The Principles of Hindu Ethics

The book begins by defining the Hindu view of life and the criteria by which moral action is judged. It considers the role of ṛta, śāstra, custom, public authority, exemplary conduct, happiness, social welfare, and mokṣa in determining ethical value. The author argues that Hindu ethics cannot be reduced to a single rule or theory, because it integrates practical consequences, social duties, spiritual discipline, and the ultimate realization of the Self. The subsequent discussion moves from individual virtues to broader social institutions. It treats truth, purity, education, gender, marriage, family, property, kingship, punishment, caste, friendship, hospitality, charity, non-violence, compassion, renunciation, and the tension between karma and free will. The final sections connect ethics with theology and metaphysics by examining the unity of the divine, personal and impersonal conceptions of God, the paths of yoga, bhakti, karma, and jñāna, as well as faith, atonement, grace, and liberation.