Three thousand years ago, deep inside the forests of India, a great 'thought revolution' was brewing. In those forest labs, the brightest thinker–philosophers contemplated the universe, reflected on ancient texts called the Vedas and came up with startling insights into questions we still don't have final answers to, like: • What is the universe made of? • How do I know I'm looking at a tree when I see one? • Who am I? And where did they put those explosive findings? In a sprawling body of goosebumpy and fascinating oral literature called the Upanishads! Intimidated? Don't be! For this joyful, fun guide to some of India's longest-lasting secular wisdoms, reinterpreted for first-time explorers by Roopa Pai, is guaranteed to keep you turning the pages.
Swami Vivekananda’s views on the Bhagavad Gita are scattered throughout 'The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda' published in nine volumes. The present book, published by Advaita Ashrama, a publication branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, is an extensive compilation of these insightful views of Swami Vivekananda on this sacred scripture of the Hindus. The reader is, as it were, taken through several verses of the Gita along with the Swami’s elevating and soul-stirring commentary. Note: This book has embedded fonts to display the verses in Devanagari. You may have to use the 'Original' Font option in Google Play Books app. "... The book is certainly not a commentary on the Gita, in the traditional sense. But, what is available is indeed a treasure house of wisdom. Swamiji was a living embodiment of the Gita. According to him, the Gita was ‘practical Vedanta’. He demonstrated this through his life. Reading through the book is indeed a rewarding experience. One is in holy company, imbibing the words of one who is speaking from his heart. ... Just as Swamiji himself used to carry a copy of the Gita with him always, one cannot do better than carry a copy of this book with one always..." - from a Review in the Vedanta Kesari, November 2010, p.441 published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. As of February 2017, the print book has undergone seven reprints and more than 27,000 copies have been sold.
The book is journey through 5000 years of evolution of Hinduism, and is outcome of seven years of study to understand the roots of Hinduism. Tracing the genesis of Hinduism to pre-Indus Valley period, the book explains Hindu, Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma, before it takes one through Hinduism’s oldest scriptures - the four Vedas, the four components of each Veda, and what they contain. How all original translations of Vedic texts were done by Western Sanskrit scholars, and why their works have left scope for doubt about the fidelity of translations. The yajnas (yagya) like Ashvamedha, Rajsooya, Vajpeya, etc., about which we only hear on TV serials and talk shows, have been demystified. The reader will be taken aback reading the sheer size and scale of Soma yajna, described step by step, in great detail. Hinduism’s journey to the Age of Reason, the Upanishads, its encounter with Buddhism, and its transformation into idol worshipping society with many gods and a multitude of stories about its millions of gods is lucidly explained. Puranas, what they contain and what was the reason they were created, has been described and explained next. Hinduism's journey to its modern form - idol worship, the modern puja, detailed description of puja and Sanskaras like Vivaha, their detailed description, the meaning of each action and how they are conducted, the gift to the priest, types of idols, their consecration, all are explained to help a reader understand the why and the how of what we do as a Hindu. The book concludes with a discussion of - Do mantras have power? & Do rituals have meaning?
The Bhagavadgita is one phase of the Tripod of Indian philosophy and culture, the other two phases being the Upanishads and the Brahmasutras. While the Upanishads lay the foundation of the loftiest reach possible for humanity and the Brahmasutras logically elucidate the intricate issues involved in the Upanishads, the Bhagavadgita blends together the Transcendent and the Immanent features of the Ultimate Reality, bringing together into an integrated whole knowledge and action, the inner and the outer, the individual and the society, man and God, all which are portrayed as facets of a universal Operation, presenting entire life and all life as a perfectly complete organic wholeness, leaving nothing unsaid and attempting to solve every problem of life.