Author:- Ramaswami Subramony
Publisher:- D.K. Printworld, 2011.
Price : 295/- 202 pp.
Reviewed By:
Dr. Vishwanath Bite. Chief Editor,
The Criterion: An International Journal in English ISSN : 0976-8165
Ramaswami Subramony was born in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala state, in 1976. His first book Frying Pan and Other Stories was published in 2009 by Frog Books, Mumbai, under the nom de plume Raja. He presently works as Assistant Professor in English at Madura College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
The Book is the philosophical narrative, brilliantly told is first person which begins with narrator’s decision to spend the third stage of ‘asramas’- Vanprastha in Madurai, the adobe of Goddess Meenakshi. The Tale reveals the nature of Vedanta philosophy and its significance in understanding the meaning of life and the strange nature of human condition in attaining peace and bliss in once own being and in contributing to harmony and integration in the country. The tale reminds readers that their roots are firm and united it and will certainly help in bringing harmony in the lives of modern citizens. The book is the result of Author’s scrupulous research about Vedanta philosophy. The unifying vision of Acharya Sankara is the focal point of the tale.
Paramahamsa seeks to focus on the relevance of Upanishadic India in our times. It will also be useful to spiritual seekers, who want to know about Advaita, Acharya Sankara and Acharya Abhinavgupta, Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi and the saints of the Advaitic tradition like Sadashiva Brahmendra. The Novel is a window to ancient Indian wisdom; to the perennial philosophy and its eternal relevance. Paramahamsa is essentially a metaphysical novel and follows the Sanskritic tradition in which focus is more on values. The reader can get from the book information about the Upanishads and their significance. A major part of the book deals with Kashmir because Kashmir was the major centre of learning before it fell to the Islamic sword in the fourteenth century. Through the travels of Paramahamsa Shivahari and Subbiah we are taken on a journey to the culture and philosophical heritage of south India.
I recommend this book to readers for its rich narrative and simple way of telling a complex story of Vedanta tradition. When I started reading the novel I thought it might be difficult to finish the book which deals with the philosophy we have almost forgotten, but when I finished the book I read it second time to enjoy the part is perhaps missed in the first reading. I
found this Novel a brilliant and bold attempt to depict Indian culture and bring to our notice what we had in the past which we have starting forgetting about.