ISBN: 8129300400

Preface

This handy volume is a collection of a number of inspiring and illuminating articles from the pen of a learned and saintly writer, who did not feel inclined to disclose his identity and wrote under the pen-name of "Siva". As he is no more in this world, having breathed his last on the 22nd March 1971, we make bold to disclose his name and tell our readers that the writer was no other than the late Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar, the renowned Editor of the Hindi 'Kalyan' and Controlling Editor of the English 'Kalyan-Kalpataru', the two popular and very widely read monthlies published by the Gita Press, with whose epoch-making services in the field of spiritual literature they are already familiar. The articles originally appeared every month in the 'Kalya' under the caption 'Kalyan' and were alter on rendered into English by the Editor or Editors of the 'Kalyana-Kalpataru' or 'the Bliss', and regularly published in it under the caption "Unto Bliss". These articles have been highly appreciated by the readers of both the magazines and are read with avid interest every month. They speak for themselves and provide most excellent and sumptuous spiritual pabulum to the readers. The homely and touching instructions contained in them have a wonderfully universal appeal and are absolutely free from sectarianism or dogmatic touch. They can be read with equal benefit by the followers of all religious creeds and, if followed with reverence, are sure to take them to lofty spiritual heights.

The articles have also appeared in a number of handy volumes in Hindi and we are reproducing below the words of the author himself introducing the very first volume to the readers:-

"The mind is an ocean of though-waves. Many such thought-waves arise in the mind of "Siva" and some of them get recorded too. This small collection of the aforesaid thought-waves reduced to writing is being released. The faults of tautology and desultoriness may be noticed in this collection; for, after all, they are waves of the mind. It is no doubt true that there is a law operating behind the waves too and that they move in regular succession; but we are unable to perceive that order with our physical eyes. What we see are so many disorderly and irregular forms of the waves moving along with the blasts of the wind. It is possible those who view these waves with a critical eye may be able to discern some order even in this collection of thought. Waves. "Siva", however, has no concern with this. At the instance of the publishers, "Siva" has only strung together passages strewn here and there and given a heading to them. "Siva" does not know whether this will or will not prove to be the source of any benefit or amusement to the readers."

We have great pleasure in introducing to the English-knowing public this third small volume of the series under the caption "Turn to God" with the hope that it will be read with the same interest and benefit as the two preceding ones.