अभी हाल में ही प्रकाशित एक महान कृति जो कि एक पुस्तक के रूप में समाने आई है जिसे सकंलित किया है उतर-पूर्व भारत के एक महान लेख़क सलिल गेवाली ने । इस कृति का नाम है "What is India" इस पुस्तक में विश्व के सभी महान वैज्ञानिकों, महान कवियों, समाज शास्त्रियों, नेताओं व अन्य महान हस्तियों के द्वारा की गई उदघोषनाएं है; जहां उन्होने भारतीय ग्रन्थ सम्पदा की तहदिल से प्रसंशा की है । विश्व की इन महान आत्माओं ने खुले रूप से यह स्वीकार किया है कि किस प्रकार हिन्दुस्तान के महान ग्रन्थों ने उनकी महान कृतियों के उदय के समय सहायता की ।

“What is India” को पढकर हर भारतीय का सिर गर्व से ऊचां हो जाता है । हर भारतीय को समझ आ जाता है कि हमारे ग्रन्थ इतने महान है कि वो विश्व की महान खोज़ो के भागीदार बने । सचमुच महान है यह पुस्तक । आजतक इस प्रकार का सकंलन किसी भी ने भी इस तरह से प्रस्तुत नही कियां । सलिल गेवाली का यह कार्य वास्तव में तरीफ़ के काबिल है और अपने आप मे एक महान कार्य है ।

यह पुस्तक हर भारतीय को प्रेरित करती है कि वो अपनी ग्रन्थ सम्पदा को फ़िर से देखें और अध्यन करें और उनमें वो सब कुछ खोज़ निकाले जो अब तक नही खोज़ा गया है । क्योकि अभी भी बहुत कुछ ऐसा भी है जो विश्व की महान आत्मायें शायद नही खोज़ पायी । युवा भारतीयों को इस महान कृति से बहुत आत्मिक बल मिला है और उनका आत्मविश्वास बढ़ा है ।

“What is India” से हमें हमारी प्राचीन संस्कृति की महानता का भी पता चलता है । महान अमेरिकन कवि ओर दार्शनिक टी.ऐस. ईलिओट जिन्होने २ साल तक संस्कृत भाषा सीखी और  पांतन्जलि योग की तत्वमीमांसा को समझा ओर स्वयं माना कि "यूरोप के दार्शनिक भारतीय दार्शनिकों की कुशाग्र बुद्धि के समक्ष स्कूली बच्चे जैसे है"

यह पुस्तक उस महान भारत की महानता को ताज़ा कर रही है जिसके बारे में आज से कई वर्ष पहले रानी  फ़्रेडरिका - ग्रीस के राजा पाल की पत्नि - ने यह कहा "मुझे इस बात से जलन होती है आप भारतीय कितने भाग्यशाली है कि आपके पास इतनी महान विरासत है" । उन्होने तो यहां तक भी कहा "ग्रीस मेरा जन्म स्थान अवश्य है परन्तु मेरी आत्मा भारत मे ही बसती है" ।

“What is India” से हमें मालूम पड़ता है हमारा अतित क्या था । हमारे पूर्वज ॠषि-मुनि कितने उन्न्त विचारों के थे और कितनी महान थी वो कृतियां जो उन्होने हमें हमारे ग्रन्थों के रूप में दी । उनकी इन महान कृतियों का प्रयोग पूरे विश्वभर में हुआ । पूरे विश्व समाज ने इस बात का लाभ उठाया ।

इस पुस्तक में उद्घोषित एक उक्ति में फ़्रांस के एक महान दार्शनिक नें तो यह तक कहा कि " मैं इस बात से पूरी तरह से सहमत हू कि खगोलशास्त्र, ज्योतिष विधा, अध्यात्म आदि यह सब ज्ञान हमारे पास गंगा के किनारों से आया है" इनके कहने का आशय यह कि भारत की महान और पवित्र नदी गंगा के किनारों पर ही भारत वर्ष के महान ऋषियों ने इन महान विधाओं की खोज की है" यह कहना है फ्रांस के महान दार्शनिक फ़्रानकोस एम वोलटेयर का ।

