The present book Transformation of Shiva from Myth to Man is an effort to decode the symbols related to the Shiva of Devdutt Pattanaik and Amish Tripathi in the light of mythological stance and present the most humane side of him. He is studied as a myth, as a man, a family man and God of transformation. His blue throat, Somras as Evil, Number Three, God of Destruction and Ash Bearer, Snake or Nagas, Aum, Ardhnarishwar, snow-clad mountain, all these core symbols that enwrap persona of Shiva are elucidated. Its an effort to demystify the myth of this ancient lord and awake young generation about enriched and the most valued Indian culture.

Originally published: London: D. Appleton, 1896. With new introduction.

Reflecting on one of Hinduism's most popular prayer for positive energy Acclaimed mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik demystifies the Hanuman Chalisa for the contemporary reader. His unique approach makes the ancient hymn accessible, combined as it is with his trademark illustrations. Every time we experience negativity in the world and within ourselves, every time we encounter jealousy, rage and frustration, manifesting as violation and violence, we hear, or read, the Hanuman Chalisa. Composed over four hundred years ago by Tulsidas, its simple words in Awadhi, a dialect of Hindi and its simple metre, musically and very potently evoke the mythology, history and mystery of Hanuman, the much-loved Hindu deity, through whom Vedic wisdom reached the masses. As verse follows verse, our frightened, crumpled mind begins to expand with knowledge and insight and our faith in humanity, both within and without, is restored.

This book brings together scholars of a variety of the world's major civilizations to focus on the universal theme of inner transformation. The idea of the "self" is a cultural formation like any other, and models and conceptions of the inner world of the person vary widely from one civilization to another. Nonetheless, all the world's great religions insist on the need to transform this inner world, however it is understood, in highly expressive and specific ways. Such transformations, often ritually enacted, reveal the primary intuitions, drives, and conflicts active within the culture. The individual essays--by such distinguished scholars as Wai-yee Li, Janet Gyatso, Wendy Doniger, Christiano Grottanelli, Charles Malamoud, Margalit Finkelberg, and Moshe Idel--study dramatic examples of these processes in a wide range of cultures, including China, India, Tibet, Greece and Rome, Late Antiquity, Islam, Judaism, and medieval and early-modern Christian Europe.