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Svayambodha and Shatrubodha
Svayambodha and Shatrubodha aims to build a foundational framework to help Hindus discover who they are and who they are not. The Hindu consciousness is built upon the wisdom to differentiate between dharma and adharma. As long as this viveka is alive, Hindu society thrives. A loss of this discriminating power leads to decay and degeneration. In the last few hundred years, especially in the post-independence era, this core Hindu aptitude to survive and thrive has been lost. As a result, the very fabric of Hindu society developed ruptures, leading to socio-political and civilizational decline. Great saints, thinkers, and leaders like Swami Vivekananda, Shri Aurobindo, Lokmanya Tilak, Veer Savarkar, Ram Swarup, and Sita Ram Goel started and continued the revival of the Hindu intellect. This book is a small attempt to take that intellectual Hindu renaissance forward by rekindling the viveka that is necessary to differentiate between dharma and adharma. The Svayambodha–Shatrubodha framework does this by making Hindus aware of their civilizational core on one hand and by sensitizing them about the civilizational threats that Sanatana Dharma and Hindu society face today.
608 pages, Hardcover
Published April 30, 2025
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June 3, 2025Brilliant book by Shri Pankaj Saxena. Deeply felt, passionately argued and prescient. Pretty dark in the sheer details but realistic like J Sai Deepak's two works. Very readable although the topic is so stark and menacing. Pankaj Saxena acknowledges the debt of Shri Ram Swarup, Sitaram Goel and a galaxy of other thinkers including but not limited to David Frawley, Koenraad Elst, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, J Sai Deepak, Anand Ranganathan, Ami Ganatra and the wit and wisdom of Shri Kapil Kapoor.
June 11, 2025
What a brilliant take on the whole topic. What research, what perspectives and what insights!
Excellent piece of work. Must read for most Indians.
Excellent piece of work. Must read for most Indians.
July 20, 2025
It’s like a summary book of Hindu thought.
September 14, 2025
The book starts off brilliantly with the amazing question from Kalicharan & the answer that follows has amazing examples & goes right to the core like a brahmos missile
The Svayambodha section is a great starting point for learning covering the key elements like panch rnas, karma, atman, Brahman, 4 states of consciousness, the chakras, panch koshas, the concept of Margiya & Desiya, purusharthas, varnashrama.
The key takeaway is the pyramid of the Svayambodha.
The Shatrubodha section totally next level. It literally unmasks & demystifies the prophetic monotheism & other similar ideologies like secular modernity, secularism, liberal atheism, etc.
Reversing the gaze on the prophetic monotheism is one of the key concept & takeaway.
The concept of the long arcs of Christianity & Islam provides excellent historical anecdotes. The terms like civilisation snipers are truly kranitkari & what does it really mean by the saying “Islam has never lost”.
The intensity of shatrubodh keeps increasing with each chapter like weaponization of life & the Hindu view of secular modernity.
The crescendo is reached in the final chapter of SS scale.
There can’t be a better way to conclude the whole book than the last page of the prologue.
To summarise, the beauty of this section is the depth in terms of content & the articulation will ensure one can see through all of these shatru ideologies like how Neo sees the matrix once he realises that he is the one.
The Svayambodha section is a great starting point for learning covering the key elements like panch rnas, karma, atman, Brahman, 4 states of consciousness, the chakras, panch koshas, the concept of Margiya & Desiya, purusharthas, varnashrama.
The key takeaway is the pyramid of the Svayambodha.
The Shatrubodha section totally next level. It literally unmasks & demystifies the prophetic monotheism & other similar ideologies like secular modernity, secularism, liberal atheism, etc.
Reversing the gaze on the prophetic monotheism is one of the key concept & takeaway.
The concept of the long arcs of Christianity & Islam provides excellent historical anecdotes. The terms like civilisation snipers are truly kranitkari & what does it really mean by the saying “Islam has never lost”.
The intensity of shatrubodh keeps increasing with each chapter like weaponization of life & the Hindu view of secular modernity.
The crescendo is reached in the final chapter of SS scale.
There can’t be a better way to conclude the whole book than the last page of the prologue.
To summarise, the beauty of this section is the depth in terms of content & the articulation will ensure one can see through all of these shatru ideologies like how Neo sees the matrix once he realises that he is the one.
December 30, 2025
Shatrubodha as excellently narrated by Saxena Ji is a must read for Hindus at this time in History.
