The Graceful Guru


Book Description

A distinctive aspect of Hindu devotion is the veneration of a human guru, who is not only an exemplar and a teacher but is also understood to be an embodiment of the divine. Historically, the role of guru in the public domain has been exclusive to men. The new visibility of female gurus in India and the U.S. today, and indeed across the globe, has inspired this first-ever scholarly study of the origins, variety, and worldwide popularity of Hindu female gurus. In the Introduction, Karen Pechilis examines the historical emergence of Hindu female gurus with reference to the Hindu philosophy of the self, women spiritual exemplars as wives and saints, Tantric worship of the Goddess, and the internationalization of gurus in the U.S. in the twentieth century. Nine essays profile specific female gurus, presenting biographies of these remarkable women while highlighting overarching issues and themes concerning women's status as religious leaders; these themes are nuanced in the afterword to the volume. The essays explore how Hindu female gurus embody grace in both senses--as a feminine ideal and an attribute of the divine-and argue that their status as leaders is grounded in their negotiation of these two types of grace. This book provides biographical profiles of the following female gurus plus sensitive scholarly analysis of their spiritual paths: Ammachi, Anandamayi Ma, Gauri Ma, Gurumayi, Jayashri Ma, Karunamayi Ma, Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati, Mother Meera, Shree Maa and Sita Devi.




Ashes at My Guru's Feet


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Me and My Guru


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Embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening with "Me And My Guru" by R.K.K Sinha, a deeply personal and inspiring memoir that explores the profound bond between teacher and student. Join R.K.K Sinha as he shares his heartfelt reflections on his spiritual journey alongside his revered guru. Through intimate anecdotes and profound insights, Sinha invites readers to accompany him on a path of self-discovery, growth, and enlightenment, guided by the wisdom and compassion of his guru. Delve into the transformative power of mentorship as Sinha recounts the profound impact his guru had on his life, from guiding him through life's challenges to inspiring him to reach new heights of spiritual understanding and fulfillment. Through moments of struggle and triumph, readers witness the transformative power of a deep and meaningful teacher-student relationship. Experience the timeless wisdom and spiritual teachings passed down from generation to generation as Sinha shares the lessons he learned from his guru. From the importance of self-awareness and mindfulness to the deeper truths of existence and consciousness, readers gain insight into the universal principles that govern the human experience. Consider the critical reception garnered by this heartfelt memoir, praised by spiritual seekers and readers alike for its sincerity, authenticity, and profound spiritual insights. Sinha's intimate portrayal of his journey with his guru offers readers a rare glimpse into the transformative power of spiritual guidance and the enduring impact of a profound teacher-student relationship. With its blend of memoir, philosophy, and spiritual wisdom, "Me And My Guru" is a must-read for anyone on a quest for deeper meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in life. Whether you're a spiritual seeker, a student of philosophy, or simply curious about the transformative power of mentorship, this inspiring memoir offers invaluable guidance and inspiration. Don't miss your chance to embark on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth with "Me And My Guru" by R.K.K Sinha. Order your copy today and discover the profound impact of mentorship and spiritual guidance on the human soul.




The Boy's Own Annual


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A Long Season of Ashes


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In March 1990, sixteen-year-old Siddhartha Gigoo is forced to flee his home in Safa Kadal, Srinagar, Kashmir. The preceding days have been full of fear and horror for the Gigoos, who have seen friends and neighbours killed outside their homes. They could be next if they don’t leave. But they want to stay on, even when faced with a looming threat to their lives. Siddhartha thinks his leaving is temporary and that he will be back home soon. Little does he know that his fate is sealed. What follows is a long, dark time—a ‘camp’ existence and a struggle for survival. Thirty-four years on, Siddhartha chronicles the story of his flight from Kashmir and an entire youth spent in exile. A meditation on the nature of memory, A Long Season of Ashes is a book about a boy’s journey of self-discovery.




The Serpent and the Rope


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Rama, a young scholar, meets Madeleine at a university in France. Though they seem to be made for each other, both alike in temperament and character, at times they are divided, a huge gulf separating them. Rama’s trip back to India for his father’s illness forcibly reminds him of the underlying contrasts between India and Europe, and of a certain conflict between them in himself. When he returns to France, Rama and Madeleine must face the problems in their marriage. Can they preserve their identities, or must one sacrifice one’s inheritance to make the relationship a success?




A Carnival of Parting


Book Description

Madhu Natisar Nath is a Rajasthani farmer with no formal schooling. He is also a singer, a musician, and a storyteller. At the center of A Carnival of Parting are Madhu Nath's oral performances of two linked tales about the legendary Indian kings, Bharthari of Ujjain and Gopi Chand of Bengal. Both characters, while still in their prime, leave thrones and families to be initiated as yogis—a process rich in adventure and melodrama, one that offers unique insights into popular Hinduism's view of world renunciation. Ann Grodzins Gold presents these living oral epic traditions as flowing narratives, transmitting to Western readers the pleasures, moods, and interactive dimensions of a village bard's performance. Three introductory chapters and an interpretive afterword, together with an appendix on the bard's language by linguist David Magier, supply A Carnival of Parting with a full range of ethnographic, historical, and cultural backgrounds. Gold gives a frank and engaging portrayal of the bard Madhu Nath and her work with him. The tales are most profoundly concerned, Gold argues, with human rather than divine realities. In a compelling afterword, she highlights their thematic emphases on politics, love, and death. Madhu Nath's vital colloquial telling of Gopi Chand and Bharthari's stories depicts renunciation as inevitable and interpersonal attachments as doomed, yet celebrates human existence as a "carnival of parting."




