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Shiva to Shankara: Decoding the Phallic Symbol
Shiva To Shankara: Decoding The Phallic Symbol, written by Devdutt Pattanaik, is an attempt by the author to reconcile with the differences of opinion regarding the meanings and the varied symbolisms behind the Shiva linga and other practices associated with the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva. The book dives into the rituals, metaphysics, stories, and symbols associated with Shiva, and deciphers the meanings and references behind the various aspects of Lord Shiva. It differentiates between Shankara, the householder, and Shiva, the hermit. Shiva is often associated with alchemy and asceticism, and there are sexual references, especially in the phallic Linga, that are interpreted in different forms by different schools of Hinduism. The sexual connotations of the Shiva lingam, which is ensconced within the female reproductive organ that is represented by the Yoni, is dealt with in this book. The author, Devdutt Pattanaik, is a respected mythologist and an expert in Hindu mythology. He was born in the year 1970, on December 11, and graduated from a medical school before he took up Comparative Mythology. Pattanaik is well-known for integrating the wisdom from Indian mythology into management practices. He has many books to his credit, including Shiva: An Introduction, 7 Secrets of Shiva, Fun in Devlok: Shiva Plays Dumb Charades, and The Book Of Ram.
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Miracles Happen: The Transformational Healing Powe
he New York Times bestselling author of Many Lives, Many Masters, Brian Weiss, delivers a powerful revolutionary teaching on the physical, emotional and spiritual healing available to all through embracing the reality of reincarnation. Miracles Happen is a remarkable teaching tool that can be used by all to improve their lives, to evolve along their spiritual paths, to experience more joy, love and happiness in the present moment, and to ultimately understand that there is no need to fear death as we are all immortal and innately spiritual beings; Many Lives, Many Masters. Dr Brian Weiss' conversion from skepticism towards reincarnation to confirmed belief has had a profound effect worldwide. Now Brian's readers complete the cycle as they explain how his works allowed them to understand the 'space between lives'. Each story is used to illustrate practical lessons for how you too can comprehend this revelation and draws upon Brian's and his daughter Amy's practices as past-life regression experts. Our past lives are the key to a blissful, secure future and this book is the ultimate guide from two of its top practitioners.
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River of Smoke
An absolute masterpiece of twenty-first century literature from the master storyteller In 1838, the Ibis, carrying a cargo of convicts and labourers, falls victim to a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal. Among the survivors are Neel, a pampered raja charged with embezzlement; Paulette, a French orphan masquerading as a deck-hand; and Deeti, a widowed poppy grower fleeing India with her lover. Also caught in the storm is Anahita, owned by the wealthy Parsi merchant Bahram Modi, which holds the largest consignment of opium ever to leave India. And the Redruth, which carries Frederick Penrose, a horticulturist determined to track down China's rare and priceless plants. They will all converge in Canton, on the edge of China, as the Opium War begins to rage.
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The Naive and the Sentimental Novelist
What happens within us when we read a novel? And how does a novel create its unique effects, so distinct from those of a painting, a film, or a poem? In this fascinating set of essays, based on the talks he delivered at Harvard University as part of the distinguished Norton Lecture series, Pamuk presents a masterful theory of the novel. Drawing on Friedrich Schillers famous distinction between nave writers those who write spontaneously and sentimental writers those who are reflective and aware Pamuk reveals two unique ways of processing and composing the written word. He takes us through his own literary journey and looks at the works of writers such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Stendhal, Flaubert, Proust, Mann, and Naipaul to describe the singular experience of reading. Unique, nuanced, and passionate, this book will be beloved by readers and writers alike.
