Hinduism Made Easy: Hindu Religion, Philosophy and Concepts

By: Shalu Sharma

Narrated by: Shynara Reddy

Length: 2 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

If you ever wanted to learn about the concepts and fundamentals of Hinduism then this is the audiobook for you. Even though the Hindu religion is the oldest religion in the world, there are many misconceptions that laypeople have about it. Some people don't understand the mystical chants and mantra traditions where they keep repeating "Aum" over and over again. But you have to understand the religion to truly appreciate where these acts and traditions come from. There is a 4,000 year history to Hinduism that many people outside of India don't even know about. On top of that, Hinduism has evolved a lot over the years with both oral and ancient stories involving the laws of Hinduism. These stories were often told by sages who passed down their knowledge of the religion to their disciples. Eventually there was a compilation of ancient Sanskrit texts where Hindus could study the ethical and moral code that they needed to live by. However, Hindus for thousands of years have been changing traditions and teaching new philosophies about the religion that help motivate modern day people to become followers. Furthermore, they encourage them to take up Hindu derived practices, like yoga and meditation, in order to help them feel better in their lives.

You don't have to be looking to convert to Hinduism to appreciate this audiobook. It is not an audiobook that is going to try to change you or convince you that Hinduism is the one true religion to believe in. This book simply goes over all the important aspects and traditions of the religion, as they are broken down into chapters. That way you can understand the Hindu concepts of God, prayer, meditation, animal sacrifices, and reincarnation. These are the key points that people often misinterpret because they see movies or television shows that misrepresent the real Hindu religion. If you are a Westerner then this probably means you.

©2015 Shalu Sharma (P)2018 Shynara Reddy

Simplistic yet enlightening!

I really enjoy listening to this. Alot of info, easy to digest. The title is accurate!

Great Introduction to Hinduism

This is a lovely book for those who are looking to explore Hinduism; it very succinctly breaks the religion down in a way that someone who has little experience with it, like me, can digest. It touches upon a myriad of topics, from mythology, to philosophical tenets, to even dialects and grammar. It's written in a way that doesn't talk down to you; the writing is approachable, but also firm and concrete. It's not wishy-washy, but it's not emotionless, either. It's a very nice blend of spiritual and physical.

The narrator, Shynara Reddy, has a wonderful voice, with a very pleasant-to-listen-to tone. However, there are some slip-ups in the oration of some English words, which can be a bit confusing and require a rewind or two. Despite this, I actually prefer this type of narration, because Shynara Reddy is very clearly someone who loves Hinduism and speaks with an Indian accent. In this way, I feel like the choice of narrator lends more authenticity to the actual text of the book.

The audio quality is passable; there is no clipping or excessive popping, but there is a low-level hiss that is present throughout most of the narration. These minor negatives should not deter you from listening to this book; Shynara Reddy's overall voice more than makes up for it.

The book starts off very strong with an introduction to Hinduism and its tenets, but can get a bit muddled near the mid-point. Some concepts, such as Yoga and the Ohm, are revisited, which can make parts of it feel a bit redundant. However, it finishes strong with a primer on mythology and philosophy that circles back to the books starting strengths.

In all, this book was a lovely listen and is great for anyone who wants to expand their theological horizons.

Really good

I thoroughly enjoyed this book… it was excellent. Exactly what I needed to understand… thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge. X

Really enjoyed it!

Great book for introduction to Hinduism ❤️ It touched based on many important concepts. I was raised Catholic but have grown curious about how the rest of the world worship God.