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Eden - An Indian Exploration of Jewish, Christian and Islamic lore
Eden is the garden of happiness that humankind lost when Adam and Eve the first human couple, disobeyed the one true God, i.e., God, and ate the fruit of the forbidden tree. To this garden, all humanity shall return if we accept God's love and follow God's law. It represents paradise in Abrahamic lore, which emerged over 4,000 years ago in the Middle East and has since spread to every corner of the world in three forms: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Jewish, Christian and Islamic tales too are cultural memories and metaphors, i.e. mythologies. They seek to make life meaningful by establishing a worldview based on one God, one life, and one way of living based on God's message transmitted through many messengers. But these stories contrast Indian mythologies that are rooted in rebirth, where the world is without beginning or end, where there are infinite manifestations of the divine, both within and without, personal and impersonal, simultaneously monotheistic, polytheistic and atheistic.
Eden explores the vast world of Abrahamic myths from a uniquely Indian prism, through storytelling that is intimate but not irreverent and introduces readers to the many captivating tales of angels, demons, prophets, patriarchs, judges and kings. It also retells stories from Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Zoroastrian mythologies that influenced Abrahamic monotheism over time.
Like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Jewish, Christian and Islamic tales too are cultural memories and metaphors, i.e. mythologies. They seek to make life meaningful by establishing a worldview based on one God, one life, and one way of living based on God's message transmitted through many messengers. But these stories contrast Indian mythologies that are rooted in rebirth, where the world is without beginning or end, where there are infinite manifestations of the divine, both within and without, personal and impersonal, simultaneously monotheistic, polytheistic and atheistic.
Eden explores the vast world of Abrahamic myths from a uniquely Indian prism, through storytelling that is intimate but not irreverent and introduces readers to the many captivating tales of angels, demons, prophets, patriarchs, judges and kings. It also retells stories from Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Zoroastrian mythologies that influenced Abrahamic monotheism over time.
276 pages, Paperback
First published December 20, 2021
51 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Devdutt Pattanaik
286 books3,326 followersDr. 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 12, 2022
Devdutt Pattanaik is someone I follow not so much for his being erudite about mythology, Indian or otherwise (to get a deeper feel, I would go to other writers), but his delightful illustrations. I am also curious about his exquisite skills at recycling deep mythologies into simplistic explanations for the simpletons. His tack works, as affirmed by his soaring popularity. Someone I once knew put it like this: Pattanaik is well read in mythology, knows a lot, tries to crack the code, and then passes it on at a childish level to others. Call him the Chetan Bhagat of Indian mythology!" A bit too harsh methinks, but then ...
In Eden, Pattanaik uses a syncretistic (what he calls 'Indian') approach to decode what he postulates as Jewish, Christian and Islamic 'lore'. He compiles and collates tales from rabbinical, Islamic and fringe Christian writings (including Mormonism!!) to provide the reader with what he thinks is a cool contextual or intellectual perspective about 'lore' relating to the Abrahamic religions, appropriated and modified from Mesopotamia, Persia, and other places.
To his credit, he does not go as far as to claim that Vedic Hinduism is the fount of all wisdom in the universe unlike contemporary Hindutva ideologues like Rajiv Malhotra et al. He is sober in his approach and refuses to support the vituperative narratives of present-day political Hindutva which seeks to ethnically cleanse India of Muslims and Christians, whose Abrahamic narratives are seen as subverting and defiling the multifarious and casteist narratives of insecure Hindutvavdis who seek to deny people the liberty to follow a religion, ideology, mythology, 'lore' or identity of their individual or collective choice.
The book is designed as a primer with lots of trivia thrown in and summaries at the end of its varied sections to help the 'student' grasp Pattanaik's understanding of the 'alien lore'. In the process, Pattanaik serves as a lay theologian of comparative religions with one foot in the monist/relativist socioreligious culture he has been shaped by yet nurtured by modern and post-modern influences.
