In recent times, we are seeing a lot of misconceptions being spread about Hinduism. Politicians are bringing posters of Shiva in Parliament. And they are saying different kind of analogies about the deity. Some politicians are talking of eradication of Sanatan Dharma. Some agenda driven intellectuals are also misquoting the concepts of Hinduism for personal gains. At a time, when the politicians and intellectuals are trying to defame Hinduism through the misinformation; it is necessary that we learn about the concepts of Hinduism and their actual significance.
The book “Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism”, written by Swami Mukundananda does exactly this. Swami Mukundananda is a world-renowned teacher of Spirituality, Yoga, and Meditation. He is a unique sanyasi (monk), who has a distinguished technical and management educational background as well. He completed engineering and management from two world-renowned institutes: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM). This educational background reflects very effectively in his writing style. He has a fluid and easy language, that reaches readers’ mind very effectively. His writing is often backed by a practical approach towards the life and problems in it.
I had earlier read his book “Questions you always wanted to ask”. The book provided easy access to wisdom that would otherwise be gained by sifting through endless piles of information and creating a lot of confusion. The book provided guidance on questions related to spirituality, philosophy, mind management, devotion, life’s dilemmas, professional mastery, self transformation and many more aspects.
This book (Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism) is a little different from the earlier one (Questions you always wanted to ask) in the way of making the knowledge accessible. The earlier book was meant to answer some of the most commonly faced questions. Whereas this book provides an in-depth understanding of various concepts in Hinduism.
Spirituality can mean so many different things to different people. I too have learned varied things during my spiritual journey and formed perspectives regarding multiple aspects of seeking meaningful answers to life’s big questions. This is one book that provides a holistic view of our connection to God, the inner workings of our mind and emotions, all from the lens of ageless Hindu scriptures. The ideas and teachings in this book are conveyed in a logical, streamlined, structured and succinct manner that makes for an easy read.
The contents of the book are divided in 19 chapters namely Nature of the self, The goal of life, Vedas – the eternal knowledge of God, The spiritual master, The nature of God, How to know God, The importance of self-effort, Surrender to God, Secrets of the mind, Vedic psychology, The path of Karm, The path of Jnana, Path of Bhakti, The three manifestations of God, Divine love – the greatest treasure, Sadhna Bhakti – Preparatory Devotion, Selfless Love, The art of meditation, and How to do Sadhna daily. The flow of the contents starts with the process of self realization and proceeds towards self enhancement and self actualisation. This logical path is what, I think, every individual must follow in the journey on the spiritual paths.
Since childhood, I was always involved in various rituals of Hinduism. We would perform worships, go on holy pilgrimage, recite the Mantras and Shlokas, attend the religious ceremonies at different temples. But I had always felt alone in the religious crowd. I always had a lot of unanswered questions about my religion, and I was seeking answers to them. As I grew up and started to receive answers to these questions, I started to get more connected to the religion I am part of.
Not everyone is graced with the time and resources to find all these answers. And that is causing many of us, getting detached from the religion. Thankfully, some intellectuals like Swami Mukundananda are working on making the knowledge accessible to common people. They are building a bridge between the ancient Vedic knowledge and modern day knowledge seekers. And these bridges are helping in a great way to in bringing today’s generation closer to the religion.
The book is not just limited to the complexities of spirituality, but also links them to practical and psychological concepts of our day-to-day lives. The books talks about the common problems like anger, greed, desire and attachment. It also lets us help the linkages between knowledge, duties and devotion. It helps us understand how our personalities are linked to our inner spirituality. And how we can take help from spirituality to understand and shape up our personalities.
In an era where a lot of misconceptions are deliberately being spread about Hinduism and spirituality, the book “Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism” is like a fresh ray of light. The book guides us on the path of better and deeper understanding of our own religion. And it helps us build a deeper bond with our own religion.
Book Name : Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism: Essence of the Vedic Scriptures
Publication: Rupa Publication
MRP : ₹ 295/-
Link to Buy : https://amzn.to/3WDc4dW
Link for Kindle Version : https://amzn.to/3yaiic4
Dasi Yoga Rakshitha