Hindu Scriptures »

Dominic Goodall was educated at Ampleforth College and at Pembroke College, Oxford. He is now attached to the
Institute Français de Pondichèry in South
India and is working on the manuscript collection there.

"The Veda, the Upanishads, the Gita, the Dharma books, Tantra, and the Bhagavata Purana—these are the texts many Hindus would name as forming the core of their tradition. Here they are, at last, between two covers."—Jack Hawley, Director, South Asian
Institute, Columbia University

Library Journal

These two marvelous books complement each other well. Goodall has significantly revised R.C. Zaehner's book on Hindu scriptures (Everyman, 1966) by deleting some parts and adding the Yajnavalkya-Smrti (a work on conduct, legal proceedings, and penitential rites), the first seven chapters of the Kirana-Tantra (a work on initiation into the Saiva Siddhanta cult), and the Bhagavat-Purana (a work expressing popular devotionalism). Goodall's brief introduction is helpful, but mainly the book provides fresh translations of portions of the Rig and Athavara Vedas, some Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita. Powell's work is a useful introduction to the Hindu scriptures. It gives information on their composition, summaries of their content, and demonstrations of their significance for Hinduism. The first chapter provides solid guidance on how to read a sacred text and offers an overview of the immense and complex Hindu canon. Powell also includes a glossary of Hindu terms and even diagrams such as the one showing the Mahabharata family tree. While Goodall's work provides an excellent place to begin becoming familiar with the most significant Hindu scriptures, Powell's work offers a more extensive introduction to many of the same basic Hindu texts. Both books are highly recommended for any library seeking to provide patrons with seminal and introductory material on Hindu scripture.David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernadino

Note on the Editor
Introduction Note on the Texts and Translations Guide to Pronunciation

FROM THE RG-VEDA III, lxii, The 'Gayatri'
I, xxiv To Varuna and Others I, cliv To Visnu II, i To Agni II, xii To
Indra II, xxxii To Rudra IX, lxxiv Soma Pressed in the Bowls X, lxxxi To Visvakarman X, lxxxii To Visvakarman X, xc The Sacrifice of Primal Man X, cxxi Prajapati (the 'Golden Embryo')
X, cxxix '
In the Beginning . . .'

FROM THE ATHARVA-VEDA X, ii Primal Man X, vii Skambha (the Support)
X, viii Skambha again XI, iv To the Breath of Life

FROM THE UPANISHADS Brhadaranyaka Upanishad Chandogya Upanishad Isa Upanishad Katha Upanishad Mandukya Upanishad Svetasvatara Upanishad

THE BHAGAVAD-GITA

FROM THE YAJNAVALKYA-SMRTI The Law Book of Yajnavalkya, Chapter 1 (Conduct)
The Law Bok of Yajnavalkya, Chapter 3 (Reparations)

FROM THE KIRANA-TANTRA Chapters 1-7

FROM THE BHAGAVATA-PURANA Book X, Chapters 29-33

Glossary Suggestions for Further Reading Acknowledgments

Note: Macrons, underdots, tildes, and other diacritical marks have been omitted in this web rendition of the table of contents. The book itself does include all necessary diacritical marks.