Svayambodha however, is where I have a bone to pick with the writer. Hinduism or a broader Sanatana Dharma at its very core, in practice, espouses and encourages freedom and diversity of thought. However, in vehemently distinguishing Hinduism from Abrahamic Prophetic Monotheistic religions, Hindu writes such as Saxena Ji often make the mistake of conflating Mayavada/Advaita to Hinduism. For instance, "Only the Supreme Consciousness is the absolute and ultimate reality, and everything else is the veil of maya — brahma sat jagat mithya"; "Moksha is therefore another name of the process of realising that the Atman is Brahman; that Many are One; that all we see in this universe, all living beings and inanimate objects, have come from Supreme Consciousness, Brahman" — are two excerpts from the Svayambodha part of the book. For a non-Mayavadi, this simply doesn't hold true. Which makes people like me, non-Mayavadis, by the implication of these assertions, a non-Hindu. (?)
It is quite a rudimentary understanding of Hinduism if only one branch of a vast gamut of darshanas is taken to be the ultimate truth for ALL Hindus. It is akin to writing a book on the Hindu view of self and asserting all Jivas are dependent upon the Paramatma and that the Paramatma is the only independent Swatantra force in the universe — a view held only by a few darshanas of Hinduism and not all.
The book attempts to cover all darshanas by stating that this one Supreme Consciousness is viewed differently by different sects in Hinduism. But it still does not hold good in its understanding of how that is done, thereby creating a Vaishnava or a Shaiva version of Mayavada, rather than getting out of Mayavada and recognizing and acknowledging the other Siddhantas. To state it more clearly, let's take the separation of Atma and Paramatma (Brahman). In Mayavada, at Moksha, these two entities coalesce, moksha is this the attainment of the Supreme Consciousness. Now, how people might view this Supreme Consciousness (as Vishnu or Shiva or Devi) is a corollary to this. However, this is vastly different from the separation of Atma and Paramatma at all times, including in Moksha which Siddhantas like Tattvavada believe in. Here again, the Paramatma could be Vishnu or Shiva or Devi, but it remains that even in Moksha, the Atma does not become one with the Paramatma. The writer seems to not consider this nuance in Hinduism, thus involuntarily homogenising Hinduism. There is also a lack of understanding of attaining Aparoksha Jnana and Moksha, both of which being different.
A great read, only considering the Shatrubodha part. The Svayambodha part appears to be a Mayavada literary tool for any non-Mayavadi and honestly, it is extremely frustrating to have ONE perspective in Hinduism speaking for all Hindus. The more Svayambodha part I read, the harder it was to read without banging my head and ranting how the writer got so many things wrong — from getting confused between Aparoksha Jnana to moksha to claiming all Hindus believe it is possible for those who have attained moksha to walk amongst us to endlessly claiming non-duality is the ultimate truth. In this process, the writer does nothing but Islamize Hinduism by *forcing* Advaita on all Hindus, so confidently boasting "This is the Hindu way of life" (pg. 47).
Painful read vis a vis Svayambodha part. If the writer wanted to extol Advaita, he could've done so without trying to impose it on all Hindus. Extremely disappointing.
Svayambodha however, is where I have a bone to pick with the writer. Hinduism or a broader Sanatana Dharma at its very core, in practice, espouses and encourages freedom and diversity of thought. However, in vehemently distinguishing Hinduism from Abrahamic Prophetic Monotheistic religions, Hindu writes such as Saxena Ji often make the mistake of conflating Mayavada/Advaita to Hinduism. For instance, "Only the Supreme Consciousness is the absolute and ultimate reality, and everything else is the veil of maya — brahma sat jagat mithya"; "Moksha is therefore another name of the process of realising that the Atman is Brahman; that Many are One; that all we see in this universe, all living beings and inanimate objects, have come from Supreme Consciousness, Brahman" — are two excerpts from the Svayambodha part of the book. For a non-Mayavadi, this simply doesn't hold true. Which makes people like me, non-Mayavadis, by the implication of these assertions, a non-Hindu. (?)
It is quite a rudimentary understanding of Hinduism if only one branch of a vast gamut of darshanas is taken to be the ultimate truth for ALL Hindus. It is akin to writing a book on the Hindu view of self and asserting all Jivas are dependent upon the Paramatma and that the Paramatma is the only independent Swatantra force in the universe — a view held only by a few darshanas of Hinduism and not all.
