Kapitlet presenterar hinduismen som en mångfacetterad tradition som rymmer både ortodoxa och progressiva tolkningar. Fokus ligger på hur rörelser, organisationer och institutioner har omformat traditionen för att möta moderna samhälleliga utmaningar. Exempel som Arya Samaj, Ramakrishnarörelsen, Vedanta Society och ISKCON visar hur bhakti, socialt engagemang och global spridning skapat nya uttryck för hinduismen. Vidare analyseras hinduismens texter, myter och rituella praktiker i ljuset av progressiv hermeneutik, med betoning på genus, social rättvisa och miljömedvetenhet. Estetiska och symboliska uttryck, från konst och musik till Bollywood och digitala medier, lyfts fram som centrala kanaler för förnyelse. Kapitlet visar hur hinduismen kontinuerligt förhandlar mellan tradition och modernitet, och utvecklas till en dynamisk religion med global relevans.

This chapter presents Hinduism as a multifaceted tradition that embraces both orthodox and progressive interpretations. The focus is on how movements, organizations, and institutions have reshaped the tradition to address modern societal challenges. Examples such as the Arya Samaj, the Ramakrishna movement, the Vedanta Society, and ISKCON illustrate how bhakti, social engagement, and global dissemination have produced new expressions of Hinduism. Furthermore, the chapter analyzes Hindu texts, myths, and ritual practices through the lens of progressive hermeneutics, highlighting issues of gender, social justice, and ecological awareness. Aesthetic and symbolic expressions, from art and music to Bollywood and digital media, are emphasized as key channels for religious renewal. The chapter demonstrates how Hinduism continuously negotiates between tradition and modernity, evolving into a dynamic religion with global relevance.

The book "Bhakti in Vaiṣṇava Traditions" provides a comprehensive exploration of the diverse dimensions of bhakti (devotion) within the Vaiṣṇava traditions of India. Vaiṣṇavism, a major pillar of India's spiritual heritage, is deeply rooted in the practice of bhakti, which signifies intense love and devotion towards the divine. The book is divided into three sections: Bhāgavata Purāṇa and Bhagavad Gītā, Bhakti in Vedanta, and Regional Traditions. The first section examines the foundational texts of bhakti—Bhāgavata Purāṇa and Bhagavad Gītā—which articulate the profound relationship between the devotee and the divine. Through themes such as divine līlās (cosmic plays), devotional aesthetics, and interpretative roles of commentators, this part illuminates the transformative power of unwavering devotion. The second section addresses bhakti within Vedāntic philosophy, with a focus on Śaṅkara's Advaita Vedanta and its evolution in the writings of Rāmānuja, Svāminārāyaṇa, Nimbārka, and Madhusūdana Sarasvati. It explores how each of these Vedāntic traditions conceptualizes and integrates bhakti, offering a nuanced view of the diverse philosophical frameworks within Vaiṣṇavism. The final section delves into the regional manifestations of Vaiṣṇava bhakti, covering traditions such as the Vārkarī movement, Caitanya Vaiṣṇavism, and Braj Vaiṣṇavism. This section captures the rich cultural and devotional expressions that vary across regions, further illustrating the dynamic and multifaceted nature of bhakti within Vaiṣṇava practice. Through its examination of scriptural texts, philosophical developments, and regional traditions, this book presents a vivid portrait of the role of bhakti in shaping the spiritual landscape of Vaiṣṇavism.

‘And as long as my spirit dwells in my body, maiden with the serene smile! I will be yours, this is the solemn truth I tell thee.’ The quotation is a translation of Otto Fredrik Tullberg’s (1802–1853) inscription on a stone in Uppsala. In the 1830s, Tullberg carved out these lines in Sanskrit, derived from the fifth song of the story of Nala and Damayanti in Mahabharata, as a declaration of love to his fiancé Sophia Ridderbielke (Bhikhabhai 2016). The Orientalist Tullberg is often recognized as the founder of Indological studies and the first to introduce an interest for Indian religions in Swedish academia.

This chapter provides an overview of the development of the study of Indian religions at Swedish universities, which started in the nineteenth century with an Orientalist and philological study of classical language and texts and evolved into comparative Indo-European languages and Indology. As the discipline of History of Religions was established in the twentieth century, the study of Indian religions was gradually separated from linguistics and came to include theoretical and methodological approaches from humanities and social sciences that combined ethnographic research on contemporary religions with studies of history, languages and texts. The overview illustrates how the fields of research have expanded and diversified to include Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh traditions which trace their origins to India and historically expanded to greater Asia and later globally through an extensive migration, as well as ideas and practices derived from the Indian traditions in movements that operate transnationally across borders. While the international study of the Asian religions has developed into specialized and interdisciplinary research fields of Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina and Sikh studies, Sweden has never developed corresponding research environments. Rather, the study of Indian religions has been firmly incorporated within the discipline of History and Anthropology of Religion and worked closely with the philological study of Indian languages and texts....