The Sikh Gurus


Book Description

A comprehensive, compelling, and insightful narrative that traces the birth, the growth, and the spread of Sikhism – one of the world’s most dynamic and progressive religions. In this perceptive work, Dr Harish Dhillon highlights the lives and times of the ten Sikh Gurus, beginning with Guru Nanak, who founded Sikhism in 1469, and ending with Guru Gobind Singh, who established the Khalsa Panth in 1699. It throws light on how the Gurus acquired profound knowledge and wisdom, which they sought to pass on to the common people through their teachings. Their life histories show how they sincerely practised what they preached and how they led by example. Apart from these, it recounts the enormous sacrifices the Gurus made to keep the faith going. In addition, the book gives elaborate details on how Sikhism has evolved over the centuries. This volume reveals the human side of the ‘Divine Gurus’ venerated not only by Sikhs, but also across various faiths in India and in other parts of the world. The contents in the book are intertwined with the underlying theme that the ideal religion (or faith) is one that is based on simplicity and keeps changing with the times, yet does not forget the very essence that it started with.




CALLING THE BELOVED


Book Description

These touching poems are expressions of the joy experienced through inner communion with the Divine Beloved and the grief felt at its seeming absence. They are love songs which find resonance in the heart of the spiritual seeker. This book will inspire and uplift you while travelling your journey - our journey - back to the One we truly are.




Siree Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh Religion Scriptures 2)


Book Description

Excerpts from Siree Guru Granth Sahib God is one. It is true. He is the Creator. He has no concern with anything. He has no enemy. He is immortal. He does not take birth. He came into existence on His own. He is realized by guru's (divine teacher) grace reciting God's name. " Recite"Page 9 Be stable like a mountain, patience like a goldsmith. Be humble like an anvil; repeat the name of God like the repetition of a hammer. Intent like bellows and repeat the name of God from within, as fire gives heat. Make sincerity a pot; mint your mind with the name of God. That is how divinity is achieved. Blessed by God is the only one who can do this. Nanak says, only with God's grace you can miss God and enjoy the fruit. ||38|| Hymn: Using air as a culture, life has been created by the reaction of water and earth. The way, day and night begin and end. Same way the whole creation takes birth and dies. Good or bad whatever they do are accounted for in God's court. Everyone gets the fruit of their deeds, some soon others late. Whoever worked hard to recite the name of God? Nanak says, they have attained salvation and many more have accompanied them.God's worship is not wearing saffron coloured or dirty clothes. O Nanak, God is worshipped sitting at home through true guru's teaching. ||64|| You may wander in all four corners and read four Vedas and all other scriptures in all four ages. O Nanak, if you meet with the true guru, then God enshrines in the mind and obtains salvation. The guru is God. Worshipping guru the God with devotion attains salvation.First Master: Songs, sounds, pleasures and clever tricks; Joy, love and the power to command; Wearing clothes and food have no place in the consciousness. True intuitive peace comes by enshrining God's name in the mind.Page 60 O mind, love God as the fish loves water. As the water gets deeper she enjoys more; the mind and body become peaceful. It cannot survive without water even for a moment. Water also feels the pain. ||2|| O mind, love the Lord, as the rain bird loves rain. The ponds get filled, the land becomes lush green but the rain bird does not get a drop. You receive what is in your fate. You only get what you earn. ||3|| O mind, love God as the water loves milk. Water mixed with milk changes its colour but does not let the milk change.Page 262 Hymn: Guru is mother, the father, the master and transcendent Lord. Guru is a friend the destroyer of ignorance, a relative and a brother. Guru is the bestowal, the teacher of God's name. Guru's lesson is distinct. Guru is the image of peace truth and intellect. Guru is the touchstone that transforms. Guru is a shrine, pool of nectar. To obtain guru's divine knowledge is beyond imagination. Guru is the Creator, the destroyer of sins; Guru purifies the sinners. Guru exists from the beginning, for a long time, for ages. Reciting God through guru's teaching attains salvation. O God; unite me with the guru by your grace; that I the sinner swim across holding on to guru the true guru the God the transcendent Lord the guru; Nanak prays and pays his regard to guru the God. ||1|| ||56|| Once you obtain divine treasure, do not tell anyone O kabeer; There is no market, no appraiser, no customer, and no price ||23||O Kabeer; take your drum and beat it for ten days. Life is like people meeting on a boat on a river; they shall not meet again. ||80|| Be a pebble stone lying on the road by giving up ego. Such a humble slave shall meet the Lord. ||146|| What good is the pebble; which gives pain to the walking. O Lord, Your servant should be like dirt on the earth. ||147|| What good is the dust, which blows and sticks to the body. God's servant should be such, as water in water. ||148|| What good is water which becomes cold and hot. God's servant should just like God: ||149|| O Kabeer; it is good to serve both; one the saint the other the God. God is the bestowal of liberation; the saint