The Book of the Vedas: A Little Thin on The Vedas

Review of The Book of the Vedas: Timeless Wisdom from Indian Tradition
(A Little Thin on The Vedas) Virender Kumar Arya (2003)

First off, this is a beautifully illustrated and bound text on the world's third most popular religion. If ever there was a text to well introduce this topic to readers with no prior contact with Hindus or Hinduism then this is the book. However it does not to any great extent explore, "The Vedas" in particular. The dust jacket proclaims, "Discover the enthralling adventures of the gods and goddesses..." "...in-depth study..." "Lose yourself in the hypnotic texts..." But what in fact this book delivers are smallish reviews of well illustrated quips and clips regarding Hinduism. What it does serve is a short two pages on each topic, all of relevant concern to Hinduism. These are like side-dish entrees to vast and diverse topics such as: Holy Writings, Hindu Pantheons, Salvation, Hindu Society, and suggestions for further readings. Further readings are indeed required to gain enthrall or hypnotic awe of texts which are even only rarely described or touched upon in this book. A bit more poetic extracts would fill out the main courses...

As a reference text it has some abbreviated usage. For example, it illustrates a vast number of yogic pursuits to which previously I had no idea even existed. But it is not abounding in hypnotic texts, there is little of enthralling adventures, it would be hard to get lost in such short descriptions which read much more like a brochure on Hinduism, a very well designed and colourful one, rather than an in-depth study of any kind. However, as an illustrated dictionary it has filled in a few gaps. For example, the goddesses coupling on the Shiva Temple illustrated here at Hampi are perhaps not merely Devas but perhaps also incarnations of Shakti. I finally know what those blue men hope to be doing wandering naked around the countryside. However, other perhaps less reknowned gods such as Lord Venketeswara are noticeably absent from the listed pantheon.