Ancient Indian Traditions

The views of ancient India held by modern scholars are based upon an examination of the Veda and Vedic Literature, to the neglect of Puranic and epic traditions; that is, ancient Indian history has been fashioned out of literature which is purely religious and which notoriously do not deal with history. This contrast is full justification for a consideration of what historical traditions has to tell us, and the results obtained formed an examination of Puranic and epic traditions as well as of the Rig-Veda and Vedic Literature are set out in this book. The author discusses the religious, philosophical, social, moral, political and aesthetic values of the ancient and classical Hindu cultural traditions are tries to show how they were shaped by the distinctive Hindu perception of the world. Some of the important chapters of the book are: General survey of ancient Indian historical traditions; Tradition, its preservers, and the origin of the Puranas; Age of the original Purana; The Puranas and their genealogical texts; General survey of the genealogies; The Solar race; Brahamn families and chronological table of rishis; Kshatriyan Brahmans; Ancient history from the tradition. It is hoped that students and scholars of history, literature and Orientologists will find this work indispensable.