His agenda or attempt is to blur and mix and match the 'lore' of the Abrahamic cultures and/or religions and blunt the sharp, atavistic and even inimical edges of their worldviews when they collide with other worldviews. Delving into the 'differance' of the varied religio-cultural and mythological traditions of different streams of humanity is an unenviable and besotted task and the best or easiest way out of the conundrum is to simplify the signs, symbols, metaphors and motifs that may be 'common' or 'similar' and dunk them all in a syncretistic soup. Swimming in such a soup is easy for those who say that 'all is one' or some such thing.
We have had erudite or spiritual Indians who have tried to make sense of the Abrahamic religions of the likes of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Y Masih and so on. None of them converted to Abrahamic religions. Then there have been 'foreigners' who have sought to integrate the Abrahamic religions with Indian Vedic or mythic 'lore' like Dom Bede Griffiths, Raimundo Panikkar, and others. B R Ambedkar also looked into the possibilities of Christianity being a way of liberation for the lower castes oppressed by a vicious Brahminical or upper caste tyranny across millennia, but finally opted for Buddhism whose adherents were persecuted, driven out or crushed by proto-Hindutvavadis.
Many have sought to either accentuate the gaps and hatreds between the seemingly irreconcilable cultural, religious and mythological systems or sought to build bridges between them. Pattanaik, I think, belongs to the latter tribe. Drawing parallels between varying mythological systems or looking to fringe narratives to bring all under a syncretistic umbrella has also been attempted by groups like the Theosophists and sundry others. Yet the differences and distinctions remain and are reflected in religio-cultural practices. Pattanaik is trying in his own way to build bridges of understanding through the use of syncreticism or parallellism.
The perennial question is whether people who believe in widely divergent ideologies or mythologies can live in peace and eschew killing each other. Syncreticists or those trying to paper over the divergences in mythologies are a force of good. Jung attempted it in his own way. But the down side is that knowledge of the many ideas in different 'lores' and their trivia only spread populist notions among the simplistic readers of such material. It can lead to the creation of a kind of person, like the half-baked followers of Dan Brown who imagine that his fictional assertions about the genealogy of Jesus Christ are 'genuine' and 'the truth'. One cannot discuss much with Dan Brown 'cultists' at a level beyond their populist understanding.
I hope that this book will be a conversation-opener rather than a conversation-ender which leads to people taking immovable stances and I get the feeling that Pattanaik is hoping to achieve the same in an India whose atmosphere is vitiated by the purveyors and politicians of religious hatred. So take a ride with Pattanaik, dear reader, through the Abrahamic 'lore' from before the Creation of the world and Eden, the Fall of Humanity, the descendants of Adam, the prophets and messengers of God, the notion of the Messiah or Saviour of humankind, all the way to Judgement Day.
'Eden' is post-modern in the sense that it is a mashup or even a mishmash of Judaic, Christian and Islamic 'lore' that Santa Claus Pattanaik (is there an Egyptian or Vedic parallel to such a character?) brings as a curious present dashing through the Christmas scenario, jingling his bells, and throwing interesting snippets from here and there down the chimneys of minds that seek to grasp aspects of the Abrahamic religions. Pattanaik has done a pretty decent job, only don't take his interpretations as God's 'Word'!
To conclude, it's a nice book for dilettantes, well narrated, set out as coherent, comprehensive, even chronological, cogent sections for readers with its summaries and notes. Thomas Jefferson once cut out all he deemed useless in the Holy Bible and created the 'Jefferson Bible'. In this sense, I too would knock out much of the text in this book, having given it the once-over, but save Pattanaik's fabulous illustrations as artifacts of aesthetics, visual narrative and genuine goodwill value.
In Eden, Pattanaik uses a syncretistic (what he calls 'Indian') approach to decode what he postulates as Jewish, Christian and Islamic 'lore'. He compiles and collates tales from rabbinical, Islamic and fringe Christian writings (including Mormonism!!) to provide the reader with what he thinks is a cool contextual or intellectual perspective about 'lore' relating to the Abrahamic religions, appropriated and modified from Mesopotamia, Persia, and other places.
