Hinduism Selected Links

Resources from pluralism.org

Amma.org
The U.S. website for Amma, the “Hugging Saint” from Kerala, India, who has dedicated her life to removing human suffering.
www.amma.org

Back to Godhead
Bi-monthly magazine of the International Society for Krishna ConsciousnessThe International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), often referred to as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) who brought his tradition of devotion to Krishna to the United States in 1965. Thi....
http://btg.krishna.com/

Barsana Dham
Established by SwamiSwami means “master” or “lord.” In the Hindu and Jain traditions of India it is used as a title of respect for deities, gurus (spiritual teachers), and sadhus (ascetics). Prakashanand in 1990, this templeA temple is a house of worship, a sacred space housing the deity or central symbol of the tradition. The Temple in Jerusalem was the holy place of the Jewish people until its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE; now the term “temple” is used by th. Ref... and ashramIn the religious traditions of India, an ashram is a retreat center, where the cultivation of religious life takes place under the guidance of a teacher or guru. complex is situated on 200 acres in Austin, Texas.
www.barsanadham.org

Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam SwaminarayanThe Swaminarayan Hindu movement began in early nineteenth century Gujarat with a religious and social reformer named Sahajanand Swami. It is a devotional bhakti movement, focusing on Vishnu in the form of Krishna and Radha and also on Sahajanand Swami him... Sanstha (BAPS)
A socio-spiritual religious community with its roots in the VedasVeda means “wisdom” and specifically refers to the sacred wisdom of the four Vedic collections: Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. Associated with each of these Vedas is literature called Brahmanas, which are concerned especially with rituals, and U... and in the Gujarat region of India.
www.swaminarayan.org

Chinmaya Mission West
The North American branch of the worldwide VedantaVedanta means the “end of the Veda” and refers to the Upanishads, those teachings which investigate the nature of the soul and ultimate reality and which are the last part of the Vedic corpus. The term also designates the philosphical system of classi... movement founded by Swami ChinmayanandaSwami Chinmayananda (1916-1993) was a Vedanta teacher and disciple of the influential guru Swami Sivananda. He founded the Chinmaya Mission in India in 1953 and the Chinmaya Mission West in 1975 to teach the wisdom of the Vedanta tradition in the context ... in 1975.
www.chinmayamission.org

CHiTra: Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions
The first U.S. center dedicated to the research, teaching and public understanding of Hindu culture and traditions; based at the University of Florida, Gainesville.
http://chitra.clas.ufl.edu/

Council of Hindu TemplesA Hindu temple will be called a mandir in northern parts of India or a koyil in the south. There are many styles of temples and temple-complexes, but most temples are laid out according to precise dimensions and proportions and erected to be the symbolic ... of North America

http://www.chtna.org/

DharmaDharma means religion, religious duty, religious teaching. The word dharma comes from a Sanskrit root meaning “to uphold, support, bear,” thus dharma is that order of things which informs the whole world, from the laws of nature to the inner workings ...: Harvard’s Hindu Students Association
Established at Harvard University in 1997; the student organization publishes the journal Swadharma.
https://www.facebook.com/HarvardDharma

GaneshaGanesha is the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati and the keeper of the thresholds of space and time, to be honored at the doorway and at the outset of any venture. He is both the “lord of beginnings” and the “remover of obstacles.” Temple / Council of Hindu TemplesA temple is a house of worship, a sacred space housing the deity or central symbol of the tradition. The Temple in Jerusalem was the holy place of the Jewish people until its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE; now the term “temple” is used by th. Ref... of North America (Hindu Temple Society of North America) 
The Sri Maha Vallabha GanapatiGanesha is the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati and the keeper of the thresholds of space and time, to be honored at the doorway and at the outset of any venture. He is both the “lord of beginnings” and the “remover of obstacles.” Devasthanam, or “Ganesha Temple,” is one of America’s first large Hindu temples, on historic Bowne Street in Flushing, Queens.
www.nyganeshtemple.org; www.chtna.org

