Free Hinduism Ebooks and Etexts
Summary: This page offers an extensive collection of free Hinduism ebooks and etexts, including the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Dharma Sutras, and classical spiritual writings. It also features commentaries, translations, and works by modern teachers. Designed for students, practitioners, and researchers, the collection provides access to foundational scriptures and philosophical texts that illuminate the depth and diversity of Hindu spiritual tradition.
Introduction to Hinduism - A Book
Hinduism is an eternal tradition (sanatana dharma). Its knowledge and wisdom said to exist eternally in the highest heaven in the form of the Vedas.
The scriptures affirm that Hinduism is practiced not only by humans but also gods, by beings of the other worlds and God Himself. From time to time, He descends upon earth as an incarnation or an emanation to increases our understanding of the eternal tradition as part of His duty and as the upholder of dharma.
In fact, from the Bhagavadgita, the epics and the Puranas we learn that God, the Supreme Self, practices Hindu Dharma as His duty, apart from upholding it and enforcing it, even though He is not interested particularly in anything.
He teaches it to gods, demons and humans, according to their knowledge and intelligence, through Brahma, the creator god, because such knowledge is necessary for ensuring the order and regularity of the worlds and keeping them in their respective spheres, without which there would be chaos and darkness.
Hinduism envisages God in many roles. One of them is that of a teacher or revealer. He is the World Teacher, who opens our minds to transcendental truths that cannot be easily grasped without purity and inner awakening.
The Vedas are just a tip of the iceberg
The Vedas constitute the core teachings of Hinduism. They are considered eternal. It is said that in each cycle of creation, God reveals them to the humanity for their welfare.
Why they are important? It is because they contain knowledge of various types of sacrifices that are central to creation and preservation of the worlds and beings. Sacrifices here denote not only ceremonial sacrifices but also all actions we perform internally and externally with an attitude of sacrifice and service.
To live for your own desires and interests is animal nature; to live for others or God with a sacrificial attitude is human and divine. The Vedas point to this ideal. With the help of sacrifices, we can sustain the worlds and ensure our welfare.
It is possible that the Vedas we have today are remnants of a vast body of divine knowledge made available to us in the beginning of creation. We might have lost portions of it as the world progressed and suffered from many catastrophes and upheavals. Some knowledge may still be hidden and revealed in course of time. Men of wisdom may be able to tap into this vast reservoir of knowledge and reveal it to us when the time is due.
Veda means knowledge. The revelations of God are part of this vast body of eternal knowledge stored in the heaven. Knowledge that liberates purifies and uplifts the humanity comes to us from this source only.
We may quarrel about which aspect of it is right because of our desires, attachment or limited knowledge, but in truth, all knowledge whose source is God is divine. In the course of our existence we are introduced to only that part of it that is essential for our spiritual advancement upon earth.
(Source: An Introduction to Hinduism by Jayaram V. Buy This Book or Download the Kindle Version (This is a commercial link)
E-texts Hinduism - Internal Links
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The Upanishads (a translation of selections), trans. by Max M ller
The Upanishads (with commentary), trans. by Swami Paramananda
The Mandukya Upanishad by Swami Krishnananda
The Laws of Manu, trans. by Georg Buhler
Bhagavad-Gita: Recension by William Quan Judge, Combined With His Essays on the Gita,
Notes on the Bhagavad Gita by Tiruvalum Subba Row
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, ed. by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada
The Philosophy of the Bhagavadgita by Swami Krishnananda
The Hindu at Home: Being Sketches of Hindu Daily Life (second edition; Madras: S. P. C. K. Depository; London, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent and Co., 1908), by Joseph Edwin Padfield (multiple formats at archive.org)
The Hindu Book of Astrology (New York: New York Magazine of Mysteries, c1902), by Bhakti Seva (HTML with commentary at sacred-texts.com)
Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Puranic (Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and Co.; London: W. Thacker and Co., 1900), by W. J. Wilkins (illustrated HTML with commentary at sacred-texts.com)
The Hindu System of Moral Science (third edition; Calcutta: S. G. Majumdar, 1912), by Kishori Lal Sarkar (multiple formats at archive.org)
Hinduism Today - full serial archives - full serial archives
Hints for Beginners on Torchon Lace-Work (1904-1909), by A. M. Sime - Part I: PDF at Arizona - Part II: PDF at Arizona
Hints on Health and Tested Receipts for Plain Cooking, Presented With the Compliments of Jury & Lovell, Druggists, Bowmanville, Ont (ca. 1900) (multiple formats at archive.org)
Hints Towards the Formation of a More Comprehensive Theory Of Life (London: J. Churchill, 1868), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, ed. by Seth B. Watson (Gutenberg multiple formats)
Hints Towards the Pacification of Ireland: Addressed, More Particularly, to the Ruling Powers of the Day (London: Charles Dolman, 1844), by John Talbot Shrewsbury (HTML at Wayback Machine)
Hippies From A to Z: Their Sex, Drugs, Music and Impact on Society from the Sixties to the Present (c1999), by Skip Stone (HTML at hipplanet.com)
Hippolytus, by Euripides, trans. by David Kovacs (HTML with commentary at Perseus)
Hippolytus, by Euripides, trans. by Gilbert Murray (HTML at Bartleby)
A Short History of Religious and Philosophic Thought in India by Swami Krishnananda
Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada
Peasants and Monks in British India by William R. Pinch
Saddharma-Pundar ka: or, The Lotus of the True Law, trans. by Hendrik Kern
Swami Krishnanandaji
eBooks on Yoga, Meditation, Spiritual Practice
A Messenger of Peace and Wisdom
https://www.swami-krishnananda.org/books_1.html
eBooks on Bhagavadgita & Hinduism
Swami Sivananda
Autobiography of Swami Sivananda
A Great Guru And His Ideal Disciple
How to Get Vairagya (Dispassion)
Life and Teachings of Lord Jesus
Lord Krishna, His Lilas and Teachings
20 Important Spiritual Instructions
Sadhana Tattva or The Science of Seven Cultures
Resolves for Quick Spiritual Progress
Barometer of Spiritual Progress
Karma Yoga (The Path of Selfless Service)
Bhakti Yoga (The Path of Devotion)
Sankirtan Yoga (Singing of the Lord's Name)
Japa Yoga or Mantra Yoga (Repetition of the Lord's Name)
Raja Yoga (The Path of Meditation)
Jnana Yoga (The Path of Enquiry)
Sivananda: The Apostle of Peace and Love By Swami Paramananda (September 8, 2008).