To his credit, he does not go as far as to claim that Vedic Hinduism is the fount of all wisdom in the universe unlike contemporary Hindutva ideologues like Rajiv Malhotra et al. He is sober in his approach and refuses to support the vituperative narratives of present-day political Hindutva which seeks to ethnically cleanse India of Muslims and Christians, whose Abrahamic narratives are seen as subverting and defiling the multifarious and casteist narratives of insecure Hindutvavdis who seek to deny people the liberty to follow a religion, ideology, mythology, 'lore' or identity of their individual or collective choice.
The book is designed as a primer with lots of trivia thrown in and summaries at the end of its varied sections to help the 'student' grasp Pattanaik's understanding of the 'alien lore'. In the process, Pattanaik serves as a lay theologian of comparative religions with one foot in the monist/relativist socioreligious culture he has been shaped by yet nurtured by modern and post-modern influences.
His agenda or attempt is to blur and mix and match the 'lore' of the Abrahamic cultures and/or religions and blunt the sharp, atavistic and even inimical edges of their worldviews when they collide with other worldviews. Delving into the 'differance' of the varied religio-cultural and mythological traditions of different streams of humanity is an unenviable and besotted task and the best or easiest way out of the conundrum is to simplify the signs, symbols, metaphors and motifs that may be 'common' or 'similar' and dunk them all in a syncretistic soup. Swimming in such a soup is easy for those who say that 'all is one' or some such thing.
We have had erudite or spiritual Indians who have tried to make sense of the Abrahamic religions of the likes of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Y Masih and so on. None of them converted to Abrahamic religions. Then there have been 'foreigners' who have sought to integrate the Abrahamic religions with Indian Vedic or mythic 'lore' like Dom Bede Griffiths, Raimundo Panikkar, and others. B R Ambedkar also looked into the possibilities of Christianity being a way of liberation for the lower castes oppressed by a vicious Brahminical or upper caste tyranny across millennia, but finally opted for Buddhism whose adherents were persecuted, driven out or crushed by proto-Hindutvavadis.
Many have sought to either accentuate the gaps and hatreds between the seemingly irreconcilable cultural, religious and mythological systems or sought to build bridges between them. Pattanaik, I think, belongs to the latter tribe. Drawing parallels between varying mythological systems or looking to fringe narratives to bring all under a syncretistic umbrella has also been attempted by groups like the Theosophists and sundry others. Yet the differences and distinctions remain and are reflected in religio-cultural practices. Pattanaik is trying in his own way to build bridges of understanding through the use of syncreticism or parallellism.
The perennial question is whether people who believe in widely divergent ideologies or mythologies can live in peace and eschew killing each other. Syncreticists or those trying to paper over the divergences in mythologies are a force of good. Jung attempted it in his own way. But the down side is that knowledge of the many ideas in different 'lores' and their trivia only spread populist notions among the simplistic readers of such material. It can lead to the creation of a kind of person, like the half-baked followers of Dan Brown who imagine that his fictional assertions about the genealogy of Jesus Christ are 'genuine' and 'the truth'. One cannot discuss much with Dan Brown 'cultists' at a level beyond their populist understanding.
I hope that this book will be a conversation-opener rather than a conversation-ender which leads to people taking immovable stances and I get the feeling that Pattanaik is hoping to achieve the same in an India whose atmosphere is vitiated by the purveyors and politicians of religious hatred. So take a ride with Pattanaik, dear reader, through the Abrahamic 'lore' from before the Creation of the world and Eden, the Fall of Humanity, the descendants of Adam, the prophets and messengers of God, the notion of the Messiah or Saviour of humankind, all the way to Judgement Day.
'Eden' is post-modern in the sense that it is a mashup or even a mishmash of Judaic, Christian and Islamic 'lore' that Santa Claus Pattanaik (is there an Egyptian or Vedic parallel to such a character?) brings as a curious present dashing through the Christmas scenario, jingling his bells, and throwing interesting snippets from here and there down the chimneys of minds that seek to grasp aspects of the Abrahamic religions. Pattanaik has done a pretty decent job, only don't take his interpretations as God's 'Word'!
