Books in the Galaxy of Hindu Gods series

Home to one of the ancient civilizations of the world, India is also the birthplace of numerous gods worshipped by millions of Hindus living in India and across the globe. Over the centuries many of these gods rose to power and became the object of utmost devotion, only to fall from grace and lose their standing. These deities shared a peculiar trait: they were never perfect.In this multivolume series entitled, The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, Sach takes you on an extended journey to meet with the gods and share their tales with you. Among the multitude of deities, the most ancient are the Vedic gods, which include luminaries like Indra, Surya, Varuna, Agni, and others. Today a minor deity, the Vedic Indra was once the ruler of the three worlds who, under the influence of a mysterious power drink, fought with the demons and vanquished them. His reign did not last long. His comrades Surya and Varuna also had their glory days but were overthrown by other gods of the pantheon. Yet, after thousands of years, gods like Indra, Surya, and Varuna are still household names and honored in Hindu rituals and traditions.If you know little or nothing about Hindu mythology, this is your ideal starting point where you will meet the overwhelming array of Hindu gods and learn about their wonderful stories.Tentative release date of next book in this series:#2 The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma - September 2018

After the Vedic era, the triad of gods comprising Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva propelled to power. Among them, Brahma initially became the supreme deity, but he could not hang on to his position for long. A judgmental lapse is said to have caused his downfall. With Brahma’s descent, Vishnu took over the reins and steadfastly held onto this position for centuries. Today, in the Hindu pantheon, Vishnu is a juggernaut—a word coined in his honor— and has a following of more than 700 million devotees.In the second volume of the series The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, we continue our journey beyond the Vedic era. First we’ll take a look at a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we’ll examine the Churning of Milky Ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions where gods and demons collaborated in search for the nectar of immortality. We will learn that many precious things—and surprises—came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu.There will be occasional detours when we look at art and architecture. Hindu temples are not only serene places of worship, but also one of the finest specimens of ancient art and architecture. In particular, we’ll look at Angkor Wat, one of the largest Hindu temples in the world. We’ll also peek at ancient paintings from a mythological perspective. Next we’ll examine a unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti transformed into a major form of worship supplanting sacrifice and penance, and pervaded throughout the Hindu society