Brahman : A Study of the Solar Rituals of the Indo-Europeans.

This supplement to the author's study of Indo-European cosmology, 'Atman' (Georg Olms, 2005) employs the cosmological insights of the ancient Indo-Europeans to illuminate the various sacrificial, theurgic and gnostic systems that were developed therefrom by the Japhetic Aryans and the Hamitic Egyptians, Sumerians and later Indians. The original yogic understanding of the full macrocosmic dimension of the human microcosm is seen to inform both the Vedic fire-rituals and the later Agamic temple-rituals since they focus equally on the solar force either as contained within the ritual fire or as embodied in divine idols and in human devotees. A consistent picture thus emerges of the apparently diverse religions of the Indo-Europeans. This work should be of interest to all students of Hinduism, the religions of the ancient Near East and the spiritual culture of the Indo-Europeans.