To conclude, it's a nice book for dilettantes, well narrated, set out as coherent, comprehensive, even chronological, cogent sections for readers with its summaries and notes. Thomas Jefferson once cut out all he deemed useless in the Holy Bible and created the 'Jefferson Bible'. In this sense, I too would knock out much of the text in this book, having given it the once-over, but save Pattanaik's fabulous illustrations as artifacts of aesthetics, visual narrative and genuine goodwill value.
February 15, 2022
I cannot believe that after multiple failed attempts of trying to find one book that gives me an insight to how the religions of the world began, this book just appeared in a bookstore when I had stopped looking for it. The brownie point was that it was written by Devdutt Pattanaik who I trust as a researcher after having read multiple books on Hindu epics by him. And even though it’s a deep dive into Abrahamic religions only, it dabs a little with neighbouring cultures and that’s a good enough segue to continue with in other books.
Devdutt keeps adding little notes in the grey boxes where he draws similarities among Abrahamic religions and between them and other religions, highlighting the fact that the people of the world are more similar than they think they are. I learnt about the influence of monotheistic religions on the neighbouring polytheistic cultures and the ideological differences between Judaism, Christianity and Islam and their various factions. I finally have some understanding of the age old stories of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the forbidden fruit, Noah’s Ark, etc. that I had only heard in bits and pieces so far.
In a nutshell, while digging through Wikipedia pages made it look so complex to glean, this book, by organising it in a chronological way, made it much simpler to fit in your head especially by presenting analogies between past and present (time), here and there (location), and this and that (religion and culture).
Devdutt keeps adding little notes in the grey boxes where he draws similarities among Abrahamic religions and between them and other religions, highlighting the fact that the people of the world are more similar than they think they are. I learnt about the influence of monotheistic religions on the neighbouring polytheistic cultures and the ideological differences between Judaism, Christianity and Islam and their various factions. I finally have some understanding of the age old stories of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the forbidden fruit, Noah’s Ark, etc. that I had only heard in bits and pieces so far.
In a nutshell, while digging through Wikipedia pages made it look so complex to glean, this book, by organising it in a chronological way, made it much simpler to fit in your head especially by presenting analogies between past and present (time), here and there (location), and this and that (religion and culture).
February 4, 2022
So I just finished with the book ‘EDEN’ by @devduttmyth and as I’m a mythology lover, I absolutely enjoyed reading the book.
✨
We often read about different versions of Ramayana or Mahabharata or their characters but for the very first time I came across Jewish, Christian and Islamic Tales which has a different perspective to the stories we grew up listening to.
✨
We know about Adam & Eve but they both are named differently in different religions. The stories are almost similar to the tales we have read before but with a twist here and there.
✨
One thing that I’ve learnt is that God is One be it any religion. I’ve grown up reading @devduttmyth and I adore the illustrations that he inculcates along with his storyline.
✨
Definitely recommended as it is knowledgeable and insightful.
✨
We often read about different versions of Ramayana or Mahabharata or their characters but for the very first time I came across Jewish, Christian and Islamic Tales which has a different perspective to the stories we grew up listening to.
✨
We know about Adam & Eve but they both are named differently in different religions. The stories are almost similar to the tales we have read before but with a twist here and there.
✨
One thing that I’ve learnt is that God is One be it any religion. I’ve grown up reading @devduttmyth and I adore the illustrations that he inculcates along with his storyline.
✨
Definitely recommended as it is knowledgeable and insightful.
March 9, 2025
A rather small book which took a long time to read. The foot notes are more interesting than the main stories and each of these notes can become a book of its own. Very interesting book...Especially the later chapters where the writer went through how christianity and Muslim ways of life mixed with Indian life.
September 20, 2022
What I liked the most about this book was how all the stories and myths were broken down into literal bite-sized snippets. Even though it got sooo confusing from page 1 itself, with the whole ancestry-timeline and all those names and different interpretations, the short chapters helped my brain not get too worked-up. But it picked up in the middle, when the stories from the New Testament came into the picture, because I had heard them before albeit never in proper chronological order.
