Books

The book deals with eleven dialogue-hymns of the Rgveda. The original text in Vedic Sanskrit has been translated in as easy an expression as possible. A worth reading book for those having taste for a peep into and respect for the distant past.

Of the eleven dialogue-hymns of the Rgveda, two of them are composed in soliloquy form and are concerned with a gambler and a mendicant respectively. Three hymns are connected mainly with Indra (the god of rains), two with the couples like Agastya and Lopamudra, and Pururavas and Urvashi, and one with the twin siblings: Yama and Yami. Out of the rest, one hymn displays a delightful and heavenly picture of the marriage ceremony which is traditionally prevalent in India even today, another tells us about the prosperous condition of the ancient traders like Panis, and yet another deals with the crossing through the currents of two rivers by Visvamitra, a Vedic seer.

About The Author : Dr. Satya Dev Choudhary :
Dr. Satya Dev Choudhary is a Prof. of Hindi & Sanskrit. His special interest include Indian Poetics, Philology, Vedic Literature and Medieval Hindi Literature. He has about 25 books to his credit and for them he has been felicitated with a number of prizes and awards.

The book has been written by someone who is not only an agricultural physicist and scientist but also an eminent philosopher and Sanskrit scholar. The book reflects the combination of a deep and analytical mind with the width of the vedic view of life. He has explained that the basic foundation for vedic algebra and cosmology was laid during his childhood in a small village. Questions about the origin and growth of the universe at an early age led him to research and delve into science and find answers, which have been presented in this book. Various theories like the Big Bang theory, extensive Cold Dark Matter and others vis-a-vis the vedic theory have been discussed.

In the vedic theory of the origin of the universe, the result is obtained by sages and rishis of yore who spent ages meditating and concentrating. According to them the seed of the Universe is an entity called Atma. The universe, according to the Upanishadic concept, does not have a beginning and so did not emerge after a big bang but its creation is a continuous cyclic process starting with cold matter (gaseous stage). The possibility of a number of universes coexisting is evident. Tables comparing the Vedic and Big Bang models on the origin of the universe have been given in great detail in the book. Upanishads declare that at the beginning of creation there was only one God who created various species of movable and immovable things. All have God living within them. The book has been written with very deep research on the topic.

About The Author : C.Dakshinamurthi
Dr Dakshinamurti was awarded the first doctorate degree in Soil Physics in 1948. He is an academician, researcher and research manager having over 150 publications in scientific journals.

This is perhaps the first ever biography of an Indian critic (Subbudu) from the world of classical performing arts. Put into place through scores of interviews with country's top musicians, dancers and critics, the book traces the growth of an incorrigible kid as he takes on the high and the mighty from the world of arts to emerge as a fearless critic, whose single minded passion in life has been, to serve the arts.

The book captures Subbudu's rise as critic incisively by juxtaposing it with the way Indian performing arts have shaped up post-independence. Beyond Destiny ends with a note of caution glancing at the reality of music and dance in India and its survival in the mainstream media. Lada Guruden Singh is a trained broadcast journalist and a poet. He has to be congratulated for this in-depth account of the Life and Times of Subbudu.

About The Author : Lada Guruden Singh
Lada Guruden Singh is a trained broadcast journalist, a poet with two collection of poems. Split Ends and Where Must I Go... a Bharatanatyam dancer, a columnist with The Statesman and a freelance writer for host of national and international dance journals and websites.

This is perhaps the first ever biography of an Indian critic (Subbudu) from the world of classical performing arts. Put into place through scores of interviews with country's top musicians, dancers and critics, the book traces the growth of an incorrigible kid as he takes on the high and the mighty from the world of arts to emerge as a fearless critic, whose single minded passion in life has been, to serve the arts.
The book captures Subbudu's rise as critic incisively by juxtaposing it with the way Indian performing arts have shaped up post-independence. Beyond Destiny ends with a note of caution glancing at the reality of music and dance in India and its survival in the mainstream media. Lada Guruden Singh is a trained broadcast journalist and a poet. He has to be congratulated for this in-depth account of the Life and Times of Subbudu.

