The present book was written by Sri Swami Omkar in 1950 during a fast which lasted for 40 days.

Swami Omkar is mystic. I do not now wish to discuss the value and validity of mystic consciousness. But I must point out that swami Omkar's mysticism is virile and rationalistic-to the extent mysticism could be rationalistic. He does not claim to have had any peculiar visions or weird dreams. He of course, has realized the unity of the whole world in the one things Real the Spirit. He has no attachment of any sort to dogmas and creeds, nor is his love and friendship limited to one country or nation. His is a global view- a view which embraces Man as such. In like way he worships God- not the God Revealed in this religion or that but God who is claimed to be revealed in every religion, but who is fully and perfectly revealed in none.

Prof. K. Satchidanandamurty
Dept. of Philosophy, Andhra University, Waltair

Introduction

The following pages were written by Sri Swami Omkar in 1950 during a fast which lasted for 40 days.

Swami Omkar is a mystic, I do not now wish to discuss the value and validity of mystic consciousness. But I must point out that swami Omkar's mysticism is virile and rationalistic-to the extent mysticism could be rationalistic. He does not claim to have had any peculiar visions or weird dreams. He of course, has realized the unity of the whole world in the one things Real the Spirit. He has no attachment of any sort to dogmas and creeds, nor is his love and friendship limited to one country or nation. His is a global view- a view which embraces Man as such. In like way he worships God- not the God Revealed in this religion or that but God who is claimed to be revealed in every religion, but who is fully and perfectly revealed in none.

Obviously those who are imprisoned within their own parochial grooves mistake him. The Jews of his day excommunicated Spinoza. And when Hegelian theologians like Troeltsch declared that Christainity is not the absolute religion, critics were not wanting. I am sure followers of other religions also would react in the same way, if they are told that their scriptures too do not contain the last word of wisdom. This is inevitable. If one wants to rally a following and command an influence, he must take shelter under a banner, adopt a slogan and then sound the drum. Brave as he is to the core, Swami Omkar refuses to become a slave of anybody or any "ism". He stands by himself and that only in Truth for him, which he has discovered or which he has assimilated. He is literally atmani sthithah. It is for this I admire him and it is this in his admirable personality that has attracted me.

I have been intimate with many religious men both Christian and Hindu. But no where do I find freedom form servility to a particular tradition and dogma. It is all right if one has entered into the tradition-whether it is Biblical or Vedic-and understood and appropriated the truth it contains. But that is lacking. Often one adopts Advaita because Sankara taught it and one hails Realism because Saint Aquinas advocated it. But have we no duty to understand and rationally assimilate what Sankara and Aquinas said and ought we not reject whatever refuses to be rationally assimilated? Intellectual integrity, I am sure, must have a place everywhere including religion. In Swami Omkar I find this.

Many in India and overseas know Swami Omkar. He has extensively traveled in Europe and America. His Ashramas at Totapalli and Waltair are famous. For over three decades his Ashrama has toiled for the spread of the concepts of Human brotherhood and peace among all nations. Through talks and writings, through Pamphlets and journals he has done this. Some branches of his Ashram have been opened on the other side of the Atlantic and also in the land of Goethe and Hegel. All this is good but the results are not spectacular. That is as it must be; for the labourers are few and the vineyard is so unwieldy and weedy.

And now about this book: I must say I find it wonderful. Made up of one hundred and eight chapters, it presents to us as many meditations. It is something like Pascel's Pensees. No doubt we miss that splendid literary elegance and also that razor-edged keenness of the great Frenchman. But can that Janenist Catholic thinker claim as much width and as much real Catholicity as Sri Swami Omkar shows in this brief but memorable book?

I aver that the following pages are full of sustaining inspiration and deep meaning.

Prof. K. Satchidanandamurty
Dept. of Philosophy, Andhra University
Waltair

About the Author

Prof. S.P. Ruhela is an eminent sociologist of education, he holds the degrees of M.A. (Sociology), PhD (Sociology), D.Litt. (Sociology) and M.Ed. and has also Certificate in commonwealth Education. He has contributed more than 30 books and over 100 papers and articles. He has been head and Dean of Education at the Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Presently, he is Professor of Education in the Institute of Advanced studies in Education in the Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.