Author Description

A. Barth's The Religions of India is a survey of the popular religions of India. Originally written for inclusion in an encyclopedia, Barth later expanded the work to a standalone text, which is more suitable for a document of such depth. The author begins with an examination of the Vedic religions, commonly thought of as the precursor religions to Hinduism. Barth traces the spread of these religions through time and the evolution of ancient religions into more modern religions, proceeding to explore Brahmanism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism in great depth, highlighting the history and practices of each. Barth writes in a distinguished, authoritative tone. It is apparent that the origin of this writing was inclusion in an encyclopedia, as the text is heavy with facts and raw information. While there is some degree of exposition and argumentative analysis, the focus here is clearly on presenting the information. The Religions of India would make a great textbook. It is clear, concise, and contains a wealth of information. Amateur historians and readers of religious history will likely find this to be an interesting read, and it makes a valuable addition to the library of anybody interested in India's religions. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.