Ancient Wisdom Modern Insights Edit
This book is journey through the wisdom of the ancient teachers of India. It starts from ‘Om' and ends in Shanti. This book is an exploration into the Self through the wisdom of the masters of the past. The fundamental idea is to bring the core concepts of the ancient wisdom to everyday use.
The idea is to present some of the core concepts in a readable form to the laymen. Once you read the book you get a feel of the most important philosophical thoughts which had been conveyed through hundreds of books right from the Upanishads to modern day saints.
It begins with use of ‘OM' in everyday life and ends in finding peace or ‘Shanti'. In covers the concepts like Vichara, Guru, Yoga,Karma Yoga, Stitaprajna, Ashramas, Dharma, Maya, Gunas, Bhavas, Saranagati, Viveka, Vairagya, Tapa, Abhyasa etc.
It also tries to understand and analyze how these concepts affect us in our daily life. For eg we take the concept of Sat Cit Ananda. We have been told many times to reduce the ego. But some way or other we are under the influence of ego.
Even though we are 5ft 6 or 7 inches what importance we give to ourselves. None of us wants rivals. We feel that the other person should listen to us. Everyone wants to be the supreme. According to Vedantic point of view because it is because the Atman in us is rival less, matchless. It is the supreme. When we give the attributes of the Atman to the body, there is the tendency not to have rivals to the body.
Greed or aggrandizement is universal. Everybody wants to accumulate things of this world. This greed is never satisfied. The more you get , the more does the flame of greed increase. Even if you become the emperor, still greed is there.
Vedanta says that it is because the real self, the Atman asserting itself is the master of this universe. That is the cause of us wanting to see ourselves as the masters of the world.
This energy cannot be crushed down. We can only spiritualize it. If we don't spiritualize this energy, it will create problems in our life. Because of the lack of knowledge of this energy ,we go on doing things which is not conducive to progress and make a mess of our life. This attitude of trying to act as supreme creates problems in the social or organizational life.
A person's life is directly or indirectly influenced by role models. Today's role models for a growing child is Sachine Tendulkar or Hrithik Roshan. So his interest will be to be another Sachine Tendulkar , Hence study is neglected.
When we select an evolved person as role model ,we indirectly try to imitate their natures hence we also grow. The role model offered by Bhagavad Gita is Stitaprajna. Once we select such people as role models we also grow up
The book calls our attention to the division of life as envisaged by the ancient seers -Brahmacharya, Garhastya, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. This is a very scientific classification.
In each stage guidelines we are given to do what. As student a person studies without any distractions. He blossoms into Grihastha where he will be a mature parent and a good citizen. Towards the end of his life he becomes a very mature person. They developed a vision even to guide kings. Towards the end of life he dies peacefully because he has no desires.
Today at no stage we are mature. Even at the age of 70 or 80 people crave for power and position.And hence even at the old age one does not enjoy any peace of mind.