The Sacred Books of the East, Hindu Series, Volume 3

Overview

This 456-page volume, published in 1897 by the Christian Literature Society for India, forms the third installment in a series examining Eastern sacred texts for English-speaking audiences. The volume focuses on epic poems and Puranic literature, covering the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Vishnu Purana. As part of a larger project introducing Asian religious literature to Western readers, this work provides selections, summaries, and analytical commentary on texts central to Hindu religious and cultural traditions. The series aimed to make non-Christian sacred literature accessible for comparative religious study during a period of growing Western scholarly interest in Asian religions.

The Sacred Books of the East Series

The original Sacred Books of the East series, edited by Friedrich Max Müller and published by Oxford University Press (1879-1910), comprised 50 volumes of translations of Asian religious texts. This separate “Hindu Series” published by the Christian Literature Society for India represented a parallel effort focused specifically on Hindu sacred literature, designed for missionaries, educators, and general readers interested in understanding Hinduism.

The Christian Literature Society for India (founded 1858) published translations of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain texts alongside Christian theological works, supporting both missionary education about Asian religions and indigenous Christian engagement with Indian philosophical traditions. Publications combined scholarly translation with Christian theological commentary, reflecting the missionary context while attempting serious engagement with Hindu thought.

The Ramayana

The volume covers Valmiki’s Ramayana, one of Hinduism’s two great epics (along with the Mahabharata). Composed in Sanskrit between approximately 500-100 BCE, the Ramayana narrates Prince Rama’s exile, the abduction of his wife Sita by the demon king Ravana, Rama’s war to rescue her, and his eventual return and coronation in Ayodhya.

Religious Significance: The Ramayana serves multiple functions in Hindu tradition:

• Religious text presenting Rama as the seventh avatar of Vishnu
• Ethical manual exemplifying dharma (righteous conduct) through Rama’s adherence to duty
• Model for family relationships and social roles
• Source for devotional worship (Rama bhakti tradition)

Literary Structure: The epic comprises approximately 24,000 verses organized into seven books (kandas), though some scholars consider the first and last books later additions. The narrative combines heroic poetry, romantic elements, philosophical discourse, and devotional expression.

Cultural Impact: The Ramayana influenced art, drama, dance, music, and literature throughout South and Southeast Asia. Regional versions in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Thai, Javanese, and other languages adapted the story to local contexts while maintaining core narrative elements.

The Mahabharata

The volume addresses the Mahabharata, the world’s longest epic poem, comprising approximately 100,000 verses (200,000 lines). Composed between approximately 400 BCE and 400 CE, the Mahabharata narrates the conflict between the Pandava and Kaurava branches of the Kuru dynasty, culminating in the Kurukshetra War.

Content and Scope: Beyond its central narrative, the Mahabharata encompasses:

• Philosophical texts (including the Bhagavad Gita)
• Legal and ethical teachings (dharmashastra material)
• Mythological narratives and legends
• Religious instruction and ritual prescriptions
• Political theory (arthashastra elements)

Traditional Sanskrit poetics describes the Mahabharata’s comprehensiveness: “What is found here may be found elsewhere; what is not found here will not be found anywhere.”

Philosophical and Religious Dimensions: The epic explores fundamental questions about dharma (righteous conduct) through morally complex situations lacking clear right answers. The Kurukshetra War between cousins raises questions about duty when moral principles conflict. The Bhagavad Gita, occurring within the Mahabharata, addresses these dilemmas through Krishna’s philosophical discourse to Arjuna.

Textual Transmission: The Mahabharata exists in multiple recensions with significant textual variations. The Critical Edition produced by the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (1919-1966) attempted to reconstruct an early text form, though regional versions remain important for understanding the epic’s living tradition.

The Vishnu Purana

The volume examines the Vishnu Purana, one of eighteen major Puranas (ancient texts) in Hindu tradition. Composed approximately 300-500 CE in Sanskrit, the Vishnu Purana presents Vaishnavite theology, cosmology, mythology, and religious practice centered on Vishnu worship.

Puranic Literature: Puranas (“ancient stories”) systematize Hindu mythology, cosmology, pilgrimage traditions, temple ritual, and sectarian theology. Traditionally attributed to Vyasa, Puranas were composed and compiled over many centuries, incorporating earlier oral traditions into written form. Eighteen Mahapuranas (major Puranas) and numerous Upapuranas (minor Puranas) exist, each promoting particular deities or theological traditions.

Content of Vishnu Purana: The text comprises six books covering:

• Book 1: Creation and cosmology
• Book 2: Geography of the universe and earth
• Book 3: Social structure and ashrama dharma (duties of life stages)
• Book 4: Dynastic genealogies
• Book 5: Krishna’s life and deeds
• Book 6: Dissolution and recreation of the universe

Theological Framework: The Vishnu Purana presents Vaishnava theology, portraying Vishnu as the supreme deity who creates, preserves, and dissolves the universe. It describes Vishnu’s avatars (divine descents), particularly Krishna, whose childhood exploits (Krishna Lila) and heroic deeds became central to bhakti devotional traditions.

Historical Significance: The Vishnu Purana influenced subsequent Vaishnava theological development and provided source material for regional bhakti movements. Its Krishna narratives inspired devotional poetry, music, dance, and visual arts throughout India.

This Edition’s Approach

This 1897 volume does not provide complete translations of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Vishnu Purana—each is far too extensive for a single volume. Instead, it likely offers:

• Plot summaries and structural overviews
• Selected passages in translation illustrating key themes
• Analysis of religious and philosophical content
• Historical and cultural contextualization
• Comparison with other religious traditions

The Christian Literature Society’s publications typically included introductory material explaining Hindu concepts for readers unfamiliar with Indian religious traditions, often with comparative references to Christian theology and scripture.

Late 19th-Century Comparative Religion

This volume emerged during the formative period of comparative religion as an academic discipline. The 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago had brought Asian religious representatives to Western audiences, stimulating popular and scholarly interest in non-Christian religions. Publications like this series made primary texts accessible to English-speaking readers, supporting both academic study and missionary education.

The late Victorian period saw competing attitudes toward Asian religions: some scholars and philosophers found profound wisdom in Hindu and Buddhist texts, while missionary and colonial discourses often portrayed these traditions as inferior to Christianity. Publications by the Christian Literature Society navigated these tensions, seeking to present Hindu texts seriously while maintaining Christian theological frameworks.

Digital Preservation

This 456-page volume has been digitized from the University of Toronto library and is freely accessible through the Internet Archive, providing contemporary scholars and students access to this late 19th-century presentation of Hindu epic and Puranic literature for Western readers.