The Book of Hindu Imagery: The Gods and their Symbols
The Book of Hindu Imagery: The Gods and their Symbols
By Eva Rudy Jansen
Publisher: Weiser Books (October 1993)
Pages: 150 – Price: $14.95
Ghostvillage.com review
Eva Rudy Jansen’s compact and concise reference guide is one of the finest this reviewer has come across in recent years, and the line drawings and photographs are superb. There is much to see, and learn, from this fine paperback.
The appendix contains a list of holy places, particular marks indicating sects, and bibliography. The table of contents contains a variety of interesting topics, including a first-rate introduction of the holy books and living past, the languages of the gods, symbols and attributes, animals, Vedic Gods, the epic period, and the Puranic Gods.
Hindu iconography is also discussed. The reader will find many intriguing keys to geometric symbols and how visual images are created as a form of divine principle expression.
There is a nice commentary on how god and goddess can be expressed in special diagrams. A special drawing named “yantra” is an example of how these religious forms can be expressed. Drawing a yantra is considered a holy act and a direct method for bringing the being into a defined place for worship.
So much reference material is collected that it is a pleasure to study the data, and each page shares something new and educational with the reader. For instance, there is an in-depth analysis with keen insight into the Hindu God, Shiva, and the cosmic dance of Shiva known as Nataraja. The goddesses Durga, Mahalakshmi, Kali, and others are discussed.
As a reference book, this is topnotch writing. For those interested in the supernatural, religious, art, and paranormal aspects of Ancient India, Eva Rudy Jansen’s The Book of Hindu Imagery will be a fine reading experience.
Highly recommended reference for the home and public library. The images are accurate and expertly presented for the reader’s viewing to accompany the text.
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