Editor’s Note 19

Appreciation 25

Respectful Obeisances: Puja, Prayers & Recitals 31

Preface 47

1. Hinduism: Setting the Stage for Discussion 55

1. A Brief Introduction 56

2. Where do we Begin? 61

2. From the Perspective of Hinduism: Man in the Overall

Scheme of Creation 63

3. The Fundamentals of Creation 67

1. Background 68

2. Origin of Our Universe 70

3. The End of Life on Earth – Our Maha Prahalay 84

4. Darwinism and Evolution 87

5. Creation of the Universe: The Big Bang theories 90

6. Parting Thoughts 93

4. Hindu Concept of Time 95

1. Background 96

2. Cosmic Time 97

finitions 102

4. Hindu Calendar 104

5. A Loose Approximation of the Hindu Calendar 108

6. Parting Thoughts 109

5. Ahinsa & Vegetarianism 111

1. A Few Opinions on Non-Violence & Vegetarianism 112