Monthly Archives: May 2023

Elephantine March [Free Verse]

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2 
The herd is on the march.

They lumber with slow
      determination. 

The young achieve   
       playful swagger,
        but aren't allowed
         too wide of the line. 

I wonder whether they're
       going someplace good?

Predator at Rest [Haiku]

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2 
from the shade
 of yonder trees,
  something watches.

DAILY PHOTO: Frankfurt Skyline

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BOOKS: The Mind of Adi Shankaracharya by Y. Keshava Menon

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The Mind of Adi ShankaracharyaThe Mind of Adi Shankaracharya by Y. Keshava Menon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amazon.in Page

This book does a good job of that at which the title hints, offering the reader insight into the philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya. Along the way, Menon presents clear descriptions of Indian philosophical concepts such as Maya, Avidya, Antahkarana, etc., and also compares and contrasts Shankaracharya’s philosophy with those of other philosophers (from both the East and West) as a means to clarify ideas that can be subtle and complex.

That said, what the book isn’t is an unbiased and objective look at Shankaracharya’s ideas. While Menon doesn’t go as far as to support the supernatural myths of Shankaracharya’s life (which are only discussed in the Appendix,) and he skirts that 800-pound gorilla of Hindu philosophic controversy, caste, he does present the philosophy as an advocate for Shankaracharya rather than as an indifferent scholar who merely wishes to deliver arguments and ideas while inviting thought among his readers.

While the book deals with epistemology, ethics, and various aspects of metaphysics, the biggest single subject is Self. I found the explanation of this topic to be fascinating. I had previously understood that among the major differences between Shankaracharya and Buddha was on this question. While I still find the Buddhist approach to Self (or, more properly, lack of Self — i.e. Anatta) to be the more compelling and parsimonious explanation, I feel that I was provided with about as clear an explanation of the Hindu (generally) and Shankaracharyan (specifically) views on Self as one could wish for.

I’d recommend this book. If you’ve come away from reading about subjects like “Maya” (Is it illusion? Is it NOT illusion?) this book can definitely help offer clarification, and (as books on philosophy go) it’s readable and not too jargon-laden. That said, if one is looking for a book that is not advocating a philosophy but, rather, objectively providing ideas and contrasting explanations, this book may bias your views.

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Little Yellow Flowers [Haiku]

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4 
i look beyond,
 but see only the flowers
  in the foreground.

DAILY PHOTO: Patong Beach

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The Fall [Lyric Poem]

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Rome fell,
     the Mongols & Ottomans, too.
 Great powers fall
     often sans much ado.
     
     [Psst! someday yours will, too.]

They can't help but crumble;
     the foundations get rot.
 And there's too much weight
     to bear, without spurring plots.

Plots and schemes and pandering, 
     all throughout the State.
 Forget those Barbarians, the threat 's 
     inside the gates.

BOOKS: The Slow Traveller by Jo Tinsley

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The Slow Traveller: An intentional path to mindful adventuresThe Slow Traveller: An intentional path to mindful adventures by Jo Tinsley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amazon.in Page

Out: June 13, 2023

This book, gorgeously illustrated with photographs, consists of a series of essays on a different approach to travel, an approach familiar to travelers but not so much to tourists, an approach that is the antithesis of leaping from one postcard panorama to the next, packing a couple weeks’ vacation with maximum sights seen.

Most of the chapters / essays look at a specific mode of travel – i.e. the road trip, hiking / pilgrimage, train travel, and water travel. However, a few of the chapters tack from different angles to look at local food-centric travel, sheltering with permanent structures like bothies and teahouses, and urban slow travel.

There are some interesting insights in this book, it has stunning photography, and I even picked up some book recommendations. If you’re interested in changing your approach to travel to go deeper / less broad, this book is worth reading.

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