Jeffery D. Long teaches in the Department of Religious Studies at Elizabethtown College. He is the author of A Vision for Hinduism: Beyond Hindu Nationalism and Jainism: An Introduction, as well as a variety of articles and essays.
Before delving into the dictionary’s entries, Long (religious
studies, Elizabethtown Coll.; A Vision for Hinduism: Beyond Hindu
Nationalism) provides a detailed introduction to Hinduism’s
origins, various periods, culture connections, and other topics.
Preliminary material also includes a pronunciation guide, a useful
source when attempting to decipher the various vowel sounds and
certain nuances concerning consonants contained in the dictionary’s
approximately 1000 terms; a short list of acronyms and
abbreviations used throughout; and a chronology running from 50,000
B.C.E. to the present. Each entry in the main body of the
dictionary is a paragraph or two in length, and important terms
within the definition are bolded, drawing attention to the concepts
associated with the primary definition. This feature is helpful for
users seeking to locate quickly a person or concept that is tied to
other principles of Hinduism. Occasional black-and-white photos or
sketches appear throughout the text. Though not particularly
detailed, they provide some visual enhancement to the associated
entries. A comprehensive bibliography, divided into primary and
secondary sources and then subdivided by format, appears after the
entries. BOTTOM LINE This impressive collection of terms and
concepts essential to understanding Hinduism will be useful to
researchers, students, and those interested in learning more about
the many facets of this ancient practice. The dictionary does a
great job of comprehensively presenting the facts essential for an
introduction to the topic as well as providing enough source
material for further study and exploration.
*Library Journal*
Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest religious traditions—though
the term itself is of more recent origin—and is generally
understood to refer “to the subset of indigenous Indic traditions
that observed the sanctity of the Vedas.” Presenting these ancient
beliefs and practices and their development over millennia, all in
a single volume, is a tall order, indeed. Yet the Historical
Dictionary of Hinduism succeeds quite well in doing just that.
The introductory essay, which precedes the more than 1,000
alphabetically arranged entries, provides a nice historical
overview of Hinduism. The entry for Veda, Vedas presents the four
basic collections of sacred texts, though separate entries exist
for each (e.g., Rg Veda). Hinduism’s two great epic poems, the
Mahabharata and Ramaya?a, have their own articles, with additional
entries for many of the characters mentioned in them. The main
sectarian groups within Hinduism are described in the entries for
Vai??avism, Saivism, Saktism, and Smarta. Most of the remaining
entries discuss important historical figures, rituals, deities,
sacred places, and philosophical concepts and systems. Coverage
extends to topics drawn from Sikhism and Jainism, two related
religious traditions, as well as the issues and groups associated
with the Hindu nationalism movement....
The shorter entries of the Historical Dictionary of Hinduism allow
specific mention and a brief description of more minor characters,
shrines, festivals, and the like. Recommended for theological
libraries, research collections, and large public libraries.
*Booklist*
Hinduism is the oldest major living religion in the world, dating
back to India's Iron Age. At present Hinduism has more than
900,000,000 followers worldwide. This new edition by Long
(Elizabethtown College) updates Bruce Sullivan's The A to Z of
Hinduism (2001) and his The Historical Dictionary of Hinduism (CH,
Jan'98, 35-2467). It is a comprehensive dictionary of all aspects
of Hinduism, including the religion, culture, customs, festivals,
scriptures, and traditions. Short biographies of many religious
leaders, saints, and Hindu gods and goddesses are featured. Divided
into 26 chapters, it features alphabetically arranged entries
ranging from one sentence to one page, along with many see and see
also references. The well-written introduction traces Hinduism's
history and growth from its birth to Vedic and Classical periods of
Indian civilization to global Hinduism. An up-to-date chronology
emphasizing the last 100 years, an extensive bibliography with
primary, secondary, and Internet sources, and a list of
abbreviations/acronyms add quality to this well-prepared
dictionary. It will be an excellent addition to all collections on
Hinduism in academic libraries; all types of readers will find the
information presented useful. Summing Up: Highly recommended.
Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty.
*CHOICE*
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
