The voices of our mystical ancestors call out to us. They whisper deep truths to our souls, bestow upon us hidden gems of ancient wisdom, and often guide our uncertain footsteps through the journey of Life. Profound knowledge and extraordinary revelations garnered over millennia of material as well as existential quests are on offer – if only we would pause to listen!
Secret Wisdom from Ancient India is an oasis for the mind and a balm for the soul. Distilling priceless insight from the immortal words and works of Goswami Tulsidas, Acharya Chanakya, Maharishi Bhartrihari, Arya Vidur, Hitopadesh, Panchatantra and even Lord Krishna, it is a rare gift in the desert of ignorance, beckoning those who thirst for meaning in human existence, in both its earthly embodiment and its transcendent reality.
A dazzling collection of topical yet handy references to gems of intellect, propriety, spirituality and philosophy, extracted from some of India's greatest classical scriptures, and explained in a simple yet nuanced manner... the book masterfully encapsulates centuries of treasured wisdom.
"A fascinating, soulful and deeply enriching journey through the most exquisite gems of Indian literature and philosophy."
S.Venkatesh Bestselling Author, Kaalkoot
A rich and encyclopaedic career spanning nearly five decades. A life-journey that meanders from the remote, dusty villages of 1947 Uttar Pradesh, to the sophisticated fighter airbases of the Indian Air Force. An illustrious professional canvas encompassing cutting-edge supercomputers to intelligence services, environmental sciences to technical education. From studying under a mango tree at a village paathshaala, to the convocation halls of IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad. From the ghaats of Benaras to the skyscrapers of New York, from dhoti-clad Sanskrit teachers to the echelons of high academia. What you get after combining all of the above in the eclectic life of an extraordinarily gifted individual – is an Author worthy of extracting and disseminating golden pearls of ancient wisdom.
An Alumnus of Lucknow University, where he completed his M.Sc. (Physics), Group Captain (Retd) D N Bajpai joined the Indian Air Force in 1971. In the IAF, he held several senior positions, including that of Director of Information Technology, at the Air Force HQ in New Delhi. He has also been deeply associated with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). With an academic profile par excellence, apart from an M.Sc., he holds an M.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Delhi, a Bachelors' Degree in Law, and a specialised diploma program from IIM Ahmedabad. As Head of the IT setup of the IAF, he was nominated as a Member in the IT – Task Force of the Govt of India in 1998. On invitation by the then Vice Chancellor, he has also contributed as Honorary Faculty at the esteemed Allahabad University. He has been a Member of the Senate of the Bharthiar University, Coimbatore.
After retiring from the Air Force in 2005, Group Captain Bajpai joined the prestigious Apeejay Institute of Technology, where he has been working in the capacity of Executive Director for over a decade. His interests are as diverse as his career journey. From being an avid student of the Ramcharitmanas to following the works of Meer Taqi Meer and Mirza Ghalib, Group Captain Bajpai is the life of every social and academic huddle.
All my life I have found great delight in the repeated readings of ancient epics and scriptures. What started as an enjoyment of the many tales of valour, courage, righteousness and other such exciting elements, upon closer readings led to far nobler insights – a generally more philosophical understanding of life and our purpose in this vast Universe.
At a younger age, such pursuits were significantly aided by the gentle but persistent guidance of learned yet unsung teachers - and how often have I lamented the loss, to those generations that will come after me, from the near absence of such mentors in current times. As I advance in years, I find my options are to (a) keep wringing my hands in despair, or (b) to do something about it myself, however inadequate that effort might be.
'Secret Wisdom from Ancient India is the result of much hesitation and ambivalence, but it had to be done. It is a very humble and small collection of some intellectual pearls - quotes, words of wisdom, morals and human values – for those time deficient readers who may not find it practical or possible to scour vast age-old texts themselves, yet are keen to get a glimpse of the best parts. The ocean of knowledge is infinite, and the present effort is extremely inadequate in all respects, but is simply my effort to reach to you a distilled version of all that I found useful in my years of sifting through these epics. Reading this collection is akin to taking in a brief whiff of the fragrance of the gardens of Versailles a mile away. The gardens themselves have to be seen in person to comprehend their full majesty, and there can be no substitute for that experience.
I would additionally request you, my dear reader, to keep the following in mind as you glance through these next pages:
Firstly, this collection is not a religious one, even though it references a lot of religious texts, while devotion itself is explained. You will notice there are, to the extent possible, no inclusions of verses in any deity's praise or religious teachings (except my own salutation, at the start of this book, to Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati, which is a private matter between them and me). I am keen to bring to light only those teachings or insights which are of philosophical, intellectual or moral practical value to everyone, irrespective of religious denomination. The sheer volume of these snippets of literature presented here is very insignificant. However, in many difficult situations of life, these words have provided courage and inspiration to me.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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