Hinduism Books

It is with great pleasure and reverence that we present this free EPUB edition of the Bhagavad Gita, translated by the distinguished Kisari Mohan Ganguli. This timeless scripture, which forms chapters 25-42 of the sixth Parva (Bhishma Parva) of the Mahabharata, stands as a cornerstone of spiritual literature, offering profound insights into the nature of duty, righteousness, and the eternal truths of... more...

CHAPTER I. SALAAM. The Western student is apt to be somewhat confused in his ideas regarding the Yogis and their philosophy and practice. Travelers to India have written great tales about the hordes of fakirs, mendicants and mountebanks who infest the great roads of India and the streets of its cities, and who impudently claim the title "Yogi." The Western student is scarcely to be blamed for... more...

We are honoured to publish Friedrich Max Müller's translation of the Upanishads as a free EPUB edition. This translation was originally published in 1900 as part of the Sacred Books of the East series, which is now in the public domain. The Upanishads are the heart of Hinduism. These texts are not only the concluding parts of the holy Vedas but also their philosophical culmination. Vedānta... more...

It is with great pride and reverence that we present the timeless epic, the Mahabharata, translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli, in this EPUB edition. This monumental work, originally composed in Sanskrit, holds an unparalleled position in the annals of world literature, and Ganguli’s translation is a pivotal contribution that has made this treasure accessible to English-speaking readers around the globe.... more...

Manusmriti is the foundational text that navigates the intricate tapestry of ancient Hindu society and jurisprudence. It is categorized under the Vedangas, which encompasses six auxiliary subjects to the Vedas. This text specifically comes under Kalpasutras — one such subject. Kalpasutras have four divisions: Srautasutras, Sulbasutras, Grihyasutras, and Dharmasutras. Srautasutras deal with the... more...

Ramayana finds its place within the Itihasa section of the Hindu corpus. Although Itihasa literally implies history, a more appropriate interpretation would be legends. The way we comprehend history today is not the same as how ancient people used to recount past events. They were more inclined towards legends. The tale of Rama was initially composed by Valmiki, though it likely existed within the... more...

Sankhya is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy that accept the authority of the Vedas (Sruti). The other schools are Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Vedanta, and Mimamsa. Sankhya is closely related to the Yoga school. The founder of the Sankhya school was Sage Kapila. Three canonical texts of this school are available today: Isvarakrishna's Sankhya Karika, Tattva Samasa, and the Sankhya Sutra of... more...

THE HINDU RELIGION. INTRODUCTION. The system of religious belief which is generally called Hinduism is, on many accounts, Hinduism deserving of study.eminently deserving of study. If we desire to trace the history of the ancient religions of the widely extended Aryan or Indo-European race, to which we ourselves belong, we shall find in the earlier writings of the Hindus an exhibition of it decidedly... more...

LECTURE I. THE NEED OF UNDERSTANDING THE FALSE RELIGIONS It is said that the very latest among the sciences is the Science of Religion. Without pausing to inquire how far it admits of scientific treatment, certain reasons which may be urged for the study of the existing religions of the world will be considered in this lecture. It must be admitted in the outset that those who have been the pioneers in... more...

CHAPTER I. GENERAL REMARKS My dear children—When I was a little boy, my dear mother taught me, with the exception of the last line, the following prayer:"Now I lay me down to sleep,I pray the Lord my soul to keep;If I should die before I wake,I pray the Lord my soul to take;And this I ask for Jesus' sake." Though I am now more than fifty years old, I often like to say this prayer before... more...