I have just been reading Hindu Myths by Wendy Doniger. I was quite disappointed in reading the translations and analysis in the book. It seems quite obvious to me that Ms. Doniger does not have any love for the hindu scriptures that she's translating, though she professes in the preface that the selection of stories in the book are her favorites. Everything from the choice of the titles to the naming of the characters to the descriptions of the conversations to the conclusions that she draws from the myths seem to be designed to expose hidden sexual/erotic meanings and reduce the tales and myths to rubbish produced by peurile and perverted imbeciles. The book's main contents page cleverly hides the outrageous themes that she has chosen as subheadings in the main text. It is not clear why exactly this was done, probably to increase the sales. At least unsuspecting readers like me would not be discouraged when we look at it before we buy the book. Her narrative rarely evokes the feeling that is intended in the text that she is translating. She has a single minded purpose of nailing the hidden unholy, scandalous message that the tale carries in her opinion. This book is definitely not intended to present any positive view to the readers. It is more like a brief of an investigation specifically designed to malign hindu faith.

Ms. Doniger has spent the better part of her life reading the hindu scriptures and it is sad to see what she has learnt from them and what she has chosen to share with her countrymen.

this book may portray some of the facts of hinduism, but it does not seem to want to portray it in an inoffensive manner. what the author doesn't or does understand is that this is a religion, it would be like writing a book on christianity and refering to the noah and adam and eve stories as myths. then researching it half-assed and writing on personal opinions that are highly offensive to christians. matters of faith should not be tried in court, so there is no way you can look at it in a factual or intellectual manner. it just does not make sense, unless you want to visit the places where these Gods were born and look at the evidence and speak of it or read the palm leaf that still exists in India that predicted the birth of jesus...which was predicted in the Hindu religion.