The experience of the divine in India has three components, sight, performance, and sound. One in a trilogy of books that include Diana Eck's "Darsan: Seeing the Divine in India, " and Susan L. Schwartz's "Rasa: Performing the Divine in India, Mantra" presents an introduction to the use of sound -- mantra -- in the practice of Indian religion.

Mantra -- in the form of prayers, rituals, and chants -- permeate the practice of Indian religion in both temple and home settings. This book investigates the power of mantra to transform consciousness. It examines the use and theory of mantra under various religious schools, such as the Patanjali sutras and tantra, and includes references to Hindu, Sikh, Sufi, Islam, and Buddhist traditions. This edition adds new sections on the use of sacred sound in Hindu and Sikh North American diaspora communities and on the North American non-Indian practice of yoga and mantra.

A brilliantly crafted rapidly moving and highly entertaining novel : as the following sampling of some of my notes and remarks- giving a taste of what and how of the narrative- will bear out, I think: First 5 pages, and already a handful of characters and their relationships and situations shaping up towards the promise of something interesting. first 14 pages: the narrative moves along briskly (sacrificing detail? sharpness?), taking in a "Jungle Operation", a bandit ambush and killing of Captain Ian Macdonald . Ian Macdonald dies, long live Ismail Macdonald. General Sir Gerald Templer mentioned, & Tan Siew Sin & Tengku Abdul Rahman; time and place pointers..Datuk Lee's way to wealth: wheeling & dealing, real estate, shares; work, play & risk taking, & making play work for him...Lee's daughter Mei Ling all at sea literally- cried "God save me", & was, by a dolphin.Ismail buying a car - this gone into some detail . good telling detail re Ismail's careful placing of clothes.(P40). The best writing and focus so far (P47) Melodramatic. New characters introduced literally with " .. a splash"; Lucille Oppenheimer - just in time for Ismail . . Narrative rolling .. rollicking?!- along now (pp 50 ff); rolling Ismail to London, and to Emma Thompson. Studying Law for the exam . makes for something different . Gambling, its additive power . Nicholas Dennis Denning. Lady V Russel. And yet another character: Dr. Eric Nkomo, . In Paris .. Prof. J.Jaques. Ski resort. St Moritz . Mountaineering. There's even a Princess Diana appearance - not at all badly brought off .. Interesting stuff: the painting. which the genuine article?. Dialogue. exchange re traveling. drawing- roomish? Jane Austenish? . A long speech here - how incorporated in the narrative flow? . Rough house stuff in toilet - dirty politics literally . Even Pudu jail makes an appearance . Touche! (184) .. In Hong Kong- Mei Ling's sudden headache - the way of the world, just so: Mei Ling with Dr. Enright, & Ismail with Lily Hua. Like a musical - Lily Hua singing "Sound of Music" on the wall of China. Operative element/motif: Ismail & Lily Hua on the Yang Tse, the latter singing. A good page: Ismail gambling big time- subdued excitement, tension rising. An Irish missionary's sermon. Mei Ling knifed to death...Michael Curry's funeral oration..: " about life on earth in the light of eternity .Ismail being messed up by a shark. his cry God save me", his rescue. Adventure element: Antonia up the Amazon, attacked by anaconda. Kuok's letter to Datuk Lee. of life here and now, the Godly life in Thoreau-Tarzan environment. Spiritual & Christian themes surfacing: time, aging and circumstances move & direct human lives towards the spirit. in confinement Ismail reflecting on life...Time & life running out for Ismail- terror. Antonia to the Amazon to find contentment. Full circle: beginning at Terendak Camp (Malacca) & Ian Macdonald thought of. The thrust of the above notes and observations clearly points to a quality of entertaining readability. Most readers, that is, should find this a good read, what with changing scenes, narrative twists & turns, action, character galore, politics, adventure, sex, money matters, legal matters, religion and all thrown in, worked into a fast paced narrative carrying an almost kaleidoscopic variety in terms of character, locale, situation and event.All in all, a hold-all, this, of many things - a heady mix and match of interests and preoccupations that can conceivably have the reader hooked and held for page after page before - towards the end - making him see the emptiness of it all without life's supreme interest, reality and truth: God.