A Search in Secret India

There are Yogis and there are Jnanis. Yogis, are able to detach themselves from the world at will and gain control over their mind enough to attempt and acquire union with God, Goodness, Soul, Spirit, at will. The last phrase, 'at will' is the catch. Yogis still have their ego (will) in tact. Their accomplishments may feed and enlarge this ego rather than help them see its illusoriness and get rid of its hold. I had the impression that Yogis are ultimately evolved souls, but this book clearly showed that there are Yogis of different levels of enlightment. A Yogi can gain enormous powers of concentration and become a master of subjects he chooses- even human subjects. He or she may seem and talk and act like an enlightened master (eg Osho), but the veil of Unreality ultimately will catch him or her. The difficulty with the Yogic path is, and most likely thing to happen, is that one could 'slip' and settle for being a guru or a miracle-worker and thus become bound deeper into a happy, all powerful sense of ego. Paul Brunton gives many many examples of such people and stays clear of them. As you read the story of his experiences, you unconsciously internalize the intellectual honesty and quest for Truth. He then meets a few Jnanis - more than one is in here. His meetings with Sage of Kanchi and the Maharshi are the satisfying climax of his Quest. But he also meets very many jnanis - at least two more in Madras (read the one with the outhouse meditator) and an astrologer in Kasi. A Jnani is one who has understood the Reality of how World is put together and what the Mind is and how the only truth is Pure Awareness that permeates everything all the time. This understanding of the truth, not Yogic practices, characterize the spontaneity of a Jnani. Even though the original word Yogi means 'one who is united with God', it is currently being applied to practitioners of Yoga and in general, aspirants, which is why the distinction of yogi and Jnani is made here to point out that make sure to look for a Jnani (one who has attained the understanding of reality) and not to settle for other Gurus - who may be aspirants along the path little farther from us. Even though a saint and a yogi will eventually attain this Wisdom, it is very important to remember that they are on the path and have to be treated cautiously - for their ability to mislead us. Searching for a guru, it has been said, is like a blind person trying to judge whether his helper can see. If he could say that, he does not need a helper. Reading this book, the detailed and objective style of which is very characteristic of last century British writing, you can actually re-live a journey in 1900s India or even rural india of today and gain a sense for clarifying your own quest. THAT, is a rare thing, and the most important. First introduced to this book by a friends father, I have come back to the book once every two to three years over the last 20 years, each time I have felt t

When Paul Brunton decided to take up a long journey into mystical India in search of its secret spirituality he must have had a genuine urge to study Indian spirituality. The thirst to get a real `Darshan' of a true yogi. He had something more than a journalists' inquiring mind. During his days India was ruled by Gora (white) Sahibs and the Indian treasure in terms of its spirituality, herb medicines, yoga etc. lay hidden from the world. The world was just amazed by the new scientific inventions taking place in the west. Indians themselves had begun doubting their ancient systems and methods. To set his foot in India in those times to discover its hidden mysticism is quite commendable. Paul Brunton lands in Bombay from where he begins his mystical experiences and travels south in search of a true yogi. His experiences which he jots down in very lucid English are a pleasure to read.

This book describes oneof the most remarkable truelife spiritual adventuresever composed. Brunton'stravels in British India lead him to numerous remarkable gurus until, at last he experiences Enlightenment. Reminiscentof Hesse's Siddhartha insome respects, A Search InSecret India is on anotherlevel because it is fact, not fiction.

This is an excellent book based on the experiences of the author, Paul Brunton, an Englishman, who toured India in the first half of the 20th century. The author's narrative is in the first person and he takes us with him as he journeys through India seeking the answer to the meaning of life. In the end, he seems to have found what he was searching for. The book "My Father's Guru", by J. M. Masson which attempts to belittle Paul Brunton, instead reveals the egotism of Masson, who, rather than treat Brunton's ideas objectively, only aims to find fault with Brunton for nothing other than being excessively kind.

Dr.Paul Brunton visits India in the early part of this century in search of yogis and mystics. He was fortunate to meet some true saints and finally he reaches his master, Maharishi (The great sage) Ramana of Arunachala (The red mountain) and finds what he came for. This book is a sincere account of a rational and skeptical westerner who was very impartial, but had the guidance of light from God which apparently moved in in the right direction. This book can serve as a lighthouse for both westerners and even the young Indians of this age who can appreciate what they are gifted with than anybody else in the world