Vedic Religion and Culture : An Exposition of Distinct Facets

Contents: Preface. Acknowledgements. Abbreviations. 1. The self-introducing Rsis of the Rgveda and the chronology of its hymns. 2. The word Asura in the Rgveda. 3. The Adityas in the Rgveda. 4. The comparative antiquity of Indra and Varuna. 5. The enigmatic hymn of Visvedevas in the Rgveda. 6. Some problematic words and phrases in the hymn of creation. 7. Origin of the idea of omnipresence of God in Aryan religious thought. 8. Position and status of women in India in the early Vedic period. 9. Historical importance of the Danastutis of the Rgveda. 10. The original home of the Iksvakus. 11. Ayodhya in early Vedic literature. 12. Yaska and Panini. 13. Additions and interpolations in the Bhagavadgita. 14. Names and epithets of Krsna in the Bhagavadgita. 15. Vedic religion today. Index.

"Vedic writings, despite two centuries of critical studies in India and the western world, have unveiled myriad questions that have either baffled scholars or have led to serious controversies like-- who wrote the Rgvedic hymns? Which deities in the Rgveda, constitute the group called Adityas? Who of the two major Vedic Gods, Indra or Varuna, has greater antiquity? Is Ayodhya the birthplace of Lord Rama? and so on. A distinguished Indologist, Prof. P.L. Bhargava Marshals, for the first time, indisputable evidences to resolve some of these questions. Combining in him the erudition of a Sanskritist and a Historian, the author mentions God\'s omnipresence in Aryan religious thought, the enigmatic "Hymn of Visvedevas" in the Rgveda; besides several other issues of religious, cultural, historical and literary importance.

Invaluable to the scholars and specialists of Vedic lore."