Raja Ram Mohan Roy Knihy

This is a reprint of the original 1999 edition with minor editorial changes. The Rigveda is the first book of humankind and the most sacred scripture of Hinduism. It also happens to be the most ill-understood book of our times. Despite the extensive study by academic and religious scholars, the purpose and meaning of the Rigveda and many ancient Hindu scriptures remain unclear. In this pathbreaking book, the discovery of the Rigveda as a book of ancient cosmology is described, and related to the seals of ancient Indus Valley Civilization, thereby challenging our perception of humanity. "The Vedas have always been lauded as containing the secrets of cosmogenesis. Raja Roy in his remarkable book shows how this is true not only from the yogic vison but according to the latest insights of modern physics. The book takes the reader on a vast panoramic journey through the universe of matter, mind and human history as well." David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri) Director, American Institute of Vedic Studies "Roy presents a new framework for the understanding of the Vedic hymns from the point of view of physics and then he draws parallels with recent theories on the nature of the universe. We celebrate the new path he has hewn through the bush of old scholarship." Professor Subhash Kak Oklahoma State University

India After Alexander The Age of Vikramadityas

Indian astronomical texts give the coordinates of the yogataras or junction stars of nakshatras. These coordinates have been interpreted as polar coordinates, which depend on the position of the north celestial pole. Polar coordinates of a star should change with time due to precession. However, different astronomical texts written over many centuries give same coordinates for most yogataras. This has resulted in Indian astronomers being called incompetent, who did not observe the positions of the stars with accuracy. In this book it is proposed that Indian astronomers were using sidereal ecliptic coordinates, which do not change with time to a significant extent. This understanding has led to the discovery of the original boundaries of nakshatras. Based on these boundaries of nakshatras and the changing position of sun in the background of nakshatras during solstices, the dates of astronomical text Vedanga Jyotisha and astronomer Varahamihira have been reexamined. Based on the zero points of Vedic astronomy, the values of ayanamsha have been calculated.

In author's previous book "India after Alexander: The Age of Vikramadityas" a new chronology was developed for the period spanning from the invasion of India by Alexander to the death of Emperor Vikramaditya in 57 BCE. In this book, the chronological reconstruction of the Indian history is continued beginning with the rise of the Satavahanas. The revised dating of the Kushans is confirmed by the identification of Kushan king Vasudeva II with the king Basdeo whose daughter was married to Sasanian king Bahram V. The chronology of the Vallabhi kings is fixed by counting their dates from the Shaka era instead of the Vallabhi era. The new chronology validates the numerous Rajput genealogies describing the celebrated Bappa Rawal as a descendant of Shiladitya VII in the eighth generation. In a travesty of history, current historians place Shiladitya VII chronologically after Bappa Rawal. The chronology of the Gurjara kings is fixed by counting their dates from the Shaka era instead of the Kalachuri-Chedi era. For the first time, the history of Persia, Vallabhi, Gurjaras, Later Guptas, Pushyabhutis, Maukharis, Hunas and Turks are critically analyzed to reconstruct the epic battle of Korur, which is currently deleted from the pages of history.