MAYA IN SEARCH OF TANTRIC FATHER
“Truth is revealed to only those who search it with full commitment. The more it is obvious, the more obliterated it is.
- Vipin Behari Goyal {Maya in search of Tantric father.}
There are a lot of things one can learn from a book, but there are some books which need knowledge to understand. Here is one such book, which I struggled to read because of my lack of knowledge.
Author: Vipin Behari Goyal
ISBN: 978-93-83562-66-4
Publishers: Frog Books.
Star Rating: 3.5/5!
The general theme of the book is centered around an American girl, whose biological father is an Indian. She is back to India in search of her father, after the death of her mother. How did she come to know about her father? Her systematic and well organised mother maintained a diary regarding her Indian trip. So this young American female, sets off to visit the place which is described with very dark and disturbing words from her friends. {She really doesn’t have a good opinion about us by the beginning of the book}.
But later as she goes on to find her father, she comes upon too many coincidences leading to her visit with different people who show her the depth of knowledge hidden behind the facade of snake charmers of this country. She marvels at the advanced way the Indian spiritualists and the sages have devised age old techniques to find the truth about self-understanding and different aspects of life that every humans go through. She finds some crazy stuff mixed with wonder and curiosity about this country making her learn that there is more to life than just existing.
My Thoughts On The Book:
I made a mistake in assuming this book to be a work of fiction and regarding the 187 pages of wisdom as an easy read when I started it. I also didn’t understand the style of writing for 2-3 pages and already started assuming the worst when Maya{ alias, Martha} is describing my country in bleak words. I was on full defensive mode by the time finished first chapter.
Wait for my epic fail right here. By the second chapter I realized, that I’m so stupid to have assumed my point of view through an American and think in the lines of an Indian. I gave a virtual mental slap and resumed reading. That’s when the story started making more sense. Oh just a mention here, the story is written in the form of a journal. Its completely based on Maya’s thoughts and her perceptions.
The journey depicted in the book, is one every human should try to seek out. The author has made such a gigantic effort to condense the vast resources of spiritualism, myths and Indian mystics into the form of a story. It’s beautifully crafted even though its a little fast paced. The whole theme draws attention to the fact that the depth of knowledge regarding self is so much more than words can actually describe. {That’s a lot of saying from me, considering I don’t read spiritual stuff}. The author forms a nice relation between the characters and their desire to know more about everything that has been regarded as mere stories. He also gives rational reasons for many of those rituals.
The use of Sanskrit words including their meaning is the highlight of the book. {I didn’t know so much about my country, that after every few pages I stuck the page wondering what kind of a citizen am I?}
Every reader {including myself} will come to the following conclusion after reading this book:
“India is a strange country, here whatever truth you may find about it, the opposite will also be true”.
Now don’t expect me to explain it. Read the book, you will always get there on your own, after all its just 187 pages of a journey!
Also if you are person who considers all the belief, faith and spiritual stuff as something out a stories, do read this book. I did and now I think I can start meditating to attain peace of mind!
The book has a second part as well. That is where Maya goes in search of a Guru. The foundation for that book is laid in the first book itself. There may be a question as to why there is a second book. You will get the answer in the first book, when you see there is so much to know that we have not even started to see and the only way to know more is to apply it in your own life. There is no way across it. Enough of my rambling, here is a question for you to think about:
What is joy? what is sorrow? Who grants us joy and why? What is virtue and what is sin? what makes one a good human and what not? How is virtue measured? Is it same for all?
I thank the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review! This book has really been an eye opener.
