Book Reviews

Book Reviews

For review in

The Vedant a Kesari, publishers need to send us two copies of their latest publication. Indian Traditions in Search of Unity through Music. Published by Secretary, RMIC., Gol Park, Kolkata - 700 029. 2014, paperback, pp.174 Price not given. T his publication, is brought out to commemorate the 150 th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. The book consists of papers presented by eminent speakers at a seminar during the celebrations. Swami Sarvabhutananda in his Welcome Address explains Swami Vivekananda’s idea that ‘unless one’s artistic sensibilities develop one cannot be truly spiritual.’ Continuing this thought, Sri Abhijit Banerjee explores how music has helped preserve unity in the country. In his Inaugural Address, Swami Bhajanananda elaborates the three divisions of philosophy which can also be applied to music – ontology, epistemology and axiology. The article also elucidates the four stages of speech. The Keynote Address by Dr Karan Singh emphasises the important role of music in Kashmir. He stresses the need to foster spirituality and service for a harmonious society. The paper on ‘Swamiji’s Musical Inheritance’ by Swami Kripakarananda discusses Swami Vivekananda’s prowess in music and his opinion that music is the highest art. Swami Sarvagananda in his paper ‘Legacy of Indian Music and Swami Vivekananda’ speaks of Swamiji’s musical legacy and analyses the beautiful arati hymn that he composed. Two other essays study Sufi Music and the work of poets like Kabir, which portrayunion with the divine. This is followed by papers on the role of Vaishnava, Shakta, and Baul music in unifying Bengal, and the lives of devotee-poets like Jayadeva and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Then comes a comparative study of the two main styles of Indian classical music, Hindustani and Carnatic. Dr. Balamuralikrishna talks of the synthesis of Hindustani and Carnatic Music. The role of film, television, and radio in fostering national unity is also discussed. The book is a valuable compilation emphasising the vital role of music in our national life. _______________________________ JAYANTI VARMA, CHENNAI Concept of Cow in the Rigveda by Doris Srinivasan. Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited 41, U.A. Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi - 110 007. 2017, paperback, pp.161. Rs.295. T he book under review is a profound academic study of the Rigveda with a special emphasis on the concepts associated with the cow and the passages wherein the terms for ‘cow’ appear. The Bibliography running into seven pages containssources mostly from the Western scholars on the subject. The author makes an extensive and intensive study of the two myths occurring in the Rigveda – the Indra-Vritra myth and the myth of the Panis (demons) and concludes that the term ‘go’(cow) is employed with a multiplicity of meanings and applications. The author goes into the contexts in which the term ‘cow’ is used – the economic, the ritual, the mythological and the aesthetical. She makes a particular study of the term ‘go’ in its literal and figurative applications. Yagnas are necessary for maintaining the order and harmony of the universe. Two myths describe how the evil forces intending to undermine the welfare of the world rob the

oblation cow, the Dakshina cow and the riches needed for the yagna. With the help of Indra’s might and the ‘sacred speeches’ (mantras) of the priests, the stolen things are retrieved. The universe which was immersed in darkness was then brightened with the effulgence of the sun. The cow is compared to the light of dawn. The Indra-Vritra myth shows that the cow is a creative and sustaining principle symbolizing motherhood, fertility and liberality. In short, in the Rigveda the cow is emblematic of ‘maternal, vital energy’. This is a revised version of the study written as partial fulfilment of the Ph.D requirements of the University of Pennsylvania in 1967. __________________________K.PANCHAPAGESAN, BENGALURU

The Patityagramanirnaya by Stephen Hillyer Levitt. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt Limited 41, U.A. Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi-110 007. 2017, hardbound, pp.485 +xxv. Rs.795.

This book by the famous I n d o l o g i s t S t e p h e n Hillyer Levitt has been published as part of Hindu Tradition Series. This translated edition of the Sanskrit text is a series of eight stories which explains how certain ‘patitya grama’ (villages of polluted or fallen) Brahmins came into existence. Its topic and stories are intriguing. It treats villages near the Sahyadri range of mountains in Western India that are inhabited by fallen Brahmins who have lost their exalted state on account of transgressions committed in the past. The purpose of the book as stated in the preliminary words spoken by Satanika is – to teach what not to do, how to maintain social stability and perpetuate a status quo.Itthrows new light on questions like to what extent breaking the caste rules, that define the obligations and restrictions on Brahmins, has consequences in real life. The book is a thesis on Oriental Studies, and has only academic value and is of not much use for the general readers. The main matter of the book (35 pages of transliteration of Sanskrit text and its 80 page translation) is drowned by a 125 page introduction for research procedure, as well as a lengthy account of referencing and critical apparatus. The author follows a set pattern: First, the gist of the chapter; then line by line translation; followed by chapter End Notes giving the author’s views. The separate translation gives easy flow to the text. _________________________ DR. RUCHIRA MITRA, HYDERABAD

