Hindu Mythology (Volume I & II Combined in one Volume)

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Hindu Mythology is a fascinating world of Legends and Stories structure around a sophisticated structure and hierarchy of deities and their worship. This book attempts to offer a systematic and complete account of I he names and characters of the deities of Hinduism and their relationship with one another. Volume 11 depicts the characters of minor deities such as demi-gods, Dikappalaks, Durga, minor deities in three chapters and in last the author has given a detailed description of South Indian Religious thinkers and Saiva writers.

When I studied Hindu Mythology for the first time I was deeply impressed by the optimistic outlook of our ancestors whose civilisation is embalmed in this book. This aroused a yeaarning in my heart to lear the history of Hindu mythological people - the Aryas as they called themselves - and I began a study of this subject and learnt much about the religious beliefs, customs and the social behaviour of our ancestors. The book volume I and II covers -chapters and each chapter show its speciality in respect of approach.

In the 1 volume manuscripts were sparingly used but in volume II numerous unpublished and almost unknown manuscripts have been referred to and it took time to collect and read them. In many cases they contain no. new matter and had been mentioned only by name since their records were previously unknown. My attempt is to describe the entire Hindu mythologicaal characters in one work of two volumes for the convenience of the readers. A wider approach has also been adopted in this book after discussion with South Indian Religious thinkers (Alvars, Nayanmara and Saira writers).

I have much pleasure in acknowledging my dept for ideas and thoughts to my respected teachers, friends and colleagues and all the authors-ancient and modem. Immense thanks are due to Intellectual Book Corner and Publisher for their untiring zeal, enthusiasm and tenacity in publishing this work.

I acknowledge my gratitude to my parents- A.S. Thirumalai and T. Ambujam who rendered their ungrudging help and co-operation for completion of this work. I thank my brother, sisters, brother-in-law S.V.K.S. Srinivasan for their guidance and help.

Constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

The foundation of the civilisation of India was laid in the glorious period of Aryas. The Vedas have been the subject of study and interpretation by the profound scholars like yaska in ancient and Sayana in medieval times. Many scholars produced alot of literature after editing and translating the Vedas and scholars like Weter, Max Muller, Macdonell Winternitz and Vaidya have written history of Vedic literature and Hindu mythology.

There are three kinds of work which deal with Vedic Age. The first of there works are the four Vedas called Samhitas of the Aryas which refer only incidentally to historical facts. In these work, the Vedic god and goddess were covered and at the same there were many references about the events and personage of the Vedic age which are too sufficient for of wiriting a connected history of Vedic period. In Puranas and particularlly only on Ramayana I have given importance to the characters which bring a fascinating feature in the epic.

In the last work by me as Miscellaneous Minor deities I was able to cover to certain minor deities who were familiar only to readers who pay more concertation in Mytological stories.

Volume II consissts of Demi gods, Dipappalaks, Durga, minor deities in three chapters and last chapter as South Indian Religious thinkers as well as Saiva writers.