John Dowson's A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History and Literature is a handy reference work prepared as an aid to the scholars and lay readers interested in these aspects of the past of India. It contains information on a vast array of subjects, concepts, personages, names, events, etc., which frequently occur in the ancient Indian literature and religious works. For the uninitiated, the Dictionary is a useful guide for understanding the obscure and the unknown subjects.

The present Dictionary is not merely an alphabetical list of terms and subjects; it contains, compact and condensed information culled together from various sources about each subject. The author has primarily depended upon authoritative translations and works of eminent scholars for the compilation of the Dictionary. Besides the literal meaning, the compiler has also given a full description of the subjects with necessary details. For those interested in delving deeper into the controversial subjects included in the Dictionary, references of learned articles and European works have also been supplied.

A brief introduction of the subject outlining the history of the works alluded to in the Dictionary, a Sanskrit Index and a General Index add to the usefulness of the volume.