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Catagory: Religion

The Power of Purity

Who am I? Where have I come from? Why am I here?
What is my purpose? Why do people suffer? What is karma?
What is reincarnation?

Such burning existential questions have intrigued many since time immemorial. It is not for the faint of heart to pore over abstruse and often cryptic scriptures, or perform intense spiritual practices to get a glimpse of the truth. A panacea for seekers, The Power of Purity is a compilation of Mohanji’s spontaneous answers to questions posed during various satsangs (spiritual discourses) and interactions across the world. With razor-sharp clarity and wit, Mohanji provides the reader with deep, subtle, yet easy-to-understand insights into the varied aspects of human existence, uniting the seemingly contrasting goals of spiritual mastery and worldly success. Many can use this book as a guide to finding solutions to life’s myriad problems by randomly turning to one of its pages. In Mohanji’s words, ‘This book has been compiled to aid you to find your SELF and stay with your own soul. Those who are not eligible to read this book will not get to see it. Those who are casual readers will not understand this book. Those who were awaiting this message will take the cue and the next step . . . Nothing is accidental.’

India’s Power Elite

From the bestselling author of The Accidental Prime Minister, here comes an insightful analysis of Indian politics and elitism that answers many important political questions today.

India’s Power Elite is a study of the nature of power and elitism in postcolonial India. Its point of departure is the political transition under way in twenty-first-century India, with the marginalization of the Congress Party and the staging of a cultural revolution symbolized by the rise of Hindu majoritarianism. Baru deconstructs the morphology of the Indian power elite-comprising remnants of a feudal gentry, kulaks, a metropolitan business class, the civil services and a cultural elite of opinion-makers. He also examines the role of caste, class and culture in the emergence of a ‘New India’. Aimed at the socially engaged reader, this book will interest both students as well as those who wield power.

The main target readership for this book includes socially engaged readers, people interested in politics, activism, students, etc.

The Art of Resilience

Losing sleep over what others think about you? Or can’t care less? Happiness in life nonetheless depends on what you think about yourself.
Social media has certainly given us individual authorship over how we present ourselves to the world. Susceptible to live by the dictates of ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ of others, we network with the world in a carefully filtered image of ourselves. But is it truly our authentic self that we are presenting to the world? Can it cater lasting happiness and honest relationships?
In this first volume of Yoga Stories, Gauranga Das takes you on an inner journey to explore your inner self, beyond the hills of expectation, through the valleys of disapprovals and beneath the layers of self-deception. Thus, bringing you closer to the home of your heart, enabling you to open the door and introduce yourself, to finally meet, the real you.

Karma

“Full of valuable insights to guide you.”-WILL SMITH

“Thoughtful and life-affirming . . . a must-read.”-TONY ROBBINS

“Forget what you think you know about karma-Sadhguru shows us it’s not a punishment for bad behavior, but a vehicle for transformation and empowerment. This book will put you back in charge of your own life.”-Tom Brady

“Pursuing your truth. Understanding this human experience. Embodying the divine is such an ongoing process of unveiling, adapting, and redesigning. The words in this book are the key to unlocking your truth, to see with no eyes, to hear the truth that lies in silence, and to connect with your inner wisdom. Thank you, Sadhguru, for such an enlightening creation, an offering to all seekers.”-HRH Princess Noor bint Asem of Jordan

“At last, a book about karma that can be trusted. I have never found a book that explains-and solves-the mystery of karma with the simplicity, clarity, and hopefulness of this invaluable book.”-Deepak Chopra

“Sadhguru here offers an easy read on a difficult subject: karma, or the volition to perform action. A truly captivating view from a renowned yogi and mystic on free will and the destiny of the human mind.”-Prof. Dr. Steven Laureys, neurologist, University Hospital of Liège, Belgium

“The tools Sadhguru provides in Karma bring me to a place of peace within myself. Thank you for your wisdom and transformational guidance.”-Rosanna Arquette

“In Karma, Sadhguru brilliantly demystifies the concept of karma and how we can harness our perceptions to change our own futures and, in doing so, create a more sustainable, just, and spiritually enlightened world. If you want to be the change you want to see in the world, read Karma and begin the journey.”-Terry Tamminen, Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

“This five-letter word that has baffled humans for thousands of years is finally explained in 272 pages. It’s a compass for navigating life. Thank you, Sadhguru.”-Jay Naidoo, Minister in President Nelson Mandela’s cabinet, recipient of the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, France

A much-used word, Karma is loosely understood as a system of checks and balances in our lives, of good actions and bad deeds, of good thoughts and bad intentions. A system which seemingly ensures that at the end of the day one gets what one deserves. This grossly over-simplified understanding has created many complexities in our lives and taken away from us the very fundamentals of the joy of living.

Through this book, not only does Sadhguru explain what Karma is and how we can use its concepts to enhance our lives, he also tells us about the Sutras, a step-by-step self help & self improvement guide to navigating our way in this challenging world. In the process, we get a deeper, richer understanding of life and the power to craft our destinies.

Republic of Hindutva

‘Essential reading’ ~ Shekhar Gupta

‘A handy insight into the activities, reach and influence of the RSS’ ~ Indian Express

‘[Yields] insights for students of Indian democracy’ ~ The Hindu

‘Very insightful and is recommended reading for both critics as well as admirers of the RSS’ ~ Financial Express

AN EXPLOSIVE ACCOUNT OF HOW THE RSS HELPS THE BJP WIN ELECTIONS

The RSS is like the tip of an iceberg, exerting its influence much beyond what is visible. Beginning with the choice of Narendra Modi as the forerunner for the 2014 general election up to the campaign for the 2019 election, RSS cadres have been a formidable force behind the staggering rise of the BJP in national politics.

