Back of The Book
If any movement in the West was deeply influenced by the philosophy and wisdom of India it was American Transcendentalism of the nineteenth century. It emerged as a strong reactionary movement, braving the currents of British Empiricism, Scientific Naturalism, and Dialectical Materialism of Europe. American Transcendentalism believed in commitment to the Truth rather than in religious dogma and theology. The eclectic American Transcendentalists, led by Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman, turned to Indian and Greek philosophy, Sufism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism for inspiration in their mission to stem the influence of the materialistic culture of Europe on an emerging American society. Thoreau, however, surpassed the others in his enthusiasm for Vedic literature.
Henry David Thoreau was a multifaceted personality: writer, poet, thinker, moralist, rebel, reformer, naturalist, and ecologist. His renowned works, Walden and Civil Disobedience, stand out as a metaphor for high thinking, exceptional insight, and simple living. It is no wonder that Mahatma Gandhi's concept of Satyagraha was greatly influenced by the writings of the ascetically inclined Thoreau.
This book is a perceptive inter-cultural study of the life and writings of Thoreau in the light of Indic tradition, presenting new findings on the hitherto unexplored aspects of the "Yogi of Walden." As global warming and climate change cause concern all over the world, Thoreau's words will strike a chord with everyone: "In the wilderness is the preservation of life... Don't make the Earth bald before its time... Thank God they can't cut down the clouds."
About the Author
Sundara Bharadwaj, Ph.D., after a teaching career spanning twenty- five years, is a researcher, freelance writer, consultant professor, and guest lecturer in Soft Skills to various Engineering, Arts, and Science colleges. His studies focus mainly on relating religion, philosophy, culture, and mysticism to the enrichment of human values. His research articles have been published in national and international journals.
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