Dictionary of Vedas

About the Book The Book "Vedas" is considered to be a Sacred books in India, and believed to be the earliest literary record of the Indo-European Race. It is indeed difficult to say when the earliest portions of these compositions came into existence. Many shrewd guesses have been offered, but none of them can be proved to be incontestably true. The Vedas were handed down from mouth to mouth from a period of unknown antiquity, and the Hindus generally believed that they were never composed by men. It was therefore generally supposed that either they were taught by god to the sages, or that they were of themselves revealed to the sages who were "seers" of the hymns. Thus we find that when some time had elapsed after composition of the Vedas, people had come to look upon them not only as very old but so old, that they had theoretically at least, no beginning in time, though they were believed to have revealed at some unknown remote period at the beginning of each creation.

The book Dictionary of Vedas, consists of collections of Vedas, namely Rg, Sama, Yajur and Atharva. Of these the Rg is probably the earliest. The Sarna Veda has practically no independent value, for it consists of stanzas, taken entirely from Rg, which were meant to be-sung to certain fixed melodies and may thus be called the book of chants. The Yajur Veda however contains in addition to the verses taken from the Rg Veda, many original prose formulas. The arrangement of the verses of the Sarna Veda is solely with reference to their place and use in the Soma sacrifice, the contents of the Yajur Veda are arranged in order in which the verses were employed in the various religious sacrifices.

It is therefore called the Veda of Yajus sacrificial prayers. These may be contrasted with the arrangements in the Rg Veda, in this that, there the verses are generally arranged in accordance with the gods who are adored in them. The Dictionary covers all Vedic gods and goddesses in the alphabetical mode, with sufficient general names. The book covers, Sukla Yajur Veda, Krsna Yajur Veda, gemology, time calculation, hymns invoked by the poet to god, hymns addressed to gods by the poets, important dynasty in the Rg Vedic period Conspectus of the chief manuals of Vedic gods and other information. The book is designed as per Dictionary forms in which will be very helpful for the readers.

About the Author Rerigarajan, T. Son of Sri. A.S. Thiruamali was born in 1962, at Srivilliputur, Tamil Nadu. The author completed his graduation in Physics at Madura College, Madurai. He complete his Bachelor of Law from Sri Venkateshwara Law College, Tirupathi. Different publishers in India published his 80 books. The books were mainly associated to Hindu Religion, some books covers in depth knowledge in Hindu Religion.

The author name is under recommendation for different awards based on his works to Hinduism. They were Maharana Mewar award-Best Religious writers, Satish Goyal award-Upanisads-Oz, G.D. Birla award-Best Spiritual writers. The author's name is specified in the Sahitya Academy 'who's who' Indian writers. His name is also specified in the International Biblio-graphic writers in India, London and Asia. The author had received Best Spiritual writers-City Cultural Association, Madurai.

The author is best social workers. He was Secretary of Public Grievance Redressing Society, which is Registered Body under Tamil Nadu Society Registration Act. He actively participated in the Social workers with respect to certain Government policies. The author was practicing Advocate.

Preface The Indian civilization was a concrete unity of many sided developments in art, architecture, literature, religions, morals and science, so far as it was understood in those days. But the most important achievement of Indian thought was philosophy. It was regarded as the goal of all the highest periodical, practical and theoretical activities, and it indicated the point of unity amidst all the apparent diversities which the complex growth of culture over a vast area inhabited by different peoples produced. I always wanted to share the Vedas, with everyone specially those who were interested in Indian culture and literary works. There are a number of difficulties attending this. The most conspicuous of them is, of course, the length of the book. It’s made up in the Dictionary form, which was in early period difficult to read in the poetical form. The language is the next hurdle.

The only alternative is to read translations in a concise dictionary form. I have seen several translation of the Vedas, were literal translation, is not up to satisfactory. A literal translations is like the wrong side of a tapestry, the threads are all there but the pattern is missing. It is so with this Vedas. It is not possible to do full justice to it in a literal translation. The English used by the translator is not 'suited to the elaborate smiles which are common to Sanskrit.

The Dictionary of Vedas, when the Vedas were composed there was probably no system of writing prevalent in India. But such was the scrupulous zeal of the Brahmins, who got the whole Vedic literature, by heart by hearing it from their preceptors that it has been transmitted most faithfully to us through the course of the last 4000 years or more with little or no interpolations at all. The religious is history of India had suffered considerable changes in the latter periods, since the time of the Vedic civilizations, but such was the reverence paid of the Vedas, that they had ever remained as the highest religious authority for all sections of the Hindus, at all times. Even at this day all the obligatory duties of the Hindus, at birth, marriage, death etc. are preformed according to the Old Vedic rituals. For a long time I have wanted to write a book which will rectify these faults. I have wanted to present the book in "Dictionary" form which will capture of readers. Considering all these things, I have rendered the Vedas into English. It is not quite a translation, not in the usual sense of the won One might call it a free translation. I have tried to narrate the history 4 Vedic gods and goddess, Vedas and Vedic related ideology. I have narrated it in simple straight forward English. In this task, if one has to retain to spirit of the Vedas, and the a tm6sphere, one has to fall back upon the quail old fashioned English. This seems to suit the Vedas perfectly. At times, cries clear English does not work. I find the blending of the old and the new to 1 the prefect medium for the narration. So I have deliberately adapted to style, which to my thinking is absolutely perfect.

My aim, as I said before, is to bring out the Vedic significance of too many gods and goddesses in the dictionary mode of writing. Wherever to situation was worth some trouble I have taken the trouble and added a fee touches, a few thoughts of my own, to enhance the dramatic value of two situation. But I have been faithful to the original throughout, except, perhaps in two places or three. Even there, I have not departed from the facts. On: I have tried to intensify the Vedic value of the situation by my embellishment The book which designed in the Dictionary mode readers may find Soil type of difficult to digest certain Vedic characters. If after reading the book a few at least will read the Vedas, in the original, my desire will be fulfilled I say that my book is just a guide into the vast ocean of Vedas.

Before I conclude, I sincerely thanks to Mr. Ravi Amphora, Prop. M/ Eastern Book tinkers, Delhi for accepting and publishing this work wiki commendable. For various type of assistance, I thank to my parents La Abuja Thiru'malai (who brings great sorrows, leaving me in a biased manner), my brother-in-law Sri. S.V.K.S. Srinivasan, Acharya Purush Tirumala Tirupathi Devasanam, Tirupathi, my brothers, sisters, friends are relatives. But for their unfailing enthusiasm, encouragement and co-operatic the work would not have been either written or published.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages