The Rig Veda

Description

The earliest of the four Hindu religious scriptures known as the Vedas, and the first extensive composition to survive in any Indo-European language, the Rig Veda (c. 1200-900 BC) is a collection of over 1,000 individual Sanskrit hymns. A work of intricate beauty, it provides a unique insight into early Indian mythology, religion and culture.

This selection of 108 of the hymns, chosen for their eloquence and wisdom, focuses on the enduring themes of creation, sacrifice, death, women, the sacred plant soma and the gods. Inspirational and profound, it provides a fascinating introduction to one of the founding texts of Hindu scripture – an awesome and venerable ancient work of Vedic ritual, prayer, philosophy, legend and faith. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world.

With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-wi ing translators. Author Edited Wendy Doniger Author Info Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty is an American Indologist whose professional career has spa ed five decades Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor Emerita of the History of Religions; also in the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, the Committee on Social Thought, and the College Wendy Doniger’s research and teaching interests revolved around two basic areas, Hinduism and mythology.

Her courses in mythology addressed themes in cross-cultural expanses, such as death, dreams, evil, horses, sex, and women; her courses in Hinduism covered a broad spectrum that, in addition to mythology, considered literature, law, gender, and zoology. Among over forty books published under the names of Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty and Wendy Doniger are twenty-one interpretive works ISBN-13 978-0140449891 Publisher Penguin Classics Publication Date September 27, 2005 Edition Revised Binding Paperback Condition New Page Count 352 Pages