Global Hindu Electronic Networks: The Hindu Universe
A wealth of information and links to many facets of Hinduism“Hindu” was originally a word given by the Greeks, then the Persians, to the land and peoples beyond the Indus or “Sindhu” River. The term “Hinduism” came into common use only in the 19th century to describe a complex and dynamic pattern of li... and Hindu life.
www.hindunet.org

Hindu American Foundation
An advocacy group which promotes “the Hindu and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism;” resources include a “Hinduism Media Toolkit” and online newsletters.
www.hinduamericanfoundation.org

Hindu American SevaSeva means service, a religious obligation of both renunciants and laity in the religious traditions of India. Charities
Hindu American Seva Charities is a progressive American organization promoting pluralism, tolerance, social justice, civic engagement, and advancing interfaith and community service.
www.hinduamericanseva.org

Hindu Education Foundation
A project of U.S. Hindus, this organization works to correct “misconceptions about India in general and about Hinduism and Hindus in particular.”
http://www.hindueducationboard.org/

Hindu Students Council
Promotes the understanding of Hindu culture and heritage among students on college campuses.
www.hscnet.org

Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago
Guide to the two hilltop temples in the Chicago suburb of Lemont.
www.ramatemple.org

Hindu University of America
Inaugurated in Orlando, Florida in 2001, this University offers baccalaureate, master and doctoral level training in Hindu religions, philosophies and culture.
www.hua.edu

Hinduism Today
Monthly magazine of international Hinduism published by Hawaii-based teacher Sivaya Subramuniyaswami; a free digital edition is available online.
www.HinduismToday.com

India Abroad
www.indiaabroad.com

India New England
www.indianewengland.com

Integral YogaYoga is a Sanskrit word, deriving from a verb meaning “to yoke” or “to join.” Body and consciousness are joined together in the discipline of yoga. Yoga practice involves ethical restraints, the mastery of bodily postures (called asanas), the cont... International
An international yoga community based in the U.S. at Swami Satchidananda’s Yogaville ashram in Buckingham, Virginia.
www.yogaville.org

International Society for KrishnaKrishna is one of the most beloved of Hindu Gods, sometimes called an avatara of Vishnu, but widely worshipped in his own right as the Supreme Lord. The stories of Krishna gather together the ancient and heroic cowherd god of India, the adviser to Arjuna ... Consciousness (ISKCONThe International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), often referred to as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) who brought his tradition of devotion to Krishna to the United States in 1965. Thi...)
The “Hare Krishna” movement, launched in the U.S. by Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta, emphasizing chanting the Lord’s names to express and realize the love of GodGod is a term used to refer to the Divine, the Supreme being, Transcendent deity, or Ultimate reality..
www.iskcon.com

International Society of Divine Love

http://radhamadhavdham.org/

International Swaminarayan SatsangSatsang literally means the “community of the good,” and refers to those who gather together in a religious community for chanting, singing devotional songs called bhajans, study, or community worship. Organization (ISSO)
A branch of the Swaminarayan MovementThe Swaminarayan Hindu movement began in early nineteenth century Gujarat with a religious and social reformer named Sahajanand Swami. It is a devotional bhakti movement, focusing on Vishnu in the form of Krishna and Radha and also on Sahajanand Swami him... based in the Gujarat region of India and emphasizing the devotional love of Lord Swaminarayan.
www.swaminarayan.info/ISSO/

Navya Shastra
International Hindu organization advocating for shastric and social reform.
www.shastras.org

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
Includes information about the center’s core research initiatives: the Digital Shikshapatri Project, the British Hindu Oral History Project, and the Hindu Youth Research Project.
www.ochs.org.uk

Self-Realization FellowshipYogoda Satsang Society was founded in India by Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952). During the 1920s when Yogananda settled in Los Angeles, the American organization became known as the Self-Realization Fellowship. Yogananda was the first Hindu teacher of y... (SRF)
Community dedicated to self-realization through the practice of Kriya Yoga as taught by Paramahamsa YoganandaParamahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) was the first Hindu teacher of yoga to settle in the United States for an extended period, some 30 years. Soon after he came to the United States in 1920, he began teaching yoga to Americans. He launched th. Self-Realizat....
www.yogananda-srf.org

