Vedic Gods & Some Hymns (An Old and Rare Book)

This is a very rare collection of the important hymns in the Vedas, the treasure house of Indian Culture, our great heritage. The book gives an insight into Vedic tradition. The gods in the Vedas and the hymns related to them are studied in this book. It describes the beginning of the universe, the birth of Prajapathi and the First Man. We can see Savithru, Agni, Indra, Soma and other Vedic Gods in this book. Hymns relating to these gods are also given. Some stories relating to these Gods are also included. The book is prepared with a new approach. It is the first of its kind. You can get in this book, a glimpse of the unfathomable treasure house of our culture, the Vedas. Rare mastery of the contents of the Vedas, Upanishads and Brahmanas, is displayed by the author of this book. The Gods and hymns are presented in such a way that it will appeal to the taste of modern readers, without overemphasising spirituality or philosophy.

Dr. Leela Devi is a famous writer with deep scholarship in the classical Sanskrit literature. She has studied the Vedas, the Upanishads the Brahmanas, Puranas etc. In an effort to share the great knowledge she translated into Malayalam the four Vedas, ten Upanishads, Brahmanas, Dharshanas, Valmiki Ramayana, Vyasa Bharata, Manu Smruti and other Sanskrit books. She has written more than a hundred books. She writes in English also. Dr. Leela Devi is a multilinguist who handles more than five languages quite fluently. Her English Translation of Nagananda, and Manu Smruti are very famous. She writes an Hindu Mythology in English also.

The Vedas are the roots of our culture. Yet, the Vedas are almost unknown to those who are proud of this Vedic culture. This book is an effort to help people become more conscious of this heritage and realise their own life. The Vedas are not primitive, they possess a depth, a critical awareness and a sophistication, not found in many other ancient cultures. They are not modern and as such have a special appeal and quality.

This book is neither a study of the Vedas, nor is it an attempt to evaluate the spirituality of the Vedas. The Vedas are seen as a revelation, a disclosure of something that enriches the human experience. The Vedas are considered as a source of spiritual enlightenment, yet this is not a philosophical study. Many great scholars have tried to interpret these ancient documents of culture to man.

My attempt is to make the common man understand the Vedic Gods and some of the hymns and mantras in the Vedas. The nature of the Gods in the Vedas has been the subject of the discussion of many scholars. There are many famous theories. I do not consider that Vedic Gods are cosmic powers. At the same time they are not mere expressions of man’s psyche. We cannot say that they are little gods surrounding the supreme God. Let us assume that the Gods are real. The Gods are not the plural of the monotheistic God.

I believe this collection of the description of tne main Gods in the Vedas is the first of its kind. Many Gods who were very important and powerful in the Vedas lost their importance later and in the Upanishads, Brahmanas etc. they appear as less important. A very clear example is Indra. The importance given to Indra in the Vedas is very great. There are a number of verses which praise him and extoll his valorous deeds. Some of these stories have been included in this book. I have not tried to give these stories any spiritual interpretation.

Vishnu is another example. In the Vedas he has less importance than many gods. He is often called Upendra. But later, Vishnu gained importance and rose to the status of Sarveshwara.

Some of the important hymns have also been included in this book to make the reader aware of the magnificence of the Vedas, to lead him to this great store house of human thoughts and culture.

**Contents and Sample Pages**