Veda and Torah: Transcending the Textuality of Scripture

Enlarges our understanding of the term "scripture" through a comparative study of Veda and Torah.

In Veda and Torah, Barbara Holdrege offers a groundbreaking study of two of the world's most revered spiritual traditions. This scholarly work delves into the Veda and the Torah not just as sacred scriptures, but as complex systems of meaning, each with its own symbolic context and history of interpretation. By approaching the Veda and the Torah as dynamic, living traditions rather than static texts, Holdrege expands our understanding of what constitutes scripture and how these texts function within their respective religious and cultural worlds.

Holdrege explores the profound relationship between word and creation in both traditions, examining the role of sacred texts in shaping cosmology and the human experience of the divine. From the Vedic concepts of creation and cognition to the Torah's role in revelation and spiritual practice, the book offers a nuanced comparative analysis that bridges the intellectual and theological divides between Hinduism and Judaism. By engaging with diverse sources―from Vedic mythologies and post-Vedic philosophical systems to Kabbalistic teachings and Midrashic exegesis―Holdrege provides a rich, multi-dimensional view of these traditions' sacred writings.

The book is divided into three thematic parts: "The Word in Creation," "From Word to Text," and "Text in Practice," each of which draws on detailed textual analysis and comparative studies. Holdrege illuminates how both Veda and Torah serve as more than texts―they are vibrant, living forces that shape religious practice, authority, and identity. This work is essential reading for scholars of religion, comparative theology, and philosophy, as well as those interested in the intricate ways sacred words shape our world.

Barbara A. Holdrege is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is a comparative historian of religions specializing in Hindu and Jewish traditions.