Description: Note from the Publisher Introduction by Robert Lawlor Part One 1. The Historical Background History and Legend The Birth of a Civilization Sanskrit 2. The Bases of Social Order The Cycles The Origin of the Ages, the Races, and the Castes Elements of Social Order The Castes Occupation, Heredity, Environment The Four Tyrannies Race and Racism Duties and Privileges Caste and Marriage Caste and Diet Caste and Conquest The Outcastes Protection of Less Advanced Races Part Two 3. The Nature of the World The Nature of the World Creation and Perception Matter, the Stars, and Life 4. The Four Aims of Life The Four "Aims of Life" (Purusharthas) Action (Karma) 5. The First Aim of Life Dharma: Duty, Virtue - Self-realization on the Moral Plane Ethics Moral Purity, Ritual Purity, and Untouchability The Three Debts of Man The Role of Women Population Control 6. The Second Aim of Life Artha: Material Goods, Wealth, Success, Power - Self-realization on the Social Level Material Goods The Acquisition and Use of Wealth 7. The Third Aim of Life Kama: Pleasure, Sexuality, Enjoyment - Self-realization on the Sensual Level Pleasure Pleasure and the Other Aims of Life Pleasure and Liberation Pleasure, the Individual, and Society The Forms of Erotic Realization Erotic Arts and Techniques 8. The Fourth Aim of Life Moksha: Liberation - Self-realization on the Spiritual Plane Liberation Degrees of Divine Union Transcendent Reality Qualifications The Paths of Liberation Samadhi 9. The Four Stages of Life The First Stage of Life: The Quest for Knowledge (Brahmacharya) The Second Stage of Life: Family Life (Grihastha) The Third Stage of Life: Retreat into the Forest (Vana Prastha) The Fourth Stage of Life: Renunciation (Sannyasa) 10. Conclusions Hindu Society in the Modern World Appendix 1 - The Thirty-Two Sciences Appendix 2 - The Sixty-Four Arts Sources Index

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