Hindu Epics, Myths and Legends in Popular Illustrations

Integration as the goal of indigenization: The cross-cultural psychology of Durganand Sinha.

“…Sinha, 1998, p. 19). D. Sinha and Sinha (1997) further refer to “six systems of Hindu philosophy” (p. 26): (a) the vaiśeṣika system (or viewpoint—darśana) associated with the sage Kaṇāda, (b) the nyāya school associated with the sage Akṣapāda Gautama, (c) the sāṃkhya school associated with the sage Kapila, (d) the yoga school associated with the sage Patañjali, (e) the mīmāṃsā school associated with the sage Jaimini, and (f) the vedānta or uttara mīmāṃsā school associated with the sages Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana (“the classifier”—Vyāsaḥ—of Vedic texts) as well as Adi Shankara (see Embree, 1966, pp. 180–207).…”

“…Tracing the tradition of Hindu religious psychology from the ancient Ṛgveda, D. Sinha (1998) maintains that, “the Hindu view of the universe has been based on Ṛta, the governing cosmic dynamic principle the underlies the world balance or cosmic order” (p. 18; see Embree, 1966, pp. 9–12).…”

Globalization and Values

“…Cunningham and Reich (1994) document the emergence of Western societies from prehistory to the present day in these terms, equating the evolution of Western values with the development of Western civilization. Embree (1972) describes a similar process for the emergence of Vedic culture and values in South Asia and neighbouring areas. Since Parsons, social values have been taken to be important for the many social structures in which individuals simultaneously participate; many of which cross national boundaries (families, religious or ethnic groups, local or regional communities, work, related groups, gender groups, and many more).…”

“…It is perhaps worth concluding this section with the comment that similar integrative processes involving the assimilation and mixing of social arrangements now analyzed under globalization, while previously not occurring simultaneously in most countries around the world, characterize large parts of the human historical record. Embree (1972) for instance, discusses how Hindu transitions reflect a long period of assimilation of different cultures and traditions during the Vedic age (1500BC-600BC) 33 which fused scattered populations who spoke Dravidian Languages (the modern representatives of Tamil and Telugu), embraced a wide range of different deities, and practiced a wide range of sacrificial and warrior based practices. The fusion produced the golden Vedic age.…”