The book attempts to cover all darshanas by stating that this one Supreme Consciousness is viewed differently by different sects in Hinduism. But it still does not hold good in its understanding of how that is done, thereby creating a Vaishnava or a Shaiva version of Mayavada, rather than getting out of Mayavada and recognizing and acknowledging the other Siddhantas. To state it more clearly, let's take the separation of Atma and Paramatma (Brahman). In Mayavada, at Moksha, these two entities coalesce, moksha is this the attainment of the Supreme Consciousness. Now, how people might view this Supreme Consciousness (as Vishnu or Shiva or Devi) is a corollary to this. However, this is vastly different from the separation of Atma and Paramatma at all times, including in Moksha which Siddhantas like Tattvavada believe in. Here again, the Paramatma could be Vishnu or Shiva or Devi, but it remains that even in Moksha, the Atma does not become one with the Paramatma. The writer seems to not consider this nuance in Hinduism, thus involuntarily homogenising Hinduism. There is also a lack of understanding of attaining Aparoksha Jnana and Moksha, both of which being different.
A great read, only considering the Shatrubodha part. The Svayambodha part appears to be a Mayavada literary tool for any non-Mayavadi and honestly, it is extremely frustrating to have ONE perspective in Hinduism speaking for all Hindus. The more Svayambodha part I read, the harder it was to read without banging my head and ranting how the writer got so many things wrong — from getting confused between Aparoksha Jnana to moksha to claiming all Hindus believe it is possible for those who have attained moksha to walk amongst us to endlessly claiming non-duality is the ultimate truth. In this process, the writer does nothing but Islamize Hinduism by *forcing* Advaita on all Hindus, so confidently boasting "This is the Hindu way of life" (pg. 47).
Painful read vis a vis Svayambodha part. If the writer wanted to extol Advaita, he could've done so without trying to impose it on all Hindus. Extremely disappointing.
November 8, 2025
Book Review: "Svayambodha and Shatrubodha: Hindu View of Self and the World" by Pankaj Saxena
I have read many books and liked most of them. Reading—for me—is to feel, to think, to dwell in emotion. But this book is different. It doesn’t draw you into sentiment; it compels you to rise above it. It doesn’t merely make you feel—it rouses you to act, to awaken, to recognise the cultural depth of our civilisation. It pointed me toward Atmabodha. It is difficult—almost impossible—to “review” a book that becomes a realisation. It gave me vivek and anubhūti. How does one review that? Hence, only a brief outline here.
As the title suggests, the book is divided into two sections. Svayambodha helps the reader understand Sanatana Dharma—its vision of the self and the world. Shatrubodha delineates the shatrus of Sanatana Dharma: their histories, weapons, strengths, and tactics.
This is a clear, unsentimental guide for Sanatanis to understand themselves—and to understand their enemies. Such understanding is essential if we are to revive and protect ourselves in every sphere of life.
This is a must-read for followers of Sanatana Dharma and other polytheistic traditions. For those concerned with the preservation of Sanatana Dharma, this book offers a path.
One of my favourite quotes from the book:
“…dharma cannot lose, that dharma cannot disappear. Dharma does not need any saving. It is already saved. It is us who save ourselves by serving dharma; it is our chittas that are cleansed by serving dharma, and that is the greatest purpose of engaging in dharmayuddh.”
How perfectly it states the truth that most of us refuse to acknowledge. The consequences of abandoning dharma are evident—one becomes morally corrupt, harms oneself and others, and ultimately perishes. Truly, “it is us who save ourselves by serving dharma.”
The book also explains how one can follow Sanatana Dharma within modern social and economic structures. Practicing our dharmic rituals keeps us connected to our roots, and it is our duty to protect those roots.
The author further reminds us:
“…knowledge must convert into behavior; otherwise, from a Hindu point of view, it is not knowledge.”
In essence, this book offers the basic yet essential understanding every Hindu needs. It is not merely a text; it is a mirror, a warning, and a call to awakening.
I have read many books and liked most of them. Reading—for me—is to feel, to think, to dwell in emotion. But this book is different. It doesn’t draw you into sentiment; it compels you to rise above it. It doesn’t merely make you feel—it rouses you to act, to awaken, to recognise the cultural depth of our civilisation. It pointed me toward Atmabodha. It is difficult—almost impossible—to “review” a book that becomes a realisation. It gave me vivek and anubhūti. How does one review that? Hence, only a brief outline here.
