PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I R A M A K R I S H N A YAT H R A S E R V I C E S , C H E N N A I
Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004.2016, paperback, pp.127,Rs.60.-
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he subtitle says it all — ‘A Practical Guide to TroubleFree Living’; there is nobody who could resist such a guide since life today, being more complex and stressful than ever before, requires more guidance than at any other time in human history. The book consists of eleven chapters with intriguing titles. As a sample: ‘How to Get Along With Your Spouse’, and ‘How to Get Along With Your Family Members’ as well as ‘How to Get Along With Those who are not Members of Your Family’. These three chapters by themselves cover the entire gamut of the people the average human being has to encounter through the course of his/her life. The book is based on ‘Sage Kapila’s method of interpreting human behaviour with the help of the gunas’ (Contents page). The initial chapter explains the concept of the three gunas, a part of every human being’s mental and emotional make-up. Subsequent chapters give detailed descriptions of possible behaviours with personal examples, followed by antidotes to conflicts, which lead to peace, understanding and co-operative living with both family members and outsiders. The book has been written with a great deal of humour, wisdom and a deep understanding of the human predicament and is a real guide to steer us through the difficult and sticky situations all of us find ourselves in, from time to time. The virtues of kindness, non-interference, tolerance, the wisdom of seeing only the good in others while turning a blind eye to the bad, are extolled and made to seem easy to follow. Swami Bhaskarananda has shown how, by using our common sense and fellow-feeling, we can defuse
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potentially explosive situations and steer our way through turbulent waters to a safe and peaceful haven and emerge relatively unscathed. This book should be made compulsory reading for college students who are on the brink of starting real life so that they arm themselves against disillusionment and unhappiness. ____________________________ PREMA RAGHUNATH, CHENNAI
In Search of The Lofty Heights of Advaita
October 2020
by Swami Bhaskarananda.
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by P.K. Sreedharan.
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Published by Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd, P.O.Box 5715, 54 Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi 110 005. 2019, Hardbound, pp.237,Rs.795.
his book spans the entire gamut of Hindu religion, philosophy and mysticism from the first verse of the Rig Veda to the life and teachings of Swami Chinmayananda. Along the way, it first covers the Upanishads, the various orthodox and heterodox schools of Indian philosophy, Brahmasutras, Bhagavad Gita, Epics, Yogavashishta and Gaudapada, dedicating an entire chapter for each. Other pre-Sankara teachers like Upavarsha, Bharthruhari, Kumarila and Mandana are touched upon. Then, there is an entire chapter dedicated to the life and works of Sankara. Then, postSankara saints and philosophers like Sureshvara, Bhaskara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka, Vallabha,
The Vedanta Kesari
How To Get Along with Others