The article Chaitanya Birthplace Controversy examines the historical, cultural, and religious significance of the dispute between two competing locations—Nabadwip and Mayapur—as the birthplace of the revered Bengali saint Kṛṣṇa Caitanya (1486–1534), the central figure of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. The study traces the rise of Nabadwip as a religious and educational center from the 15th century onward, and its gradual decline as colonial and political influences reshaped the region. The controversy intensified in 1894 when Bhaktivinoda Thakur, a key reformer of the Vaishnava movement, identified Mayapur as the true birthplace of Caitanya. His son, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, solidified this claim through the establishment of religious institutions and pilgrimages. The article explores the religious, sociological, and economic implications of this dispute, focusing on the role of sacred geography, institutional rivalry, and the transformation of both locations into major pilgrimage sites. The article concludes by analyzing the ongoing tensions between the communities of Nabadwip and Mayapur and their respective claims to Caitanya's legacy.

This article is a research overview published in Oxford Bibliographies Online: Hinduism (Oxford University Press). It presents Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī (1874–1937), his life and works, and provides an introduction to current scholarship on his role in the modern development of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in colonial and postcolonial contexts.

This chapter explores the history and dynamics of mission in Hinduism, with particular attention to the global spread of bhakti traditions. It challenges the widespread perception of Hinduism as a non-missionary religion by examining the development of missionary impulses from classical and medieval contexts through the colonial and postcolonial periods. The analysis highlights the theological underpinnings of mission in bhakti movements, especially Vaiṣṇava traditions, where devotion to a personal deity is framed as an awakening of the self’s innate relationship with God. Case studies include Rammohun Roy and the Brahmo Samaj, Swami Vivekananda and the Ramakrishna Mission, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s Gaudiya mission, and A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s ISKCON, alongside examples of Western-born Hindu missionaries. The chapter further situates Hindu missions in relation to colonial encounters, global modernity, and interfaith dialogue, arguing that mission in Hinduism represents both a distinctive mode of religious outreach and a significant dimension of its global transformations.

Kapitlet undersöker missionens historia inom hinduismen med fokus på bhakti-traditionernas globala spridning. Det utmanar föreställningen om hinduismen som en icke-missionerande religion genom att analysera missionära impulser från klassisk och medeltida tid till kolonial och postkolonial period. De teologiska grunderna för mission i bhakti-rörelser belyses, särskilt inom vaisnava-traditioner, där hängivenhet till en personlig gudom förstås som ett uppvaknande av själens inneboende relation till Gud. Fallstudier omfattar Rammohun Roy och Brahmo Samaj, Swami Vivekananda och Ramakrishna Mission, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati och Gaudiya-missionen samt A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami och ISKCON. Kapitlet placerar hinduistisk mission i relation till koloniala erfarenheter, global modernitet och interreligiös dialog.

This article explores the life and contributions of Vinode Vani Dasi (Daisy Cecilia Bowtell), one of the first Western female devotees of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. Born in England in 1887, Vinode Vani Dasi became deeply involved in the Gaudiya Math movement, dedicating her life to the propagation of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings in Britain. The article delves into her spiritual journey, highlighting her role as a dedicated supporter, teacher, and even an officiating guru within the Gaudiya Mission in London. It examines her contributions to the establishment of the Vasudeva Gaudiya Math in London and her involvement in numerous spiritual activities. Drawing on letters, interviews, and historical documents, the article provides a detailed portrait of Vinode Vani’s devotion, her relationship with Gaudiya Vaishnavism, and her lasting impact on the development of the tradition in the West.

The events that are the focus of the present investigation relate to a schism within the Gaudiya Math and Mission, a modern traditionalist Hindu religious institution dedicated to the revival of Chaitanya Vaishnava bhakti that was set in motion in 1918 in Mayapur, West Bengal, by the Bengali Vaishnava intellectual Swami Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati (1874-1937). By the time of Bhaktisiddhanta's passing in 1937, the Gaudiya Math and Mission had grown to be a dynamic and influential institution. Bhaktisiddhanta's departure had nevertheless exposed palpable tensions within his fledgling movement that assumed the form of a dramatic crisis of succession that engulfed the institution soon after his passing. This article examines in some detail the first three months of the initial court case that ensued after Bhaktisiddhanta's passing. The material to be examined herein has been acquired from the archives of the Calcutta High Court. These legal documents offer a unique glimpse into the complex inner dy namics of this modern Gaudiya Vaishnava schismatic conflict.

Handbook of Hinduism in Europe portrays and analyses how Hindu traditions have expanded across the continent, and presents the main Hindu communities, religious groups, forms, practices and teachings. The Handbook does this in two parts, Part One covers historical and thematic topics which are of importance for understanding Hinduism in Europe as a whole and Part Two has chapters on Hindu traditions in every country in Europe. Hindu traditions have a long history of interaction with Europe, but the developments during the last fifty years represent a new phase. Globalization and increased ease of communication have led to the presence of a great plurality of Hindu traditions. Hinduism has become one of the major religions in Europe and is present in every country of the continent.

During the twentieth century, various unsuccessful attempts were made by certain European Hindu communities to organise forums and umbrella organisations at the national level. That changed in the first decades of the twenty-first century when several such organisations were formally registered, thus providing their communities with a platform for political, social, and cultural interaction and exchange. This chapter focuses on the twelve national umbrella organisations that are members of the Hindu Forum of Europe (HFE) and the challenges they face when interacting with Europe’s secular states, which have been challenged by the growing diversity of their national religious landscapes