An emphasis on practicing meditation in yearslong retreats―whether in a cave or a cloister, alone or with a small number of peers―has been a defining feature of Tibetan Buddhism throughout its entire history. Although the life stories and writings of the Himalaya’s most famous hermits are well known, the history of this tradition and the details of its practice have largely remained a mystery.
A groundbreaking exploration of individual long-term meditative retreat in Tibetan Buddhism, Mountain Dharma tracks developments in ascetic discourse and practice from the twelfth century to the twentieth. David M. DiValerio provides a comprehensive reading of texts that offer instruction on the eremitic endeavor, comparing how dozens of authors have treated six key orienting concerns: place, people, food, sources of danger, the spiritual lineage, and time. The book traces a genealogy of the Tibetan ascetic self, demonstrating an increasing tendency to adopt practices that contrast the meditator with earlier generations of enlightened masters, defining the latter-day retreatant as a being in time. By viewing instructions for how to live in retreat as technologies of self, this book sheds new light on how the history of this tradition has been driven by evolving notions of personhood.
Methodologically innovative and richly sourced, Mountain Dharma sets a new standard for the historical study of asceticism.
Sasha Wakefield intertwines the life and legacy of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594–1651) with her own personal spiritual journey as she explores Bhutan’s rich history.
The seventeenth century was a pivotal time for the tiny but culturally vibrant kingdom of Bhutan—marked especially by the life of the influential political and spiritual leader Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594–1651), including his remarkable past lives. Sasha Wakefield traces the life and profound spiritual accomplishment of this master in the context of her own spiritual journey from Australia to Bhutan. While unveiling the cultural and spiritual landscape of Bhutan, Wakefield delves into the fundamental Buddhist concepts of reincarnation, karma, bodhisattvas, buddhas, and enlightenment to underscore the significance of Zhabdrung’s spiritual attainment, including reaching the tenth bhumi, or level, of a bodhisattva, and deliberately choosing his own rebirth.
During Zhabdrung’s time as early nation-builder of the kingdom and state of Bhutan, he faced adversity and attacks from adversaries but responded with meditation, diplomacy, and unwavering commitment to serve the people of Bhutan. Wakefield shows the nature of ritual and ceremony that are inherent in the history of the Bhutanese state, weaving in the verse texts of liturgies and praises for the offering ceremonies and consecrations that were central to establishing the Drukpa Kargyu Buddhist lineage in Bhutan and establishing Bhutan as a sovereign land.
Samuel P. Huntington, one of the world’s most influential thinkers, argues in this seminal book that conflicts between different cultural ‘civilizations’ are the greatest threat to world peace. He suggests that the world is comprised of not two opposite but eight diverse groups, based on religion, and how international cooperation between them is the best safeguard against war. Global events in the twenty-first century have proved his foresight and sagacity. Huntington’s provocative thesis that a struggle for supremacy among dominant cultures—like the Japanese, Chinese, Hindu and Islamic—is inevitable is turning into reality. In the end, people’s decision to coexist or to make war in a complex, multipolar, multi-civilizational world will determine the course of humanity.
This anthology of literature translated from the Kashmiri language is the first of its kind. It is as much an introduction into the literary landscape of Kashmir as a journey through its history. From pre-modern verse to radio plays, folk chants to metaphysical ghazals, flash fiction to excerpts from a novel – the Big Book of Kashmiri Literature is compilation of memory and an anthology of voices. The reader will encounter scholars, saints, experimental dramatists and unlettered poets starting from the 14th century to today. Kashmiri has a thriving oral tradition, a literary culture that borrowed from the East and a print culture that engaged with the West and it all comes together in this volume with a promise of immersion into the emotional topography of the land, the language and the people.
Letters to Krishna addresses Krishna the way one speaks to a trusted friend—openly, vulnerably, and without pretense. Each letter, written in raw and unfiltered verses, echoes with a sense of serenity.
No matter where you are on your journey to Him, you will find a resonance within these pages. Simple, conversational, and deeply personal, these letters remind us that spirituality does not require perfection, only presence.
The Wanderer Who Owns the World is a layered exploration of the stages and mysteries of human life for those who want to live with more clarity, and to think and speak with purpose.
