Book Review: Kama Vs Yama by Devdutt Pattanaik

‘Kama Vs Yama’ (Fun in Devlok Series)

By: Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik

Puffin Books (Div of Penguin Books)

ISBN: 978-0-143-33195

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik is one of India’s most popular present day mythologists. I am a big fan of his writings. In his “Fun in Devlok” series of books for children, Dr. Pattanaik tells simple and very interesting mythological stories of Hinduism explaining concepts in the easiest ways for children to grasp, appreciate and love telling to others too. ‘Kama Vs Yama’, as the title suggests is a book about two gods, Kama and Yama. In Hindu mythology, Kama is the god of love and desires while Yama is the god of death. I think their relation or comparison is a new dimension which is explored in this book and it has come out very well.

In this book, a young kid Jayshree curiously finds god Kama in her neighborhood garden. She was rather a very studious student, but on that day somehow she got the idea of not doing the homework but watching the TV and eating potato chips. Kama becomes her friend and while they planned a shopping trip, suddenly Yama appeared there and started asking Jayshree not to follow Kama’s advice. While the gods argued and Jayshree evaluated the two propositions, she discovers many facts of life and messages which both gods Kama and Yama carry for all… In the end, she finds a perfect ‘balance’ where she could have fun as well as perform all her duties. I will leave more particulars for you to get when you actually pick up this book.

The book is full of sketches friendly to children and font sizes are big. The book as categorized by the publishers is fit for 6+ years. But I am sure readers from any age group will certainly find this book a thrilling experience. It is also a wonderful gift to children. I highly recommend this enlightening book to one and all.

- Rahul

Other reviews:

Book Review: Shiva Plays Dumb Charades by Devdutt Pattanaik

Book Review: Saraswati’s Secret River by Devdutt Pattanaik

Book Review: Saraswati’s Secret River by Devdutt Pattanaik

‘Saraswati’s Secret River’ (Fun in Devlok Series)

By: Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik

Puffin Books (Div of Penguin Books)

ISBN: 978-0-143-33196-4

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik is one of India’s most popular present day mythologists. I am a big fan of his writings. In his “Fun in Devlok” series of books for children, Dr. Pattanaik tells simple and very interesting mythological stories of Hinduism explaining concepts in the easiest ways for children to grasp, appreciate and love telling to others too. ‘Saraswati’s Secret River’, as the title suggests is a book about Saraswati. In Hindu mythology, Saraswati is both the name of Goddess of learning, education and wisdom as well as the name of a sacred river. It is believed that on the banks of Saraswati, some greatest scriptures of Sanatan Dharma were written during the Vedic era.

In this book, Mrs. Sivakami, principal of Madame Mira High School gets a curious visitor who is none other than Goddess Saraswati. Goddess Saraswati is in search of a missing river and enquires if Mrs. Sivakami is aware about it. Mrs. Sivakami is surprised in the beginning but as she goes on in her conversation with Goddess, she actually commences on an eye opening journey which changes the way she looked at education and the modern schooling system… She realized that river Saraswati had stopped flowing in her school because her students were no longer curious… I will leave more particulars for you to get when you actually pick up this book.

The book is full of sketches friendly to children and font sizes are big. The book as categorized by the publishers is fit for 6+ years. But I am sure readers from any age group will certainly find this book a thrilling experience. It is also a wonderful gift to children. I highly recommend this enlightening book to one and all.

- Rahul

Other reviews: Book Review: Shiva Plays Dumb Charades by Devdutt ...

Book Review: The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

‘The Prophet’; By: Kahlil Gibrahn; UBSPD; ISBN: 978-81-85674-72-8

Kahlil Gibrahn was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer. He is chiefly known for his 1923 book The Prophet which includes a series of philosophical essays written in poetic prose.

It is said that much of Gibran's writings deal with Christianity, especially on the topic of spiritual love. Though his mysticism is a convergence of several different influences from Christianity, Islam, Sufism, Hinduism and theosophy.

In this boo, the Prophet Al-Mustafa who has lived in the foreign city of Orphalese for 12 years is about to board a ship back to home. He is stopped by a group of people, with whom he discusses topics on life and human conditions. The book is divided into chapters dealing with love, marriage, children, giving, eating and drinking, work, joy and sorrow, houses, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punishment, laws, freedom, reason and passion, pain, self-knowledge, teaching, friendship, talking, time, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion, and death. I found the thoughts shared in portions of the book really amazing. I also found some thoughts similar to those of Hinduism, Vedanta or Advaita.

Some portions:

“Of the good in you I can speak, but not of the evil. For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst? You are good when you are one with yourself. Yet when you are not one with yourself you are not evil. For a divided house is not a den of thieves; it is only a divided house.” (=> Similar to the concept of Hinduism which has no concept of Devil or Satan.)

“The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.” (=> A very exact example of Hindu symbolism behind lotus flower.)

“You can be free when even the desire of seeking freedom becomes a harness to you, and when you cease to speak of freedom as a goal and a fulfillment.” (=> I read an exact similar text from Sister Nivedita of Ramkrishna-Vivekananda, in her book Religion and Dharma, around 1905).

“The murdered is not unaccountable for his own murder. And the robbed is not blameless in being robbed.” (=> Theory of Karma?)

Please excuse me of making it a parallel with Hinduism, for the book contains so many great nuggets of wisdom. Similarity can be because Hindu and Vedic texts have not left almost any aspect of life unexplored and hence we are bound to find similar references in them, for much of the modern thoughts and reflections.

Btw, I found the book littered with art which tried to express many things through nude images of men and women – I found it unnecessary given that this book has a global audience.

I find that this entire book, which is not long in size, is available for online reading on the internet. So you can refer to those also. It’s a very good book on philosophy and life-issues.

- Rahul

Book Review: Cradle Takes of Hinduism by Sister Nivedita

‘Cradle Takes of Hinduism’; By: Sister Nivedita (Margaret E. Noble); Advaita Ashrama; ISBN: 978-81-85301-93-8

The land of India/Bharat and its innate religion Hinduism have attracted many souls from all across the world. Sister Nivedita, born Margaret Elizabeth Noble, a Scots-Irish social-worker and disciple of Ramkrishna-Vivekananda is one such, and she is an icon in herself. Recently I have had the opportunity to read some of her writings and I consider myself lucky in this regard.

‘Cradle Tales of Hinduism’, as the title suggests is a compilation of Hindu mythological stories. Most of these stories are already told to us by our mothers, grandparents or elders, and lessons from these stories shape our characters, thinking process, and culture. This is a wonderful book where the stories are told in English in a very touching manner. The writing style of these texts is simple but very charming. While reading the story of Sati, tears came to my eyes many times where she had to sacrifice herself and when Shiva learnt about her loss and felt a pain in heart (which the great God had never experienced before). Or the heart wrenching love story of Nala and Damayanti – though it ended in a happy note. The story of Prahalada and Dhruva – the great devotees is also so touching. And a cute lovely part is the one of Gopala who gets Krishna as his friend and companion because of his mother’s pure devotion. The story of Bhishma, Yudhisthara, Bharata, Vikramaditya’s throne, and even Prithviraj Chauhan are so heart touching that yhis book indeed teaches the readers about the virtues which our religion wants us to practice.

A highly recommended book for one and all.

- Rahul