Indian Wisdom; Or Examples of the Religious, Philosophical, and Ethical Doctrines of the Hindus: With a Brief History of the Chief Departments of Sanskrit Literature, and Some Account of the Past and Present Condition of India, Moral and Intellectual

First published in 1875, Indian Wisdom was written by Sir Monier Monier-Williams, a prominent British scholar of Sanskrit and the Boden Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Oxford. The volume was conceived during a period of intense British interest in the religious and intellectual traditions of India, intended to serve as a comprehensive primer for English readers seeking to understand Hindu philosophy and the historical development of Sanskrit literature. By distilling complex Vedic, epic, and philosophical texts into accessible prose, Monier-Williams aimed to bridge the cultural gap between the British academic establishment and the Indian subcontinent.

The work reflects the colonial scholarly framework of the Victorian era, characterized by an encyclopedic ambition to categorize and define Eastern thought through a Western lens. Monier-Williams designed the volume to be both an educational guide and a moral commentary, often framing his analysis within the context of Christian perspectives common to his time. Upon its release, it became a standard reference for students and administrators preparing for service in India, receiving recognition for its scholarly rigor while simultaneously illustrating the evolving perspectives of 19th-century Orientalist research.