Human Values in Indian Literature by N.S.Anantha Rangacharya and others. Published by Gandhi Centre of Science and Human Values, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 43/1, Race Course Road, Bengaluru-560 001, Email: gandhicentre.bvd@gmail.com Paperback, 2016. pp.210. Rs.200. T his book has a collection of verses and essays on Human Values in Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Vachana literature, Haridasa literature, Bengali literature and Punjabi literature. Each of these are compiled or written by eminent scholars. The chapters on Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita are selections of relevant verses rendered in Sanskrit with simple translation. They are comprehensive and representative. Virasaiva saints of Karnataka like Basava, Prabhudeva, Akka Mahadevi, Allama, and Lakkamma brought about a social and religious revolution in the common people. Their verses are in simple language using common metaphors. This article gives a good introduction and a selection of 74 verses covering religious, economic and social values. The Haridasas are a lineage of devotees like Sripadaraja, Vadiraja, Purandaradasa, and

Kanakadasa. They brought the path of Bhakti to the common man through their simple Kannada songs. The article gives a brief introduction and a selection of 36 verses. Human values in Bengali literature is presented in a chronological order of preTagorean, Tagorean and post-Tagorean literature. Apart from Tagore, a glimpse of the ideas of a number of thinkers like Chandidasa, Sri Chaitanya, Swami Vivekananda, Bankim, Keshab, Sarat Chandra, Tarashankar, Mahashwetadevi, and Bibhutibhushan are presented. The article on Punjabi literature covers ideas from a wide range of sources like Baba Farid, Guru Granth Sahib and later poets. This book gives a good bird’s eye view of these traditions. The publisher has published books in this series covering more traditions like Vedas, Manusmriti, Tamil and Telugu literature. _______________________________GOKUL MUTHU, BENGALURU

The Divine Vaishnava Alwars. Tamil original by Kurinji Gnana Vaidyanathan. Translated by Kasturirangan Jayaraman Published by Aruram India Publishers, 59, Arcot Road, Chennai - 600 024. 2018, paperback, pp.122. Rs.60. T his small-sized book holds a treasure of information by way of introduction to the Alwars of the Vaishnava tradition. The best comes early in pages 5 and 6 itself where at a glance, we get to know their names, their time, their place, their compositions and their birth star. The book contains direct translations of selected verses of divine poetry composed by the Alwars. Poetry evokes deep emotions and profound questions in the minds of the readers. What made the poet write this? What was the inspiration? What was the context? The book answers all such questions with

specific examples. Kulasekara Alwar, a king, composed many verses when he experienced heightened states of Bhakti (page 50). Perialwar’s composition of the very well-known Pallandu (page 62) explains the context. The book provides information on the history of their time – the rule of the Chozhas, Cheras and Pandyas. The reader’s interest is kept alive by narrations that cover geography and flora of each place. One develops an interest to visit every shrine mentioned in the book to seek the grace of the Lord in each of the Divya Deshams. An abundance of Bhakti poetry was composed by the twelve Alwars and invariably all of them faced various challenges that questioned their faith in Sriman Narayana. The book provides examples of the life-experiences of the Alwars and puts to rest doubts in the minds of a present day seeker. Amusing anecdotes are presented and the episode of Vilakku Pichai’s conversations with Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam makes us smile. The stories reinforce our faith in the Lord. It is indeed hard for a person today to even imagine a conversation with God. But such conversations are presented here in such a simple manner that it makes us believe in them. The reviewer is reminded of a question put forth to Ramana Maharishi, ‘Do people like Thyagaraja sing glorious songs in praise of Lord Rama in order to experience Lord Rama’s grace?’ Sri Ramana had replied, ‘People like Thyagaraja did not sing to get an experience of grace; on the contrary – they sang about the grace that they had already experienced…..’ This book on the Divine Vaishnava Alwars reiterates this view. One clearly understands that the outpourings of poetry from the Alwars were the result of the immense grace they had already experienced. The book is a must read for anyone with a desire to know about the Alwars who composed 4000 Divya Prabandhams extolling the virtues of Lord Sriman Narayana and his various forms. _______________________ VARSHA SUNDARARAJAN, CHENNAI

An Amazing Maze

SWAMI SATYAPRIYANANDA

Life is a journey through a maze of confusing choices and paths. This article explores how the youth sometimes complicate their journey by choosing wrong paths, and how they can avoid the blind-alleys of the maze.

In the maze patterns we often come across in Sunday newspapers or in magazines, the challenge is to find the route that goes from a location marked ‘Start’ to a place marked ‘End’. While there is at least one route from ‘Start’ to ‘End’, there are several other pathways which are either ‘blind alleys’ which lead up to a stage and say ‘this far and no farther’, or ‘circulating alleys’ which keep us going round and round the same path. These blind and circular alleys are the real challenges. If we enter into these alleys, we halt at one stage or we keep journeying without moving an inch towards the goal! This can be a frustrating experience. Then we try to start from the ‘End’ and backtrack to ‘Start’. If the maze construction is ‘balanced’, then this too can be equally challenging and frustrating.