The book begins with the rise of Judaism, followed by the branching off of Christianity in the middle, while the final part of the book focuses solely on Islamic lore and Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) life.
I wanted to read this book to help me understand other religions better, as well as their stories, values, and the fundamental "rules" that people live by. This book felt like an appetizer of sorts, lightly touching upon the most impactful and popular stories, all the while aligning the story into a coherent timeline, which is perfect for a beginner, as it can get overwhelming diving into the foundations of religion.
All in all, not the best book if an in-depth analysis is needed, but perfect if one is going in completely blank.
The book begins with the rise of Judaism, followed by the branching off of Christianity in the middle, while the final part of the book focuses solely on Islamic lore and Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) life.
I wanted to read this book to help me understand other religions better, as well as their stories, values, and the fundamental "rules" that people live by. This book felt like an appetizer of sorts, lightly touching upon the most impactful and popular stories, all the while aligning the story into a coherent timeline, which is perfect for a beginner, as it can get overwhelming diving into the foundations of religion.
All in all, not the best book if an in-depth analysis is needed, but perfect if one is going in completely blank.
January 27, 2022
Loved it. Very educational & insightful. Especially the second half that had stories of Moses, then Jesus, and then Prophet Mohammed.
November 21, 2024
Bleh. Not the best exploration.
January 28, 2022
Eden is the book that explores the Abrahamic myth with a unique writing style. Contrasting the Indian beliefs of karma, rebirth and the never ending world, Abrahamic myth is decorated with angels, demons, judges and kings. The author also retells stories from Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Zoroastrian mythology.
The book is a concrete treasure for the mythology lovers, full of beautiful artwork and diverse bunch of myths and stories. With the expert storytelling style of Devdutt Pattanaik and the mystifying world of mythology this book is a well researched masterpiece. Many a times I was left in awe of the stories though as with every story collection, it is a journey of ups and downs. This book could be confusing and difficult to read if you are a novice to the genre. It did leave me with a certain vigour to research and read more diverse mythology books and stories.
The book is a concrete treasure for the mythology lovers, full of beautiful artwork and diverse bunch of myths and stories. With the expert storytelling style of Devdutt Pattanaik and the mystifying world of mythology this book is a well researched masterpiece. Many a times I was left in awe of the stories though as with every story collection, it is a journey of ups and downs. This book could be confusing and difficult to read if you are a novice to the genre. It did leave me with a certain vigour to research and read more diverse mythology books and stories.
September 22, 2022
A brilliant comparative study of the three 'Abrahamic' religions of which I knew so little about. The book begins chronologically starting from Adam Eve; followed by Abraham, Moses, King David, Jesus, Mohammad and so on. And in his trademark style after every story there is a box where author presents commentary on different versions of the same tale and similarities/differences with the Hindu mythology.
Differences between Jewish and Christian faith; Protestant and Catholics; Sunni, Shia and Sufi are given ample space in the book for an average reader. Moreover author's tone remains measured throughout without getting too judgmental given that his faith is Hinduism both by birth and by choice.
Differences between Jewish and Christian faith; Protestant and Catholics; Sunni, Shia and Sufi are given ample space in the book for an average reader. Moreover author's tone remains measured throughout without getting too judgmental given that his faith is Hinduism both by birth and by choice.
March 22, 2022
Only gor illustrations
Except illustrations it is an average book. The uniqueness of illustrations lies in different selection of attire than normally depicted for Greek and Bibilical mythologies.
Except illustrations it is an average book. The uniqueness of illustrations lies in different selection of attire than normally depicted for Greek and Bibilical mythologies.
May 22, 2023
"Eden: An Indian Exploration of Jewish, Christian and Islamic Lore" by Devdutt Pattanaik is a bold book. Even though Judaism, Christianity and Islam are monotheistic, share common history and the latter one is taken to be the updation of the preceding faith, they differ greatly in details, beliefs and practices, and the followers often fight vehemently and violently to defend their point of view.