अब यदि हाल में ही चल रही वैज्ञानिक खोज़ो की बात करे तो बात आती है आज के महान वैज्ञानिक स्टीफ़ेन हाकिंस की जो इस समय पर अपनी खोज़ो पर अग्रसर है । स्टीफ़ेन हाकिंस कहते है कि अगर कोई यान प्रकाश की गति के आस पास किसी भारी पिण्ड के चारो ओर चक्कर कटे तो उसमे बैठे हुए लोगो के लिए समय धीरे चलने लगेगा । अगर यह यान 5 साल तक भारी पिण्ड के चारो ओर चक्कर लगता रहता है तो उसके लिए तो 5 साल बितेगे परन्तु बाहरी दुनिया में 20 साल बीत चुके होंगे ।

यानि ऐसा भी संभव है की हमारे आस पास एक ओर दुनिया भी चल रही हो । यही हमारे प्राचीन ग्रन्थ योग वसिष्ठ में बताया गया है यदि आप इस महान ग्रन्थ का अध्यन करे तो इसमें लीला की कहानी है इस कहानी के माध्यम से यह बताया गया है की ब्रहमांड के अन्दर ब्रहमांड चल रहा है । ओर भी बहुत कुछ इस ग्रन्थ में बताया गया है  जोकि Stephen Hawkins जैसे महान वैज्ञानिक की बातो से हू बहू है ।

अपने भारत को पहचानने के लिये, अपनी ग्रन्थ सम्पदा की ताकत को समझने के लिये; विश्व के महान लोगों का हमारे भारत को लेकर क्या सोच है इस बात को जानने के लिये “What is India” एक बेजोड़ उपलब्धि हो सकती है !

‘Even the loftiest philosophy of the Europeans appears like

 a feeble  spark before the Vedanta.’

---August W. Schlegel, Great German philosopher

    

-          By  Prof N P Joshi

I am penning a few lines to express my sense of gratefulness after having gone through a recently published book entitled ‘What is India?’, compiled by Salil Gewali. To be frank, I experienced a short of divine sensation and instant enlightenment from the quotes in the book, probably the compilation is uniquely one of its kind in the country. People slowly have begun to realize the importance of Vedantic philosophies and rich cultural and spiritual heritage of the ancient India. This compilation will make the writer known throughout the length and breadth of the country.

 India is doubtlessly repository of unfathomable knowledge which is left to be explored and then diffused, as the compiler asserts in his article -- ‘Explore the majestic Indian philosophies’.  We were misguided and misinformed by those who ruled over us for a considerable period of time. They had no love for us, our culture and our language which is profoundly rich. Though Sanskrit being the father of all languages which the world acclaimed linguistics and philologists  have conceded long back, we in India are made to believe it as near-dead language, how disgraceful !

            Look at what Frederick Schlegal, the renowned German philologist and founder of German Romanticism,  has to say about Sanskrit language. ‘There is no language in the world, even Greek, which has the clarity and the philosophical precision of Sanskrit.’ It is not an orientalist blowing his own trumpet but the western greatest scholars exploding in appreciation. Truth has at last emanated from the core of the occidental world, but are we ready to shift our attention from the works of Socrates to the Veda Vyasa’s  now? I feel, it is very essential.

                     It is no use disguising the truth as it can be camouflaged for some time but can never be done forever. It finds its own means of revelation in due course time. Of course, Salil’s work is towards that line. Efforts put in by the compiler, I am sure, not only open the eyes of the discerning readers but their mind, as well as the soul inside. The forward in the book by the former Minister for Education Manas Choudhuri is significantly  meaningful. The co-publisher of the book Shri Bimal Bajaj too is to be congratulated. I am confident their efforts in the publication of this rare compilation can hold our head high in the comity nations.

        Here I further want to reiterate,  Gewali’s painstaking efforts will gladden the heart of every Indian and make us proud to know what India stands for despite her murkier past for despotically voyeuristic invaders and rulers. The realization that India’s glorious past laden with perfect knowledge in every field should now prompt us to explore more, though it is fathomless as Emerson and David Henry Thoreau convincingly proclaim. 

