<DIV>Adapted from ancient Sanskrit texts, the stories in <i>Beauty, Power & Grace</i> represent one of the most fundamental aspects of Hinduism — the innumerable manifestations of divinity. Among these, the portrayal of the Goddess is perhaps the most alluring. She appears as a devoted wife, a master of the arts, a terrifying demon slayer, a scornful critic, and a doting mother, to name a few of her forms. In Vedic tradition, these depictions of the Goddess reflect the belief that male and female are simply different expressions of one supreme, absolute truth.<br><br>These profound stories are brought together in an exquisitely illustrated collection that reveals the various manifestations of the Goddess, ranging from the iconic to the obscure: Mother Yashoda peers into her infant’s mouth and is astonished to catch a glimpse of the entire universe; Ganga Devi, now synonymous with the sacred river, rides upon a great crocodile and purifies those whom she encounters; and Kali, adorned with a garland of skulls, drinks the blood of her victims on the battlefield. A definitive celebration of Goddess imagery, symbolism, and lore, <i>Beauty, Power & Grace</i> displays the fascinating intersection between color, form, and meaning at the heart of Hindu tradition.<br></DIV>