The author shares stories and history from the 3 religious paths in a chronological order, starting from pre-creation to the judgement day.
I was educated in a missionary school. So Christianity was not unfamiliar to me while growing up. I remember reading, fully engrossed, the old testament at my mother's uncle's home library and watching a television series based on the same on Doordarshan as a kid. The stories were fascinating. But honestly I didn't remember much of it as an adult. Then I read the Quran and the stories came back to me.
"Eden" was an interesting read, learning the stories relating to the People of the Book, their similarities and differences. Interestingly, the followers differ in their belief as to what the forbidden fruit is! Then while Jesus is a prophet to both Christians and Muslims, they differ in their beliefs relating to the incidents of his birth and death (among other details). But they all believe in one true God, the Judgement Day and Afterlife.
This one is an important book through which one can learn beyond one's own faith or even learn more about one's own. The author tells the stories in his characteristic style, drawing parallels to Hindu/Buddhist mythologies, complemented by his unique illustrations.
IN A NUTSHELL: A simple book to read, gives us an opportunity to learn about the Abrahamic religions which are full of interesting and symbolic lores.
The author shares stories and history from the 3 religious paths in a chronological order, starting from pre-creation to the judgement day.
I was educated in a missionary school. So Christianity was not unfamiliar to me while growing up. I remember reading, fully engrossed, the old testament at my mother's uncle's home library and watching a television series based on the same on Doordarshan as a kid. The stories were fascinating. But honestly I didn't remember much of it as an adult. Then I read the Quran and the stories came back to me.
"Eden" was an interesting read, learning the stories relating to the People of the Book, their similarities and differences. Interestingly, the followers differ in their belief as to what the forbidden fruit is! Then while Jesus is a prophet to both Christians and Muslims, they differ in their beliefs relating to the incidents of his birth and death (among other details). But they all believe in one true God, the Judgement Day and Afterlife.
This one is an important book through which one can learn beyond one's own faith or even learn more about one's own. The author tells the stories in his characteristic style, drawing parallels to Hindu/Buddhist mythologies, complemented by his unique illustrations.
IN A NUTSHELL: A simple book to read, gives us an opportunity to learn about the Abrahamic religions which are full of interesting and symbolic lores.
February 2, 2022
Whenever I hear the word Mythology, I'm always looking for a connection to the one I am most familiar with, The Indian Mythology. To have a book that explores that from the Indian prism was fulfilling.
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My Rating : 3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟✨
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In Eden, the author uses an approach that doesn't claim superiority, but a careful comparison between multiple lores that gives it an intellectual twist. There's a lot of compilation of Jewish, Islamic, Christian lores (or beliefs) which makes this book a kind of introduction to 'Other' Mythology, but with an Indian brain in mind. The tone of the book is quite light and even humourous at times, and it gives you a fresh take on how other people would view Indian Mythology as well. I absolutely loved the illustrations that graced every single page, which also made me research about them.To be honest, I learnt so much about the wide variety of beliefs and what makes them special. I have never used Google so much in my life. I am a huge fan of Mythology, so I was raptured by the comparisons, the witty compilations and the new angle. And that is not to say I agree with everything the author discussed. This book definitely made good points for a debate, and it led me to learn more about the actual origin and backstory of a lot of lores I wasn't familiar with. If you are not used to this writing style or the topics discussed, I think you'll have a difficult time getting through the pages. But, If you are a huge fan of Mythology and you love research and want to learn more, then this book would be a treasure cove. Definitely a book worth looking into !
.
Thank you @reader_viddh @penguinindia for the gifted copy !
.
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Book 47 - February 2022 / Review Copy
Tags : Mythological Fiction
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My Rating : 3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟✨
.
