These tales of Hindu gods and demons express in vivid symbols the metaphysical insights of ancient Indian priests and poets. This 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 BC) to the medieval pantheon—the phallic and ascetic Siva, the maternal and bloodthirsty 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.