The Indian Theogony
A Comparative Study of Indian Mythology from the Vedas to the Puranas

This book is concerned with the triad of classical Indian mythology, Brahma the Creator, Visnu the preserver and Siva the destroyer.

Sukumari Bhattacharji (Author)

9780521053822, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 3 December 2007

412 pages
22.8 x 15.3 x 2.3 cm, 0.607 kg

This book is concerned with the triad of classical Indian mythology, Brahma the Creator, Visnu the preserver and Siva the destroyer. These gods did not always dominate the Indian religion; the way in which the gods of the Vedic pantheon many of whom are recognizably related to other Indo-European gods' were changed over time and with the cultural and social needs of the population they served, is traced in broad outlines. The gods of the triad assimilated lesser gods, and their attributes, in this process, until they reached their positions of major importance.

Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
Part I. Gods of the ?iva Group: 1. Varuna
2. Yama
3. Yama and Eschatology
4. Yama and his female counterparts: Nirrti and Yami
5. Yama's identity
6. Rudra-?iva (1)
7. Rudra-?iva (2)
8. Rudra-?iva's Consort: the Mother-Goddess
9. ?iva's rise to power
Part II. God's of the Visnu Group: 10. The Solar gods
11. The A?vins
12. Indra (1)
13. Indra (2)
14. Visnu
15. Krsna
Part III. Gods of the Brahman Group: 16. Component Vedic gods
17. Vedic and epic Brahman
Part IV. The Epic-Pur?njic Triad: 18. The Neo-Br?hmanical triad
Select bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Religion: general [HRA]