Reviewed by Siddhi Palande
Blog: https://ofbookbabiesandmore.wordpress.com/
“You will be purified only if you are prepared to be annihilated,” writes author Paul Kalra in his latest book, Mool mantra the spiritual path to God.
This spiritual nonfiction is only about 160 pages long and spread across 10 chapters. In these 10 chapters, Kalra discusses and delves into the Mool Mantra – Ek Onkar. He tells us how all encompassing this word Onkar is and throughout he shows us the path to God.
Attaining God or Godliness is no mean feat. To reach a level of calmness and understanding takes a lot out of you. Infact it requires you to start looking inward. It is only when you have annihilated the 5 vices- lust, wrath, greed, attachment and ego – from within you, you will come a step closer to meeting God. About Mool Mantra, the author explains, “The Mool Mantra described the attributes of God as one
absolute reality, ever true, only doer, one creator, fearless, all loving nonjudgmental, transcends time, without birth or beginning, self-existent and self-illuminating reality. These are attributes of our universe and God is another name for the universal reality.”
God may have different names, we may divide ourselves into different sects and castes, but it all comes down to worshipping one ultimate reality which is HIM. The day we understand this our spiritual journey begins. And this journey isn’t an easy one. It is wrought with the vices we discussed above. And it may look uncomplicated to overcome them but our human mind is a magnet that’s easily attracted to these vices; we spin a web of these vices around us that has us wrapped tightly. Getting out of these shackles and walking that spiritual path requires a lot more than can meet the eyes. It is therefore that we have saints talking to us in the most simplified terminologies time and again so that we leave behind this illusionary world and walk the path towards God.
Much like the saints of the past, author Paul Kalra too explains the concepts in a simplistic manner. “Try to understand yourself a little and the way toward God will become clear,” he pens. Alongside he reiterates multiple stories of Saints like Kabir Das ji, Guru Nanak ji, Jesus Christ, Sant Eknath among others to help us understand these concepts better. Some of the folk tales which we haven’t read before are narrated in this book. As also the analogies given are quite involving and thought provoking. For instance, to make us understand the universal truth Kalra writes, “Energy is at the root of everything. The sages say the same thing; they agree with the scientists except for a slight difference of language. Sages have come to know that all existence is created out of sound, and sound is only an expression of energy. Existence, sound, and energy—all are one.” About persistently evolving, he says, “The basic fact is that the wave that is now, after a moment, no longer will be; nor did it exist a moment ago. What was formed and then destroyed is now no more than a dream. Everything that comes and goes is a dream. Each wave is but a dream; the ocean is the reality. The waves are many, the
ocean only one.”
Author speaks bitter truth but subtly. There’s lightness of feather in his words. “Whatever he has given you, he has given freely, and you have given nothing in return.” Throughout the book you see the author explaining minutest concepts like what is a prayer or the patience of God. About praying he writes, “Prayer is not begging, but an expression of gratitude for what is already received. Prayer of another kind, when you go to the temple to ask for something, is a false prayer.” About God’s patience he says,
“Every morning the sun and its beams knock at your door and your door is closed. The sun will not force his way in. He will wait. It never happens that he will be angry and turn back. Whenever the door opens, he will come in.”
All the concepts, the author expands on are interconnected and you see a beautiful confluence of the same throughout the narrative. There’s an undeniable truth in the words you read. Author stresses on importance of silence and contemplation, of understanding the truth which is HIM, love which is HIM, serving HIM, and being content and compassionate which are the easiest paths that lead to HIM. He shows us the true relationship between God and us – “Satisfaction has nothing to do with what you have. It has everything to do with your connections with the supreme law—not your worldly attainments, but your relationship with God.”
To sum up, this tiny book is a book of life. If ever you wish to embark on this quest to understand your inner self, Mool Mantra is a book that will take you 10 steps closer to achieving your goal. When you are washed with that inner peace the glowup is eminent. This glowup will envelope you in an embrace so tight that you will illuminate the world around you. And this book will certainly help you understand how to. It’s certainly a beginner’s guide to spirituality, and also a book to pick up if you like reading spiritual non-fiction like me.
To buy this book, click – https://amzn.to/3exmRQo