REVIEWS & COMMENTS
H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati
Founder, International Society of Divine Love and Barsana Dham, Austin, Texas, USA§
The children’s books Saivite Hindu Religion are inspiring general knowledge books especially designed for the worship of God Siva and God Ganesh. God Siva is called Yogishwar, which means God of yog and gyan that relates to soul and brahm. The illustrations in these books are unique. Saivite religious disciplines to adopt in day-to-day family life and the religious stories are described in a very interesting manner which gives the reader a feeling to bring God into his life.§
Pandit Ramesh Tiwari
Edinburgh Dharmic Sabha, Edinburgh Hindu Temple, Chaguanas, Trinidad§
Thank you for sending the new children’s course in Hinduism for my perusal. I have successfully introduced a beginners class in Hindi at the Lord Siva Temple, Debe, a rural area in South Trinidad, where children ranging from ages eight to eighteen have found the format quite interesting. It is too early to measure the success, but the enthusiasm is there among the students who have had no training in their mother tongue, and they are adapting to the teaching quite easily.§
Tiru Mootoocoomaren Sangeelee
Ex-Inspector of Schools, Mauritius§
I first came across only books 2 and 6 of the six-book Saivite Hindu Religion course. As I was then very busy, I thought I would read a few pages of each of the books at random and that that would be enough for me to assess the value of the course. I started reading Book 2. I found it so interesting that I read the whole of the two books without missing one single page. I can now honestly say that these books constitute a mine of lofty teachings of pure Hinduism. The lessons given in them impart a correct knowledge of true Hinduism. I now guess that it was lessons of this sort, widely spread, that made ancient India so much more spiritual than is modern India. One way, and perhaps the best, of getting rid of all the immoral living and violence which are plaguing the world and making people miserable, would be, I am convinced, to propagate the teachings of these books. Then morality would improve and virtue would flourish, making the world a much better place to live in. These books should find their place, not only in all Hindu homes throughout the world, but even among other religious communities.§
Dileep Nair
Former Chairman, Project DHARMA, Hindu Endowments Board, Singapore§
We thank you once again for the wonderful gift of six volumes of Saivite Hindu Religion that you presented us. It is indeed a Godsend since this is exactly what we wanted for teaching our young children Hinduism in a structured way. I am certain our children will be captivated by the most interesting text and wonderful drawings. §
His Holiness Swami Satchidananda
Founder, Integral Yoga Institute, Virginia, USA§
The Saivite Hindu Religion course prepared by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami is a great boon for all Hindu children worldwide. Many schools outside India and Nepal are not providing courses for Hindu children so that they can learn more about their Hindu heritage. Once one’s culture is lost, the person is lost. To ensure a positive future for our Hindu children, it is imperative that a strong foundation of Hindu philosophy, culture and practice is built. The course prepared by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami provides the needed building blocks for Hindu children of all sects and can help them to fulfill their Hindu dharma in the world. §
Karan Singh, Ph.D.
Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), former Indian Ambassador to the US, Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University, New Delhi, India§
I have received and looked through with considerable interest your six book course for children on Saivism. It is indeed an excellent project and I hope it will be widely used in India and abroad. §
Dr. Lakshmikumari
Past President, Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India§
I was delighted to see the six books on Saivism brought for the benefit of the children all around the world, which are equally an eye-opener for elders as well. I congratulate the team which took up the work who have tried to translate the lofty but abstract ideals of our dharma into simple pictures and notes. I particularly like the details in the pictures which have tried to portray the shraddha in the Hindu households. On the whole it is a very creditable achievement and, as you have rightly mentioned, it is a primer for the entire Hindu religion. §
H.H. Swami Chidananda Saraswati (Muniji),
President, Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, India§
Thanks to the inspiration and guidance of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and his pioneering efforts, the deplorable lack of text books on Hinduism for school children is being remedied. The Saivite Hindu Religion is a series of six books. It presents imaginatively and with apt illustrations, the essentials of Hindu precepts and practices, with special focus on Saivism. I commend them enthusiastically for use as educational material in schools. §