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The Alchemy of Well-Being
Reach your inherent potential, by attuning yourself to you Each one of us wants to achieve excellence in whatever we do, but the first resistance we face may come from within ourselves. We prevent ourselves from doing our best, reaching our intrinsic worth and feeling truly well within. The key to lasting well-being is finding our accordance with self, i.e, removing our internal resistance and acting in harmony with ourselves. But how? Only our original solution (originating from within us) can provide this accordance. This practical guide, based upon nine years of research, with more than four thousand client visits, shows: Why accordance with self is a must for lasting well-being W Why only your original solution provides this accordance for you W Wnd how you build your original solution easily, from inside out
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P.S. I m Pregnant
If her landladys cat hadnt gone missing and Connor Brody had bothered to return her messages asking for help in the search, Daisy Dean wouldnt have been sneaking around his garden at night and he would never have caught her in her underwear! But Connors quite pleased with his scantily clad intruder. His business deal is about to fall through because the trophy wife of a potential US investor fancies him maybe Daisy could make it up to him by accompanying him to NYC? Sharing a Portobello Road market stall with Daisy, Junos been hearing all about Connors brother Mac. A Hollywood actor with a shocking reputation. So when he turns up unexpectedly at a wedding, Juno plans to act all aloof. But the best laid plans often go awry! Suddenly shes front page news and the only place to hide out is Macs LA pad.
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Shadow Bound
After weeks spent paying for betraying the boss she’s bound to, Kori Daniels is done with Jake Tower and his syndicate. But they’re not done with her. Tower has a new task for her--a chance to prove her loyalty--but Kori knows this assignment may be her only chance to free both herself and her sister Kenley. For good. The job? Recruit Ian Holt- or kill him. Ian Holt knows he’s being courted by the Tower syndicate and that Kori’s been sent to reel him in, but he has no intention of actually being caught, by her or the syndicate. Ian is an independent--sworn to serve only himself--and he’s only pretending to be recruitable so he can breach Tower’s practically impregnable security. His goal? Free most of those unwillingly bound to Tower by killing his top Binder, Kenley Daniels--Kori’s little sister. Instantly attracted to each other in spite of opposing goals, both Kori and Ian fight a connection they cannot deny. But when that initial chemistry grows into something stronger and deeper, they’ll be forced to choose between love and liberty--or they can risk everything for the chance to have it all
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The Arsonist
The game has just begun. It’s impossible to douse the fire... Once he solved the Nero case, arson investigator Michael Gannon blasted out of town on his motorcycle. No way would he return to the job, but his nightmares persisted. Gannon found some relief in a small Virginia town...until the fires started again. When evil strikes the match Back in the public eye, he had to face his demons and the incomparable Darcy Sampson, a feisty reporter who urged him out of hiding. But Gannon had to ask himself: What, or who, would it take to push him over the edge?
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UG Says
'I am not a Saviour of mankind. I am not in the holy business. I am only interested in describing this sate (the natural state) in clearing away the occultation and mystification in which those people in the holy business have shrouded the whole thing. May be I can convince you not to waste a lot of time and energy looking for a state which does not exist except in your imagination.' U.G. Krishnamurti. This,in a nutshell,explains U.G. Krishnamurti's philosophy in his own words. UG,as he is fondly called died on 22nd March 2007 at the age of eighty nine. This book is a compilation of his quotes,compiled by Arun Babani. An excellent handy book both for the admirers and the curious.
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Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920) was the first national leader of the Indian freedom movement who transcended provinces, communities, and languages to establish himself in the hearts of millions. Tilak was a fierce advocate of swarajya (self- rule) and his famous quote, 'Swarajya is my birthright, and I shall have it!' is well-remembered even today. Tilak's life touched millions. He was a warrior-hero and a scholar-philosopher, a man who lived a life of action with total selflessness in the pursuit of freedom for his motherland. He was a soul steady in reason, a sthithapradnya. As he stood, rock-solid and consistent amidst the ocean of turmoil, he earned the love and admiration of the people and came to be identified as Lokmanya, 'the admired one'. This book explores the multi-faceted personality of Bal Gangadhar Tilak-social reformer, scholar, and national leader-through the eyes of the people, convincingly portraying a man of the people and the people of his times.
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Gandhi - A Spiritual Journey
Beginning with his childhood and early years in South Africa, Gandhi: A Spiritual Journey explores the search for truth and the spiritual transformation of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Influenced by western thought in his youth, Gandhi underwent a deep inner conflict that drew him to the study of comparative religion. His experiments with spiritual ideas, derived from a living faith in God, led him to propagate the principles of ahimsa and satyagraha. Gandhi was as much in politics as he was in search of God and the desire for God-realisation was the mainspring of all his actions, both political and social. Could Gandhi have internalised his quest for God and still remained a leader of the masses? What is Gandhi's spiritual legacy that continues to inspire so many leaders across cultures? Can Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence address the ills of today's strife-torn world? This book examines Gandhi's spiritual ideology and traces his life-long journey in quest of truth that led him to conclude that Truth is God.
