The book is one of the earliest authoritative works on the fundamental nature of Hinduism, authored by a noted Western scholar, Sir Monier Monier-Williams. The scholarly work deals with the fundamental aspects of Hinduism: the nature of its beliefs, philosophy and practice. It provides precious details on the principal works of Hinduism: the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Dharmashastras. It discusses the essence of the Vedic hymns, the Brahmanas and the sacrificial system, the Upanishadic philosophy, the doctrine of triple manifestations, and the development of sectarian beliefs — Shaivism, Vaisnavism and later Shaktism. The in-depth study delves objectively into the major concepts and doctrines associated with Hinduism, such as, the doctrine of incarnation, doctrine of devotion and idol-worship as well as the caste system. It presents a discussion on the famous places held sacred by the Hindus which are the major centres of pilgrimage: the city of Benares, Allahabad, Gaya, Nashik and Haridwar, among others.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Monier Monier-Williams
Sir M. Monier Williams, the Sanskrit Lexicographer and Indologist of international repute was born at Bombay in 1819. He was LL.D. of Calcutta, a D.C.L. of Oxford and Ph.D. of Gottingen. He was a pupil of the illustrious Prof. H.H.Wilson and was awarded the Boden Scholarship in 1843. In 1844 he was appointed the professor of Sanskrit, Bengali and Telugu at the East India Company's College at Haileybury, was elected the Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford, in 1860, a post which he held till his death in 1899. During his tenure, he was able to set up the Indian Institute at Oxford in 1896 and also undertook three journeys to India in 1875, 1876 and 1883. His collection of Oriental Mss. and books numbering about 3000 was presented by him to the Institute. He died at Cannes in April 1899. Among the prominent Sanskrit texts and works edited and written by him are Kalidasa's Vikramorvasi, Sakuntala and The Story of Nala. Besides his famous Sanskrit-English Dictionary, English Sanskrit Grammar, A Sanskrit Manual, Indian Epic Poetry, An Easy Introduction to the Study of Hindustani, Practical Hindustani Grammar, Oriental Papers Illustrating the History of the Application of the Roman Alphabet to the Languages of India, The Study of Sanskrit in Relation to Missionary work in India, Indian Wisdom, Hinduism, Modern India and the Indians and Buddhism are some of his important publications.
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