In Search of the Cradle of Civilization: New Light on Ancient IndiaThe book shows that the ancient Indians were no primitives but possessed a high spiritual culture, which not only influenced the evolution of the Western world in decisive ways but which still has much to teach us today. India`s archaic spirituality is codified in the rich symbols, metaphors, and myths of the magnificent Rig-Veda, which is shown to be much older than has been widely assumed by scholars. The present book also unravels the astonishing mathematical and astronomical code hidden in the Vedic hymns. Anyone interested in ancient cultural history, India, archaeo-astronomy, or spirituality will find this well-researched and cross-cultural work spellbinding and enriching. |
Contents
| 3 | |
| 13 | |
The Aryans Exploding a Scientific Myth | 45 |
An Archaeological Surprise The Cities of the Indus Valley | 61 |
The Great Catastrophe and the Reconstruction of the Early Indic Civilization | 77 |
The Vedic Peoples in the Land of the Seven Rivers The Literary Perspective | 101 |
Deciphering the IndusSarasvati Script | 127 |
The Dawn of the Indic Civilization The Neolithic Town of Mehrgarh | 143 |
The Spiritual Heritage of Ancient India | 165 |
The Birth of Science in Ritual | 195 |
Vedic Myths and Their Astronomical Basis | 229 |
India and the West | 249 |
The Vedas and Perennial Wisdom | 269 |
Notes | 287 |
| 305 | |
| 313 | |
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In Search of the Cradle of Civilization: New Light on Ancient India Subhash Kak,David Frawley Limited preview - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
According altar Anatolia ancient appears archaeological Aryan astronomical beginning called century Chapter cities civilization connection considered continued culture deities divine earlier early Earth East Europe evidence existence fact fire four Gods Harappan Hindu human hymns ideas important India Indic Indo-European Indus Indus-Sarasvati invasion knowledge known land language later light linguistic literature living look meaning Mehrgarh mentioned millennium mind Mohenjo-Daro myth Nature noted original past perhaps period philosophy practices present Press Proto-Indo-European question reality refer religion religious represent Rig-Veda ritual River sacred sages Sanskrit Sarasvati scholars scientific script seals similar speak spiritual stars suggested symbolic teachings temple texts theory thought thousand tion towns tradition truth understanding University Upanishads various Vedas Vedic West Western wisdom Yoga York
Popular passages
Page 13 - To know the Hindus, to understand their past and present condition, to reach their very heart and soul, we must study Sanskrit literature. It is, in truth, even more to India than classical and patristic literature was to Europe at the time of the Reformation. It gives a deeper impress to the Hindu mind.
Page 26 - The ritual system recognised by Sayana may, in its externalities, stand; the naturalistic sense discovered by European scholarship may, in its general conceptions, be accepted; but behind them there is always the true and still hidden secret of the Veda,—the secret words... which were spoken for the purified in soul and the awakened in knowledge.
Page 32 - each sacrifice and in what order they were sung. Therefore, that the young priest might master all the tunes thoroughly and have any one at command at any moment, each was connected with a single stanza of the right metre, and the teacher made his pupils sing it over and over again, until tune and stanza
Bibliographic information
| Title | In Search of the Cradle of Civilization: New Light on Ancient India |
| Authors | Georg Feuerstein, Subhash Kak, David Frawley |
| Editors | Georg Feuerstein, Subhash Kak, David Frawley |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House, 1999 |
| ISBN | 8120816269, 9788120816268 |
| Length | 341 pages |
| Subjects | › History / Civilization |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |