Hindu Scriptures

by R.C. Zaehner

Among the sacred books of India are the hymns of the Rig-Veda, the world’s first recorded poems; the “magical texts” of the Athara-Veda; the stirring pantheistic speculations of the Upanishads; and the Bhagavad-Gītā, a cosmic drama of divine self-revelation in human history on the field of human battle. Taken together they represent 3,500 years of a continuous religious tradition that is multifarious, inclusive, and, at the same time, wedded to a central spiritual vision.

This edition features the translations and annotations of R. C. Zaehner, a pioneering scholar whose selections in this volume, first published by Everyman’s Library in 1966, have never been bettered as an introduction for the general reader to the Vedic tradition. Zaehner has chosen the most interesting and important verses, rendered in English that is accessible and vivid, and his introduction provides an excellent guide to the historical context, the philosophical significance, and the literary power of these beautiful and ancient texts. Introduction by R.C. Zaehner

(Book Jacket Not Jacketed)

Genres: Philosophy, Religion, Nonfiction, Reference, Classics, History, Hinduism

448 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 1966

About the author

Robert Charles Zaehner had a gift for languages and became an expert in Oriental languages. As a result, he was chosen as a British counterintelligence agent in Tehran, Persia during World War II and an MI6 agent there after the war. He returned to academia and became Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College, writing numerous books on religion, both eastern and western.

Information adapted from Wikipedia and the back cover of The Bhagavad-Gita which he translated and authored

Reviews

[Mehul Sheth · Rating 2 out of 5]

For an American the translation is tough and outdated. Other than the Vadas section I found enlarge Esawaran’s translation and interpretation much more accessible.

[Fortuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The translation work done here is fascinatingly well done. The text in itself is incredibly eye-opening, completely different from any expectations I had. Absolutely amazing... It really is a very other worldly read. That said, parts of the Upanishads are so insanely speculative and repetitive that it really drags around the middle. The rest of it holds up though.