5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply beautiful, September 17, 2007
This review is from: Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms (Perfect Paperback)
Arun Shanbhag has created a beautiful, lyrical book of Hindu psalms that captures the poetic essense of all religions, all faiths, all spirituality. And the further the reader progresses into this slender volume of prayers, the more engaged he or she feels. It is wonderful reading for those who practice Hinduism and for those who simply wish to learn more about what this ancient religion offers.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A UU inspired by the author finds common spiritual impulse in Hindu prayers, September 24, 2007
This review is from: Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms (Perfect Paperback)
What's a Unitarian Universalist Buddhist doing reading Arun Shanbhag's ew translation of Hindu Psalms: Prarthana? A reasonable question, unless you'd ever met the author. If you had, you'd know that Arun is the kind of person you see and think to yourself "I'll have whatever he's having, thanks very much!" A positive energy surrounds him, and his smile just glows with peace and contentment. A scientist, athlete, blogger, avid reader and photographer, Arun's engagement with the world inspires people -- I ran a half marathon yesterday because of him -- and connects people.
So when Arun told me he was working on a book of Hindu prayers, to make them interpretable to those who don't know Sanskrit, I was intrigued. My UU faith draws from Eastern religions, and I've already incorporated Buddhism into my spiritual life. I wondered what Hindu prayers might offer, since they have so clearly benefited Arun.
What I found is that these prayers speak to something common to all of humanity: a spiritual impulse for light to dispel darkness; for connection to nature, to other people, and to the universe itself; for the courage to rise above our anguish or fears, to find hope and the best within ourselves, and to share our best selves with the world. In a time of great divisions, it is heart-warming to dip into another faith tradition and find common bonds, rather than alienation.
As a UU, I responded in particular to the tribute to the earth and the sun, and the Gayatri mantra that calls upon "that quintessence of earth, air and heaven; May it bestow wisdom, enlighten our thoughts, and energize our consciousness!" I was moved by the Invocation of Peace: "May She protect us friends; May she nourish us; May we work together, And learn with purpose. May we never quarrel. May we be blessed with peace, peace, and perfect peace!" These words reach all of us, regardless of our faith tradition.
In his engaging interpretations of the psalms, Arun calls for faith to remain a grounding force, but a flexible one that changes with human development. He weaves vivid story-telling about the Hindi gods with his own childhood experiences of the prayers, making them richer and more accessible to those not familiar with them.
Arun, you've given us all another gift. Thank you for sharing yourself and your understanding of these ancient prayers with the world. We need people like you -- the glue that unites us.
Ellen Duranceau
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book for the family, September 26, 2007
This review is from: Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms (Perfect Paperback)
My husband bought this book because he liked the author's blog...and the book also turned out to be very well-written. The explanations are simple - he read some of the smaller ones with our 9 yr old - and yet have an adequate level of interpretation and background provided. Attention to pronunciation is excellent. A great book to have in the family. Wonderful job.
Neeta
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