Book Reviews

Two Great Masters - Living a Happy and Joyous Life by Amrit Gupta,

Unistar Books Pvt. Ltd, 301,Industrial Area,Phase9,Sector 66 A, SAS Nagar, BMohali, Chandigar - 160062 . Email: ook Runistarbooks@gmail.com 2016, hardback, pp.310, eviews Rs.395. This book is a compendium of the lives and teachings of two great spiritual luminaries — Swami For review in The VedanTa Kesari, publishers need to send us two copies oF their latest Vivekananda and Paramhansa Yogananda publication. who both spread the message of the practical spirituality in the West. They had some things in common — both were born in Bengal, both wanted to see a change in human thinking and behaviour, and both presented clear paths of sadhana to manifest the best in mankind. So it Bhuvan, Anna, and Maria are ‘young research is not difficult to see why the author has chosen scholars’, the tone is one of studious interest. them as subjects together. The author Amrit Gupta is obviously very well-

The book takes the form of conversations read and has the commendable aim of wanting at various times between Bhuvan and Anna and a to share his learning and understanding with number of others who are mostly students. Into everyone. this mix is brought Anna’s friend Maria, a brilliant However, he has missed the mark by scholar. Maria enters the scene as a physically packing in too many diverse elements — disabled person, but by the end of the book, faith spirituality, ethics, the benefits of hard work, and medical science helps her to walk again. the gains of physical exercise, the significance Essentially it is the love story of Anna and Bhuvan of education — all into one book. The result is a who are drawn to each other through their miscellany of advice, exhortation and moralising mutual love of spirituality, philosophy and the that, even though obviously well-meant and deeper issues of life. The question they seek to sincere, becomes difficult to read. Another answer is: how to be happy through a well-lived, striking point is that neither Vivekananda reflective and purposeful life and this forms the nor Yogananda come through clearly. The basis of all their discussions. The conversations writer’s voice, mostly though Bhuvan and in the book are expositions of the philosophies of sometimes through Anna, is the loudest of all — both of these spiritual giants and deep thinkers — a characteristic of the novel form. However, this Swami Vivekananda and Yogananda Paramhansa. book is not just fiction, it is an exposition of two

The book’s aim is obviously to guide young schools of thought. The attempt is praise-worthy. people to lead a happy and joyous life, and as ____________________________ PREMA RAGHUNATH, CHENNAI