Home›Sources›A Survey of HinduismSourcesA Survey of HinduismCitation FormatsGeneral ReferenceGeneral Reference Citation TextDivinity Atlas. "A Survey of Hinduism." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/a-survey-of-hinduism.Copy General ReferenceAPA StyleAPA Style Citation TextDivinity Atlas. (n.d.). A Survey of Hinduism. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/a-survey-of-hinduismCopy APA StyleBibTeXBibTeX Citation Text@misc{divinityatlas-a-survey-of-hinduism, author = {Divinity Atlas}, title = {A Survey of Hinduism}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/a-survey-of-hinduism}, note = {Accessed August 30, 2026} }Copy BibTeXKlaus K. Klostermaier's introduction works from primary Hindu scripture and philosophical literature across many schools rather than presenting one lineage's account as representative of the whole, which is a deliberate and demanding editorial choice given how much regional variation Hinduism actually contains. That breadth of primary engagement, not its publisher, is the real basis for treating it as a strong general source here. This record has not independently traced a documented history of revisions between its editions. It is a strong general source for established facts about Hindu belief and practice across many traditions. As a broad survey of an exceptionally diverse religion, a claim specific to one particular school or regional lineage's own teaching may need a more specialized source alongside it.FactsClaims Backed By This Source (345 claims)Comments (0)Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)FactsAssessmentReliability TierWell-attested1A comprehensive academic introduction to Hinduism from an academic press working from primary Hindu scripture and philosophical literature across many schools rather than presenting one lineage's account as representative of the whole.NotesWell-attestedStandard comprehensive academic introduction to Hinduism, covering its history, scripture, philosophy, deities, ritual and regional variety. Use for established facts about Hindu belief and practice across its many traditions; a broad survey, so a claim specific to one school or lineage may need a more specialized source alongside it.CitationAuthorWell-attestedKlaus K. KlostermaierPublisherWell-attestedState University of New York PressPublication YearWell-attested2007URLWell-attestedhttps://archive.org/details/surveyofhinduism0003klosSource TypeWell-attestedbookClaims Backed By This Source (345 claims)This source backs 345 claims across the atlas. As facts: 201 well-attested, 9 scholarly debate. As cited relationships: 34 holds. Plus 101 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.Disposition By TopicScripture Portions, 80 claims: 40 well-attested, 40 general references.Scriptures & Texts, 59 claims: 46 well-attested, 3 holds, 10 general references.Articles, 33 claims: 30 well-attested, 3 general references.Religious Events, 28 claims: 5 well-attested, 9 scholarly debate, 5 holds, 9 general references.Rituals, 27 claims: 21 well-attested, 3 holds, 3 general references.Practices, 26 claims: 20 well-attested, 1 holds, 5 general references.Doctrines, 20 claims: 5 well-attested, 6 holds, 9 general references.Holidays & Festivals, 17 claims: 6 well-attested, 3 holds, 8 general references.Pilgrimage Routes, 13 claims: 9 well-attested, 2 holds, 2 general references.Sacred Sites, 11 claims: 6 holds, 5 general references.Sacred Objects & Ritual Items, 10 claims: 5 well-attested, 3 holds, 2 general references.Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.Animals & Totems, 6 claims: 4 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.Deities, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.Denominations, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.Subcategories, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.Hymns & Liturgical Texts, 1 claims: 1 general references.Well-attested201Animals & TotemsCowArticlesA Long Penance for a Reluctant AsceticA Mark That Announces BelongingA Marriage the Gods NeededA Story Written After the FactDated by Argument: The Interpolation QuestionEighteen Books and the Five Marks They Are Meant to HaveFour Corners, One TeacherFour Directions, and an Attribution to Handle with CareFour Temples, Four Traditions, One SetFrom Daily Devotion to a Wider SymbolHow a Chapter Became a ScriptureLayered Texts with No Single DateLila and the Western Question of Why God CreatedMelody Passed by EarOne Movement or ManyOne Verse Among Many That Became the VersePoet-Saints in Place of PriestsSectarian Sorting, and the Bhagavata PuranaSpells, Healing, and the Fourth VedaThe Doors That Close, and the Winter SeatsThe Hamsa, and the Discernment of Milk from WaterThe Veda of MelodyThe Veda of Sacrificial FormulasThe World as PlayThree Steps, and a Practice in DeclineTwo Recensions, Many SchoolsTwo Recensions, One Nearly LostWorship at the Junctions of the DayDeitiesPushanDoctrinesLilaHolidays & FestivalsChaturmasyaMaha ShivaratriPilgrimage RoutesThe Char Dham YatraThe Chota Char DhamPracticesBhajanPradakshinaSandhyavandanamTilakaReligious EventsThe Bhakti MovementThe Birth of GaneshaThe Founding of the Four MathasThe Marriage of Shiva and ParvatiRitualsAbhishekaKumbhabhishekamSacred Objects & Ritual ItemsKalashPrasadScripture PortionsAdi ParvaAnushasana ParvaAranya KandaShowing 1 to 50 of 98 entities carrying this claim. NextScholarly debate9Religious EventsThe Bhakti MovementThe Birth of KrishnaThe Birth of RamaThe Defeat of Surapadman by MuruganThe Founding of the Four MathasThe Marriage of Shiva and ParvatiThe Return of Rama to AyodhyaThe Victory of Rama Over RavanaHolds34Animals & TotemsCowDenominationsGaudiya VaishnavismDoctrinesAchintya Bheda AbhedaIshta-DevataPanchayatana PujaSankirtana as Yuga-DharmaHolidays & FestivalsChaturmasyaGuru PurnimaRaksha BandhanPilgrimage RoutesThe Char Dham YatraThe Chota Char DhamPracticesSandhyavandanamReligious EventsThe Bhakti MovementThe Founding of the Four MathasRitualsAbhishekaKumbhabhishekamSacred Objects & Ritual ItemsKalashPrasadSacred SitesBadrinathDwarkadhish Temple, DwarkaJagannath Temple, PuriKedarnathRamanathaswamy Temple, RameswaramScriptures & TextsBhagavata PuranaChaitanya CharitamritaGeneral References101Animals & TotemsCowArticlesA Devotional Ideal Rather Than a Formal CreedOne Verse Among Many That Became the VerseSankirtana and the Doctrine of the Yuga-DharmaDeitiesPushanDenominationsGaudiya VaishnavismDoctrinesAchintya Bheda AbhedaIshta-DevataLilaPanchayatana PujaPrakritiPurushaSamskaraSankirtana as Yuga-DharmaThe Three GunasHolidays & FestivalsChaturmasyaChhath PujaDhanterasGuru PurnimaMaha ShivaratriRaksha BandhanThaipusamVishuHymns & Liturgical TextsHanuman ChalisaPilgrimage RoutesThe Char Dham YatraThe Chota Char DhamPracticesBhajanJapaPradakshinaSandhyavandanamTilakaReligious EventsThe Bhakti MovementThe Birth of GaneshaThe Birth of KrishnaThe Birth of RamaThe Defeat of Surapadman by MuruganThe Founding of the Four MathasThe Marriage of Shiva and ParvatiThe Return of Rama to AyodhyaThe Victory of Rama Over RavanaRitualsAbhishekaHomaKumbhabhishekamSacred Objects & Ritual ItemsKalashPrasadSacred SitesBadrinathDwarkadhish Temple, DwarkaJagannath Temple, PuriKedarnathRamanathaswamy Temple, RameswaramShowing 1 to 50 of 101 entities carrying this claim. 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