Shunya: A Novel

Description

He appears out of nowhere in a sleepy little neighborhood in suburban Kerala. He calls himself Shunya, the zero. Who is he? A lunatic? A dark magician? A fraud? Or an avadhuta, an enlightened soul? Saami, as they call him, settles into a small cottage in the backyard of the local toddy shop. Here he spins parables, blesses, curses, drinks endless glasses of black tea, and lives in total freedom. On rare occasions, he plays soul-stirring melodies on his old, bamboo-reed flute. Then, just as mysteriously as he arrived, Shunya vanishes, setting the path for a new avadhuta, a new era. This first novel by Sri M is a meditation on the void which collapses the wall between reality and make-believe, the limited and the infinite. With its spare storytelling and profound wisdom, it leads us into the realm of 'shunya,' the nothingness of profound and lasting peace, the beginning and end of all things.

SRI M -spiritual teacher, social reformer, educationist and author- was born Mumtaz Ali into a Muslim family on November 6, 1949 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. His transformational journey from young boy to yogi, is a story of single-minded discipline and dedication. He established the Satsang Foundation twenty years ago as a meeting point for spiritual seekers of all persuasions. Conversant with the principles and beliefs of most major religions, Sri M's teachings seek to transcend the outer shell of all religions by exploring the core of their teachings and nurturing the innate goodness in every human being. Sri M's autobiography, Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master: A Yogi's Autobiography, was first published in 2011 and followed by Journey Continues: A Sequel to Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master in 2017. Sri M has also authored several texts on the Upanishads, on meditation and a novel, Shunya. His latest book, On Meditation: Finding Infinite Bliss and Power Within, was published by Penguin Random House in 2019. All his books have been translated into numerous Indian languages. Among the many awards and honors he has received for his contribution to society, Sri M was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, in January 2020 for distinguished service of high order in spirituality.