Shaman: Roots of the Rig Veda

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Shamanism : Roots of the Rig Veda explicitly details the evolution of mankind. The very first man that trod this earth (Homo-Erectus) was in comparison to the other animal life helpless and very weak. How then did this creature manage to survive? G.D. Bakshi in this work has surmised that the earliest man was possessed with certain extra-special powers of sensory perception, which allowed him to overcome his adversities. As time passed man left his nomadic ways. He settled down to a pastoral existence and he slowly lost these powers. Finally it became apparent that these extra-sensory powers were left amongst a few persons only. These persons then went on to use these by now magical powers to over-awe and impress their fellow men of their superiority. These few were the Shamans that we can still see today in many tribal communities. Though many may be charlatans exploiting the beliefs of their kinsmen some truly do possess these powers even today. Bakshi whilst exploring the history of such clans and the priest cults that developed within them has amply shown that these originally natural powers now have to be in many instances kick-started by the use of certain psychotropic substances commonly used by these people. His in-depth study has shown how it was on the base of such powers that many of our ancient philosophies and rituals were developed. Using the Rig Veda and the magical Soma as a base for the study he has shown us how such cults have developed over the ages and the similarities in their practice and development.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR G D Bakshi

Brigadier G D Bakshi, VSM is a graduate of the National Defence Academy. He did his early schooling from St. Aloysius School Jabalpur. He holds a Masters degree in Defence Science and an M.Phil in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras. He taught for three years each at the Indian Military Academy Dehradun, and the prestigious Defence Services Staff College at Wellington. He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis and is a prolific writer on matters military. He has authored six books and written several papers for prestigious defence journals which include the Strategic Analysis and Indian Defence Review. He has done two tenures at the prestigious Directorate General of Military Operations at New Delhi. He commanded his unit in Kargil and was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal in 1991. Currently, he is commanding a Rashtriya Rifles Sector in J&K. In this book he brings to bear his thirty years of military study and experience to an analysis of the military content of the Mahabharata Epic. The central theme of this book is the assertion that there is an historic Indian Strategic Culture and today we need to rediscover these historical roots of our military inheritance.

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Bibliographic information

Title
Shaman: Roots of the Rig Veda
Author
Edition
1st ed.
Publisher
ISBN
817769491X
Length
viii+174p., Figures; Bibliography; 23cm.
Subjects