The Play of God: Visions of the Life of Krishna (Paperback)

by Devi Vanamali (Author), Eknath Easwaran (Author), Swami Krishnanana (Author) "I bow to Lord Ganesha..." (more)
Key Phrases: Lord Krishna, The Play of God, Lord Vishnu (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Krishna is considered an incarnation of the god Vishnu by many Hindus. The main stories about Krishna's life can be found in the first half of the Srimad Bhagavad Purana and the lengthy Indian epic Mahabharata. Because these two documents are filled with complex detail, Vanamali has provided a useful book that gives in summary form the events of Krishna's life and their spiritual message. Western readers would characterize these stories as legends or myth; Vanamali's presentation of the spiritual message behind each story makes the book interesting reading. He uses a chronological approach to Krishna's birth and childhood, followed by stories of his youth, his adulthood, and the "death" of the one who is deathless. The book also contains a helpful list of characters in alphabetical order and a glossary of religious terms. Highly recommended as a fresh and readable presentation, in English, of the life and meaning of Krishna.
David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernardino
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"...(the) first complete spiritual biography of the divinely playful and erotic Krishna..." -- Yoga Journal

"A very elegant book..."The Play of God" is a valuable treasure to be cherished." -- Swami Chidananda, President of Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh

"This is a valuable treasure to be cherished." -- Swami Chidanada

"Vanamali has provided a useful service in compiling...the stories (of Krishna's life) into a single chronological narrative..." -- Hinduism Today

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 394 pages
• Publisher: Blue Dove Press (December 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1884997074
• ISBN-13: 978-1884997075
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #662,799 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delight in God's Play, November 14, 2000

By	Natalie Brown (San Diego, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews

This book is a delight. Although I possessed little knowledge of either Krishna or Indian spirituality before reading it, I finished the captivating story feeling happily enriched and awakened to a broader conception of what `God' and `divinity' represent to me. More than just the traditional Western view of God as an old man or "heavenly father," divinity expresses itself in the form of a playful child, a friend, a warrior, a lover, (and, ultimately, in everything and everyone.) No figure better illustrates this conception of the divine- or God-within than the wonderfully vital and vibrant Krishna, who is all of the above and more. Each chapter of this book, which is a chronicle of the eventful life of Krishna, is an engaging adventure. Whether taken as allegorical or historical, the tales that comprise Krishna's biography are not unlike Biblical stories in that they have a timeless relevance to the human experience. They are relayed, due to the evocative writing of author Devi Vanamali, in a joyful and celebratory, rather than stodgy or dry, tone. Vanamali is an unfussy yet faintly flowery writer who clearly rejoices in and excels at lively, magical descriptions. As a baby, Krishna has "rose-petal feet." When he plays his enchanted flute as a boy, the mesmerized "calves stand pinned to the spot, forgetting even to swallow the milk and eat the grass in their mouths, fixing their gaze on Him as if they would drink Him in through their eyes." This is the ideal book from which to read a chapter each night with your beloved or even your child. The rich, colorful prose, the journeys, battles, beauty and infallible love present in the story will captivate anyone, regardless of their spiritual or religious background. Its chief asset, however, is neither the engaging writing nor the many adventures, but in the underlying message that the hero's existence-be it real or invented- embodies. Doesn't everyone, no matter what their role in this life may be, contain within them an essence or aspect of the divine? Another widely loved religious figure, seemingly aeons apart from Krishna, is reported to have said, "The Kingdom of God is all around, but men do not see it." This book is a treasure that helps to open our eyes to and delight in that often unseen divinity (Kingdom) of which Jesus spoke, which both encompasses and is all things and people. In one of her more prosaic moments, Vanamali writes, "The melody (of Krishna's flute) was the call of the finite to the infinite, and it awoke the chords in even the most sluggish hearts and made them yearn for union with the infinite, which is the hidden desire of every heart. This yearning is present in every human being, but sometimes we are too engrossed in the world or too poor of understanding to know what it is. Sometimes a touch, a glance, or a word spoken by some great sage is enough to loosen our bonds and open our eyes, and then our heart leaps forward to meet its maker." For some, this book may be just such an illuminating "word." For others it will be pure, escapist enjoyment. For myself, it was both.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book and fall in love, December 14, 1998

By	Vir "Virtus Sola Nobilitas" (USA) - See all my reviews

Presents Krishna as He is to the reader, giving a complete and uncut picture of his entire life as it is found in the principal Hindu scriptures. A must read for any student of Spirituality, Hinduism or India. The best source to understand Sri Krishna in all his totality I have come across so far. Superbly written and, without a doubt, divinely inspired this book is the only one of its kind. No sectarianism or religious hard-sell of any kind, just pure spirituality at its best.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read For Everyone Seeking God, October 13, 2000

By	invictus (Lawrenceville, GA USA) - See all my reviews

The Play Of God is not just for Hindus, but is for anyone interested in seeing a new, playful, joyous and loving side of God. The author reveals the easiest path to God is through discovering him in your heart and clinging to him in joy and love --- not through rituals or philosophy. All of this is conveyed through the wonderful stories of Krishna's (the Hindu Christ)mischevious childhood and his adulthood as the warrior-king of the Mahabharata epic. It is impossible not to love this book.