About The Author : Lada Guruden Singh :
Lada Guruden Singh is a trained broadcast journalist, a poet with two collection of poems. Split Ends and Where Must I Go... a Bharatanatyam dancer, a columnist with The Statesman and a freelance writer for host of national and international dance journals and websites.

The Puranas are infallible source of information of Indian history of religion, philosophy, culture and civilisation, polity of society, arts and crafts, architecture and inconography besides royal dynasties and period of their rule. It was long felt that a comprehensive Index of the Puranas was a desideratum. We have an Index to Vedic literature by Macdonell and Keith; we have also one to the Mahabharata by Sorensen; then why not a similar Index to all the eighteen major and an equal number of the minor Puranas which constitute an important branch of Indian literature?

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The book presents the traditional Vedantic teaching written in a simple and clear language which can be understood by a common man.
The book presents the Vedantic teaching on the lines of the unfolding according to the sampradaya by Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati & Swami Paramarthananda Saraswati. This is an admirable piece of authentic work, which is true to the sampradaya.

About The Author : D. Venugopal :
D. Venugopal is a student of Swami Parmarthananda and has also studied at Pujya Swamij'is gurukulam at Anaikatti from 2002 to 2005.

Sri Rajaji presents, in the Upanishads, the grandeur of the ancient wisdom of the great Seers of Bharatvarsha.
In the Upanishads, we have a scripture which, among all the holy scriptures of the world, displays the most scientific spirit in connection with spiritual enquiry. The sages, whose thoughts and teachings we read in the Upanishads, seem to be as much inspired by constructive doubt as the most modern men of science. Their questions and answers indicate that they lived in an age when, alongside of conformism and the rigid maintenance of old practices, men thirsted for truth.


About The Author : C. Rajagopalachari :

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari is a distinguished founder member of the Bhavan. A great patriot, astute politician, thinker, visionary, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, he was a great statesman. A freedom fighter, he was also the Chief Minister of Madras, Governor of West Bengal, India's Home Minister and the first Indian Governor-General of Free India. Rajaji popularized books on Ramayan, Mahabharat, Bhagwad Gita ,Upanishads and several others by writing in his inimitable style which has appealed to millions of people. He wrote in English and Tamil, his mother tongue. He passed away in 1972 at the age of 94.

These are the collection of the weekly lectures given by the Swami in the Institute of Culture, Calcutta. The introduction to the book is on the power of the Upanishads. Upanishads are intelligible body of verified and verifiable spiritual insights mixed with myths and legends.
The book discusses the spiritual heritage of Hindus and various aspects of the Upanishads and Bhagwad Gita. Isa Upanishad and Katha Upanishad have been discussed in great detail, making the book interesting and readable. Stories, quotations , Sanskrit verses , interpretations of the Upanishads are included in t his volume.

About The Author : Swami Ranganathananda :
Winner of the first Indira Gandhi award for National Integration, Swami Ranganathananda was President of Ramakrishna Math and then Vice President of the world wide Ramakrishna Math. He has written several books, and 60 titles of audio tapes expounding the ideas of Ramakrishna Vivekananda and Vedanta.

This book deals with the Mahatma's relationship with Muslims and his role in the partition of India. The author has done extensive research and has traced the roots of the Mahatma's approach to this issue from the South African days through various freedom struggle movements and them to the Partition of India
The book is neither history nor a biography nor even a broad survey of the work of Himalayan dimensions that Gandhiji was able to out in during his public life. However the author has quoted extensively from Gandhiji's speeches and writings to put light on the three points he was accused of-that Gandhiji was pro-Muslim, anti-Hindu and the main cause of the partition of India. This book is a result of references to several hundred published works on Mahatma.

About The Author : Rafiq Zakaria :

Dr Rafiq Zakaria has been a cabinet minister and has a distinguished career in law, education, journalism, politics and Islamic studies. He is an author of more than fifteen books. He has represented India at the United Nations thrice.

This is one of the best biographies of Mahatma Gandhi.
The book has been written in a very simple style. The author has covered Mahatma Gandhi's contribution to Indian freedom struggle.

