Hindu Myths: From Ancient Cosmology to Gods and Demons

The moment of the birth of Hinduism is unknown; there is neither a prophet nor a messiah in Hinduism who teaches people how to worship the gods and what forms of worship to follow; there is also no single text containing universal truths. Instead, there are various religious practices and countless versions of the common. The characters, gods, and stories from ancient texts such as the Upanishads, Vedas, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana are intended to demonstrate moral principles, duties, and proper conduct in Hinduism. Learn about the four cyclic yugas, or eras, of Vedic cosmology, which has no beginning and no end; about the creation myth of Varaha, the mighty boar who saved the earth from destruction in ancient waters. Get to know the legend of Rama, who, despite enormous difficulties, rescued his love Sita from the captivity of the demon king Ravana; as well as Vishnu, the greatest god in the Trimurti — the Hindu triad of gods, with his nine different avatars; Vishnu prevents the destruction of the earth by preserving the atman, the unchanging true essence. This edition contains 120 photographs and reproductions of works of art and represents an accessible, engaging, and substantive exploration of the complex mythology underlying one of the world's oldest and most influential religions.