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India's Bismarck Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
As prime minister of Britain, Churchill had ordered the preparation of an imperial strategy with the intention of balkanising India and tightening Britain’s post-war hold over her. The strategy envisaged two Pakistans, one in the west and the other in the east, both large in size at India’s expense: the west to include the non-Muslim east Punjab; the east, the whole of Bengal (despite Hindus comprising almost half the population), and the predominantly Hindu Assam. Within her borders, India was to be balkanised with the creation of independent confederations of princely states. Attlee’s policy statement of 20 February 1947 was to implement the same, and Mountbatten was given the mandate to transfer power and quit India by June 1948, a date that was advanced to August 1947. However, Churchill’s imperial strategy was foiled by Patel. He stood in the way of transfer of power, unless Punjab and Bengal were divided. Fearing the loss of Congress cooperation, Mountbatten was forced to reach an agreement with Patel. Patel’s most significant gain was that Britain would not interfere in the settlement with the princes. This enabled Patel to integrate over 560 princely states in a period of about18 months and helped him to create a united India. This book examines the extraordinary contribution of Sardar Patel, from his unflinching support to Gandhi’s satyagrahas and the Indian freedom struggle, to his farsighted and courageous approach in building a strong, integrated India.
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Hindusim : Triumphs and Tribulations
Sanatana Dharma,which later came to be known as Hinduism,goes back at least five thousand years.In the course of its long journey through the centuries,it evolved,transformed,flourished and sometimes floundered.A succession of invasions by foreign powers significantly changed the ancient culture,in many ways contributing to it s richness and at the same time damaging and redefining it. In this honest and introspective study of the history of Hinduism,the author analyses it s strengths and weaknesses,and addresses it s contradicitions through contemporary eyes.He traces the origins of negative practices like untouchability and casteism that have crept into Hindu society.Debating the issue of conversion in India,he examines the nature and meaning of secularism in a multi-religious society.This book helps to clarify many misconceptions about Hinduism.
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Corruption And the Lokpal Bill
Its recent times there has been outrage at the brazen corruption, impunity and economic imbalance in our society. It has been marked by an expression of public anger against those in power. The Lokpal movement has seen, for the first time, India's people on the streets, in the courts, and inside the Parliament, working man issue that aims to make India a better place. The middle classes, so far fairly silent on the episodes of corruption, have become Incite outspoken. If corruption has to be tackled effectively; a lot depends on the pressure that the people are able to bring to beacon the political class. This book takes a look at corruption from the times of Kautilya and traces its history in our times. It assesses the journey of a measure intended to fight corruption and what happens to it in the power play of politics. Which way will this go? The Lokpal movement is just the beginning. Are we, as responsible citizens, fully aware of what the struggle against corruption involves? The outcome of this struggle concerns us all. Are we doing enough to cage the monster of corruption ? Or will we let it continue to overwhelm us with its sheer size and brutal presence? About The Author M. V. Kamath eminent writer, columnist and journalist, is the author of over 45 books. Born in 1921, he started his career in journalism in 1946. He was the correspondent at the United Nations for the Press Trust of India, and in Bonn. Paris and Washington for the Times of India. He was also editor of free press Journal and later of the Illustrated Weekly of India. A prolific writer, Mr. Kamath is the author of numerous biographes and books , which include The pursuit of Excellence, B.G. Kher: The Gentleman premier, sai Baba of shirdi: A Unique Saint, and Nani A. Palkbirala: A life. In 2004, Mr. Kamath was awarded the padma Bhushan by the Government of India. He has been given a D.Lit. (Honris Causa) by Mangalore University in 2007. He has been chairman of Vigyan Prasar. He was chairman of Prasar Bharathi, and is currently honorary director of the Manipal Institute of Communications. He lives in Manipal,Karnataka. Gayatri Pagdi is a full-time writer, translator, editor and professional ghostwriter of books. A published author in the UK, her work has also been included in The South Asian Literary Review brought out by the University of Pittsburgh, USA, as promising contemporary south Asian writer and poet. She has received an acknowledgment front the prestigious Sahitya Akademi in India. Pagdi has worked on several biographies of historical and spiritual figures as also books on Indian culture, belief and history. Her areas of interest are culture & history; anthropology of belief and practices and the esoterics. She is based in Mumbai.
