‘An aware soul is a pure soul’

Immortal Talks, Book 1  by Shunya is a short, one-hundred-and-sixty-page book published by Seer Books. The book contains the summary of the teachings imparted by Lord Hanuman to his ardent disciples. The talks lead the disciples through the mysteries of life and death, and enlighten them on how to lead a detached life.

Two monks enter the forest to secretly observe a group of tribals known as the Mahtangs. These jungle dwellers are ardent devotees of Lord Hanuman and live in isolation. Lord Hanuman has promised to visit this tribe once every forty one years and guide them through the confusing maze of life. The two monks are chosen by divine plan to enter the forest, mingle with the Mahtangs and get enlightened with the divine knowledge. They were destined to be divine messengers and pass on the secret teachings to the larger society.

The book is neatly divided into six chapters. Each chapter deals with the different realities of life, like karma, desire, destiny and death. The different concepts are lucidly explained in the chapters. The book starts with a prologue, where the author explains the background of the two monks, who enter the forest to mingle with the Mahtangs. These monks observe the secret rituals of the Mahtang tribe and decipher their talks with the Lord.

Readers might find the book confusing at the first read. It might take a few detailed readings for the reader to get the gist of the spiritual teachings. The book needs to be read with utmost concentration to understand the minute details of the philosophical teachings rendered by Lord Hanuman. The author of the book explains, in an easy-to-understand way, that we are spiritual beings who have chosen to experience the human life. But once we enter this realm, we forget about our spiritual existence and become bound by Maya. The book elucidates the difficult concepts of alternate reality, the concept of time and space, karma and death. It ends with a beautiful explanation on the importance of offering regular prayers and the correct method of venerating one’s deity.

The engrossing script makes it increasingly difficult for the readers to keep the book aside. The teachings are delivered in the form of experiences to the members of the Mahtang tribe. Readers will be able to relate to, at least, some of the stories as they must have experienced the same, and will be enlightened to find out the reasons behind such occurrences.

Ameya Rating:
3/5

The language is simple but the narrative, especially the one dealing with the concepts of time and space, is fairly complicated. Though Immortal Talks is a short book, it requires complete concentration to grasp the philosophical and spiritual teachings on offer. It is not a book that you can pick up and read within a few hours. Each and every concept mentioned in the book forces you to reflect on the happenings in your life. Once you understand the gist of the  immortal talks, the principles become easier to follow.