E-Book Overview
This is a reprint of the original 1999 edition with minor editorial changes. The Rigveda is the first book of humankind and the most sacred scripture of Hinduism. It also happens to be the most ill-understood book of our times. Despite the extensive study by academic and religious scholars, the purpose and meaning of the Rigveda and many ancient Hindu scriptures remain unclear. In this pathbreaking book, the discovery of the Rigveda as a book of ancient cosmology is described, and related to the seals of ancient Indus Valley Civilization, thereby challenging our perception of humanity." The Vedas have always been lauded as containing the secrets of cosmogenesis. Raja Roy in his remarkable book shows how this is true not only from the yogic vision but according to the latest insights of modern physics. The book takes the reader on a vast panoramic journey through the universe of matter, mind and human history as well. "David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri) Director, American Institute of Vedic Studies" Roy presents a new framework for the understanding of the Vedic hymns from the point of view of physics and then he draws parallels with recent theories on the nature of the universe.
Table of Contents:-
1. The Vedic Legacy
1.1: The Vedas
1.2: The Vedas and Cosmology
1.3: The Indus Valley Civilization and the Mahābhārata War
1.4: The Avestā
1.5: The Brāhmaṇas
1.6: The Āraṇyakas and the Upaniṣads
1.7: The Sūtra Literature
1.8: The Vedāṅgas, Pariśiṣṭas and Anukramaṇis
1.9: The Purāṇas
1.10: Meanings of the Vedas
1.11: The Dating of Vedas
1.12: Commentators on the Vedas
2. The Time Before Time
2.1: The Golden Womb
2.2: Water Everywhere
2.3: Deluge That Never Came
2.4: The Creator
3. All This Is Puruṣa
3.1: The Puruṣa Hymn
3.2: Man in the Image of God
3.3: Secret of the Unicorn
3.4: Puruṣa Sacrifice
3.5: The Concept of Paradise
3.6: The Prajāpati
4. The Expanding Egg
4.1: The Expanding Universe
4.2: The Birth of Gods
4.3: The Dead Egg
4.4: The Lord of Expansion
4.5: Puruṣa and Aditi
4.6: Agastya and Lopāmudra
5. Edge of the Universe
5.1: Indra and Vṛtra
5.2: Frog Who Drank All the Waters
5.3: Electric Force
5.4: Surface Tension
5.5: Slaying of Varāha
5.6: Bubbles and Voids in Space
5.7: Deeds of Indra
5.8: Indra, the Bull
5.9: Mighty Hercules
5.10: Serpent as Evil
6. Parallel Spaces
6.1: Three Spaces
6.2 The Steps of Viṣṇu
6.3: The Hidden Spaces
7. The Seat of Immortality
7.1: The Wedding of Vivasvāna
7.2: The Field
7.3: Fabric of the Universe
7.4: Heaven and Earth
7.5: The Cosmic Tree
7.6: The Giant Tortoise
7.7: The Geocentric Universe
7.8: Superspace
7.9: Triśirā Viśvarūpa
7.10: The Dark Matter
8. Return of the Elements
8.1: Agni (Fire)
8.2: Āpaḥ (Water)
8.3: Rudra
8.4: Maruta (Wind)
8.5: Saraswatī
9. Quark Confinement
9.1: Particle
9.2: Bosons and Fermions
9.3: Once-Born and Twice-Born
9.4: The Flying Horse
9.5: Animal Sacrifice
9.6: Quarks
9.7: The Sacred Cow
10. Matter and Energy
10.1: Savitā
10.2: Pūṣā
10.3: Lord of the Animals
11. Electron, Proton and Neutron
11.1: Varuṇa
11.2: Ahuramazdā
11.3: Mitra
11.4: Rise and Fall of Mithraism
11.5: Aryamā
12. Electricity and Magnetism
12.1: Soma
12.2: Indu
12.3: Madhu
12.4: Aśvins
13. Let There Be Light
14. The Dance of Creation
14.1: Uṣā (Dawn)
14.2: Nakta (Night)
14.3: Lord of the Dancers
15. Pair Production
15.1: Matter and Anti-Matter
15.2: Yama and Yamī
15.3: Saramā and Paṇi
16. The Seven Sages
16.1: Vasiṣṭha
17. The Gods Gallery
17.1: Three-Fold Division
17.2: Thirty Three Gods
17.3: The Age of Purāṇas
17.4: Incarnations of Viṣṇ