About The Author : Louis Fischer
Louis Fischer, born in 1896, was an eminent journalist who wrote several books on Russia, India, Middle east. He covered the Spanish Civil war and was in France when World War II broke out.

This book is the story of Yogi Sri Krishnaprem, a great mystic philosopher, written by a leading mystic poet of India.
The book is the story of a life-long friendship that turns mutuality into a sense of identity in the Divine. The reading of this book is indeed a delightful and illuminating experience. Sri Dilip Kumar has made a charming presentation to the public with profound feeling and insight of the variegated experience and wisdom of a person who was, as Ramana Maharishi truly observed,"a rare combination of a jnani and a bhakta."

About The Author : Dilip Kumar Roy
Sri Aurobindo's close disciple, Dilip Kumar Roy is a mystic, a singer, composer, poet, author of more than 75 books in Bengali and 25 in English and is an awardee of Sur Sudhakar and Sangeet Ratnakar awards.

The book gives all the religious mantras and shlokas used by Hindus during the day. The morning, afternoon and evening prayers, their meaning and how to sit, and behave during the saying of mantras has been given in this book.
It tells the reader how achamanam (sipping of water saying suitable mantras) is done and why. It explains which direction the person should sit or stand during prayers. God's names, meanings and explanations have also been given in detail.Pranayam, arghyam, Gayatri avahanam,.Surya upasthanam, samarpanam, the rituals are explained.

About The Author : P Seshadri :
P Seshadri Iyer , a great linguist and scholar was born in Kerala. He learnt Bengali to read Swami Vivekanandas writings, Marathi to read Jnaneshwari, Greek, German and several other languages. He translated Mahabharat into Bengali and Malayalam.

This is the autobiography of a remarkable couple of artists: Dilip, the musician and philosopher, and Indira, the dancer and visionary poetess. One would have to search a long way to find again such an account of a combined life of inspiration.
A spiritual classic, Pilgrims of the Stars offers the reader an inspiring and humorous glimpse into the daily struggles and victories of two great souls. Dilip Kumar Roy describes his spiritual training by his Guru, the Indian statesman and saint Sri Aurobindo, and his meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Ramana Maharshi, and other spiritual luminaries. Indira Devi's candid memoirs of life and her Guru have a special beauty and simplicity, and contain a wealth of practical advice for spiritual aspirants.

About The Author : Dilip Kumar Roy, Indira Devi :

Dilip Kumar Roy is a renowned musician, philosopher, and scholar. Indira Devi , a visionary poetess and dancer is his disciple.

This is the biography of an Indian who became an international authority on Library Science and Library Movement and was the Father of Library Science. He invented tools to store information. His ideas address the very foundations of the business of effective information storage and retrieval. He spread the concept of public libraries even in remote villages. Ranganathan's personal life is a synthesis between Indian culture and modern science This is a very interesting biography on the life and times of S R Ranganathan who changed the ideas of library science in India and gave it a new direction. The author is his only son who saw and observed him from close quarters and was inspired by him. He has written the biography in a fascinating and lucid manner, about his own childhood, his father's participation, ideas, thoughts, habits and the like. Actually the book is more than just a biography. It is an insight into various experiences and is an intellectual treat to the readers. It is a window to the mind of a genius who created a new discipline and influenced thousands of people.

About The Author : Ranganathan Yogeshwar :
He was the first Indian to do a course on Machine Tool Design and Engineering. He is an independent Industrial Consultant and lives in Luxembourg.

The book gives explicit stories of the major saints of Maharashtra like Namadeva, Chokhamela, Jnaneshwara, Janabai, Tukaram, Ramdasa, Eknath, Gora Kumbhar and many others. Saints of Maharashtra were very simple souls who had all the requirements of sainthood: Absolute faith and dependence on God, and complete absence of egotism, greed and lust so that their lives were throughout examples of humility, universal love and devotion.

About The Author : Savitribai Khanolkar :

Daughter of a Russian mother and a Hungarian father, Savitribai became an Indian after marrying Major General Vikram Khanolkar, Former Vice Chancellor of Bombay University. She is fluent in marathi.

