One of the essential texts on the symbolism of Hinduism.

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	• Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization Heinrich Robert Zimmer Princeton University Press, 1972 - 282 pages average customer review:based on 4 reviews view larger image
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One of the essential texts on the symbolism of Hinduism.

Edited by the late Joseph Campbell, Zimmer's book is a detailed analysis and explanation of the significance and history of many of the symbols found in Indian art and religon. It has a good index and several photographs at the end which provide essential examples.

An interesting and through, but mostly scholarly read

Zimmer is without a doubt a brilliant and sophisticated scholar of Indian Art and Mythology and this text reflects that fact very well. The sheer density of the text lends to the quality of it as a resource, but it not the number one choice of texts for someone who is just interested in mythology and folklore. Zimmer does more than merely tell you the myth or legend, he offers incredible symbolic and literary analysis of the myth in terms of broader and universal symbols. He brings together history, art, myth, religion, and philosophy in a incredible combination. However, the text is extraordinarily difficult to follow as a casual read.

In many places the text simply jumps around without any transition and in a seemingly nonsensical manner, making it difficult to read in a linear fashion. There does not seem to be any real organization to the text, with bits and pieces of the text's various elements thrown into the book at what feels like haphazard points. The photographs of the art which Zimmer discusses is useful, but are hidden at the back of the book in small, hard to see, grainy, black and white photos. I found to be a real pain constantly to flip to the back of the book to see what he was talking about and having to squint to make out the intricate art in the poor quality pictures. It would more useful if the photos were on the page where they were discussed, were in color, and were bigger. One final quibble is that the sheer volume of information makes taking notes as you go along crucial to obtain a real understanding of the text.

While I think these points are valid, do not let them scare you away. The text possess an immense wealth of information about Indian mythology and incredible analysis of its stories. An strong reference and research for students and scholars or for anyone who has a real interest in mythology, myth-art/religious art, or the psychological universality of myths. To any of these people I would highly recommend this book. If you are just starting on these or any other field that might be pertaining to the book, you might wish to start with some primary sources or books that are strictly myths and legends (i.e. the Mahabhrata or the Bhagavad Gita)or books on mythic/religious art before trying this book.

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I had to return this book

I was NOT what I expected it to be at all. I thought the fact that it was discussing Indian art and symbols, there would actually be a goodly amount of Indian art in this book. I realized I was mistaken upon leafing through this book and finding pages and pages of text with only a few examples of the art it related to. I'm not trying to disparage the book in this review, I'm sure it was good for what it was, but it certainly wasn't what I thought I was buying. I'm just trying to keep someone else from making the same mistake I made.

Visit India's Art and Civilization

For those of us who want to be informed about the myths and symbols from ancient civilization, this book is a must. Informative and interesting at the same time. Zimmer has accomplished a great deal in presenting such rich detail.

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This book interprets for the Western mind the key motifs of India's legend, myth, and folklore, taken directly from the Sanskrit, and illustrated with seventy plates of Indian art. It is primarily an introduction to image-thinking and picture-reading in Indian art and thought, and it seeks to make the profound Hindu and Buddhist intuitions of the riddles of life and death recognizable not merely as Oriental but as universal elements.