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Spiritual Masters: The Buddha
The Buddha,Siddhartha Gautama,livedand taught over 2500 years ago.His teachings comprised some of the highest moral philosophy then known to man and appealed to the rational and the poetic mind alike.He led a remarkable life,travelling and teaching ceaselessly for forty five years after attaining enlightenment.Today,Buddhism is one of the world's most widely practiced religions,drawing followers from lands far away from the place of birth of Buddha. In this book,three men narrate the story of the Buddha's life.One is his son and disciple,Rahula.Another is King Bimbisara's charioteer,Triguna,who is a creature of fiction.The third narrator is ananda,a cousin and disciple of the master and later,his attendant.As they proceed with the narration,their understanding of Master's Teching deepens,enabling each one to achieve his own transformation.
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Spiritual Masters: Saibaba
Sai Baba of Shirdi is one of the most well known spiritual Masters of India.He belongs to the brotherhood of saints who crossed the barrier of caste and creed and spoke the language of love.He taught the most profound philospophy and the greatest truths in a simple and forthright way. This book is a collection of stories portrayed through the eyes of laxmi,one of Baba's closest devotees.While material facts have been kept intact,an element of fiction has been introduced to weave events from his life into a narrative.The reader will be inspired to reflect on Baba's teachings.
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Confucius: A Biography
Confucius is one of the important figures in Chinese history, the philosopher-founder of an intellectual, ethical tradition that has shaped a quarter of the world's population. This work reveals Confucius to be an outspoken and uncompromising man, and places him within the context of China of 2,500 years ago.
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Spark
When your world implodes, who can you trust? Onboard the Empyrean - Seth is mysteriously released from his cell in the brig when an explosion rocks the ship. Kieran accuses Seth of causing the explosion but it has in fact been caused by a saboteur - a stowaway from the New Horizon - who is using Seth to cover his tracks. Waverly agrees to help Seth on his mission to find the stowaway, but is punished by Kieran for colluding with Seth. How will the thorny, passionate love triangle between Waverly, Seth and Kieran resolve itself?
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A Monster Calls
An extraordinary and moving novel about coming to terms with loss. Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that dont quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, theres a visitor at his window, but its not the one hes been expecting. This one is ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth. Best-selling novelist Patrick Ness takes the final idea of award-winning writer Siobhan Dowd whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself and weaves a tale of heartbreak, healing, and mischief, and above all, of the courage it takes to face the truth. About the Author Patrick Ness is the author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Chaos Walking trilogy. He has won numerous awards including the Costa and Galaxy Childrens Book Awards and the Carnegie Medal. He lives in London.
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The Mystery Of 2012
Are we truly coming to the end of a cosmic cycle? Will there be an age of awakening, a new step in human evolution, or even an end to the world we know? For years, archaeologists have known the Mayan calendar predicts this date as the end of an era on Earth. Yet today, more and more researchers, spiritual explorers, and even scientists are witnessing signs that 2012 will mark a critical shift in the history of our planet. Now, for the first time, the leading authorities on the 2012 phenomenon present their insights about this enigmatic date in a single book: The Mystery of 2012. Featuring articulate and lucid essays from dozens of renowned experts on the question of 2012, this invaluable anthology offers all the information necessary to examine the mystery from every angle - spiritual, economic, ecological, and scientific - and to decide for yourself whether 2012 will end with a whimper or a bang. In The Mystery of 2012, you will discover the startling predictions and revelations of prominent thinkers, including: John Major Jenkins' journey to the source for answers - the original Mayan calendar and the perennial wisdom it embodies. Gregg Braden's examination of the scientific evidence for a shift in the Earth’s magnetic field, and how it will affect all life. Daniel Pinchbeck's investigation of the shift of consciousness that will be necessary for humanity to survive 2012. What, if anything, is in store for us in 2012? Whether you are a skeptic, a true believer, or simply