                  World civilizations pales into insignificance in comparison to ours --------- it is no other but the Greek themselves, considered to be the torchbearer of western civilization, had conceded this fact. India was so advanced even in the field of science and Mathematics that Pythagoras chose to undergo a treacherous journey to come to India to learn Geometry and Spiritualism.  Albert Einstein exclaims in gratitude --- ‘ We owe a lot to Indians who taught us how to count without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.’ Voltaire, one of the greatest philosophers says ----‘Astronomy, Astrology and Spiritualism have come from the bank of the Ganga’. Is it not astounding that the motion of the stars calculated by the Hindus before some 4500 years vary not even a single minute from the modern tables of Cassine and Meyer used in the 19th century? These are a few of the many more laudable remarks expressed by third parties overseas who are held in the highest esteem. The depth of ancient knowledge and wisdom is so unfathomable that what have so far been unearthed and known are only the tip of the iceberg, as I believe.  I pray may this book become an eye-opener for people just lost in western culture and education. 

The object of the present write-up is to bring a booklet entitled, ‘‘What is India?” (Academic Publications, Bara Bazar, Shillong-2) to the notice of your esteemed readers. It will sadden the heart of this reader of yours if my article is construed as an advertisement of the booklet under review. My sole intention is to share the joy I felt in reading every quotation in every page of the booklet compiled by Salil Gewali.

"What is India" is a must-read for every Indian, particularly for him or her who is not very happy with the image of India as projected today by some unpatriotic, unscrupulous people with vested interests. It is a shame that we do not think highly of our own motherland and look to the West for whatever reasons.

For those who are proud of being Indians, this booklet will surely give them more reasons to be proud of being born in India, that is, Bharat. On the other hand, for those whose eyes are fixed on the West and wish to settle there the moment they get an opportunity, I can say with a firm conviction that they will cease to look to the West and will start loving their native soil and begin to speak well of India like the westerners have done, as recorded in the book by Salil Gewali. If, after reading Salil Gewali’s compilation, any reader is found making derogatory remarks about India , I will then say without exaggeration that he or she can safely be branded a traitor.

I was overjoyed to come across a book of quotes of world-renowned scholars compiled by Salil Gewali of India, Shillong. Title of the book was “What is India?”. Being overwhelmed with ideas I was harboring all these years I went through the pages of the compilation containing the lofty words of the world-renowned  scientists, philosophers and writers in praise of India’s fathomless spiritual treasure of knowledge. I could relate to each sentence in the quotes. I wholly agree with these men of wisdom because it was my life-changing experience with the wisdom of the East.

              I was growing up as the typical American boy until the day I had my first deep and profound mystical experience. To put it simply, I had one of those “near-death experiences” while lying on the operation table after a car accident. As the mind and the vital energies started withdrawing, and heading towards the light up above, I could witness the doctors operating on my body down below. After waking up in the hospital 2 weeks later, I was left with several burning questions on my mind… If the mind and the brain are two separate things, then what exactly is “the mind”? And of course… What is the purpose of existence, for what reason was I brought back to life? I began my quest to find the answer to these questions.

                   I had never been a religious person, in fact was quite opposed to religion. Eventually I discovered that there is a certain spiritual truth which is the underpinnings of all religions, which all religions tried to capture but just couldn’t put their finger on. One of the first books I read after that experience was The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra. In the middle of that book are four chapters about four of the world’s major religions; Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Zen. After reading these 4 chapters again and again, I finally decided that the Taoist religion was the one which resonated most with me. I began studying Chinese literature at the University and Chinese Medicine. I also started attending many different meditation groups at various Indian Temples around the city I was living. Eventually I discovered that the Chinese words TaoTe (as in the name of the book Tao Te Ching) is a direct translation into Chinese from the Sanskrit word Tantra meaning “the Path and the Goal”, the Path being part of the Goal, and the Goal being part of the Path.

During this time I was a double Major student in the University. My two subjects were Nuero-Immunology and Cosmology. I found that when one studies the ancient Tantric philosophies, the secrets contained within work in perfect harmony with all of the information appearing in modern astrophysics and bio-chemistry. Eventually I decided to move to India and throw myself into the study of the ancient texts entirely. I found that there are no aspects of human life, social, economic or political, which have not already been touched upon, and very thoroughly at that, by the ancient seers. In fact, all of the social dilemmas which humanity is facing today had already been elucidated upon and solidly solutions derived thousands of years ago.

