Hinduism Clarified and Simplified is the best book on Hinduism written so far; and most exclusive and exhaustive one. Almost everything worth mentioning has been included in it.

Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Religion, is now called Hinduism. According to Manusmriti, it is Manava Dharma: Human Religion, the Religion for all human beings.

Hinduism as the Manava Dharma wishes all to be happy and healthy: sarve bhawantu sukhinah.

Hinduism as Eternal Religion asks all to grow from inside and absorb cosmic energy; to know the self and the Creator Brahman; and to get united to that Absolute God through pure deeds, moral acts, penance and meditation for moksha (Salvation).

Read, think, and follow the dictates of sublime and divine visionary rishis for knowledge, control, balance, hope and faith; for complete living through dharma, artha, kama and moksha; for health, happiness, peace, pleasure, prosperity, revelation and enlightenment; and freedom from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

While writing the book my own raw concept of Hinduism hammered at my mind. People call it Hinduism, so I'm also calling it 'Hinduism but throughout my childhood I heard only Sanatana Dharma. For brief intermissions I used to get confused; 'Are Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma two different religions?' It was a foolish question to ask to the elders. Hence, during my youth, I got it confirmed in different ways, from different persons and books.

Now, I'm the last man to accept it as Hinduism. I accept it to be Manava Dharma and Sanatana Dharma: Eternal Religion for Human Beings. I thought that it was the first thing to be clarified and simplified. I have done it. These three words are the same; the three religions are different names of the same religion. Fortunately and happily enough, this very clarification simplifies Hinduism. Now, it's easier to understand it.

I'm a follower of that 'Eternal Religion for Human Beings' and am proud of it, proud of my tradition, culture, civilisation, the forefathers and the Scriptures. I'm proud of this land and the people, and everything that is Natural and Indian.

Then, I bowed again to Lord Shiva, Goddess Saraswati and Shri Ganesh and started writing the book. It took another six months to write the book and get it typed and corrected. When the book was ready I read and re-read it and then finished it after two months.

While writing a book it's not important to write all that we know on the selected topic but to hold the important points on different aspects and save them. Writing is easier but holding back is difficult. By checking the speed, flow and material of writing one can write a good and balanced book but if such a check or control is not applied, if all the matters are hurriedly written, then, the book will become an assembly of repeated ideas.

'Don't write all the ideas as they flow. Keep them by making notes: mostly points and a few elucidations and explanations too; and write them at their proper places to avoid repetitions'. Of course, it's tough, to control important and worth writing matter. But it has to be done for writing a great or a good book. The temptation was always there to write similar matters at one place but the danger of repetitions was looming large, so, I resisted the temptation.

There was another difficulty. Indian life is a mixed life, its culture a mixed culture and its religion is a mixed religion. It's so integrated and amalgamated that the separation of each part is not possible. It was neither needed nor attempted.

I have used short tales and incidence to elucidate this universal religion. The Indians take inspiration from such short directly didactic tales; from the symbolic meaning and significance attached to them and from the short, compact, condensed meaningful and suggestive shlokas and dohas (couplets). It would have been better to quote the couplets but it did not allow space for them. I must add here that whatever truth has been revealed in and through the shlokas, was also expressed through couplets but at a later age. These are the greatest possessions of the Hindus. They try to keep them on the tip of their tongue.

'Hinduism: Clarified and Simplified' presents each and every aspect of the greatest, most complex and complicated religion. The book is complete and comprehensive despite its thinness. At least, there has been an honest and conscious effort to see and present the illusive 'Whole.'

I used many techniques while writing, 'Hinduism: Clarified and Simplified'; and I feel it's the strength of this book; but I had to repeat the Brahman; He pervades the complete book. It may or may not be treated as repetition. The inner brightness increased and guided me all through these months.

The outcome, 'Hinduism: Clarified and Simplified' is in your hands now. While reading it you will feel the grace and blessings of gods, goddesses, Rishis and saints, throughout the book. Read it, follow it and get bliss, beatitude, peace and salvation.

Only a has been taken from scriptural transliteration for long 'a' sound, which is otherwise impossible to write in the Roman script. Rest everything is as written in government papers, magazines, newspapers and general books. It will help the readers to read the few Mantras and Shlokas quoted in it and also the names of many persons and books.

Hari Aum Tatsat!

In this book there is an honest attempt to clarify and simplify Hinduism and hence, it bears the title: 'Hinduism: Clarified and Simplified'. But one should never think that it has been done in one chapter or one paragraph. For getting a clarified and simplified view of Hinduism one will have to consciously and slowly read the whole book. Only after finishing the book one can get a glimpse of complete Hinduism; can understand it and can take its help for benediction, bliss, beatitude, prosperity and salvation: mukti; and much more than what is claimed separately by different Rishis and different books. Hinduism gives more but claims less.

All the obvious things, prevalent misconceptions, often-raised doubts, common prejudices against and known aspects of Hinduism have been discussed, analyzed and answered in a subtle way. Hinduism Simplified and Clarified is the central theme and the only aim behind the book. Hinduism is a complex and the most primitive religion. It's not easy to clarify and simplify it.

The author, Prof Shrikant Prasoon has done justice to the theme and has concentrated his knowledge, mind and resources to that declared theme and has succeeded in clarifying and simplifying Hinduism.

Living and illuminating Hinduism is present throughout the book; the clarifications are apt, appropriate and straightforward. The common and lucid language has adequately simplified the intricacies and complexity of the Original, Eternal, Human, Hindu Dharma. Because of the spirituality, subtlety and divinity of Dharma I'm sure the book will be appreciated and accepted by all.