Martin J. Dougherty
There is no clear start point for Hinduism, no single prophet or messiah who taught people how to worship and the forms to follow. Nor is there a single text containing the universal truths; instead, there are many different practices... Read moreRead less
There is no clear start point for Hinduism, no single prophet or messiah who taught people how to worship and the forms to follow. Nor is there a single text containing the universal truths; instead, there are many different practices and innumerable variants of common myths and tales.
From the ancient Sanskrit texts of the Upanishads, Vedas, Mahabharata and Ramayana, the characters, gods and narratives of Hinduism emerged to demonstrate the moral precepts, duties and correct behaviour of Hinduism. Learn about Vedic cosmology, which is divided into four cyclical Yugas, or epochs, and which has no beginning or end; or the creation myth of Varaha, a powerful boar who saved the earth from primordial waters; or the legend of Rama, who against great odds rescues his love Sita from the demon-king Ravana; or Vishnu, the greatest god in the Hindu Trimurti (triad), who takes the form of nine different avatars and stops the earth from being destroyed through preserving Atman, the unchanging ultimate reality.
Illustrated with 120 photographs and artworks, Hindu Myths is an accessible, engaging and highly informative exploration of the complex mythology underlying one of the world’s oldest and most influential religions.
Format: 244 x 186 hb
Extent: 224pp
Word count: 57000
Illustrations: 120 photos and a/ws
ISBN: 9781838860189
Martin J. Dougherty is the author of Vikings: A History of the Norse People, The Wars of the Roses, The Ancient Warrior and Celts, among many other books. A former defence consultant, he also writes on personal self-defence and modern military technology.
Martin J. Dougherty is the author of Vikings: A History of the Norse People, The Wars of the Roses, The Ancient Warrior and Celts, among many other books. A former defence consultant, he also writes on personal self-defence and modern military technology.
ISBN: 9781838860189 hb