Brahmanism and Hinduism; Or, Religious Thought and Life in India, as Based on the Veda and Other Sacred Books of the Hindus

Published in 1887, this volume was written by Sir Monier Monier-Williams, a distinguished scholar of Sanskrit who served as the Boden Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Oxford. The work emerged from the author's extensive academic career and his commitment to categorizing Indian religious systems for a Western audience. It represents the later stage of his scholarship, focusing on the historical development of Brahmanism into the diverse religious traditions collectively known as Hinduism.

The text was designed as a scholarly reference, building upon the author's earlier research into Vedic literature and its evolution. Monier-Williams intended to provide a comprehensive, albeit deeply Victorian, analysis of Hindu theology, rites, and social structures. While contemporary post-colonial scholars often critique the author for his perspective and taxonomic approach, the book remains a significant artifact of 19th-century Orientalist academic study and an illustrative example of how British intellectual circles framed Eastern religious thought during the late colonial period.