The book contains the adventures and the achievements in the lives of twenty-one great scientists. Ranging from Archimedes to Einstein, the book contains biographies of scientists spanning over two thousand years.

From candlelight to satellite the story is told of great scientists. They have unraveled the mysterious threads of the existence of the earth. From Archimedes through Copernicus to Einstein the scientists have chartered their way through the universe.

The second book of the Krishnavatara deals with the anger of Jarasandha, the father in law of Kamsa whom Krishna killed in Mathura. The Emperor tracks down Krishna and follows him with the sole intention of doing away with him. 'The wrath of an emperor' also talks about the love story of Rukmini and Shaibya and ends with the swayamvara and the marriage of Rukmini. The book tells in detail how much planning and plotting had to be done to bring about peace in the land, and how a princess who had set her heart on her lord, could manage to secure him.

About The Author : K. M. Munshi :

Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi, Kulapati and the main person behind the Bhavan's books was a very versatile person. He was an eminent lawyer, one of the framer's of the Indian Constitution, and a seasoned statesman. K M Munshi was influenced by Sri Aurobindo and was an ardent freedom fighter, working with Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Tilak, Annie Besant, Jinnah and others. He was the Home Minister of Bombay, India's Food Minister, Governor of Uttar Pradesh, India's Agent General at Hyderabad. Acknowledged as the foremost writer in Gujarati in his times, his contribution to literature is vast. He wrote novels, dramas, memoirs, history and historical novels in Gujarati and English.

This is a handy book that answers all questions regarding Guruvayur and Lord Sri Krishna. The author has given a deep insight into the history, legends and all things related to the worship of the Lord of Guruvayur. A very satisfying and interesting book not only for the devout but also the historians and research students.

The book provides everything that anyone would like to know about this pilgrimage spot and it is told in a lucid manner. Stories of Lord Krishna, origin of Guruvayur, the temple architecture, festivals, offerings and miracles are the highlights of this interesting book. There are rare photographs included that add to the impact of the story of the temple. The book is now in its fifth edition thus revealing the popularity of the same. The text is interspersed with Sanskrit verses and their translations. The author has translated his devotion and religious fervour into his writing, thus making the book have a deep impact on the readers. A map is included about the exact spot where the temple is present and there are details on when the pujas and festivals are held and about the offerings to the Lord.

About The Author : K. R. Vaidyanathan
K R Vaidyanathan was an accomplished writer who had specialized in writing about temples, legends and worship of God. His other books include 'Pilgrimage to Sabari' and Temples and legends of Kerala' He retired from the Indian Railways after forty years and has authored a book on railway humour.

Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Svami of the Kanchi Kamakoti Pitha is one most attractive and inspiring figures of our time. Millions if people regard him as a divine presence and look to him for grace. He is the authentic voice of Hinduism, the authentic voice of india, and yet he is a universal guru. In the midst of all our conflicts all our difference and all our petty rivalries, he stands as a gopuram a reminder of all those ideals and values that are etemal.

In his frall person this Great Acharya encompasses an ocean of knowledge. He was installed the Sankaracharya of the Kamakoti Pitha in 1907 when he was not yet 13 years old. It was the moment when the playful child was transformed into a young master. Thereafter for eight decades his has been a long Yatra to awaken the people of India, to bring about a regeneration in his land.

This Svamiji is a master of the philosophical systems of India with a profound understanding of the cultural systems that constitute the Indian heritage. He is a guru of encyclopaedic knowledge. One who reminds us of the polymaths of ancient times. Yes, he was a luminous mind that takes in everything. But what makes him a great teacher is his insight his intuitive grasp of things and his capacity to illumine. There is no aspect of Indian life or thought on which he has not shed light.

There are few godly people so human as this Great Acharya. His abhaya-hasta brings solace to millions of people and his katasha or sidelong glance can be a profound experience. It brings us an awareness of the unity of existence and for a moment we are bathed in the Great Light.

The concept of the guru is central to Hinduism and is at the heart of the continuity of our civilisation, the guru has a greater place in our history then the ruler or the conqueror. The voice of the guru, of the acharya is heard above the din of all the battles fought on our sacred soil. Do not we still hear the voice of Sri Krishna Paramatman, who played many roles during his divine incamation, the foremost of them being that of Jagadguru?

