya, Vedanta, and Kashmir Saivism; and a glossary, timeline, and pronunciation guide for an enhanced learning experience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367676926
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/30/2025
Series:	World Religions
Edition description:	3rd ed.
Pages:	458
Product dimensions:	6.88(w) x 9.69(h) x (d)

About the Author

Hillary P. Rodrigues (he/him) is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Lethbridge, Canada. His many authored and edited works include Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess (SUNY 2003), Studying Hinduism in Practice (Routledge 2011), and Introduction to the Study of Religion (Routledge 2023).

Table of Contents

Introduction  1. Vedic Religion and the Sanskrit Language  2. Karma, Time, and Cosmology  3. Hindu Social Organization and Values  4. Dharma and the Individual  5. Indian Philosophical Schools  6. The Epics, Bhagavad-Gītā, and the Rise of Bhakti  7. Major Hindu Sects, Deities, and Purāṇic Myths  8. The Hindu Temple and Worship Rituals  9. Tantra  10. Colonization and Reform  11. Transnational Hinduism in Asia  12. Hinduism and the West  13. Contemporary Configurations and Issues

Editorial Reviews

"It should elicit excitement among students to pursue further study in more advanced courses, while also providing a strong foundational understanding of Hinduism for those who will never take an advanced course. There is no magical formula for acheiving these ends in any course, but I find Rodrigues to be on the right track...I highly recommend using it as the core textbook around which to build a semester-long survey of Hinduism." —Jeffrey M. Brackett, Ball State University, Teaching, Theology, and Religion

"In this new edition Rodrigues extends his comprehensive approach to Hinduism’s long history and complex network of sacred stories, ritual practices, and philosophical thought that he constructed in the first edition. This new edition weaves case studies of communities, leaders, and perspectives that take the reader closer into the lived realities of Hindu life. For students and readers who want to know where to begin in their understanding of Hinduism, this is the book." Paul B. Courtright, Emory University, USA

"This edition will provide a comprehensive and useful introduction, starting point, and reference to the Hindu tradition… . It is extremely well suited for the classroom." Sushil Mittal, Professor of Hindu Studies, James Madison University, USA

"Introducing Hinduism is, quite simply, the best book of its kind. An instructor can, by being selective, use it quite effectively as an introductory text, but it has enough depth that it can be a springboard for more advanced examination of primary texts or anthropological case studies. It is comprehensive, thorough and engaging enough for the general reader to get an excellent grounding in the dauntingly complex web of Hindu traditions." David McMahan, Franklin and Marshall College, USA

From the Publisher