The Vedas – Ṛk, Sāma, Yajuḥ, Atharva – are the oldest and most sacred Hindu scriptures. While these timeless texts have shaped Indian religious, social and cultural sentiments, their footprints are visible in practically every aspect of the Indian way of life. The chant of Gāyatrī and the sacred symbol Oṃ, the growth of geometry, the invention of zero, the development of prosody, and much more, are directly related to the Vedas. Despite this enduring legacy, very few of us ever read or even chance upon the Vedas, and most of the existing, albeit misinterpreted, scholarship is courtesy of Western scholars. In Veda Vihangam: The Essential Veda, Hindu monk and teacher Samarpan unravels the majestic scope and immediate relevance of this set of religious texts by bringing to our attention and elucidating select mantras and hymns. Drawing from the great Sāyaṇācārya’s commentary on the Vedas, Samarpan aligns the Vedic spiritual thought process with the contemporary world. Told in a lucid and easy-to-understand manner, Veda Vihangam is a true collectible and a must-read for all.