If you have ever quietly asked yourself, ‘Is there more to this life?’ this book offers a gentle yet profound response. Drawing from ancient Indian philosophy, lived insight, and elemental experience, Sri Yogi unveils what it truly means to live deeply, to feel fully, to seek sincerely—and ultimately, to remember who you are.
This is not a book about ownership in the conventional sense. It speaks instead of the paradoxical freedom that comes through letting go—the realization that one owns the world only when one ceases to cling to it.
Written for seekers of meaning, stillness, and truth, this book is for anyone who has sensed a quiet inner knowing but lacked the words to express it.
The Gita for Gen Z is your compass for when life feels chaotic. It helps you overcome challenges like heartbreak, overthinking, exam pressure or career anxiety, while filling your heart with happiness, enthusiasm, courage, and the mental strength needed to win life’s everyday battles.
Rooted in the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, the book breaks long-held misconceptions and reveals the Gita not just as a religious text, but as a practical guide to fearless living.
Get ready to embark on an immersive reading experience as you discover the peace of mind you seek, and the divinity of the world reveals itself to you in fresh ways.
Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling Of The Mahabharata condenses the entire epic, originally known as Jaya, into a tiny capsule. Other than retelling the interesting parts of the Mahabharata, what makes this book a favourite among readers is Pattanaik’s rendering of the various local folklores and tales that are associated with the epic, which have been presented in a whole new genre. With a master stroke, the author has elaborated on the storyline by including lesser-known folklore stories of the epic, while keeping its original form and style intact.
The book has been divided into 108 chapters and has vivid illustrations along with 250 simple line drawings painted by Pattanaik himself. Besides infusing the different tales from local versions of the epic, the author has also added folk arts aspects picked up from ‘Yakshagana’ in Karnataka, ‘Terukuttu’ in Tamil Nadu and ‘Pandavani’ in Chhattisgarh to blend with the narrative.
Stories of Barbareek, Aravan, Astika, Madhavi and Jaimini form a special portion of this book. Other than this, Pattanaik has also introduced some intriguing ongoing traditions, like the worship of Draupadi in temples of Tamil Nadu.
Along with this, a whole section has been devoted to the Kurukshetra war, described on the basis of descriptive astronomical information. By infusing these interesting details along with the various local versions of the epic, the author has attempted to create a pan-Indian version of the epic that has, since time immemorial, helped shape the culture and history of the whole country.
Published by Penguin, this book may be a great choice for those intrigued to know about the religious and cultural intricacies of the country, as well as those who are reading the epic for the first time.
प्रश्न पूछना सीखने का एक महत्वपूर्ण हिस्सा है। यह सोच को एक विशिष्ट रूपरेखा देता है और अप्रत्याशित रहस्यों को खोलता है। चीज़ें जैसी हैं, वैसी कैसे-क्यों हैं, उन तथ्यों का पता लगाने से आत्मज्ञान मिलता है।
जबकि सन्देह को अपने तक रखना सच्चाई से दूर, और जीवन, जो मूल्यवान अवसर दे रही है उनसे वंचित कर सकता है। लेकिन किस प्रकार के प्रश्न हमें पूछने चाहिए?
साधू की बानी पुस्तक में, प्रसिद्ध साधु नित्यानन्द चरण दास ने युवाओं-वृद्धों द्वारा अक्सर पूछे गए – कर्म, धर्म बनाम अध्यात्म, मन, ईश्वर, भाग्य, जीवन का उद्देश्य, कष्ट, कर्मकांड, युद्ध आदि विषयों पर – सत्तर से अधिक प्रश्नों के उत्तर दिए। ये उत्तर अत्यधिक महत्वपूर्ण हैं जो सेल्फ़-डिस्कवरी और सेल्फ़-रियलाइज़ेशन में हमारी मदद के लिए हैं।
The Shiva Purana is the fifth book in an eighteen-part series on the sacred Hindu texts known collectively as the Puranas. Translated with great rigor and precision, Bibek Debroy recounts the tales of creation and the many myths that surround Lord Shiva in twenty-four thousand shlokas and an introduction that simplifies the myth and history of the Puranas.
Brimming with insight and clarity, this translation presents readers with an opportunity to truly understand classical Indian texts. Previous translations by Bibek Debroy include the Bhagavata Purana, the Markandeya Purana, the Brahma Purana, and the Vishnu Purana.
