Mar 20, 2009 -- 9:46AM, Prajna wrote:

Thanks for all the answers everyone!

Where can I find the appropriate prayers/chants to diferent deities?

Besides the Gita and Upanishads, what other texts are there for reading scripture?  Is there a book that talks about all their deities, or the major ones?

-Namaste-

Namaste Prajna,

I do not know the appropriate prayers/chants to all the deities. I know only about Devi. You can get  the chants from the on line  Ramakrishna Order book store:

www.vedanta.com

the following CD:

Hymns from the SRI SRI Chandi.

You can also read

'Devi Mahatmyam' translated by Swami Jagadiswarananda

which contains the text of SRI SRI Chandi.

Another book you can read is

Hindu Gods and Goddesses
by Swami Harshananda
179 pages, paperback

A book that explains the symbology of the Deities is

Hindu Symbology and Other Essays                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             by Swami Swahananda 266 pages, paperback

A book that gives an overview of Hinduism from the Advaita Vedanta perspective is

Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of the World's Oldest Religion
by Swami Bhaskarananda
234 pages, paperback

Of course these books give only one perspective, the one that I follow.

You have asked about Hindu scriptures. Hindus have thousands of scriptures as you very well know. The primary texts of Sanathana Dharma includes four Vedas, Sixteen
Brahmanas, four Aranyakas, One Hundred and Eight Upanishads, Six Vedangas,
five Upavedas, eighteen Mahapuranas, eighteen Upapuranas, six Darsanas,
eighteen Smritis and two Ithihasas (Ramayana and Mahabharata).The major scriptures are the Vedas
(specially the Upanishads) and the Bhagavad Gita. Two popular scriptures are Ramayana and Mahabharata. Different Hindu sects may have additional scriptures.

I would suggest that you read abridged versions of Ramayana and Mahabharata. You might also read an abridged version of at least one Purana. A popular Purana is the Bhagawat Purana.

Gangajal

i would like to first state that i would like to practice hinduism, but one thing on my mind is that i am a homosexual and being so will i be accepted into practicing hinduism..growing up i was forced into a christianity way of life and was looked upon as a sin for my sexual oreintation..thank you all..and look forward to practicing hinduism..

on general, original question:

Mahatma Gandhi on Ramanama (repetition of the name of God):

home.att.net/~s-prasad/mkrama.htm

www.mkgandhi.org/momgandhi/chap15.htm