Hinduism is currently followed by one-fifth of humankind. Far
from a monolithic theistic tradition, the religion comprises
thousands of gods, a complex caste system, and hundreds of
languages and dialects. Such internal plurality inspires vastly
ranging rites and practices amongst Hinduism's hundreds of millions
of adherents. It is therefore not surprising that scholars have
been hesitant to define universal Hindu beliefs and practices. In
this book, Axel Michaels breaks this trend. He examines the
traditions, beliefs, and rituals Hindus hold in common through the
lens of what he deems its "identificatory habitus," a cohesive
force that binds Hindu religions together and fortifies them
against foreign influences. Thus, in his analysis, Michaels not
only locates Hinduism's profoundly differentiating qualities, but
also provides the framework for an analysis of its social and
religious coherence.
Michaels blends his insightful arguments and probing questions
with introductions to major historical epochs, ample textual
sources as well as detailed analyses of major life-cycle rituals,
the caste system, forms of spiritualism, devotionalism, ritualism,
and heroism. Along the way he points out that Hinduism has endured
and repeatedly resisted the missionary zeal and universalist claims
of Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists. He also contrasts
traditional Hinduism with the religions of the West, "where the
self is preferred to the not-self, and where freedom in the world
is more important than liberation from the world."
Engaging and accessible, this book will appeal to laypersons and
scholars alike as the most comprehensive introduction to Hinduism
yet published. Not only is Hinduism refreshingly new in its
methodological approach, but it also presents a broad range of
meticulous scholarship in a clear, readable style, integrating
Indology, religious studies, philosophy, anthropological theory and
fieldwork, and sweeping analyses of Hindu texts.
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