How did the universe come into being? What is the nature of God? Of the human spirit? All who seek understanding will find this book an illuminating presentation of India's oldest and most profound religious and philosophical tradition. The Wisdom of the Vedas was first published in 1931 by Kailas Press under the title India's Outlook on Life. The Theosophical Publishing House published a second edition in 1973, and again in 1980 under the Quest imprint. The present 1992 edition was edited to reflect the modern use of inclusive language, and includes an introduction by Vedic scholar David Frawley. Mr. Frawley explains to the Western reader, "The Vedas are the original scripture or source teaching of the Hindu tradition, from which its many branches of Vedanta, Yoga, and Tantra have emerged through time, and to which they all look back with reverence." The Vedas are also "..the background relative to which the Buddhist religion evolved, and Buddhism also preserves many Vedic terms and practices." The study then, of the Vedas is important to understanding many different Eastern teachings. The author is from India, and has an unusual ability to frame the subtleties of Eastern thought for the Western world.

The Four Vedas - RIG, SAMA, YAJUR and ATHARVA are the fountainhead of ancient Indian philosophy, traditions and practices. It is believed that in the beginning of creation, Vedas were revealed by GOD for the benefit of mankind. The meaning of Vedas is Knowledge. The Vedas are supposed to contain true knowledge in seed form. It is enjoined upon mankind to understand develop, utilize and propagate this knowledge for individual and universal welfare. The Vedic knowledge is a key to material as well as spiritual happiness.The Vedas contain over 20,000 verses, which make for four large volumes, quite a difficult proposition for the layman to study and fully understand. This small book includes only around 160 selected verses, which cover major aspects of human life. These are divine instructions for all mankind without any distinction and for all times.A MUST READ book for ALL* handy, instructive and in concise simple language! #v&spublishers

"The Rig Veda is not only one of the oldest sacred scriptures of the world, but also one of the most misunderstood. Past scholarship has dismissed the hymns of the Rig Veda as being expressions of a primitive animistic mentality that only rarely rose to true spiritual and philosophical heights. David Frawley's book demonstrates that this judgmental view is ill-founded. His fine renderings of select Vedic hymns bear witness to the fact that their composers were sages and seers--powerful poets who knew the art of symbolic and metaphoric communication. The Vedic hymns give us a unique glimpse not into a primitive mentality but a mentality and culture that revolved around the highest spiritual values and visions. This is an important and riveting book, ushering in a new and sounder tradition of Vedic interpretation and scholarship." Georg Feuerstein

This book is about one of the last unresolved riddles of Indology. It is a search for the mythical Vedic Soma. What was this Soma? It was defined as a Deva-a god in the Vedic pantheon.The entire 9th Mandala of the Rig Veda is devoted to this magical Soma. Soma, however, is like the Beeja mantras (Aum, Hum, Sreem etc) of the Vedas. It was a meta-concept of extraordinary elegance and beauty. It encompassed a whole spectrum or range of meanings in that one word. In this book, the author examines in detail the Botanical aspect of Soma as a psychotropic plant; studies the biological aspect of Soma as an endogenous elixir-which he personally experienced in meditation; examines the Soma of Senses-of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell-and the Soma of Action as defined in the Geeta. The highlight of this book is the Quantum Mechanical approach to understanding the Atman and the act of seeing that generates this cosmos. This book analyses the Vedic Mahavakyas in the light of latest discoveries in Quantum Physics and neuro-biology; and the correspondences are simply amazing and revelatory. "General Bakshi explores Soma extensively in neurobiology and mind body medicine and depth psychology, and ultimately its connection to the subtle body and chakras & Agni/Kundalini, weaving modern science with yogic meditation. All these many types of Somas are part of a greater integral and universal view of the infinite and eternal reality, the Atman that is Brahman. His explanation of Soma in terms of Vedantic Mahavakyas like Tat Tvam Asi is most notable."Dr. David Frawley, Author, Vedic Acharya