From the back: These tales of Hindu gods and demons express in vivid symbols the metaphysical insights of ancient Indian priests and poets. This new selection and translation of seventy-five seminal myths spans the wide range of classical Indian sources, from the serpent-slaying Indra of the Vedas (c. 1200 B.C.) to the medieval pantheon - the phallic and ascetic Siva, the maternal and blood-thirsty Goddess, the mischievous child Krishna, the other avatars of Vishnu, and the many minor gods, demons, rivers and animals sacred to Hinduism. The traditional themes of life and death are set forth and interwoven with many complex variations which give a kaleidoscopic picture of the development of almost three thousand years of Indian mythology.

The cover shows an Indian miniature of the Guter school, c. 1750, depicting Siva and Parvati with their sons, the elephant-headed Ganesha and the six-headed Skanda, surrounded by their animal vehicles, in a private collection.