Home›Sources›An Introduction to HinduismSourcesAn Introduction to HinduismCitation FormatsGeneral ReferenceGeneral Reference Citation TextDivinity Atlas. "An Introduction to Hinduism." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/an-introduction-to-hinduism.Copy General ReferenceAPA StyleAPA Style Citation TextDivinity Atlas. (n.d.). An Introduction to Hinduism. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/an-introduction-to-hinduismCopy APA StyleBibTeXBibTeX Citation Text@misc{divinityatlas-an-introduction-to-hinduism, author = {Divinity Atlas}, title = {An Introduction to Hinduism}, year = {2026}, url = {https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/an-introduction-to-hinduism}, note = {Accessed August 30, 2026} }Copy BibTeXGavin Flood's survey works from the Vedic textual corpus and the historical record of the guru relationship and the Vedanta schools, rather than from a single sectarian account of Hindu practice, deliberately covering multiple schools side by side. This record has not independently traced a documented history of corrections between its editions, so its standing here rests on its continued wide use as a general survey rather than on any verified list of what it has revised. It is a strong general source for established facts about Hindu religious structure and philosophy. As a general survey it moves quickly across an enormous field, and a claim specific to one regional tradition, one lineage's own teaching, or a live scholarly debate may need a more specialized study alongside it.FactsClaims Backed By This Source (914 claims)Comments (0)Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)FactsCitationAuthorWell-attestedGavin FloodPublisherWell-attestedCambridge University PressPublication YearWell-attested1996URLWell-attestedhttps://www.cambridge.org/us/universitypress/subjects/religion/buddhism-and-eastern-religions/introduction-hinduismSource TypeWell-attestedacademic monographAssessmentReliability TierWell-attested1A general scholarly survey of Hinduism from a university press, covering the priestly class, Vedic revelation, initiation and the Vedanta schools.NotesWell-attestedGeneral scholarly survey. Used for varna and the priestly class, Vedic revelation and the rishis, initiation and the guru, and the Vedanta schools.Claims Backed By This Source (914 claims)This source backs 914 claims across the atlas. As facts: 518 well-attested, 4 scholarly debate. As cited relationships: 141 holds, 4 connected, 2 held Differently. Plus 245 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.Disposition By TopicDeities, 175 claims: 114 well-attested, 61 general references.Doctrines, 106 claims: 73 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate, 4 holds, 27 general references.Scripture Portions, 82 claims: 39 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 21 holds, 21 general references.Articles, 77 claims: 65 well-attested, 1 holds, 4 connected, 7 general references.Rituals, 60 claims: 30 well-attested, 10 holds, 20 general references.Denominations, 57 claims: 47 holds, 2 held Differently, 8 general references.Practices, 56 claims: 45 well-attested, 2 holds, 9 general references.Beliefs & Restrictions, 54 claims: 41 well-attested, 13 general references.Mantras, 32 claims: 16 well-attested, 2 holds, 14 general references.Vices, 29 claims: 20 well-attested, 3 holds, 6 general references.Religious Symbols, 25 claims: 11 well-attested, 11 holds, 3 general references.Scriptures & Texts, 23 claims: 13 well-attested, 3 holds, 7 general references.Schools of Theology, 21 claims: 18 holds, 3 general references.Subcategories, 15 claims: 11 well-attested, 4 general references.Religious Roles & Titles, 13 claims: 9 holds, 4 general references.Religious Events, 12 claims: 5 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 3 holds, 3 general references.Categories, 11 claims: 9 well-attested, 2 general references.Holidays & Festivals, 10 claims: 3 holds, 7 general references.Koshas, 10 claims: 5 well-attested, 5 general references.Tattvas, 10 claims: 5 well-attested, 5 general references.Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.Gunas, 6 claims: 3 well-attested, 3 general references.Sacred Foods, 6 claims: 2 well-attested, 2 holds, 2 general references.Disciplines, 4 claims: 2 holds, 2 general references.Figures, 4 claims: 4 general references.Hymns & Liturgical Texts, 4 claims: 4 general references.Religions, 4 claims: 3 well-attested, 1 general references.Well-attested518ArticlesA Blade That Travelled With A Whole TraditionA Fierce Avatar With Living TemplesA Flower That Explains ItselfA Heaven You Are Meant to LeaveA Mughal Prince, a Latin Folio, and SchopenhauerA Path Open to AllA Position That Sets Gaudiya Vaishnavism Apart From Other Vaishnava SchoolsA Reform Movement's Objection to the Secrecy ItselfA Reformer Reads the UpanishadsA Seat, A Map, A Diagram, A RooflineA Title Shared With an Unrelated AstrologyA Transmission That Is Meant to Be PrivateAgni in the Hindu Life, from the Wedding to the PyreBack to the Vedas AloneBeyond the Perishable and the ImperishableBeyond the Phallic ReadingBhakti in the DenominationsBrahman Is Not BrahmaBrahman with Qualities, and WithoutBrahman, Atman, and the Turn Away from RitualDecline and renewalFood as Brahman: The Philosophy Behind Her NameHearing, Reasoning, and DwellingHow Rival Vedanta Schools Rejected IllusionismKama and the Purusharthas It EndangersLove as a DisciplineMada and the Fall of Those Who Held ItMatsarya and the Remedy of MuditaNature, and Everything That Is Not the WitnessNeither Pure Identity nor Pure DifferenceOne God or Many: A Question the Schools Answer DifferentlyOne Reality, Many Chosen FacesOne Weapon, Three ReadingsPrakriti as Constitution: The Ayurvedic SenseSeeing and Being SeenThe Breath Reversed and Its Upanishadic RootThe Chariot, and Other Classical Images of AtmanThe Denominations of a Single Chosen DeityThe Gunas as a Theory of Diet and Mind in AyurvedaThe Poets and the Question of CasteThe Power That Moves the WorldThe Repetition Already in the BreathThe Samaj Splits Over How Far to GoThe Self That Buddhism DeniesThe Sign of ShivaThe Triple Foundation, and Why Everyone Writes the Same CommentaryThirteen Principal Texts, a Canon of 108, and a Long TailThree Dishes That Are Offered to a Deity Before They Are EatenThree Strands, and Everything Woven from ThemWhat Divides the Schools, and What the Nineteenth Century Did to ThemShowing 1 to 50 of 228 entities carrying this claim. NextScholarly debate4DoctrinesVedantaReligious EventsThe Founding of the Brahmo SamajScripture PortionsThe Yoga of Knowledge and the Renunciation of ActionHolds141ArticlesThree Dishes That Are Offered to a Deity Before They Are EatenDenominationsKashmir ShaivismShaivismSmartismSri VaishnavismVaishnavismDisciplinesKundalini YogaTantraDoctrinesIshta-DevataLilaMahapurushaHolidays & FestivalsGanesh ChaturthiRam NavamiMantrasOm Namah ShivayaOm Namo NarayanayaPracticesDarshanSattvic DietReligious EventsThe Founding of the Arya SamajThe Founding of the Brahmo SamajReligious Roles & TitlesAcharyaBrahminGuruRishiReligious SymbolsLotus (Padma)OmTrishulaRitualsAartiAgnihotraAntyeshtiHomaMeditation on the ChakrasPujaYajna (Fire Sacrifice)Sacred FoodsModakPrasadamSchools of TheologyAdvaita VedantaDvaita VedantaVishishtadvaita VedantaScripture PortionsChandogya UpanishadMandukya UpanishadTaittiriya UpanishadThe Yoga of ActionThe Yoga of AnalysisThe Yoga of Arjuna's DespondencyThe Yoga of DevotionThe Yoga of Divine ManifestationsThe Yoga of Knowledge and DiscernmentThe Yoga of Knowledge and the Renunciation of ActionThe Yoga of Liberation by RenunciationThe Yoga of MeditationShowing 1 to 50 of 64 entities carrying this claim. NextConnected4ArticlesA Fierce Avatar With Living TemplesA Position That Sets Gaudiya Vaishnavism Apart From Other Vaishnava SchoolsHow Rival Vedanta Schools Rejected IllusionismNeither Pure Identity nor Pure DifferenceHeld Differently2DenominationsSmartismVaishnavismGeneral References245ArticlesA Fierce Avatar With Living TemplesA Position That Sets Gaudiya Vaishnavism Apart From Other Vaishnava SchoolsHow Rival Vedanta Schools Rejected IllusionismJnana as the Sole Means: Advaita's CaseNeither Pure Identity nor Pure DifferenceThe Unresolved Dispute Between the Cat and the MonkeyThree Dishes That Are Offered to a Deity Before They Are EatenBeliefs & RestrictionsAnatta: no permanent selfCaste Hierarchy and Vedic Ritualism Are RejectedKarma: action determines future rebirthKayaka: Labour Itself Is WorshipKrishna Is the Supreme Person, Not an Avatar of VishnuMoksha: liberation from rebirthReincarnation (samsara)Shiva as the supreme deityThe cow is sacred and not eatenThe Ishtalinga Is Worn on the Body and Worshipped in Place of Temple ImagesVegetarianism is preferredVishnu as the supreme deityWorship of five deities as forms of one Brahman (panchayatana)CategoriesKoshasYugas (World Ages)DeitiesAja EkapadaAmshaAnnapurnaArdhanarishvaraAryamanAyyappanBahuchara MataBalaramaBhagaBhairavaBhumi DeviChamundaChitraguptaDakshinamurtiDattatreyaDhanvantariDhatriGarudaHanumanJagannathKalkiKamadevaKetuKrishnaKurmaManasaMangalaMartandaShowing 1 to 50 of 243 entities carrying this claim. NextComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.View At A Past YearThe atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.Show This Year