What makes Dhruv S Kaji’s Vedanta Vignettes immensely engaging is the fluency and depth of his writing. The book, almost 250 pages long, is at once an introduction to Vedanta and at the same time an explanation of the paradigm of ancient Indic wisdom. Kaji got interested in Vedanta early in life. It is fascinating to read an account this discovery by a man who has accomplished so much in his life.
Vedanta Vignettes also contains selections from Kaji’s notes written over a period of time. This is particularly refreshing because you get the sense of an evolution – from his understating of the concept in the initial days to now, developing the ability to pen a whole book on the topic. Another fascinating aspect of the book is that it approaches the subject of Vedanta rationally. This becomes the perfect course because that’s how anybody new to the concept will approach it.
Kaji addresses pertinent questions through his book – ‘Do all religions teach the same thing’, ‘Is there life after death’, ‘How challenging is the understanding of Vedanta’; what they do is create a sense of belief in the readers about the accessibility of these concepts. That these may be complex topics but are worthwhile if one chooses to explore them.
There is an interesting bit in the book where Kaji talks about his eagerness to introduce the concept of Vedanta to his friends and colleagues only to be dismissed by them. When he spoke about this to Swami Tadatmananda, pat came the reply: “We’re the queer ducks, not them.”
Instances like these should be enough to repudiate the assumptions that people have about concepts and ideas attached to religion and the gurus who teach them.
Kaji argues that Vedanta has become relevant now more than ever because consumerism and materialistic needs overpower our perception of a good life. However, he points out that it is not against wealth creation.
The author lays particular emphasis on the need for a learned guru under whose guidance one needs to proceed. Nevertheless, this book comes across as second to none when it comes to gaining a basic understanding of the concept. The writing is lucid and easy to read. There is extensive research that the author has conducted over a period of years. These experiences and learning bore fruit in Vedanta Vignettes making Vedanta a revelation and an exploration at the same time.
The book is available on Amazon.in and Flipkart.
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