The Wisdom of the Vedas (Theosophical Heritage Classics) [Paperback]

Jagadish Chandra Chatterji (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1992 | Series: Theosophical Heritage Classics

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 167 pages
• Publisher: Quest Books (October 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0835606848
• ISBN-13: 978-0835606844
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Hinduism > Vedas

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A life-transforming book, July 25, 2001

By 

Diana Urosevic (Belgrade, Serbia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Wisdom of the Vedas (Theosophical Heritage Classics) (Paperback)

I give my highest recommendation to this book. It was my first introduction to Vedic philosophy and I found it to be an excellent one. It explains the existence of the world and God in a way that accords with physics, string theory, and science despite the fact that this philosophy was developed 4,000 years ago or more. I was also fascinated to read about the connections with Buddhism and Christianity (in the footnotes).

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doorway to the Wisdom of Hinduism, January 13, 2008

By 

R. Hochwalt "arroyoseco" (North Canton, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Wisdom of the Vedas (Theosophical Heritage Classics) (Paperback)

Very few persons have taken the time to read the entire collection of writings comprising Vedantic wisdom.

Some have read the Upanishads; many more the Bhagavad Gita. Very few have read these and the most ancient texts -- the four Vedas.

In this very short book, Chatterji, a respected Indian scholar presents the "gist" of Vedantic wisdom.

As the author says in his preface, his purpose was to present "...a concise and comprehensive statement as to how the Veda, the most ancient wisdom of India, regards life, its origin, purpose, and goal."

In my opinion, he has succeeded admirably.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST READ FOR SEEKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, March 16, 2005

By 

Bacchus (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Wisdom of the Vedas (Theosophical Heritage Classics) (Paperback)

I've spent decades searching out truths about existence which made sense, gradually gravitating toward Hinduism. The ancient Vedas contained details about the physical nature of reality (corresponding to quarks and string theory etc) which only recently have started to be confirmed by modern science, due to the increasing power and sophistication of microscopes and telescopes. They were written thousands of years ago, allegedly revealed by "higher masters."

This incredibly informative and concise book explains the deepest, most profound beliefs in clear simple terms. Beautifully written, there is nothing excessive about the prose. Every page contains important information explaining everything you need to know about God and life and the nature of the universe.

Hinduism is the only major monotheistic religion on earth which acknowledges there is some truth in the others, and it is (to my mind) clearly the most objective and intelligent.

Forget all the "New Age" books and read this instead. It is the REAL DEAL.