Religions of Early India: A Cultural History

Davis’s (religion, Bard Coll.; The Bhagavad Gita: A Biography) latest book chronicles the absorbing and lengthy religious history of India. He expertly details a complex and interwoven spiritual narrative of this ancient land by employing a diverse range of documents—epic poetry, theological works, and more—written in Sanskrit and by utilizing cultural artifacts such as sculptures and monuments like the imposing stupas that remain. Focusing on the period between 1300 BCE to 700 CE, the book examines how the earliest sacred Vedic texts informed all the major religions that followed, including Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Davis also pays close attention to the less-known folk religions that arose and fell through time. He asserts that one universal thread in every religion is that each borrowed elements from others that came before it. In India, this created a spiritual tapestry that connected its inhabitants throughout time.