Encyclopedia of Hinduism by Michael York - 2010

Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2010. 5th or later edition. Softcover. New. 17 x 25 cm. As stated in this volume’s preface, “Hinduism has come to be the accepted term designating the religion that traces its origins to the Veda dating from the second millennium B.C.E.” Arguably the oldest extant religious tradition, Hinduism ranks third, behind Christianity and Islam, in number of adherents worldwide. Surprisingly, no substantial scholarly reference work exists that is devoted exclusively to Hinduism, though single-volume dictionaries have been published over the years, and some multivolume encyclopedias are being published in India. The Encyclopedia of Hinduism is, therefore, a welcome and much-needed addition to reference shelves. The nearly 900 alphabetically arranged entries were written by a team of international scholars and conclude with see references and supplemental bibliographies. Two survey articles (Hinduism and Hinduism, modern and contemporary) provide a good historical introduction. Although coverage of important concepts, deities, and sacred texts are, of course, included, the editors have taken special care to ensure that devotional, ritual, and nontextual aspects of religious practice are presented (e.g., Popular and vernacular traditions and Image worship). There are entries that discuss Hindus throughout the world (Americas, Hindus in), thereby demonstrating that it is a mistake to try to confine Hinduism as a religious tradition to the Indian subcontinent. Indeed, two additional survey entries (Western culture, Hindu influence on and Western popular culture, Hindu influence on) describe the influence of Hinduism not only on, say, Western poetry and philosophy but also on George Harrison of the Beatles. In addition to helping us understand the historical roots of the interaction of Hinduism and the modern world, the Encyclopedia of Hinduism brings together, at long last, the art, deities, ethics, myth, philosophy, worship, and practice of a long-lived tradition. Recommended for academic and large public libraries. Printed Pages: 1128.