The Lonavala Yoga Institute (India) has come out with the first comprehensive hardcover on the life of Swami Kuvalayananda. Authored by Manohar and Manmath Gharote, the book covers the biographical and philosophical aspects of the life of the Swami.Beginning with a section on `Changing Times', the chapters serve as a backgrounder to the times that Swamiji was born in. Dealing with the economic, political, educational and socio-religious conditions of the time, the section proves a valuable addition to the study.
Although, the authors say that very little is available on the Swami's early life, a lot has been collated from various sources. Chief among them is the Encyclopaedia of Biographical Sketches Of Modern Indian Personalities and the History of the Gune Family.
Once the early years are covered, the book launches off into the influences that shaped the Swami, chief among them being Lokmanya Tilak, Sri Aurobindo Ghose, Prof Manikrao and Paramhamsa Madhavadasa, among others.
Thereafter the book covers the birth of the Lonavala Yoga Institute, from its birth pangs to its subsequent growth.
``...Swami Kuvalayananda proposed:
To carry the biological tendency of the Western philosophy to its logical conclusion by tackling scientifically the highest states of human experience.To make the Western methods of laboratory methods of research reveal spiritual wonders.To develop the objective character of the Indian philosophy by subjecting the individual experiences of man to experimentation.''As both the authors have been intimately involved with the institute over the years, their first hand knowledge proves invaluable. While Manohar Gharote is presently working as the director of the institute, Manmath Gharote was born and brought up in Kaivalyadhama, Lonavala. Both have tried to ``isolate and identify all the factors of professional attainment and influence...'' of a person as Swami Kuvalyananda, which they feel ``is virtually impossible.'' In either case, they seem to have succeeded to a large extent.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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