Hindu Mysticism

By Surendranath Dasgupta

Book Overview

"Hindu Mysticism" provides a profound and systematic introduction to the rich spiritual traditions of India. Written by the renowned philosopher S. N. Dasgupta, this work explores the diverse forms of mystical experience that have shaped Indian thought for millennia. The text categorizes and examines various stages of mystical development, including sacrificial mysticism, the philosophical mysticism of the Upanishads, Yoga mysticism, Buddhistic mysticism, and the devotional mysticism of the Bhakti movement.

Through a scholarly yet accessible lens, Dasgupta elucidates the core principles and psychological depths of these spiritual paths. Readers will gain insight into the pursuit of ultimate reality, the nature of the self, and the different methods employed by seekers to achieve union with the divine. This book remains an essential resource for anyone interested in the intersection of Eastern philosophy and religious experience, offering a clear map of the complex landscape of Hindu thought. It serves as an authoritative guide to understanding how ancient traditions have conceptualized the human connection to the transcendent and the practical applications of these beliefs in the spiritual life.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025705416
• ISBN13: 9781025705415
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 194 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A little jewel

It looks like this wonderful little book is being reprinted. (I have an older version of this, so I haven't checked out this edition.) I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone interested in Hinduism, especially to anyone who actually practices yoga or chanting. It would also interest anyone who loves the mystical current in religion -- gnostic Christianity, Sufism, the Kabbalah, etc. Intended for the Western layperson, the book covers the various kinds of mysticism found in India: sacrificial (Vedic), Upanishadic, Yogic, Buddhistic, Classical (the Puranas, the concept of bhakti), and Popular (contemporary saints and poets). Through this survey, we get a great introduction to all the important holy texts of Hinduism and learn how they fit together. The book is charmingly written, not with dry scholarly detachment (like Feurerstein, whom I can't stand) but with verve and reverence toward its subject. For a taste of Dasgupta in his more scholarly mode, go to Project Gutenberg, where the first volume of his monumental "A History of Indian Philosophy" is available for free. I don't think I'll spoil anything if I retype the last paragraph of this book here: "But, you may perhaps ask, what may I gain by knowing India as it really is at its heart? Well, that is a different matter. Perhaps you may derive gain, perhaps not. You may further ask what it is that one gains through such spiritual longing, realization, or mystical rapture. And I shall frankly confess that one certainly gains nothing that will show itself in one's bank account. But with all my appreciation and admiration of the great achievements of the West in science, politics, and wealth, the Upanishad spirit in me may whisper from within: What have you gained if you have not gained yourself, the immortal, the infinite? What have you gained if you have never tasted in your life the deep longing for deliverance and supreme emancipation? And the spirit of the saints of ages whispers in my ears: What have you gained if you have not tasted the joys of self-surrender, if your heart has not longed to make of you a flute in the hands of Krishna, that master musician of the universe, and if you have not been able to sweeten all your miseries with a touch of God?"