Dharma Vision LLC

Review by Salaam Namaste Magazine

"One of the most difficult challenges that every Hindu parent living in western societies faces is how to educate their children about the complexities of Sanatana Dharma. With its multitudes of gods, numerous texts, hundreds of sampradayas, thousands of religious gurus and numerous regional, caste, and linguistic communities, Hinduism is perhaps the most fragmented religion in the world. One of the reasons for Sanatana Dharma aka Hinduism to be such is its open and accepting philosophy. Hence there is not one straightforward, black and white way by which one can explain all the tenets of Hinduism to children, teenagers, and young adults. This ambiguity in the faith often leads to fundamental questions in a teenager’s mind.

"This need to explain Hinduism to his teenaged son motivated Mysore Prakash, who hails from Mysore, Karnataka (South India) to write a novel drawing heavily upon certain historical incidents in India’s history. “More than four years ago, my son came to me and asked me how we related to God in Sanatana Dharma. As I progressed in formulating an answer to my son’s question, it occurred to me that the best way to explain the basic tenets of Sanatana Dharma to my teenage son was to write a novel set in ancient India and explain the tenets through the spiritual journey of the characters in the story,” writes the author who came to the United States in 1978 to pursue graduate studies at State University of New York at Buffalo where he received his Ph.D in 1981. Since then he has worked in the high-tech industry where he has held several technical and management positions in research and development, product management, and marketing.

"Set in ancient India just after Alexander’s invasion, The Courtesan and the Sadhu takes the reader through the spiritual journey of two seekers: Kautilya and Manu. The former is a highly learned and erudite Vedic scholar, whose life takes an unexpected detour, and he ends up building the Mauryan Empire. Although successful in re-establishing dharmic values in the Indian subcontinent and getting rid of the vestiges of Alexander’s invasion, he continues to have inner struggles about the path he has chosen. Manu, the other seeker, is an elite warrior in the Mauryan Army but ends up becoming a seeker of Truth at a young age. Disappointed in love, he tries to find answers to his spiritual questions, first as a Buddhist monk and later as a Sadhu. In this story, the author takes the reader through the intriguing journey of the two seekers as they finally overcome Mâya to reach Moksha (emancipation).

"The book starts off with Kautilya being asked by a Greek (Yavana) general to modify the Vedas and perform a yagna (Vedic ceremony) to praise his accomplishments. A completely angry Kautilya decides to take matters into his hands and seek help of the king of Pataliputra to chase the Yavanas out of the Arya land (India). “As Kautilya entered Pataliputra, he was surprised to see that it was much larger than he had imagined. It was a well-planned city with large boulevards and stately buildings. The city was bustling with commerce, and trade. There were stores stocked with expensive and fine jewelry, clothes, and furniture. Many stores were selling vegetables, grains, and wine. He could also see many dance halls, restaurants, and temples,” explains the author speaking about Kautilya’s journey.

"One of the most interesting facets of The Courtesan and the Sadhu of historical fiction is that apart from being an absorbing story, the book subtly teaches the readers about Hindu theology and scriptures. Written in the deceptively simple style characteristic of American writing Mysore Prakash effectively communicates the anger, insecurity, adventure, pains, fears, and wonderment the characters of the story. The author has taken pains to describe in exacting detail the various aspects of his story and how they relate to various aspects of the Sanatana Dharma and its all accepting philosophy. This book would be highly useful to all those people who wish to learn about Hinduism and its philosophy.

"“It is interesting to note that for Manu and Kautilya, Dharma without a Creator God was not acceptable, whereas for Chit-Ananda and Chandra Gupta, the existence of a Creator God was immaterial. What mattered to them was the spiritual experience in the material world. The greatness of people of Aryavarta is that they respect and honor all these paths with or without a Creator God,” concludes Mysore Prakash in the epilogue of his Magnum Opus." SalaamNamaste Magazine, January 2009.

"This is a fascinating story set in ancient India, conveying timeless truths that speak to readers from all cultures of our twenty-first century world. A delightful read indeed!...All in all, this is an excellent, moving, and religiously inspiring work that deserves wide readership. Again, thank you for allowing me this opportunity for a pre-publication review. " - Ruben L.F. Habito, Professor of World Religions and Spirituality, SMU, Dallas, Texas

“One of the most interesting facets of The Courtesan and the Sadhu … is that apart from being an absorbing story, the book subtly teaches the readers about Hindu theology and scriptures. Written in the deceptively simple style characteristic of American writing, Mysore Prakash effectively communicates the anger, insecurity, adventure, pains, fears, and wonderment (experienced by) the characters of the story…This book would be highly useful to all those people who wish to learn about Hinduism and its philosophy.” - SalaamNamaste Magazine, January 2009.

"This book takes the reader on an epic spiritual journey while weaving together several of the major religious traditions of India. The novel presents a compelling tale of vivid characters interacting across both time and geography. Set in Ancient India, the novel combines all of the requisites of good story-telling: adventure, romance, and a variety of lessons for achieving a happier existence. The book is accessible to readers of all levels and serves as a lively cultural introduction to South Asia. A delight for the reader who is seeking something both different and substantive." - Robert C. Wigton, J.D., Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Eckerd College St. Petersburg, FL

"'The Courtesan and the Sadhu' is a delightful read. As a young Indian-American, I was thrilled with how much it taught me about Hindu theology and scriptures. Not only was it a wonderful introduction to the religion, but it has also inspired me to go out and learn more about Hinduism. In addition, it is written in a crisp and clear style with a gripping narrative. After I finished each chapter, I couldn't wait to turn to the next one. " - Shivaprasad Nagaraj, Washington D.C.

"Set in the Mauryan period, “The Courtesan and the Sadhu” is a timeless story of faith, greed, ambition, love, disappointments, loyalty, betrayal and spiritual pursuits. The novel is gripping till the end with several unexpected turn of events. It is filled with many fascinating characters ranging from vivacious and complicated Chitralekha to brilliant Kautilya. Crafty plots, ambitious expeditions are described vividly and transport readers back in time, and the power of indoctrination of ancient laws over people is illustrated brilliantly." - Vijayashree Basapur, Holmdel, New Jersey

“I really did enjoy 'The Courtesan and the Sadhu' and found it to be interesting. I especially liked the parts about Sharada and Chitralekha and thought you really developed their roles; you must be, or I must be, a romantic at heart!” - Cathie Reisler, Dallas, Texas

"I really enjoyed reading 'The Courtesan and the Sadhu.' It takes the reader through the golden times of ancient Indian history. The misunderstood aspects of Dharma have been articulated effectively. Maya and God as described in the Holy Scriptures are summarized brilliantly, and the characters narrate the story superbly. This book gives an extraordinary message to ordinary readers in a simple and elegant way." - Anantha Ramu, Dallas, Texas

"I got a chance to read the book … it is very good. Manu's story is fascinating and interestingly written. I enjoyed the second part immensely. ...Your dharmic version of Mauryan history is definitely a must read for all our children." - Malini S, Bay Area, California

"The story is quite intricate and nicely woven. The momentum is well maintained- hard to stop once you start reading. The conflicting feelings most of us have on the Varna (caste) system is nicely debated via many characters.