The guru or acharya more to Indian than the teacher of professor to Europe and other parts of the world. Gurukulavasa, with its tradition of selfless preceptors, is unique to this country and is one of its glories. Without any expectation of maternal gain the gurus in the past worked for the uplift of their studies and the spread of knowledge.

Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Svami, in these discourses dwells with special emphasis on gurukulas under individual acharyas not supported by any institution. With penetrating insight and with the he surveys the entire educational landscape of India through the ages not forgetting the Buddhist hand Jaina contribution to institutional education.

The sage of Kanchi reminds us that the height achieved by us in past in vidya was due to the fact that teaching was not a "business" and was not institutionalized. He speaks eloquently of the true function of a guru, that of making his student know himself ad freeing him from bondage. "There is no one higher than the guru," he says. "If we truly believe that Isvara himself comes to us in the form of our Guru there is no need for us to worship Isvara apart from our guru. It is faith based on such belief, such devotion to the guru, that will deliver us from worldly existence. "And the grace of Isvara is expressed through the grace of the guru.

As one who shows his sishya the path of deliverance the guru combines in himself the roles of these gods-Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesvara. He is indeed the Parabrahman. In these illuminating discourses the Great Acharya if Kanchi gives us the ultimate upadesa of the identity of guru and Isvara.

Author

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, popularly known as "Rajaji" or "C.R." was a great patriot, astute politician, incisive thinker, great visionary and one of the greatest statesmen of all time. He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, hailed as conscious-keeper of the Mahatma. As an ardent freedom-fighter, as Chief Minister of Madras, as Governor of West Bengal, as Home Minister of India and as the first Indian Governor-General of India, he rendered yeoman service to the nation and left an indelible impress on our contemporary life.

Rajaji was closely associated with Kulapati Munshiji and he was among the distinguished founder-members of the Bhavan. The Bhavan had the privilege of publishing 18 books (see page ii) by him so far, the copyright of which he gifted to the Bhavan.

All of Rajaji's works, especially on Marcus Aurelius, the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads are popular. In Ramayana and Mahabharata, he has displayed his inimitable flair for story-telling and applying the moral of stories to the needs of modern times.

Rajaji wrote not only in English but also in chaste Tamil, his mother-tongue. He was at his best as a short-story writer. The present book is a translation of some of his stories which open the window into the unsophisticated South Indian homes and ways of life. The reader will be fascinated by their gentle humour and unobtrusive didactic motif.

Rajaji passed away in 1972 at the age of 94.

Foreword
Most of these stories were written by Rajaji in Tamil at various times between 1925 and now and appeared in leading Tamil Journals. Some of these were translated and published in 1945 by the Hindustan Time under the title 'The Fatal Cart and Other Stories.'

The first sixteen stories published in this volume were translated into English by Rajaji son, C.R. Ramaswami who died eighteen years ago, and the rest by Prof. P. Sankaranarayanan, excepting Nos. 29, 35, 36 and 37. Which were written in English by the distinguished author himself. To them all I tender my thanks.

Translation is a difficult and delicate task and generally the transmutation is form gold into lead. However, I believe, there is enough gold left in this volume because of the innate excellence of the original. Rajaji is indeed a born and inimitable story-teller.

Note: We send only available edition.

Born on October 4, 1916, at Bangalore and educated in that city, the author had the privilege of studying under the distinguished Professor B. M. Srikantiah, Professor and Head of the English Department, Central College, Bangalore, and top litterateur in modern Kannada. She developed early in life an avid taste for English literature and particularly love for Shakespeare’s plays.

In 1937, she married Dr. V. S. Subramaniam, the renowned E.N.T. Surgeon of Madras.

Preoccupation with family affairs did not come in the way of her literary pursuit. She wrote a series of “Imaginary Conversations” on the modern of Lando’s for the Triveni under the pen-name “Ketaki.”

