Adi Purana: Entire Veda as a Single Story

by Devdutt Pattanaik

The renowned author takes the reader on a journey through the Adi Purana, covering the entire Veda in a single story.

Genres: Mythology

36 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 23, 2021

About the author

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik (born December 11, 1970) is an Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology, and also management. He has written a number of books related to Hindu mythology, including Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, a novel, The Pregnant King, and Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (2010).
He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY.
He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India

Reviews

[Himanshu Karmacharya · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those trying to get a brief introduction of the immense books of Hindu mythology, that are the Vedas, I believe this book could serve as a good starting point, despite being marketed wrongly as a single story.

[Salonee Sonawane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Misleading Title

I found the title of this book quite misleading. There are just few starting points mentioned about what comprises in Vedas. The rest of the book talks about known stories of Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva(and Lord Ganesha) and Lord Vishnu(and his avatars). Though the author is my favourite had I been looking through this book in bookshop I would not have purchased it. To have comprehensive reading about Lord Shiva I would suggest another book by the same author "7 Secrets of Shiva".

The book is written in numerical bullet form. It is a quick read and I completed reading in one go.

[Spandana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short to the point....

[Narayana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really short read, can be finished in one sitting. I did expect it to have some commentary at least. Hence a bit disappointed.

[Bhanu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides a brief introduction about Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. It is an easy to read book and gives some insight about the Indian mythology. A good to read book for someone who wants to start reading mythology.
I will give it a 3.5 rating.

[Ankush Agarwal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first 40% of this very short book is interesting with Devdutt surmising and summarizing the key philosophies and giving his interpretation to some of the oldest written and translated texts in this world. The interesting quotes & takeaways:

"The more refined a human mind is, the more it can see metaphor: conveying what is beyond names and forms, using names and forms."

"In Vyasa’s tale, that which seeks is visualised as male; that which is sought is female. The feeder is male; the food is female. The male creates life outside itself; the female creates life within itself. The being was the feeder, hence male, and the world around was food, hence female."

"He came to be known as Brahmana: one whose mind can potentially expand to infinity."

"...when they arrived and sat down to eat, he forbade them from bending their elbows. Those who refused to eat became rocks. Those who stretched and bent their heads towards food became plants and animals. Those who picked up food and fed those in front of them became humans."

"To connect with others is yoga. A tapasvi conquers his own hunger. A yogi cares for those who are hungry. Daksha was no yogi: he fed only because he sought food for himself, not because he cared for the hungry. The yajaman demands reciprocity, not the yogi. The yajaman maintains a record of debts; the yogi does not."

However, from there on, the book is a bullet summary of various stories covered in Puranas and Granths with no philosophy or a new perspective being offered by Devdutt. The second half is then a simple monotonous read.

[Neelima Raj · Rating 2 out of 5]

*A misleading title that wastes the book*

Although the title suggests this book being a "story", what's more, "a single story", the reality is far from the expectation.
A regular reader of Pattanaik would expect the title to indicate a book similar to his phenomenal "Jaya" and "Sita", the actual complete stories behind the Mahabharata and Ramayana respectively. However, this book misses the mark by a soccer field.
The book primarily talks about the deeper meanings behind the literal stories the Vedas deliver, in 100 numbered points, focused on Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. You still find the occasional revelation of hidden layers that Pattanaik is famous for, but they are too sparse in general, and too superficial in particular.
Had the tradition of his previous books being actual dives in the stories not existed, this book could have passed off as a one-time read, but "Adi Purana: Entire Veda as a single story" simply does not match the lofty standards we have come to expect from the decorated author.

What's in a name? Well, everything.

[a.readers.corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adi purana, narrates the whole veda as a single story. Divided into 100 paragraphes with very concise and interlinked stories.
veda’s are a vast collection of ancient stories. Concissing the entire veda and delivering it in a very simple language is no small task.
Most of these stories are told by my grandmother in childhood, so I knew them but this book was a brush up to the memory. Though some stories were a bit off the track and different, But again, veda is a vast topic and no one knows perfectly what they hold until you read them.

This book is just an introduction to the veda and might leave you hungry for more.

