Wisdom of the Ancient Seers: Mantras of the Rig Veda [Paperback]

David Frawley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1993

"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 spirtual 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 text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 275 pages
• Publisher: Morson Pub (February 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1878423169
• ISBN-13: 978-1878423160
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,911,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Frawley (or Pandit Vāmadeva Śāstrī वामदेव शास्त्री) is a Vedic teacher and educator with numerous books in several Vedic and Yogic fields published worldwide over the past thirty years. He is the founder and director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico (www.vedanet.com), which offers courses and publications on Ayurvedic medicine, Yoga and meditation, and Vedic astrology. He is also involved in important research into ancient Vedic texts and is a well known modern exponent of Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma. His work is high respected in traditional circles in India, where he has received many awards, as well as influential in the West, where he is involved in many Vedic and Yogic schools, ashrams and associations.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an awe-inspiring look into our spiritual roots, December 21, 2002

By 

calcans "calcans" (Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wisdom of the Ancient Seers (Paperback)

Since I do not read ancient Sanskrit it is very hard for me to judge the quality of this book. Frawley offers us a completely new [as far as I know] look at the Rigveda, an ancient collection of hymns that form the core of Sanatana Dharma (the eternal tradition - also called Hinduism). The hymns are not often read nowadays because they are very difficult to understand. Frawley interprets the hymns in a more spiritual way than has been done before.

Reading this book I am often struck by the wealth of divine ideas and the complexity of the hymns. The book is not easy to read and requires ones full attention. Yet this is one of the most inspiring books that I've read in a long time. The Rig Veda takes one back to a time when humanity was still one with the world. Where everything was sacred, profound, happy and clear. The book made me want to study Sanskrit and investigate the original; who knows, perhaps some day I will.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary piece of work!, January 2, 2005

By 

Donna Miesbach "Nebraska yogini" (Omaha NE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wisdom of the Ancient Seers (Paperback)

Dr. Frawley has captured the deep spiritual meaning of the Rig Veda with a clarity that can only come from the heart. Exquisitely written, each sentence is rich with deep spiritual insight into the profound meaning of the Rig and our human spiritual journey. This work is truly a gift, in that the author gives us a clear but strong foundation on which we can begin to understand the meaning behind this ancient scripture. Each chapter of the book introduces hymns about a major power or force which permeates the universe. Dr. Frawley then discusses how that power is at work around us and through us to help us in our own unfolding. His insights create an allegorical mind-set that opens windows of perception not normally accessible to the average reader. Such a foundation lets the hymns come alive with meaning when one studies the deep metaphors in the Rig itself. This is definitely a "must read" for those to whom the ancient scriptures are calling.
~Donna Miesbach ~ www.donnamiesbach.com ~

4 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A No Brainer, February 10, 2005

By 

Lee Barney (LA, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wisdom of the Ancient Seers (Paperback)

The title suggests that the book will shed new light on Mantras of Rig Veda, the oldest text on the planet.

But all you get is bad English translation of the original sanskrit verses.

Even scholars in the early 20th century knew that all the 4 Vedas were codices. They are not to be taken literally which is what Mr.Fraudley does. Any pretentious new ager can write the type of nonsense he purports as the wisdom of the Rigveda.

It is a direct pun on the intelligence of the ancient vedic sages. We can just hope the author has prepared well for his afterlife.

This is not the first time he has done this. This author has written a lot of books on various topics based upon skimpy & superficial knowledge and understanding. So watch out.

Just a reflection on the times we live in.