SiddhaSiddha means accomplished or perfected, one who has attained spiritual realization. In the Jain tradition, an enlightened and liberated soul is called a Siddha. Such a soul does not need a body, but transcends the cycle of life and death and dwells in mok... Yoga MeditationMeditation is the disciplined practice of quieting and focusing the mind or cultivating the heart’s attention. Different meditation practices commend focusing attention on a word, a prayer, a form, or the breath as a way of practice. Meditation is commo...
Siddha YogaSiddha Yoga Dham Associates (SYDA) was launched by Swami Muktananda (1908-1982) in 1974. Siddha Yoga teaches that each individual has an inner transformative energy, or shakti, that is dormant within. The Siddha Guru can awaken this spiritual energy throu... teachings and communities following the leadership of Gurumayi Chidvilasananda.
www.siddhayoga.org

Sri LakshmiLakshmi is the goddess who embodies auspiciousness, wealth, and good fortune. She is often regarded as a wife of Vishnu or Narayana and is worshipped especially in the fall festival of lights called Divali. Temple
Activities and ritual life of New England’s first Hindu temple in Ashland, Massachusetts.
www.nehti.org

Sri MeenakshiThe Hind. to the material form o. Goddess Meenakshi is best known as the reigning goddess of the popular South Indian temple town of Madurai, where her large temple complex is at center of town built in concentric square processional streets around the te... Temple Society
Events, worship, and photographs of the Houston area’s largest Hindu temple in Pearland, Texas.
www.meenakshi.org 

Sri Siva VishnuVishnu is one of the great Gods of the Hindu tradition. He is known in the Vedas and comes to be famous as the Lord who pervades the entire universe. He is Supreme but wholly auspicious, only occasionally displaying the dark side that is embraced by Shiva... Temple
A landmark temple located twelve miles from Washington, D.C. in Lanham, Maryland; site includes photographs and a monthly newsletter.
www.ssvt.org

Sri VaishnavaA Vaishnava or Vaishnavite is a worshipper of Vishnu or one of Vishnu’s many forms, such as Krishna or Rama, as Supreme Lord. Vaishnava is also used to name the Hindu traditions of Vishnu worship, such as the Sri Vaishnava and the Gaudiya Vaishnava trad... Home Page
An introduction to the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
www.ramanuja.org

Sri Venkateswara Temple
History, events, worship, and online newsletter of one of America’s first Hindu temples in the Penn Hills near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
www.svtemple.org

Swadharma: The Voice of Dharma
Harvard’s Hinduism Journal (2008-2011)
www.swadharma.org (link no longer working)

Vedanta SocietyThe Vedanta Society is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order, headquartered at Belur Math in Calcutta. The first Vedanta Society in the United States was founded in New York in 1894 by Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902). Vivekananda emphasized both Vedanta phi... of New York
The first Vedanta Society in the U.S., founded by Swami VivekanandaVivekananda (1863-1902) was the foremost disciple of the great mystic Ramakrishna. Well educated and articulate in English, he spoke at the World’s Parliament of Religion in Chicago in 1893, describing Vedanta as a rational, spiritual, and universal tra... in 1894.
www.vedantany.org

Vedanta Society of Southern California
Established in 1930 in Los Angeles; this site provides an introduction to Vedanta and a directory of Vedanta Centers worldwide.
www.vedanta.org

The Vedic Foundation
Develops educational programs and resources; aims to “serve as an authoritative resource on authentic Hinduism.”
www.thevedicfoundation.org

Vedic Heritage Teaching Program
A three-volume curriculum by Drs. Sunita and Sundar Ramaswamy, available via the Arsha Vidya GurukulamA gurukulam is a residential school or training center where a guru teaches; literally, it means the family (kulam) of the guru. Institute of Vedanta and Sanskrit.
www.arshavidya.org/Vedic-Heritage-Teaching-Program.html

Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHP)
The VHP of America maintains ties with its Indian counterpart and focuses on issues of Hindu identity in America.
www.vhp-america.org