India has long been considered a land of exquisite beauty and profound mystery. Drawing from the great epics of India, including The Ramayana and The Mahabharata, one of India's most renowned writers here retells legends and myths that have been handed down the generation to generation for centuries.

R. K. Narayan, author of Under the Banyan Tree, reveals a world of heroic suffering and dignity, spiritual serenity and physical violence, of erotic love and cosmic upheaval, in a universe thronged with gods and demons, sages and kings. Here are epic tales of power, passion, and enchantment--a rich tapestry of traditional Indian life and thought--retold with Narayan's unique insight, compassion, and wit.

"A voice of great distinction. Narayan is a trustworthy guide to the heart and mind of India."--London Sunday Times

"The foremost Indian writer of fiction in English."--John Updike