The Deepak Chopras and Eknath Easwarans have done a great service in calling attention to ancient scriptural wisdom that is in danger of being forgotten.
And now there is a new kid on the block. Robin Sharma, a popular media personality in the US, who runs an institute that, conducts leadership and life-enrichment programmes and has authored several books on related subjects.
His latest foray ‘The Monk who sold his Ferrari’ unravels the miraculous transformation of successful but overworked lawyer, Julian Mantle who, having reached atop the success ladder suddenly stops to take a long look the life he is leading.
His search for spiritual solace takes him to India, to the Sages of Sivana where he drinks from the fountain of higher knowledge and unlocks the secret of youthful vitality.
‘The Monk…’ imaginatively reiterates the ancient truths of Sivanan philosophy in a very forceful manner. The Monk…. effectively expresses ancient truths in a modern idiom.
Sample a few messages from this book: “There are no mistakes, only lessons”, or “Life pretty much gives you what you ask from it. It is always listening”, or again, “Stop spending so much time chasing life’s big pleasures while you neglect the little ones”, and so on.
This is one book that perhaps the corporate-variety or the workaholics would do well to read, along with their ‘One minute manager’ or ‘Think and grow rich’ handbooks.
Julian Mantle could well be their alter-ego.
The book has interesting fables and innumerable anecdotes, but one attributed to ‘ancient India’ is suspiciously similar to Oscar Wilde’s, “The Selfish Giant’.
Having said it all, I’ll say book is a stimulating read.
Wisdom Revisited
A tale of a modern man’s discovery of the transforming power ancient wisdom
