[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: Rigveda
shrao@nyx.net (Shrisha Rao) wrote:
> In article <ghenDsrsrH.L19@netcom.com>, DiannaFos <diannafos@aol.com> wrote:
> >There is also a partial translation by Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty. She has
> >translated many of the more well known selections such as the Purusha
> >Sukta and other verses on creation, death, sacrifice, women, and many of
> >the Vedic gods such as Agni, Soma, Varuna et al. She also attempts to
> >explain some of the meanings of the verses.
>
> It should be added here that Wendy Doniger is one of the least
> competent scholars to have lent their pen to the exposition of the
> Vedas, ever. She has absolutely no idea what she is talking/writing
[good advice snipped]
> In a nutshell, please beware of Ms Doniger's scholastic output -- use
> it only as an indicator of what one should not be.
I too wanted to warn the poster about trusting Ms Doniger's translations. Her
view of the whole Indian race seems to be that it was some sort of quaint and
barbaric race, with some strange scriptures. Shrisha Rao has the whole thing in
a nutshell about Ms Doniger. I once started reading a book which had the
enthusiastic "thumbs up" of Ms Doniger. This book was about Kali. Suffice to
say that the book was total, unadulterated garbage (the title escapes my mind
now). It was supposed to be a Ph.D thesis. I was amazed at the lack of
comprehension of Indian ideas and customs.
If I may give another suggestion, please try "The secret of the Veda" by Sri
Aurobindo. It's a radically new approach and quite a good book. It has some
translations from the Rg Veda, with the originals and also detailed
explanations. The hard bound book costs only about Rs. 100 in India. So you
should be able to get it reasonably cheap at the Vedanta book society or
elsewhere.
Ramakrishnan.
--
Two monks were arguing about a flag. One said, "The flag is moving." The other
said, "The wind is moving." The sixth patriarch happened to be passing by. He
told them, "Not the wind, not the flag; mind is moving." - The Gateless Gate
