While looking at ‘The Yogic Nectar: Spiritual Wisdom for Self Awareness’ by India’s celebrated scholar and philosopher, Dr. Satish K Kapoor, I am reminded of Lala Hardyal’s seminal work ‘Hints for Self Culture’ which provided a philosophic foundation to the young readers of early fifties and sixties. This work by Dr. Kapoor appears to me to be a spiritual parallel of that work, which can be a hand book for the readers which might lead them into the heart of Indian philosophy. Dr. Kapoor is by profession an acknowledged voice in the field of history, but he is equally known for his spiritual nuggets in newspapers, and his writings on Hindu philosophy. A Panjab University ( Chandigarh) gold medalist and record holder in History, and an ex-British Council Scholar at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, he has to his credit, eight books, twenty chapters in scholarly works, and nearly one thousand articles, research papers and book-reviews in magazines, newspapers and scholarly journals. With this versatility, Dr. Kapoor has come to belong to the upper echelons of scholars on Indian history, culture and religion, and is reckoned among well known spiritualists of our times.
Spirituality begins where rationality ends. It is rooted in faith in the creative forces. According to Dr. Kapoor, the world is a representation of various combinations of the five elements, but human intelligence fails to grasp who teaches a seed to sprout? This is the limitation of human knowledge to access the philosophic and spiritual truth. Nature has imparted Essential Intelligence [EI] to every being. Just think, can a seed of apple bear bananas unless tampered in a lab? The natural course, in which natural objects work and never deviate from their destined course, is what I call Essential Intelligence. Spirituality is an extension over this essential intelligence of man, to build on the essence and super essence of the superior relationships with the creator and the creation.
According to Dr. Kapoor,“The spiritualist, wants to understand who he really is – a transient being on the planet earth or something more of eternal value? What is the purpose of life or man’s final destiny?” When man finds an answer to this question, he realizes that he is not just the body and mind, but pure consciousness, and then he strives to connect with the higher self within, to arrive at the Cause of causes. The quest for reality results in discovery of the Self.”
It appears this quest for the self carries an inbuilt dichotomy. In order to find your Self within, you have to undertake a journey into the heart of creation, and only then, you can realize what your Self ultimately is.
Yoga is, primarily, the science of spirituality focusing on finer aspects, like moral and ethical values, sense-control, concentration, and meditation.The author provides a comprehensive view of Yoga and spirituality, taking into account the chakra-s (whirling energy centres) of the subtle ( or non-physical) body, the classical yoga of Patanjali and other yoga-s like, Karma (action), Bhakti ( devotion), and Jnana ( knowledge), the use of mudra-s (gestures) in contemplation practices, and the benefits of meditation. It explains how to link the body, breath and the mind, gain victory over senses, divinize one’s actions, arouse the kundalini power, and be one’s true self. The obstacles in the yogic path can be overcome through inner discipline, right knowledge, satsanga(true association), swadhyaya(self-study), japa(repetition) of the divine name, and dhyana (meditation). The author also delineates the spiritual concepts like the law of divine grace, the fourth dimension of being, and the art of dying while being alive etc.
Yoga is essentially an Indian brand of spirituality. And this book provides valuable insights and information which can make it more popular, connecting it with the spiritual well being of the universe. This work is a culmination of Dr. Satish K. Kapoor’s literary journey and a milestone of spiritual questing, which will make Tsunami’s in the spiritual world, I believe. This quote from Gheranda Samhita [I.4] sums up the book’s spiritual message to the universal readership:‘ There is no fetter like illusion (ignorance); there is no greater friend than wisdom and no enemy worse than egoism.’
Dr. Jernail Singh Anand
Indian Poet and Philosopher
Seneca Award Laureate
President,
International Academy of Ethics.
Email: anandjs55@yahoo.com
Chandigarh: 13 Jan 2025.
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A seminal critique and understanding of Indian Spiritualism and Philosophy.
Dr. Jernail delves very effortlessly into the depths of our Indian Ethos and Consciousness
Prof. Dr. Laksmisree Banerjee