Sacred Symbols of Hinduism
by J.R. Santiago

Worship is a symbol of spiritualism. In worship, illumination dawns and the spiritual becomes more important than the physical aspect of life. The abstract becomes the obvious and there arises a deeper understanding of the mystery of life. There is more reverence, worship becomes a way of life. The symbolism of Hinduism, although exoteric and esoteric, is the key to understanding. In this short introductory work on the sacred symbols of HInduism, an attempt has been made to present their meaning and significance in an exhaustive but comprehensive manner. However, this is simply impossible to achieve in this small volume. Of the really important symbols, the more common or ubiquitous, though abstract or mystical, have been given in-depth treatment to make them understandable. The rest, also abstruse in concept, but essential as accessories, have been explained briefly for a quick grasp of their significance. The importance of these symbols, to one encountering them for the first time, is whether under concentrated scrutiny the fundamentals of Hinduism will stand valid when compared with any other established creed.