In Eden, the author uses an approach that doesn't claim superiority, but a careful comparison between multiple lores that gives it an intellectual twist. There's a lot of compilation of Jewish, Islamic, Christian lores (or beliefs) which makes this book a kind of introduction to 'Other' Mythology, but with an Indian brain in mind. The tone of the book is quite light and even humourous at times, and it gives you a fresh take on how other people would view Indian Mythology as well. I absolutely loved the illustrations that graced every single page, which also made me research about them.To be honest, I learnt so much about the wide variety of beliefs and what makes them special. I have never used Google so much in my life. I am a huge fan of Mythology, so I was raptured by the comparisons, the witty compilations and the new angle. And that is not to say I agree with everything the author discussed. This book definitely made good points for a debate, and it led me to learn more about the actual origin and backstory of a lot of lores I wasn't familiar with. If you are not used to this writing style or the topics discussed, I think you'll have a difficult time getting through the pages. But, If you are a huge fan of Mythology and you love research and want to learn more, then this book would be a treasure cove. Definitely a book worth looking into !
.
Thank you @reader_viddh @penguinindia for the gifted copy !
.
.
Book 47 - February 2022 / Review Copy
Tags : Mythological Fiction
July 17, 2024
For someone from a polytheistic background and unfamiliar with monotheism, this book offers one of the first stepping stones to understanding other religions. The author's unique perspective on "Abrahamic Lore" demands the reader's attention and opens the way to further exploring the topics. The author acknowledges that the book is not without bias. Retelling something from a different viewpoint is difficult, or rather, I should say, challenging. Kudos to him for his work. While the book doesn't delve into every detail, it provides a solid foundation for further study. This book would be a great starting point for anyone curious about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
December 11, 2023
This book aims to gather a wide range of religious texts into one comprehensive read. It feels like a quick rundown of key stories from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic texts, which is both the book's strong suit and its downside. It's simple to grasp and get the gist of these stories, but it misses out on the richness and depth found in the diverse retellings, interpretations, and nuances of each tale.
March 23, 2024
Considering there are very few books that give insight on comparative religions or beliefs, this is a great attempt by Devdutt ji to bring the Abrahamical religions on a platter calling out some similarities in the most gentle way. Rather than just calling our similarities and differences what struck me more was the way with which this was handled and gently explained, careful enough not to bring personal views or judgement in the observations . All in all a good read
May 5, 2023
It's a very interesting read for someone who hasn't read global mythology stories a lot. It's a book you keep coming back to time again from a folklore point-of-view.
June 9, 2023
Profound and deep.
Must read in today’s times of irresponsible intolerance.
Must read in today’s times of irresponsible intolerance.
September 21, 2024
The book was a thought-provoking read, with impressive illustrations and well-executed snippets.
February 4, 2025
In depth research coupled with a conversational story telling style of expression...very good combination. Learnt some new facts about the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions.
September 5, 2025
Felt like i was reading Greek mythology , Bible and Quran with puranas in between altogether a good informant on religions and their foundation
September 9, 2025
I cudn't finish it cos it was so boring :(
April 24, 2023
My old English teacher from school had this big illustrated bible. That was one of the few opportunities that I got to know and learn about religions beyond mine.
Eden by Devdutt Pattanaik is my first baby step in understanding Jewish, Christianity, and Islamic religions and the history of the middle east and certain parts of Europe. I learned how similar yet different the course of events is and also the fact that events get different narratives among people and centuries.
With his signature, quirky illustrations, the author guides us through the stories that often overlap with each other. Not only he retakes the Lores but also gives a contextual explanation.
Although, it’s a short book of just 285 pages, the exhaustive yet crisp manner of writing ensures to give an overall knowledge about the religions, reading this book, in a nutshell, is a fulfilling experience.
Eden by Devdutt Pattanaik is my first baby step in understanding Jewish, Christianity, and Islamic religions and the history of the middle east and certain parts of Europe. I learned how similar yet different the course of events is and also the fact that events get different narratives among people and centuries.
With his signature, quirky illustrations, the author guides us through the stories that often overlap with each other. Not only he retakes the Lores but also gives a contextual explanation.
Although, it’s a short book of just 285 pages, the exhaustive yet crisp manner of writing ensures to give an overall knowledge about the religions, reading this book, in a nutshell, is a fulfilling experience.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews