1. Aryans and Dravidians: time and place; main characteristics
2. Vedic religion
The Vedas: search for the creative power.
Samhitas: the gods - hymns to the gods.
Brahmanas: the sacrifice - prose commentaries on the sacrifices.
Upanishads: the self - philosophical speculations on the nature
of the self.
3. Epic religion
The Mahabharata: the civil war; Arjuna is taught dharma and liberation
by Krishna.
The Ramayana: the virtues of the dharma for man and woman in
Rama and Sita.
The Laws of Manu- Brahmanical religion: the varna-ashrama-dharma
system: the four castes - their duties and relations; and the stages of
life; the goals of the householder.
4. Devotional religion
Vishnu: the avatars
Shiva: the sacred places
The divine female
Later developments
Yoga: karma, bhakti, jnana, other forms
5. Main concepts of Hinduism
samsara: reincarnation
karma: the results of deeds
dharma: duty according to one's caste
brahman: the ultimate reality
moksha: enlightenment; self-realization
6. Philosophical religion: the orthodox systems:
Nyaya/Vaisesika
Samkhya/Yoga
Purva Mimamsa/Vedanta: Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva
7. Internal and external challenges
Jainism
Buddhism
Islam
The West: Christianity and Secularism
8 Responses of Hinduism
Ramakrishna and Vivekananda
The Arya Samaj and the Brahmo Samaj
Aurobindo and Gandhi
Gurus, swamis, and New Age
9. Questions
On reincarnation; on advaita; on appeal to mystical experience;
on levels of truths
© Surrendra Gangadean