If we could imaginatively fly in a helicopter over the maze, then we can identify and colour–mark all blind and circular alleys. Now having removed all unproductive routes, we can take the uncoloured route to reach the ‘End’. If there are more than one uncoloured route, then we choose the ‘best’, which is relative to our criterion, and move forward.

If we cannot get a helicopter view because the maze structure is too large to fit into the domain of our mind and become capable of analysis, then we can try considering circular slices of the maze, called ‘neighbourhood’ with centre ‘somewhere’ and size being within the capacity of our mind to survey. To begin with, this ‘somewhere’ could be either the ‘Start’ or ‘End’, though preferably ‘Start’ will be ideal. After covering the neighbourhood, we can consider points on the periphery of this circular slice as the centre points. Thus, even with a limited mental capacity, we can move forward studying the ‘neighbourhood’, and in time cover the entire maze pattern.

The Amazing Life Maze

In real life situation, there can be in addition to blind and circular pathways, other pathways which may be termed ‘repulsive pathways’, i.e., we may have certain inhibitions in taking those routes. It could be that on those paths there are wine shops, or nasty smelling drains, or it could involve interaction with corruption, or just about anything else one would wish to avoid.

What is amazing about this maze in real life situation is that from every ‘Start’ several ‘Goals’ can be reached! These multiple goals further complicate the lives of those who face blind, circular and repulsive pathways in their

journey. Again, it is also possible that in some people’s case there are no blind, circular, or repulsive pathways! One advantage in real life, is that we can journey with some ease because the problem-free pathways of the maze are already clearly marked out and traversed by many people.

But some of our youth, even after recognising and avoiding problem-laden pathways, find their journey derailed. They become victims of self-created problems. These problems can be of various kinds, like: a) Indecisiveness. With no goals, no predetermined purpose in life, some youth simply wander about, either as a happy lot or in depression. b) Inferiority complex. This deters one from making any move at all! ‘Am I fit to serve such a holy person?’, can inhibit a person from giving even drinking water to a thirsting person! c) Superiority complex. This is the other extreme. Over-confident of themselves, people have trodden rashly those paths which are too dangerous. As rightly said, ‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.’ d) Peer pressure. The news of some people performing better in life makes one jealous and take to unwise moves. Cold, cruel competition kills all humane elements from the heart. e) Psychological problems. This can be of most strange kinds. ‘My friend’s mother loves my friend more and talks longer over phone, than my mother loves or spends time with me’, can cause a young mind to even commit suicide; this is a true incident. f) Repeated failures. Repeated inability to discover the right path and make a mark in life, can lead a youth to join antisocial groups or as in some societies even take to a shooting spree. g) Wrong matching. Unable to find a job suitable to their academic qualification, some youth lose their path in unproductive efforts. h) Insensitivity. Constant criticism from friends or parents has ended many a young journey.

What is the way out? a) The idea of ‘care and share’, and the concept of ‘simple living and high thinking’ make the passage through life smoother.

b) Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi often observed that there is no greater virtue than forbearance and no treasure greater than contentment. These two qualities should be studiously practiced by the youth. c) Empathising with others who are in misery will bring solace to them, and peace to oneself. d) A youth should judge his or her capabilities and the avenues open for progress in the light of a SWOT analysis: i) assessing one’s strengths versus weaknesses; ii) and assessing opportunities versus threats in the attainable avenues. e) Maturity is the sound help. Receiving periodic guidance and counselling relieves the distress level to a large extent.

Without taking life’s journey as a race for number one position, one should learn to enjoy the journey with self-confidence and

composure. One should know the fundamental truth: We reap the fruits of our earlier actions and are therefore responsible for what we face in the present life. So, in true wisdom, let us not do such deeds now as will make us suffer in the future! There is always the guiding hand of the all-merciful God: as we swim along the current of our karma, He is there ever eager to help us and guide us. Only, we have to be prayerful, humble and surrender to His will.

At the end of the road and in retrospect we will realize: ‘Thy place in life is seeking after thee; therefore be thou at rest from seeking after it. After all, that is the whole truth. The things after which one may and must seek are so very different.’ Let us try to understand the difference between ‘what we may seek’ and ‘what we must seek’. It will make a sea-change in the quality of our lives.

Do you know how much energy, how many powers, how many forces are still lurking behind that frame of yours? What scientist has known all that is in man? Millions of years have passed since man first came here, and yet but one infinitesimal part of his powers has been manifested. Therefore, you must not say that you are weak. How do you know what possibilities lie behind that degradation on the surface? You know but little of that which is within you. For behind you is the ocean of infinite power and blessedness.

Look back on yourselves from the state of the amoeba to the human being; who made all that? Your own will. Can you deny then that it is almighty? That which has made you come up so high can make you go higher still. What you want is character, strengthening of the will. —Swami Vivekananda