As the title suggests, the book is divided into two sections. Svayambodha helps the reader understand Sanatana Dharma—its vision of the self and the world. Shatrubodha delineates the shatrus of Sanatana Dharma: their histories, weapons, strengths, and tactics.
This is a clear, unsentimental guide for Sanatanis to understand themselves—and to understand their enemies. Such understanding is essential if we are to revive and protect ourselves in every sphere of life.
This is a must-read for followers of Sanatana Dharma and other polytheistic traditions. For those concerned with the preservation of Sanatana Dharma, this book offers a path.
One of my favourite quotes from the book:
“…dharma cannot lose, that dharma cannot disappear. Dharma does not need any saving. It is already saved. It is us who save ourselves by serving dharma; it is our chittas that are cleansed by serving dharma, and that is the greatest purpose of engaging in dharmayuddh.”
How perfectly it states the truth that most of us refuse to acknowledge. The consequences of abandoning dharma are evident—one becomes morally corrupt, harms oneself and others, and ultimately perishes. Truly, “it is us who save ourselves by serving dharma.”
The book also explains how one can follow Sanatana Dharma within modern social and economic structures. Practicing our dharmic rituals keeps us connected to our roots, and it is our duty to protect those roots.
The author further reminds us:
“…knowledge must convert into behavior; otherwise, from a Hindu point of view, it is not knowledge.”
In essence, this book offers the basic yet essential understanding every Hindu needs. It is not merely a text; it is a mirror, a warning, and a call to awakening.
December 23, 2025
One of the clearest book on what it means to be a Hindu, to be read by the people of Bharat in current times, to understand history of Hindu dharma (a.k.a Sanatana Dharma) and to critically look and appraise alternate ideologies like prophetic monotheism, Communism, Modernism etc. with the view to both understand what our original Indic ideology is and to defend it at the level of ideas and in real life. Many people of Bharatvarsha knowingly or unknowingly have become stooges of foreign ideologies at the expense of native indigenous culture and this book is a clarion call to recapture what is long forgotten to usher in a new age for the country and the people in it.
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Note:
This book can be easily dismissed as a right-wing propaganda but that shows the inability of the reader to critically judge the book by its own logic / facts and fall prey to news media's unjustified foisting of western terms like "left" / "right" labels to Indian polity. By calling the current government "right-wing", they inadvertently cause a negative association in the minds of the unsuspecting readers since "right-wing" terminology in western countries are tied to authoritarian governments and capitalism. In India, we have the "left" (including those out of power) and "non-left". The "non-left" is simply those section of the nation waking up to shake off its colonial mindset and find grounding and solace in its original pre-colonial thought systems all the while trying to best accommodate ground reality of modernism and geo-politics. The "non-left" uses the "dharmic" philosophy of the ancient Indic culture as its guiding principal on how to live and relate to others and doesn't look up to western powers for its validation. Perhaps this rubs the western powers and media houses controlled by them the wrong way. All in all, give this book a fair chance and it won't disappoint.
---
Note:
This book can be easily dismissed as a right-wing propaganda but that shows the inability of the reader to critically judge the book by its own logic / facts and fall prey to news media's unjustified foisting of western terms like "left" / "right" labels to Indian polity. By calling the current government "right-wing", they inadvertently cause a negative association in the minds of the unsuspecting readers since "right-wing" terminology in western countries are tied to authoritarian governments and capitalism. In India, we have the "left" (including those out of power) and "non-left". The "non-left" is simply those section of the nation waking up to shake off its colonial mindset and find grounding and solace in its original pre-colonial thought systems all the while trying to best accommodate ground reality of modernism and geo-politics. The "non-left" uses the "dharmic" philosophy of the ancient Indic culture as its guiding principal on how to live and relate to others and doesn't look up to western powers for its validation. Perhaps this rubs the western powers and media houses controlled by them the wrong way. All in all, give this book a fair chance and it won't disappoint.
October 8, 2025
This is wonderfully articulate book about why Dharma is entirely different than dichotomic faith systems born in the middle east. It is a mixture of philosophy, history and political thinking all mixed together to provide a comprehensive experience of what has shaped the demographics of todays world and what sinister plots are still at play. Hindus should definitely read it and remember parts of the book to get a better understanding of the in group and the out group.
August 28, 2025
What an engrossing read it was. Really the work of a great sadhak. It should be prescribed as a text book for higher studies.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews