The use of symbolism is an art, not a science. Different people use symbols in a variety of ways and each symbol can have diverse meanings, even within the same culture. Not surprisingly, determining the meaning of symbols can be difficult. This valuable reference defines the general symbolism of more than 15,000 terms, from ancient to modern, as well as specialized meanings in mythology, religion, art, literature, folklore, flower language, astrology, heraldry, numerology, and cultures the world over. From "0" to "Zu," each entry catalogs all possible connotations, listed by culture when appropriate, creating the most comprehensive symbolism dictionary available.

The Indian Theogony by Sukumari Bhattacharji Published by Motilal Banarsidass (www.mlbd.co.in, [email protected]) The present book is the result of ten years of work on the subject of the historical development of Indian mythology and its connection with the parallel historical development of Indian mythology and its connection with parallel mythologies elsewhere, on which no satisfactory work exists in English. In the first part, the Vedic-Brahmanical and epic-puranic components of Siva, Varuna, Yama, Nirrti, Agni, Kala, the mother goddess, Karttikeya, Ganapati, Kama and Pusan are treated. Part II studies the rise of Visnu. The component gods-the Vedic solar gods Savitr, Surya, Vivasvat, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Amsa, Daksa, Martanda, Indra, and Visnu together with the epic-Puranic incarnations of Visnu (with their Vedic precursors) are analysed. With Brahman (Part III) the picture is different. In the Vedic-Brahmanical gods-Brhaspati, Brahmanaspati, Prajapati, Pitamaha and Brahman-we do not get a very tangible figure, far less than that of a sectarian god. These merge into the Brahman, Prajapati or Pitamaha of the epic-Puranic literature, but fail to answer to the definition of a sectarian god so that no cult grows around the resultant image. In Part IV the general characteristics of the Puranic pantheon are analysed. Here, on the one hand, there are innumerable regional, functional divinities, tutelary gods and goddesses, village-or disease-gods, and also gods for different occasions in life, while on the other hand there is the lofty Triad, which thanks to the predominance of philosophy, is frequently stated to be three facets of the same supreme being.

On the subject of ancient Hindu Scripture giving translation for each sloka (hym). Veda means scared knowledge.

In this magisterial volume of essays, Wendy Doniger enhances our understanding of the ancient and complex religion to which she has devoted herself for half a century. This series of interconnected essays and lectures surveys the most critically important and hotly contested issues in Hinduism over 3,500 years, from the ancient time of the Vedas to the present day. The essays contemplate the nature of Hinduism; Hindu concepts of divinity; attitudes concerning gender, control, and desire; the question of reality and illusion; and the impermanent and the eternal in the two great Sanskrit epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Among the questions Doniger considers are: Are Hindus monotheists or polytheists? How can atheists be Hindu, and how can unrepentant Hindu sinners find salvation? Why have Hindus devoted so much attention to the psychology of addiction? What does the significance of dogs and cows tell us about Hinduism? How have Hindu concepts of death, rebirth, and karma changed over the course of history? How and why does a pluralistic faith, remarkable for its intellectual tolerance, foster religious intolerance? Doniger concludes with four concise autobiographical essays in which she reflects on her lifetime of scholarship, Hindu criticism of her work, and the influence of Hinduism on her own philosophy of life. On Hinduism is the culmination of over forty years of scholarship from a renowned expert on one of the world's great faiths.

Within modern scholarship on Indian philosophy, religious studies, and Indology Purva-Mimamsa unfortunately features as a rather under-represented area. The present edition and translation of the Mimamsanyayasamgraha by James Benson is a most welcome exception in two respects: On the one hand it makes accessible the major premises and topics of Purva-Mimamsa to students and scholars in a rather simple and brief manner. On the other hand it represents the first translation of a work from the late 17th century, i.e. from the "new school" of Purva-Mimamsa. So far no major texts from this period are available and little is known about the school's developments and changes in those times. Thus, besides providing a solid and understandable introduction to the system, this book will also be valuable to advanced students of Purva-Mimamsa interested in its newer branches. It will therefore be of use not only for Indologists, but also to students and scholars dealing with South Asian religions, ritual and intellectual history.

The mythology of the two epics of India, the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyaṇa.

In nearly 1500 entries, many of them strikingly and often surprisingly illustrated, J. C. Cooper has documented the history and evolution of symbols from prehistory to our own day. With over 200 illustrations and lively, informative and often ironic texts, she discusses and explains an enormous variety of symbols extending from the Arctic to Dahomey, from the Iroquois to Oceana, and coming from systems as diverse as Tao, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Tantra, the cult of Cybele and the Great Goddess, the Pre-Columbian religions of the Western Hemisphere and the Voodoo cults of Brazil and West Africa.