This volume, combined with two other annotated bibliographies, African Traditional Religion in South Africa and Christianity in South Africa (both Greenwood, 1997), will become the standard reference text for South African religions (less)

This book, however, tries to attempt a well-documented and holistic view of Hinduism from historical and sociological perspectives. It intends to serve as a basic introductory text.

The presentation is based on a first-hand reading of Hindu scriptures in Sanskirt combined with knowledge of social sciences. The emphasis is on three major Hindu scriptures: the Bhagavad Gita, the Mamismriti and the Vedas, particularly the Rigveda.

These three texts constitute the basic framework of Hinduism. This book provides adequate information about the three scriptures and discusses in detail terms such as gotrajati, varna and dharma.

It also discusses the issue of divine punishment for violating the dharma (less)

Vivekananda's thinking is critically examined as a nationalist text and not merely as a discourse on Hindu religion. The author compares the Swami's ideas with the political beliefs of other contemporary public intellectuals.

She examines the ways in which Vivekananda's neo-Hinduism emerged as a powerful ideology of Hindu nationalism, combining the European Enlightenment ideals of modernity and rationalism with the Hindu doctrine of Advaita Vedanta.) (less)

It attempts to introduce students of religion in India to the academic study of religion as it developed in the West and at the same time provides an insight into some of the key issues that need clarity in dealing with Indian religions (less)

L. Herman presents compelling evidence that the following hypothesis is testable, defendable, and probably true: that the Indus Valley religion with its Savior-God, Siva (2500-1800 B.

C.E.

), significantly influenced a Greek religion with its Savior-God, Jesus of Nazareth (50-300 C.E.

), such that it can be meaningfully claimed that the religion of the Indus Valley civilization probably influenced early Christianity (less)

) (less)