The Hindu Way: A Search for the Eternal

Contents:  1. The Hindu way: general characteristics. 2. The Hindu way: form sacraments and rituals. 3. The Hindu way: Yajna, worship and devotion. 4. The Hindu way: pilgrimage centres and festivals. 5. The Hindu way and folk wisdom. Illustrations. Index.

“The Hindu way of life is a ‘religion’ that emphasizes the present. It is the marriage of truth with the perennial laws of nature. It is in the very nature of human beings that they cannot but live simultaneously in the past, the present and the future. In other cultures, the idea of dwelling in the past may be associated with a kind of escapism, but in India, associating with or reaffirming the past means a certain increase in the possibilities of the present, not a running away from it. Similarly, in certain religions or philosophies   of life, an utopian imagination of the future may inspire the present, but the Hindu world view does not forget the present reality in its contemplation of an imaginary vision of future pleasures; in fact, it recognizes the unforeseen future as a product and extension of the present itself. The present then, is merely a means of passing on the eternal values of the past as a handy travel-kit for the future. However, the present being the only means of such communication, for the Hindu it is more important than either of the other two.

With this in view, when we consider the achievement of the Hindu knowledge and scientific system, the very first notion that attracts our attention is the weltanschauung of the men of those times, which gives a correct framework or proper perspective to that knowledge. 

For some this book may be a revelation, for others a re-dawning of understanding, but for everyone interested in understanding basic Hindu tradition and precepts that need a restatement as to their modern relevance, it will be a rewarding experience indeed. Religion and culture will be reinterpreted always with a view to contemporary understanding, but this book underlines the very parameters on which such interpretations will be based for the Hindu people in future.”(jacket)