Mythology of the Vedas

VEDIC MYTHOLOGY: Nagendra Kr. Singh; ABH Publishing Corporation, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi- 110002. Rs. 500.

THE VEDA has a mythology worth exploring and studying. A former Sankaracharya of Puri discoursed eloquently decades ago on Vedic mathematics and science. Nagendra Kr. Singh concentrates on Vedic myths and does so most instructively and fruitfully.

The Vedic tradition, covering both religion and culture, is sustained by the respect which all of us have for the great work done by Rishis like Atharva, Angiras, Bhrigu, Vasishta and a great many others. These creatively inclined seers laid down the foundation of Vedic rites and the deities to be invoked and propitiated for various personal, secular and Dharmic aspirations and desires. The Aswins, for example, are heavenly physicians. Varuna is the god of the seas and of rain. Vayu keeps the universe breathing, with the clean air that he provides. Indra is the lord of thunderbolts. Vishnu is the guardian deity of Yagnas. Rudra - high tempered Rudra - is an all-powerful deity and the chanting of the Sata- Rudriya will earn one not merely length of life, health and prosperity but everything the human heart could desire. The Rudra Ekadasi and Vasordhara are performed generally to ensure efficacy of the ceremonies connected with ``Sashtiabdapurti'' and ``Satabhisheka''.

Marriage rites and the rite called Brahmopadesam are particularly important because the first concerns preservation and propagation and the second involves the commencement of Vedic study of which Gayatri is the guardian deity. Gayatri is the mother of the Veda and Brahma in this context means just Vedic ceremonies concerning sanyasa and death, also derive from the Veda. The Sanyasin is exhorted to be a kind and loving friend to all that lives. The dead pass through a strenuous course of great complexity and except where the dead person has a distinct record of good works, he passes on into a new kind of existence, the nature of which is directly dependent on his or her record here below.

The author has drawn our attention to all these matters in this work which can be commended to all who seek to learn what the Veda is about and why it is held so sacred as a source of dharma and as a guide to purposeful living. To the orthodox, the title of the book will seem to be needlessly misleading.

S.R.

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