About the Book : The correct interpretation of the Vedas has posed a problem to both ancient and modern scholars. The Vedic scholars of ancient India put ritualistic, mythological, mystical and natural interpretations on these holy scriptures, while the modern scholars critically approaching the subject from a literary point of view subject them to linguistic, historical and cultural interpretations. The present volume puts the age-old problem of interpreting the Vedas in its proper perspective. It analyses the factors mainly responsible for divergent interpretations, traces the origin and development of various ancient Indian systems of Vedic Interpretation, gives a detailed account of the Vedic commentaries written by ancient and mediaeval BhāÃsyakāras, and highlights their salient features. Besides, it contains a history of Vedic studies in modern times, discusses current trends and tendencies in the realm of Vedic interpretation, and sums up the results of outstanding contributions made to Vedic studies during the last two hundred years. The present book makes a comparative assessment of the ancient Indian Veda-BhāÃsyas and modern exegetical studies in respect of their merits and demerits. In the light of a thorough and dispassionate analysis of the Vedic interpretations attempted hitherto, the learned author has formulated fourteen cardinal principles for an objective, scientific and systematic interpretation of the Vedas. About Author : Ram Gopal, the author of the present book, is now Kalidasa Professor of Sanskrit and Head, Department of Kalidasa Chair, Panjab University, Chandigarh. He is an eminent Sanskrit scholar of international repute whose numerous research publications such as India of Vedic Kalpasutras, Vaidika Vyakarana (in two volumes) and Vaidika-Vyakhya-Vivechana have won world-wide fame. He is an acknowledged authority on the Vedic language, literature and culture. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the realm of Sanskrit studies he was awarded the Independence Day Award, Certificate of Honour in Sanskrit, by the President of India in 1971; and the same year he was honoured by the Haryana Government also with the State Literary Award in Sanskrit and a Felicitation Volume. The Ministry of Education and Culture, Government of India, awarded him a literary prize of Rs.10000 in 1981 in appreciation of his reputed research publication, Vaidika Vyakarana (in two volumes). He has chaired several seminars, symposia and conferences connected with Vedic studies and was the President of the Vedic Section of the All India Oriental Conference in 1966.