THE ESSENCE OF HINDUISM : M. K. Gandhi, Compiled and Edited by V. B. Kher

Published by : Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, India

Pages : 218 + 19

Price : INR 60/-

ISBN-81-7229-166-3.

About the Book:

The Essence of Hinduism is so planned and arranged that each section naturally leads to the next one. The first chapter examines the moral basis of Hinduism. The nature of the universal Moral Law or Power that sustains the universe is described in the second chapter. How a seeker can come face to face with the supreme spirit - through faith or trained reason or a judicious combination of both. An answer to this conundrum will be found in the third chapter. The Bhagvad Gita is an Upanishad, a text on Brahmavidya and an exposition of yoga-shastra and no book on Hinduism can be said to be complete without a reference to it. In fact it can be said to be the only book which harmonized all the approaches to the supreme and hence Gandhi’s views on the Gita find a place of honour in this collection.

A path familiar to all and easy for all to tread, viz., Nama and prayer is dealt with in the last chapter.

The book is primarily meant for the common man and Hindu boys and girls attending English medium schools and brought up in families without any religious background, or in which religion has a minimal influence. As such, it will serve as an introduction to Hinduism. For further study, the interested reader may refer to the exhaustive collection in three volumes titled “iIn Search of the Supreme by Gandhi.

[From Editorial Note by the Compiler V.B.Kher]