I. INDRA, KING OF THE GODS 1 II. THE GREAT VEDIC DEITIES 19 III. YAMA, THE FIRST MAN, AND KING OF THE DEAD 38 IV. DEMONS AND GIANTS AND FAIRIES 61 V. SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS OF THE VEDIC AGE 76 VI. MYSTERIES OF CREATION, THE WORLD'S AGES, AND SOUL WANDERING 97 VII. NEW FAITHS: VISHNU RELIGION, BUDDHISM, AND JAINISM 119 VIII. DIVINITIES OF THE EPIC PERIOD 138 IX. PRELUDE TO THE GREAT BHARATA WAR 157 X. ROYAL RIVALS: THE PANDAVAS AND KAURAVAS 173 XI. THE TOURNAMENT 185 XII. FIRST EXILE OF THE PANDAVAS 195 XIII. THE CHOICE OF DRAUPADI 213 XIV. TRIUMPH OF THE PANDAVAS 224 XV. THE GREAT GAMBLING MATCH 237 XVI. SECOND EXILE OF THE PANDAVAS 249 XVII. DEFIANCE OF DURYODHANA 270 XVIII. THE BATTLE OF EIGHTEEN DAYS 285 XIX. ATONEMENT AND THE ASCENT TO HEAVEN 310 XX. NALA AND DAMAYANTÍ 328 XXI. WANDERINGS IN THE FOREST 340 XXII. NALA IN EXILE 353 XXIII. THE HOMECOMING OF THE KING 364 XXIV. STORY OF RAMA: HOW SITA WAS WON 374 XXV. THE ABDUCTION OF SITA 394 XXVI. RAMA'S MISSION FULFILLED 408 INDEX 429 PLATES IN COLOUR Page SITA FINDS RAMA AMONG LOTUS BLOOMS _Frontispiece_ _From the painting by Warwick Goble_ SHANTANU MEETS THE GODDESS GANGA _facing_ 164 _From the painting by Warwick Goble_ ARJUNA AND THE RIVER NYMPH " 226 _From the painting by Warwick Goble_ THE ORDEAL OF QUEEN DRAUPADI " 242 _From the painting by Warwick Goble_ THE RETURN OF THE HEROES SLAIN IN BATTLE " 320 _From the painting by Warwick Goble_ DAMAYANTI AND THE SWAN " 330 _From the painting by Warwick Goble_ DAMAYANTI CHOOSING A HUSBAND " 336 _From the painting by Warwick Goble_