The saints and sages in our Puranas have left a rich spiritual and moral legacy as to how to cultivate devotion, acquire spiritual knowledge and become true devotees of the Lord of the universe by self-sacrifice, adherence to truth, justice, equality, compassion and love towards all living being irrespective of caste and creed and mild or wild animals. Why should we read books like The Great Men and Women of Puranas? Because as Dr S. Radhakrishnan, the great philosopher, statesman and former president of our country has observed: "We do not realize adequately to what extent out mind are moulded by the books we read especially in youth. When we read classics, our minds become dyed to their thoughts. Great books foster the psychological health of the reader. They induce in us largeness of mind and normative vision. They give us moral contentment." Details of lives of great men and women of Puranas which are scattered in the eighteen Puranas and the great Epic, the Mahabharata, are culled and knit together in these biographies
