The Concept of VAC in the Vedic Literature

Contents: Preface. Introduction. I: 1. Vac as a deity in the Rgveda. 2. Vac and Sarasvati. 3. Vac and Agni. 4. Vac and Soma. 5. Vac and Prajapati. 6. Vacaspati, Vakpati and Brhaspati. 7. Vac and Usas. II: 1. Vac as a prayer. 2. Vac as a spell. 3. 'Friend of speech'. III: 1. Vac and sacrifice. 2. Vac and the Vedas. 3. Vacamyama and Vaco Visarjana. 4. Use of different tones in the sacrifice. 5. Vac with some utterances in the sacrifice the Vasatkara, the Svahakara and the Hinkara. 6. Speech identified with various formulae. 7. Vac and the hotr. 8. Relation of Vac with some Vedic seers. 9. Vac identified with various cups. 10. Some identifications in connection with the sacrifice. 11. Some other identifications. IV: 1. Vac and metres (in general). 2. Relation of Vac with various metres. V: 1. Vac (looked upon) as a cow. VI: 1. Vac with other sense organs. 2. Vac and Manas. 3. Vac and Prana. 4. Vac, Manas and Prana. 5. Vac and Caksu. VII: 1. Vac of various deities, animals, birds. VIII: Origin of Vac. IX: 1. Types of Vac. 2. Divisions of speech. X: 1. Vac and Brahman. Appendix: Vac legends. Bibliography.

"The word Vac is derived from Vac, to speak. But Vac for Vedic Indians was not merely speech. The word carries with it a deeper significance. The material for the book is collected from the principal Samhitas--the Rgveda, the Atharvaveda, the five Samhitas of Yajurveda (the Taittiriya, the Maitryani, the Vajsaneyi, the Kathaka and the Kapisthalakatha). The Brahmanas (the Aitreya, the Sankhyana, the Satapatha, the Taittiriya, and Pancavimsa, the Sadvimsa and the Gopatha), and the eighteen principal Upanisads." (jacket)