The Religions of India / Handbooks on the History of Religions, Volume 1, Edited by Morris Jastrow

This volume surveys the religious traditions of India, tracing development from early Vedic hymns through Brahmanic literature, Upanishads, epics and later popular sectarian writings. It sets out sources and methods, sketches geography and people, and treats core themes—pantheon, notions of life and death, ritual practice, official and popular rites, sacred literature and religious architecture—while noting foreign contacts and doctrinal change. The approach emphasizes primary texts and philological evidence, aiming to present assembled data for further study, and concludes with assessments of historical development and a comprehensive bibliography for students and general readers.