Proudly I may say that neither am I theistic nor am I atheistic, the truth, I find lies somewhere in between these two extremes. This I find to be the beauty of Indian philosophy, it is so mysterious and impossible to put in words, but yet, so practical, down-to-Earth, and all embracing at the same time. As it says in the first line of the Tao Te Ching, “The Way which can be spoken is not the true Way,” we find that the moment we open our mouths to speak about this middle path, we end up falling into one extreme or the other. It is both humbling and empowering to come to know.

Although some people have made the argument that the adaptation to an omnivorous diet was a necessary step in the ability of early hominids to get “out of Africa”, it is clear that the shift back to a pure vegetarian diet in the ancient tribes of India allowed for the next step in human evolution. Thanks to this and to the development of the practice of meditation around 13,000 years ago, advances such as the agriculture, civilization, and philosophy took place. Humanity is still waiting to catch up to the evolutionary leaps of the ancient Indian saints. As Albert Einstein once said, "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."  And another quote from his good friend Rabindranath Tagore, “We manage to swallow flesh only because we do not think of the cruel and sinful thing that we do. If only we do not allow our heart to grow callous, its protest against cruelty is always clearly heard…”

Despite of the vicious attacks of the Aryan invasion to India some 11,000 years ago and the Mogul invasion some 500 years, the true peaceful spirit of the Indian has never died. It is no wonder that so many of the great Western thinkers were able to discover the secret treasures hiding deep with the India philosophy. It is when we finally stumble upon philosophy that eventually our minds will open up to meditation and the non-violent lifestyle, and through this means we will be able to guide humanity out of all the confusions we are in today. The Modern scientists like Niels Bohr, Heisenberg, Julius Robert Oppenheimer, Erwin Schrodinger also great owe their achievement to the wisdom of Upanishads and Vedas.

I would especially like to thank Salil Gewali for his amazing compilation “What is India?” containing the quotes and opinions of the front-ranking modern scientists,  philosophers and writers. These world renowned scholars not only got fascinated by Indian wisdom but drew a great deals of ideas from there.  I salute the compiler’s patience in accumulating those quotes which would in future serve to be a gateway to inspiration and knowledge. I hope that more people will find this book as a stepping stone to launch into the world of spirituality and the development of a true loving compassion for humanity besides deep scientific researches.

Laredo, TX 78045

‘What is India?’, a book of quotation compiled by Salil Gewali is actually the most commendable attempt to present the views of various intellectuals giants of the world about India and her classical literature. The views given by these intellectuals will actually help readers to understand India in right perspective and will also dispel the misconception of scholars and to make a factual and actual estimate of India’s contribution to the modern world of science and technology. An international acclaimed NASA scientist  Prof. A. V. Murali, says -- “ 'WHAT IS INDIA' is simply outstanding!  I never knew that such a compilation exists and we all should be thankful to Salil Gewali!  These great quotes should be embossed (on plaques) and displayed on the walls of our Parliament, State Assembly Halls, and at all our educational institutions.   Most importantly, the material should be made a compulsory reading for all  the school students --- elaborating  more on ' who is who' and the monumental contributions of these intellectual giants.”

About the Author

Salil Gewali was born in Shillong, among four brothers and three sisters. An MA (English), he is married with two kids, his wife is a Hindi teacher in Arya Kanya Vidyalaya, Shillong, Meghalaya, and is also the founder president of Ekta Mahila Samity – a social organization. Salil’s father Krishna Prasad Gewali was a renowned essayist.

The Book

The book ‘What is India?’ is a compilation of quotes by famous intellectual personalities on ‘India’ – which they consider as the cradle of human race and land of perfect wisdom and spiritual knowledge. The book was released by Meghalaya Governor, RS Mooshahary at the Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture this April. Salil says, “I want to highlight and bring to knowledge how great India was, the vast diversified knowledge it offers and how it is just forgotten, now.” Salil who was a science student in his pre-university years later switched over to arts because of his patriotic trait and spiritual bent had come across the works of great poets and philosophers like TS Elliot, Ralph Emerson, David Thoreau, Walt Whitman among others which have influenced him to Indian philosophy. He says, TS Elliot’s ‘The Waste land’ which later became world famous poem was actually inspired by Upanishads and so does, David Thoreau’s ‘Walden – an American Classic, the work that stir the ascetic soul of Mahatma Gandhi even.