In this eye-opening, necessary book, Badri Narayan offers an intimate glimpse of how the Sangh and its vast network of educational, cultural and social outfits have been digging deep roots in the Indian psyche. By refashioning its modes of mobilization as well as assimilating Dalits, OBCs, tribals and other marginalized communities, the RSS has made the Hindutva metanarrative appealing to a large section of Indians. During elections, the BJP-instead of wiping out caste from electoral politics-reaps rich political dividends from this social appropriation.

Drawing on extensive field research in the heartland of India and interviews with RSS volunteers, Narayan reveals how a new public is being forged at the grassroots, which will determine the course of Indian democracy.

This World Below Zero Fahrenheit

On 5 August 2019, Suhas Munshi was returning to Srinagar from a visit to legendary poet Habba Khatoon’s relic in Gurez, when an unprecedented curfew was imposed upon Jammu and Kashmir, and Article 370 was abrogated. Through his travels and conversations with people across the Valley, Munshi tries to give a sense of what that moment has meant to the common Kashmiri.
This insightful travelogue breaks away from the clichéd view of Kashmir, one that sees it either as an earthly paradise or a living hell. It takes you to unexpected places, into the homes of poets, playwrights and street performers; to a heartwarming Christmas service with the minuscule Christian community in Baramulla; and inside the barricaded city of Srinagar’s football stadium, which is a lively refuge for the elderly and their memories of a glorious past. Over three weeks, for fear of being abandoned in a harsh terrain, Munshi struggles to keep up with a group of Bakarwal nomadic shepherds as they make their way from Srinagar to Jammu over the mighty Pir Panjal mountains. And he finds a lone Pandit family living in a decrepit ghost colony in Shopian, the hub of militancy in Kashmir.
This World below Zero Fahrenheit presents a portrait of a people who’ve been overshadowed by the place they live in, even as it ruminates on the idea of home and exile.

A Functioning Anarchy?

In a long and versatile career spanning thirty-five years, Ramachandra Guha has produced a vast body of work. Each time, he has broken new ground-his pioneering environmental histories of India and his still-relevant work on ecology and equity; his social histories of Indian cricket; his monumental history of the Indian republic; his biographies of Verrier Elwin and Gandhi; his anthologies of ecological, social and political thought in India; and his collections of biographical and political essays.

Sparked by Guha’s wide-ranging and important work, A Functioning Anarchy is a collection of essays by historians, social scientists, ecologists and journalists.

Indians

‘Deepens our sense of the wonder that was India’ ~ Pankaj Mishra

‘A gem of a book that is a joy to read . . . You can almost touch and feel the centuries and millennia as they pass by’ ~ Tony Joseph

‘Arora explores how Indians lived, ate, loved, built, fought and made sense of the material, rational and spiritual world down the ages . . . [A] mega-ambitious project’ ~ The Hindu

‘A wonderfully evocative book. Arora invites the reader to reflect on the past, without overwhelming her with dry historical facts but luring her in with vivid human stories’ ~ Prof. Mohan Rao

A BRILLIANT, ORIGINAL BOOK THAT REVEALS INDIA’S RICH AND DIVERSE HISTORIES

What do we really know about the Aryan migration theory and why is that debate so hot?
Why did the people of Khajuraho carve erotic scenes on their temple walls?
What did the monks at Nalanda eat for dinner?
Did our ideals of beauty ever prefer dark skin?

Indian civilization is an idea, a reality, an enigma. In this riveting book, Namit Arora takes us on an unforgettable journey through 5000 years of history, reimagining in rich detail the social and cultural moorings of Indians through the ages. Drawing on credible sources, he discovers what inspired and shaped them: their political upheavals and rivalries, customs and vocations, and a variety of unusual festivals. Arora makes a stop at six iconic places — the Harappan city of Dholavira, the Ikshvaku capital at Nagarjunakonda, the Buddhist centre of learning at Nalanda, enigmatic Khajuraho, Vijayanagar at Hampi, and historic Varanasi — enlivening the narrative with vivid descriptions, local stories and evocative photographs. Punctuating this are chronicles of famous travellers who visited India — including Megasthenes, Xuanzang, Alberuni and Marco Polo — whose dramatic and idiosyncratic tales conceal surprising insights about our land.

In lucid, elegant prose, Arora explores the exciting churn of ideas, beliefs and values of our ancestors through millennia — some continue to shape modern India, while others have been lost forever. An original, deeply engaging and extensively researched work, Indians illuminates a range of histories coursing through our veins.

The Little Book of Encouragement

His Holiness The Dalai Lama, a perennial source of inspiration, is one of the most eminent spiritual leaders in the world. Recipient of the Noble Peace Prize, His Holiness’s life and works have inspired millions of lives throughout the world. In this specially curated companion volume, His Holiness shares words of encouragement to deal with new realities in a pandemic stricken world.

Pakistan’s Terror Conundrum

Pakistan was born amid communal violence and a collective consciousness of danger. Right from the outset, democracy was up for debate between the politicians nurtured by the British Raj and an orthodox clergy that advocated a utopia in which Islam was to be the ideological guide. Today, the threat of religion as an extra-legal force is causing many Pakistanis to think if the state can move forward into the future with Islam as its credo.
In this carefully curated collection of his writings in several publications, senior journalist Khaled Ahmed examines Pakistan’s policies regarding terrorism against the backdrop of increasing pressure from international organizations. Despite joining the US in its war against terror after 9/11, the country has been perceived as a safe haven and breeding ground for terrorists. Ahmed looks at the origins and activities of the various terrorist organizations, the role of the state and the ideology of its founding figures, some of whom seem to have been forgotten.

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