[Amitrajit · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much of knowledge is hidden in Purana is simply unbelievable. These are thousands of years old, yet so much insight about humans, humanity and the world. I have read Purana stories in my childhood too but this book was again a lucid reminiscence. Author has very concisely put the gist of all Puranas and it makes it all the very powerful hence. Understanding Purana can make one understand the world and it is indeed the start and end of knowledge.

[SHVETAL · Rating 3 out of 5]

As was already mentioned in many of the reviews, the title of the book is slightly misleading since it mostly comprises of tales of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.

However, the author never disappoints you owing to his thorough description of mythological folklore in a clear and understandable language.

[Bharat Narayan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading the book considering the title as it may help to give a introductory sight towards vedas and incontrary it totally revolves around Bhrama , Shiva &Vishnu .(Trimoorthies)
However it's worth reading as the book gives a different outlook towards the above mentioned and its Highly Conceptualized and Detailing approach towards symbolism in Hindu scripts

Give it a try

[Saurabh Jadhav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetic and beautiful ❤️.

Entire puranas wonderful and short read around in max 2-3 hours book will be completed but knowledge will be awesome.
The shiva part of book looks totally same version of 7 secret of Shiva but a minified version.

But book is awesome as the way it is written and structured and in such small pharses but still giving all valuable information.
Kudos to devdutt.

[Utkarsh Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise narrative

Always love reading Devdutt Pattanaik. The book unlocks the complex meaning of 'dharma' and uses metaphors and allegories to highlights the motif in Vedas. A good breif and in all probability will "invoke your desire" to read more about Indian mythology.

[Himanikashyapshreedhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple introduction to Adi Purana. Got me interested to read a more detailed version. But wish Pattanaik had spent more time with some of the metaphors and allegories. A few typos and bad editing towards the end though.

[Nikita Arora · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a quick read. As others have mentioned the title is misleading, the stories mentioned in this book are so common and they are kind of rushed.
This was my first book from this author. He is kinda famous in this genre. So would like to read his other novels.

[Soberly StoicAkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing and enlightening

Book is Precise and very informative. It Makes you think beyond the metamorphs of the Puranas. For a person like me who read a out the puranas for the first time aroused my interest in it.

[Sreeramkrishnaiah Challa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The details of Guardian of Creation from the beginning to date

He has brought out the 24 Avatars of Lord as explained in Chapter 2 of Sri Bhagavat Puranas
separately in a lucid form.The whole book is an integral part of Bhagavt Puran.Nice

[Satish Inamdar · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read, I was already aware of many concepts of Shiva and Vishnu - so for me learning a bit more about Brahma and Devas was the most engaging part.
I am also not a big fan of the approach of the pointer taken by the author.

[Abhi Jeet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but insightful reading 👌

[Ganapathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and crisp read to know about vedas evolution as a story in the view of sage vyasa by devdutt pattanaik.

[Nishant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is shorter than a preface to s book and does not even scratch the surface.
Can serve as a good introduction to the purana.

[Mayank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice refresher to what you already know about the mythology, all connected by a continuous narrative. A high level viewpoint mostly.

[Purple · Rating 3 out of 5]

It made me see all the Hindu mythology stories, epics in different light

[Mridul Sr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book.

I really loved the narration and the way author explained everything. Really an eye opener, how deep the meaning of vedas go.

[Ratna Shankar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in a single flow

Devdutt ji never disappoint. Simple and easy to understand. A good timepass to read it. Full of stories. Brahma Vishnu Mahesh.

[Priya Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning of the end

Perfect read for someone trying to understand the meaning of being alive the ephemeral question who are we and where we come from

[Annesha Sengupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good one

Good book to read. simple and short.
All your childhood stories in 100 points.
For mythology lovers.
Can go for it.

[Pradhuman Bhati · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very predictable of Devdutt’s style and can be read rather causally

[Mehul Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

👍

Not new but refreshing to see different point of view of the same story... Enjoy reading in bus .. ..

[GAURAV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curious interpretations of Vedic text

Curious interpretations of Vedic text.
In his own peculiar style.
Curious interpretations of Vedic text.
In his own peculiar style.