Guru-Bhakti Yoga By Swami Sivananda (July 28, 2007).
Kingly Science Kingly Secret By Swami Sivananda (July 30, 2006).
Inspiring Talks of Gurudev Sivananda By Swami Venkatesananda (December 27, 2005).
I Live to Serve By Sri N. Ananthanarayanan (April 26, 2005).
Self-Knowledge By Swami Sivananda (December 18, 2002).
A Great Guru And His Ideal Disciple By Swami Sivananda (July 24, 2002).
Light on the Yoga Way of Life By Swami Chidananda (January 26, 2002).
Sivananda Yoga By Swami Venkatesananda (December 28, 2001).
Spotlights on the Ramayana By Swami Premananda (November 12, 2001).
Practice of Karma Yoga By Swami Sivananda (October 20, 2001).
Practical Lessons in Yoga By Swami Sivananda (October 10, 2001).
A Message To New Initiates By Swami Chidananda (October 6, 2001).
Karmas and Diseases By Swami Sivananda (September 28, 2001).
Swami Sivananda-A Modern Sage (September 8, 2001).
Philosophy of Dreams By Swami Sivananda (August 18, 2001).
Swami Chidananda
The Philosophy, Psychology and Practice of Yoga
The Role of Celibacy in the Spiritual Life
Special Insights Into Sadhana No. 1
Special Insights Into Sadhana No. 2
Special Insights Into Sadhana No. 3
Special Insights Into Sadhana No. 4
Special Insights Into Sadhana No. 5
Special Insights Into Sadhana No. 6
Special Insights Into Sadhana No. 7
Special Insights Into Sadhana No. 8
Students, Spiritual Literature and Sivananda
Twenty Important Spiritual Instructions
Essentials of the Higher Values of Life
Swami Omkarananda
Meaning and Practice of Meditation
The Intuitive Experience of the Truth
The Presence of the Eternal in Time
Modern Psychology and the Infinite Consciousness
The Metaphysical Nature and Dignity of Man
The Science of Reality and its Aspects
Ethics Society and World Peace
The Shortest Way to God-Experience
The Structure of Spiritual Progress
The Nature and Functions of spiritual guides
Integration of Science in the Conception of Omkarananda International Ashram
The Psychology of the Unfoldment of Higher Consciousness
Fourteen Scientific Reasons Why No One Dies
Methods for God-Experience in the Bible
How to Divinise All Our Daily Work?
The Practical Psychology of Self-Realisation
The Science of the Divine Word OM
The Experience of Unity in European Mysticism
The Science of Thought-Culture and Divine Perfection
The Universe and the Dimensions of Knowledge
Art as a Way to God-Experience
A Glimpse of Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati
Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas and its Institutions
Acharya Rajneesh
From Childhood to Enlightenment, The Birth of a New Man, "Dimensions Beyond the Known" - Osho. ~Osho on
What is Satori, "Zen: The Path of Paradox, Volume 2" Osho on
Arhata and Bodhisattva, "Bodhidharma: The Greatest Zen Master " - Osho
Gautam Buddha Enlightenment, “I Am the Gate” -Osho
Enlightenment of Osho's Father, "Be still and know" - Osho Osho on
Characteristics of Samadhi, " Zen: The Path of Paradox, Vol 3 "
Total Effort and Total Relaxation for Enlightenment, “Vedanta: Seven Steps to Samadhi” by Osho Osho on
False Buddhahood, “Zen: The Path of Paradox, Volume 3” by Osho Help of an Awakened one is essential.
Recognizing Enlightened Gurus, "The Beloved" by Osho
First Energy Becomes Formless, Desireless, and Then it Becomes Bodiless,"A Bird on the Wing " by Osho
J.Krishnamurthy
Education and the Significance of Life"
The Awakening of Intelligence"
Swami Ramathirtha
The Sun Of Self On The Wall Of Mind
Prognosis And Diagnosis Of Sin
The Way To The Fulfilment Of All Desires
Swami Vivekanada
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
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