The Religious Quest of India : The Rites of the Twice-born

The subject-matter of the book is distributed in three parts. The first deals with the epochs in a Brahman’s life birth, investiture with the sacred thread, betrothal, marriage, and death, together with the beliefs, practices, and ceremonies connected with the main periods of his career, such as rites performed in infancy, the importance of a son, funeral offerings, the punishments in future existences of sins committed in this life, the widow’s lot, and other matters. The second part is concerned with times and seasons in so far as they are connected with the ritual of the Brahman’s day, of the days of the week, the month, and the year ; and with occasional rites and observances associated with the building of houses, the digging of wells, and with pilgrimages, sacred hills and rivers. The last part describes the worship of the two great gods Visnu and Siva, together with the ceremonies performed in their temples. It also treats of the practices of ascetics. The book, concluding with a comparison of the outlook of Hinduism and Christianity, discusses the appeal which the latter makes to the increasing number of thinking men among the Twice-born as a substitute for a system which no longer satisfies their religious cravings.