Quest for knowledge.

Gathering knowledge is an intellectual quest but utilizing knowledge in one’s own life is entirely different thing. More often than not we come across the preachers, teachers, Gurus or such people who do not walk the talk. That is so common place. But to be so outrageous that to blurt out this hypocrisy, to a complete stranger is rather amazing.

There is a gentleman in the virtual world who claims (on you tube) that at the age of 41 he quit his day job and after distributing a part of his wealth, he decided to devote his life to Indology (Study of India and its history etc.) Spirituality and Hindu Dharma etc.

It appears that he is moderately successful with about 89 thousand followers on you tube where he mostly interviews specialists from various branches but relating to India. The subject could be Sanskrit or history of India but more frequently answering the Western Indologists twisting the history or Sanskrit translations. There are many (perhaps dozen) books also written by gentleman on variety of subjects debunking many western theories of India. Nice work.

The book which I read was too dry. It was like thesis. My presumption was that perhaps it was due to the fact that he was new but then I found out that he has already put in 26 years in it. The other book sample also revealed the same thing. This is what I call, lack of writing style. When I visit my own earlier books, I see it right there. But it also happens due to other reasons but that topic, some other time.

Another grievance of the gentleman voiced on youtube is that nobody joins him on debate and that publishers avoid his books. I agree it happens. Publishers do have lobbies. I have read a few stupid publications. The worst was Wendy Doniger’s “The Hindus” who could not find the core of Hinduism. The gentleman has also written a reply to that book as well. I have not read that.

Is this American way?

Gentleman has, on his Twitter handle has openly disclosed his email asking people to contact him on that handle. Therefore I wrote him, introducing myself and requested a meeting, whenever he visits New Delhi. BTW he is settled in USA but has mother is residing in Delhi. I had not expected a reply or at best I had expected that he will ask for specific details as to what I want to discuss. But to my surprise, I got this reply:

“I get 100s daily emails

Cant read everyone’s gyan.

Have my own guru already.

and too much work in pipeline to finish.

Pls say in short what you propose to do for my cause and what you want from me in a concrete way.  Short.

Thanks for your interest.”

Sweet vendor don’t eat sweets:

The Gentle man knows and refers to J. Krishnamurti as well, at one place.

Religion, philosophy and especially Indology, which is so full of spirituality actually humbles a person. It happened to me at least. Read Bhagwat Geeta, or that Sikh scripture “Sukhmani Sahib” or forget ancient read J.Krishnamurti’s Emancipation of Mind. The means can’t be different from the end.

But the common saying is that a sweet vendor does not consume sweets. The Gentleman is that vendor who has knowledge of philosophy but has ensured that he is not corrupted by it and he stays on the path of  his industry. A perfect automaton, as Gurdjieff will call him.