A peek to what great men thought of India

This book is a compilation of thoughts of renowned intellectual thinkers of the West on Indian philosophy and the rich knowledge system. Different scholars have different ways of expressing their views while praising this country’s advanced civilisation.

TS Eliot, American poet-critic has said, “Indian philosophers’ subtleties make most of the great European philosophers look like schoolboys.”

Albert Einstein, world-renowned scientist, who received the Nobel Prize for his Theory of Relativity, said, “We owe a lot to Indians who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.”

Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher, said, “In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life and it will be the solace of my death. They are the product of the highest wisdom.”

Herman Hesse, German poet and recipient of Nobel Prize has said, “The marvel of the Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life’s wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion.”

Talking of Hindus, some of the greats have paid glowing tributes to it. HG Wells has said, “This makes Hinduism the most tolerant religion in the world because its one transcendent God includes all possible gods. In fact, Hinduism is so elastic and so subtle that the most profound Methodist and crudest idolator are equally at home with it.”

Aldous Huxley, English novelist has said about Hinduism that it is “the perennial philosophy that is at the core of all religions.”

Roman Rolland, French historian, said, “Religious faith in the case of Hinduism has never been allowed to run counter to scientific laws.”

Bikash Sarmah, Consulting Editor of The Sentinel, a Guwahati-based daily says, “Hinduism is often misconstrued as ritualistic religion. It is not. True, ritual marks the conduct of Hinduism in day-to-day life but that is just the contour of any practicing faith for that matter with the exception that Hinduism has a rainbow configuration of numerous gods and goddesses. Even then, the religion transcends the sheer number of gods and goddesses. For, the quintessence of Hinduism is its philosophy.”

(Academic Publications, Bara Bazar, Shillong-703 002.)