Smt. Kamala Subramaniam’s condensations of the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavatam, both Bhavan’s publications, have won wide acclaim and with her Ramayana she successfully concludes her magnificent triad on the Epics and Puranas of India this latest offering marks a distinct landmark in her great voyage of self-discovery on which she set off long years ago.

The Epics and Puranas epitomize our culture. They are suffused with spiritual fervour, their heroes and heroines are exemplars of nobility, sublimity, valour, heroism, steadfastness and chivalry. And anyone reading them will find himself a little better, a little nobler. They have moulded our outlook, our way of life from times immemorial.

It is this priceless treasure of the spirit Smt. Kamala Subramaniam has tried to recapture for the benefit of the younger generation who, alas are deprived of this spiritual inspiration and nourishment.

A master story-teller, Smt. Kamala Subramaniam has retold the story of the “Perfect” man – the ideal man of the conception of the ageless Valmiki – lucidly, simply, elegantly.

If her Mahabharata established her as a born narrator and in her Srimad Bhagavatam she has soared to ecstatic devotional heights, in her Ramayana she has excelled herself in retelling the story of Sri Ramachandra – a story so soul-stirring, so ennobling, so elevating. Each one of the characters stands out for the quality predominant in him/her, but the focal point is the intensely humane hero, the shining symbol of dharma, Rama.

Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi's versatility and achievements were in a way unique. He was an eminent lawyer, one of the framers of India's Constitution and a seasoned statesman. Coming under the inspiring influence of Sri Aurobindo during his student days, Munshi had been an ardent fighter for India's freedom, working at different stages in close association with Jinnah, Tilak, Besant, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru. His achievements as Home Minister of Bombay in 1937, as India's food Minister and as Governor of Uttar Pradesh had been characterized by rare courage and decisive energy.

Acknowledged as the foremost writer in modern Gujarati literature, he has to his credit a vast and varied literature including novels, dramas, memoirs and history in Gujarati, as also several historical and other works in English, notably Gujarat and Its Literature, Imperial Gurjaras, Creative Art of Life, To Badrinath, The End of an Era, Krishnavatara, Bhagavad Gita and Modern Life, Saga of Indian Sculpture, Bhagawan Parashurama, Tapasvini and Prithvi Vallabh.

Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi's versatility and achievements were in a way unique. He was an eminent lawyer, one of the framers of India's Constitution and a seasoned statesman. Coming under the inspiring influence of Sri Aurobindo during his student days, Munshi had been an ardent fighter for India's freedom, working at different stages in close association with Jinnah, Tilak, Besant, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru. His achievements as Home Minister of Bombay in 1937, as India's food Minister and as Governor of Uttar Pradesh had been characterized by rare courage and decisive energy.

Acknowledged as the foremost writer in modern Gujarati literature, he has to his credit a vast and varied literature including novels, dramas, memoirs and history in Gujarati, as also several historical and other works in English, notably Gujarat and Its Literature, Imperial Gurjaras, Creative Art of Life, To Badrinath, The End of an Era, Krishnavatara, Bhagavad Gita and Modern Life, Saga of Indian Sculpture, Bhagawan Parashurama, Tapasvini and Prithvi Vallabh.

Author

Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi's versatility and achievements were in a way unique. He was an eminent lawyer, one of the framers of India's constitution and a seasoned statesman. Coming under the inspiring influence of Sri Aurobindo during his student days, Munshi and been an ardent fighter for India's freedom, working at different stages in close association with Jinnah, Tilak, Besant, mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru. His achievements as Home Minister of Bombay in 1937, as India's Agent-General in Hyderabad before the Police Action, as India's Food Minister and as Governor of Uttar Pradesh had been characterized by rare courage and decisive energy.

Acknowledged as the foremost writer in modern Gujarati literature, he has to his credit a vast and varied literature including novels, dramas, memoirs and history in Gujarati, as also several historical and other works in English, notably "Gujarat and Its Literature", "Imperial Gurjaras", "Creative Art of Life", "To Badrinath", "The End of an Era", "Krishnavatara", "Bhagavad Gita and Modern Life", "Saga of Indian Sculpture", "Bhagawan Parashurama", "Tapasvini" and "Prithvi Vallabh.