“These intellectuals were all well versed in the Vedas and Upanishads and was hugely inspired by Indian philosophy,” says Salil whose book ‘What is India’ actually stands testimony to this fact. “These personalities relationship with Indian philosophy have actually given me the inspiration and encouragement to delve more into Indian philosophies,” says Salil adding “these philosophers have also acknowledged the fact that knowledge is in the east and not in the west.”

“My interest in Indian philosophy inspired me to turn into this venture as I was very keen in learning about the biographies of great philosophers and scientists  like J. Robert J Oppenheimer – “The Father of the Atomic Bomb” among many others,” says Salil. He cites the reference to the Trinity test in New Mexico, where Oppenheimer’s Los Alamos team first tested this bomb where he famously recalled the Bhagavad Gita, “If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one,” and “now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” He further quotes Oppenheimer who said, “Knowledge and wisdom of India can be utilized in many ways which is beyond time and as experienced by scientists, philosophers, scholars and others.”

Salil started collecting quotes for the about last ten years and compiled them in the last two years. He says, “I actually came across a booklet on Indian philosophy and started exploring more into the subject matter, which has helped me to get an insight and encouragement,” adding the internet and books also helped him in his works. “Whatever is truth, enlightening and beneficial to mankind, I tried to portray the richness of Indian philosophies, values and ethics in my book,” says Salil which has inspired the literary scholars of the world. “My intention is not to earn money or fame but this book is for all those who do not know about this great country, whereas the western world knows much more about this country,” he reasoned behind the compilation of this book. “The words and quotations of the great people have inspired me and I thought they should be compiled for the benefit of all,”

         

         He says further. The concept of nuclear science, radium, electricity, DNA code and what else have all their origins in the Vedas and Upanishads, as Ella Wheeler Wilcox, American most celebrated Poetess and Journalist said,  “India – the land of Vedas, the remarkable works contains not only religious ideas for a perfect life, but also facts which science has proved true. Electricity, radium, electronics, airship, all are known to the seers who founded the Vedas.”

Werner Heisenberg--- co-founder of Quantum Physics,  T. S. Eliot --- great American writer, Friedrich Hegel, Julius Robert Oppenheimer--- Father of atomic bomb, Ralph Emerson, Henry David Thoreau--- one of the greatest American writer, Erwin Schrödinger--- father of Quantum mechanics, had drawn their intellectual nourishment and inspiration from Indian Classical Literature.

On asking the author about his views on what is India, the author says, “Most secular for all ages, which is timeless.” The former Minister of Education, Manas Chaudhuri, Government of Meghalaya who penned the foreword in the book besides a message by Dr. Pramod Tandon, VC, NEHU alongside friends and well wishers like Dr Dr. Prem Saran, IAS, S. Murthy Divakaruni, USA, Dr. (Prof) Damodar Thakur, Yemen, encouraged him in his project of compilation. The designing of the front cover and raising the book to its final shape is the work of the author himself.

His next task is to upgrade this book, which has sold more than 15000 thousand copies already. He says, “Various intellectual from across the world have appreciated his work immensely.

 The book is in circulation not only here but also in mainland India besides Europe and America. Now the book is going to be published from USA also. A  great US based writer Prof Chitra Divakaruni says:  "Salil Gewali has lovingly compiled an excellent set of quotations that illustrate how highly great thinkers from all over the world valued Indian spiritual culture and how it transformed their lives. An inspirational read that reminds us of our amazing ancient heritage and why we need to incorporate it into our lives as modern Indians." Ms  Divakaruni, is world famous for  her famous novel, The Mistress of Spices was released as a film directed by Paul Mayeda Berges  starring  Aishwarya Rai  and Dylan McDermott.

"We all must congratulate Salil Gewali for bringing out such a wonderful booklet containing the quotes of the world renowned intellectuals on Vedas, Upanishads and the Gita which are in appreciation about the supremacy of the Indian wisdom. The youth of today should be wholly aware these great quotes so that they will have better appreciation of our Indian culture, tradition and heritage." Writes Dr. D. Swaminadhan, a prominent scientist, UNESCO International Consultant, Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.

By Rajib Roy