Sattva Rajas Tamas (Legend of Kanishka, The Commoner- King, and His Crusade of Faith)

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Circa 800 BC: Merit or birth? Meritocracy or dynastic monarchy? King Sarthak of the mighty kingdom of Manukeshwar faces this great dilemma in naming his successor. The contenders to the throne are the upright and virtuous Kanishka, son of a learned Rishi, and his own firstborn, the selfish and arrogant Prince Jaivant. Breaking centuries of oppressive tradition, the King names the valorous commoner as heir. Humiliated and aggrieved, Jaivant bides his time. Using age-old deceit and treachery, he succeeds in usurping the throne. But he does not anticipate the resolve of the ascetic warrior. The stage is set for a mighty struggle.

Through an interlinked web of events and emotion, through love, envy, deceit and romance, the book tells the story of a crusade to restore dharma in a kingdom afflicted by despotic dynastic rule. Sattva Rajas Tamas is the story of powerful opposing forces. It is also the tale of a man's remarkable resolve to keep fighting for truth and justice, to never give up. The ancient tale has disconcerting parallels in our modern times. Though the times have changed, the conflict between dharma and adharma has not.

VIVEK NARENDRA WAGLE was born in Mumbai, India. Though a Civil Engineer by qualification, he chose Market Research as a career, preferring to work in the domain of understanding people's tastes and preferences. A firm believer in the adage'a sound mind in a healthy body', he is an avid reader as well as a chess, fitness and mathematical brain teasers enthusiast.

During a session with his spiritual Guru, Balagopalji, the philosophy of Sattva Rajas Tamas was explained to him, how these qualities are present in every human being in differing proportions. The idea of this book took root at that moment. A month later, Vivek had completed the first draft - a story about a battle for truth and dharma, for meritocracy over entitlement and avarice. This is his first published work

Vivek lives in Bangalore with his wife, two daughters and an Indie pup.

In the Vedic age, circa 1500-600 BC, and even earlier, the LIndian subcontinent possessed a rich tradition of martial arts. In a land where numerous kings and their vassals held sway, fierce battles were constantly fought for supremacy. Thus, it was imperative that warriors were trained from an early age in weaponry, arms and physical combat. Whether to defend their territories against hostile invaders or to conquer weaker kingdoms, large and well equipped armies were prime indicators of power and authority.

It was not uncommon for a great warrior to possess special powers gained through skill and rigorous practice and/or divine favour earned through worship, prayer and arduous penance. India is a land that has seen the birth of outstanding champions like Bhishma, Dronacharya, Bhima, Arjuna, Karna and Satyaki. Each was equivalent to a thousand soldiers. These illustrious warriors were armed with a sense of dharma and a steadfast conscience. They fought for noble causes – whether to honour an oath, or loyalty towards the kingdom they were pledged to, or for righteousness, or friendship. They never wavered from their chosen path, facing challenges, difficulties and torments like so>many dried leaves tossed up by a storm.

Each had a resolute sense of duty and immense respect for their gurus, such as the brilliant Dronacharya and Parasurama. For it was the guru who taught them their vidya (knowledge), the one to whom they owed their immense stature. They never disregarded this. These fearless champions respected, loved and cared for their gurus as they did their own parents.

Karna bore the sting of a wasp and a bleeding wound so as not to disturb his guru's sleep. At the behest of Dronacharya, Arjuna defeated Drupada, his guru's childhood friend. Such was the obedience these teachers commanded.

India is a land replete with stories of valorous men and women throughout its long history; people who did not budge from the right path; who used their powers and skills for a noble cause (though circumstances often pushed them towards adharma). They protected the weak and fought for justice. They defended their land and stood like bulwarks before their king and his throne.

**Contents and Sample Pages**