By Uttamasloka Das
In his new book Krishna’s Wonderful Form: A Guide for the Perplexed, Krishna Kshetra Swami gives his readers a “fly on the wall” immersive experience where you hear the characters in his book discuss a host of topics related to, you guessed it, Krishna’s form, particularly His deity form.
Written as a conversation between three fictional characters and Krishna Kshetra Swami, the book offers elaborate but relatable explanations on topics such as idols and idolatry, the different energies, expansions, various forms of Krishna, and even more intimate details such as information about deity dress, worship, and pastimes.
When I say this book is immersive, I mean it. After briefly setting the scene, the series of conversations immediately begin to explore the proverbial “nitty gritty” in such a way that the reader is deeply drawn into the conversation. The first conversation is between Jake, a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Florida, and Krishna Kshetra Swami at Krishna House, situated near the university. It opens with a discussion of deities, idols, and idolatry. Krishna Kshetra Swami exhibits his grasp of the common misunderstandings and obstacles faced by those formed by Western religious or secular traditions. His vast knowledge, accumulated from years of study and fueled by his curiosity, is evident. Jake then introduces his sister, Angela, and, later, his friend Rabindra into the conversation. Set over several weeks, the conversations explore a myriad of topics but still manage to stay connected to the central theme.
The particularly amazing thing about this book is that despite the density of information and philosophy, I never felt that it was over my head. Swami expertly explains even the most complex of topics. Thanks to his decades of experience, he has anticipated the natural questions on this subject at hand and, through the agency of the characters, is able to present and satisfactorily answer them. He also uses these characters to pose challenges to the ideas proffered in his own voice and then gives explanations and elaborations accordingly.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/book-review-krishnas-wonderful-form-a-guide-for-the-perplexed-by-krishna-kshetra-swami/
Comments