The freethinker’s

     Prayer Book

  And some words to Live by

     Author- Khushwant Singh

           A review by Rajesh Chandra

          

             Its an agnostics  peep into the spiritual sphere. Khushwant Singh, the dirty old mischievous man, as he likes himself to be portrayed as, reveals an entirely different persona, who has a penchant for beyond the horizon.

            This book comes from a man who is in his 90’s and staring into death's eyes boldly, fully contended, not scared of an eternal hell waiting to burn him or enthusiastic about heavenly afterlife.

            The agnostic in him appreciates the magic of poetry, aphorism, songs and maxims from the stalwarts of the spiritual world. He has shared this space with the mavericks, founders of religions, mystics, philosophers, messiahs, prophets, saints, statesmen, Poets, Avatars , across religion, geography and timeline.

            The collection spans over many years recommended by his friends, visitors, inspired from books and other sources.

The book is divided into four parts-

1.The Books and other Holy Texts.

2. Prophets, mystics and Saints.

3. Philosophers, Poets and other Wordsmiths.

4. One Last Miscellany

            The book starts with a rationale for agnosticism and a mild critique of religions as they have become prescriptive, intolerant, violent and prejudiced. Apart from the outer hard shell of exclusiveness, religions still share some common thread of spiritual and moral moorings

            Khushwant traverses from the hymns of the Rig Veda, Upanishads, Bible, Quran, Guru Granth Sahib, Avesta to the poems of Keats, Maxims of Kabir, Hafiz, Manzur, Mahavira, Victor Hugo, Oscar Wilde, Tagore, Khalil Gibran, Confucius and many more thinkers and philosophers.

                              Some of my favourite maxims that find a space here are:-

                  

                                    He whose mind is free from anxiety in the face of suffering,

             Who is indifferent to pleasure as to pain

             Who is beyond passion ,fear, anger and hate

             He alone is the most excellent sage.

             *** The Bhagvad Gita ***

                   Whosoever destroys a soul,

                It is considered as if he destroyed an entire world.

                And whosoever saves a life,

                It is considered as if he saved an entire world.

                 *** Hillel the Elder ***

                     If God has spoken,

           why is the universe not convinced?

             *** Percy Byssche Shelley ***

                     Is God willing to prevent the evil but not able?

               Then he is not omnipotent.

                Is he able but not willing ?

                Then he is malevolent.

                Is he both willing and able?

               Then  whence cometh evil ?

                Is he neither able nor willing?

               Then why call him a God

                 *** Epicurus***

                           He that gives should never remember.

                     He that receives should never forget.

                    *** The Talmud ***

                The author has penned down his own life codes with an emphatic emphasis on  Ahimsa or non violence. Many of the universal quotes can be found scattered on the internet. But Khushwant's  lucid presentation of  insightful  precepts through the eclectic poetic words of mystics, mavericks, eccentrics and poets will be a inspiration, entertainment and treat to the discerning readers.

                Enjoy the different role of the grand old man of Indian literature in an entirely new version.

*** Rajesh Chandra ***