The book ‘Rudra – The Idea of Shiva’ by Nilima Chitgopekar tries to understand Lord Shiva through the eyes of Lord Vishnu, Mata Sati, Daksha, Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha. An authority on Shaivism, Nilima Chitgopekar delves deep into the classical texts dealing with Shiva and picks up vital information and narrates it through the eyes of Hindu gods associated with Lord Shiva. The views of the different gods in Hindu pantheon about Shiva are presented as first-person accounts. The accounts of the various gods are aided by the author’s scholarly notes and comments. About the book from Penguin flyer Na punyam na papam, Na saukhyam na duhkham Na mantro na tirtham, Na vedam na yajna Aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta Chidananda rupah Shivoham Shivo’ham Beyond sin and virtue, beyond joy and sorrow, beyond scripture, ritual and pilgrimage, and beyond familiar experience. This is Shiva, in essence. Once feared as the capricious and terrifying Rudra, Shiva, the most ‘un-