The Book Of Shiva

A profound work of spiritual fiction with a heartwarming message Asananda, a monk belonging to the Order of Hope, is sent on a journey to the Himalayas by his guru to find the mystical Book of Shiva. Along the way, he meets mysterious tantrics, Vedic teachers, a bhikshu who walks backwards to discover his future, and people who seek liberation from remorse, suffering and the evil that haunts them. He becomes the instrument of the guru's grace, which opens the door to the universal soul and transforms life through unexpected miracles. Drawing on fables and myths from Eastern and European cultures, The Book of Shiva is a spiritual novel filled with extraordinary tales of freedom, serenity, loss and, most of all, wisdom.

Shiva: Destroyer and Protector, Supreme Ascetic and Lord of the Universe. He is Ardhanarishwara, half-man and half-woman; he is Neelakantha, who drank poison to save the three worlds-and yet, when crazed with grief at the death of Sati, set about destroying them. Shiva holds within him the answers to some of the greatest dilemmas that have perplexed mankind. Who is Shiva? Why does he roam the world as a naked ascetic covered with ash? What was the tandava? What is the story behind the worship of the linga and what vision of the world does it signify? Namita Gokhale examines these questions and many others that lie within the myriad of stories about Shiva. Even as she unravels his complexities, she finds a philosophy and worldview that is terrifying and yet life affirming-an outlook that is to many the essence of Indian thought.

The great Lord Shiva is the destroyer of all that is evil in the three worlds of Heaven, Earth and Hell. He forms the Hindu Trinity of gods with Brahma, the creator and Vishnu, the preserver of mankind. This beautifully illustrated book tells the glorious tales of this mighty god - traditional tales from Hindu mythology that are passed on from generation to generation. Read of the fascinating legend of Sati, how Parvati became Lord Shiva's wife, how Shiva came to have a blue throat, why we celebrate the festival of Shivratri and why Ganga was tied up in Shiva's hair.

This book is a guide for one who is ready to diligently walk the spiritual path. Great new vistas open up throughout its 365 daily lessons as Gurudeva shares, in the clearest terms, deep metaphysical insights into the nature of God, soul and world, mind, emotions, ultimate realizations, chakras, purpose of life on earth and much, much more. Simple but effective practices are taught: how to remould our nature and karmas, calm the mind, develop self-esteem, begin to meditate, clear up the past and create a bright future. At the same time, the seeker is guided in establishing a regular devotional and yogic practice whereby the gains of his inner life and realizations are stabilized and used in practical ways.

Lord Shiva is the personification of all the main practices of Yoga, as the origin and ruling power over asana, prana, mantra, inner seeing and meditation. The current book unfolds the presence, light, energy and consciousness of the Supreme Shiva to take us beyond all death and duality.

India, 1955. As the scars of Partition are beginning to heal, seventeen-year-old Meera sits enraptured: in the spotlight is Dev, singing a song so infused with passion that it arouses in her the first flush of erotic longing. But when Meera's reverie comes true, it does not lead to the fairy-tale marriage she imagined. Meera has no choice but to obey her in-laws, tolerate Dev's drunken night-time fumblings, even observe the most arduous of Hindu fasts for his longevity. A move to Bombay seems at first like a fresh start, but soon that dream turns to ashes. It is only when their son is born that things change and Meera is ready to unleash the passion she has suppressed for so long.

Where have I come from? Where will I go when the body perishes? What is Reality? What is Maya? In the pursuit of Truth, one often contemplates the meaning of existence. What is life? Is there a mystery beyond life and death? Have I experienced countless universes before? How did it all start? How will it end? The Vedic Journey begins for the one whose heart resonates with the Grand Vedic Question – Who am I? Eye of Shiva – Beyond the Quantum Universe – explores ancient concepts such as: • Relative and Absolute Consciousness. • The field of experience generated by Prakriti. • The changing order of the observer and the observed. • The states of waking, dreaming and dreamless sleep. • The essence of ‘is’ and ‘is not’. • The condition of Kaivalya, and the Abode of Shiv. It brings forth the translations of Vijnan Bhairav Tantr and Kaivalya Upanishad, emphasizing the direct link between consciousness and the quantum worlds of relative realities.

Shiva: Destroyer and Protector, Supreme Ascetic and Lord of the Universe. He is Ardhanarishwara, half-man and half-woman; he is Neelakantha, who drank poison to save the three worlds-and yet, when crazed with grief at the death of Sati, set about destroying them. Shiva holds within him the answers to some of the greatest dilemmas that have perplexed mankind. Who is Shiva? Namita Gokhale examines this question and many others that lie within the myriad of stories about Shiva. Even as she unravels his complexities, she finds a philosophy and worldview that is terrifying and yet life affirming-an outlook that is to many the essence of Indian thought.