The Yoga of Max's Discontent

by Karan Bajaj

“A beautifully rendered epic journey . . . . The novel works on many levels and excels at them all.” — New York Journal of Books

In this captivating and surprising novel of spiritual discovery—a No. 1 bestseller in India—a young American travels to India and finds himself tested physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Max Pzoras is the poster child for the American Dream. The child of Greek immigrants who grew up in a dangerous New York housing project, he triumphed over his upbringing and became a successful Wall Street analyst. Yet on the frigid December night he’s involved in a violent street scuffle, Max begins to confront questions about suffering and mortality that have dogged him since his mother’s death.

His search takes him to the farthest reaches of India, where he encounters a mysterious night market, almost freezes to death on a hike up the Himalayas, and finds himself in an ashram in a drought-stricken village in South India. As Max seeks answers to questions that have bedeviled him—can yogis walk on water and live for 200 years without aging? Can a flesh-and-blood man ever achieve nirvana?—he struggles to overcome his skepticism and the pull of family tugging him home. In an ultimate bid for answers, he embarks on a dangerous solitary meditation in a freezing Himalayan cave, where his physical and spiritual endurance is put to its most extreme test.

By turns a gripping adventure story and a journey of tremendous inner transformation,  The Yoga of Max's Discontent  is a contemporary take on man's classic quest for transcendence.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, India, Spirituality, Adult Fiction, Adventure, Novels

336 pages, Hardcover

First published June 11, 2015

About the author

Karan Bajaj is the Founder of WhiteHat Jr, acquired by BYJU’s in the fastest startup
exit of its size in India. He’s also a bestselling novelist whose books have sold more
than 200,000+ copies in India and optioned for movie deals: Keep off the Grass, Johnny Gone Down, The Seeker, and The Yoga of Max’s Discontent, published by HarperCollins and Penguin Random House.

A graduate of IIM-Bangalore, Karan has earlier served as the Country Head for Discovery Networks in South Asia. He was selected a Top 40 Under 40 Executive by Advertising Age US in his business career and shortlisted for Teacher’s Achievement Award, Crossword Book Pick of the Year, Indiaplaza Golden Quill and India Today’s 35 Under 35 in his writing career.

A striving yogi, Karan has taken three year-long career sabbaticals to pursue his interests in spirituality, backpacking and hiking. He can be reached via his blog at www.karanbajaj.com.

Web: www.karanbajaj.com
IG: instagram.com/realkaranbajaj
Email: karan@karanbajaj.com
Writing Advice: https://www.karanbajaj.com/category/w...

Reviews

[Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I flewwwww through this and it really left me thinking afterwards.

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful.

Karan Bajaj has created a Hermann Hesse novel for modern times.

In the age of information, anything and everything is readily available as an ATM amidst a drought and starvation in rural India. With a few keystrokes on a smart phone one can answer any and all questions and learn virtually anything:

Who won the 1969 World Series? (Mets)
Dwarf sex (ew! deleting browse history)
How tall is Justin Bieber? (5’9).

I could right now buy a ticket to Kathmandu and leave tomorrow morning and have a hotel room when I get there too.

Bajaj demonstrates how a quest for truth in the modern age is still one of difficult mental and spiritual trials, and the search for God is as meaningful now as it has always been.

Protagonist Max has had a successful time in America after a very tough upbringing. A chance meeting on the street makes him set everything aside to follow his need for truth, for meaning, for an answer of WHY. He has everything a successful man in America can want: a great, high paying job, beautiful women – the world is his oyster. But he's still not happy, not fulfilled.

So in a few days, Max is in the Himalayas, looking for a guru to guide him towards truth. He’s not the only Westerner who’s made the Journey to the East looking for Siddhartha. Quickly making his way through a circus of get enlightened quick plans, he then just as quickly gets in over his head and in serious danger.

Bajaj leads the reader through a spiritual journey across India and into the heart of total consciousness, following Max through an epic quest towards oneness, with a total connection to all.

I was captivated almost immediately and did not want to put the book down. But at the same time I hung on every word, reading each word like drops of gold. Bajaj has channeled the mystical charm of Hesse but fashioned his story for our age.

Thank you, Mr. Bajaj for this wonderful book.

*** A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books on spirituality or spiritual journeys aren't usually my thing, but I have to give Karan Bajaj an enormous amount of credit because this book was so incredible that I may have to reevaluate that stance.

The Yoga of Max's Discontent is the story of Max, a Wall Street man who grew up in the not-so-great areas of New York. His life has been shaped by his surroundings, by what he has and doesn't have, but after the death of his mother and a chance conversation with food cart salesman, he begins to evaluate what this life he's living is really all about. Taking a chance, he decides to follow some leads he's been given and head to India where he is both comforted, surprised, and deeply challenged by the journey that he has embarked upon.

Let me start with the title - yes, this story has a lot about yoga in it, but that's not the message of the book. The book is about the journey - physical, mental, and spiritual - that Max has found himself pulled into. I went into this book, personally, knowing nothing about yoga and certainly none of the words that would typically be associated with the practice. This however in no way kept me from understanding the story or the message, and I actually feel like I now have a greater grasp on the purpose behind using yoga as a meditative practice.

Now on to the writing. Karan Bajaj has some of the most beautiful writing I've read in a while. The way the characters are portrayed is truly an art in that you feel their hunger for both food and a deeper understanding of this life. But the truly brilliant thing about this writing is Karan Bajaj's ability to transport the reader to these different places throughout the world. I have traveled better through this book than I have ever traveled in reality.

What did I think?: First of all, who could resist that stunning cover? I absolutely adore this book. This was such a fascinating read, and I too felt that I have been on a bit of a journey. Do I understand this enlightenment and all that must be endured in order to achieve it? No. But I do know that every minute spent reading this book was well worth the while.

Who should read it?: If you have any curiosity about spiritual practices, yogis, India, or just a better understanding of life, please pick this up. It's an amazing story, and one that you'll carry with you for a while.

*I was provided with a copy of this book in order to conduct this honest review.*

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[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: This book is in the stores! (Beautiful book cover hard copy) I was in the book store just the other day chatting with a woman about how wonderful this book is....while it was in her hands. Its a terrific story. One that will surprise people --even if you've never done yoga. The storytelling is page turning!



Max's mother worked two jobs: cleaning houses and bagging groceries late into the
night just so he and his sister Sophia could go to good schools ( private schools),
and get out of the protects. When Max was a teenager- ( around 12 or 13), living in the Bronx- in the housing projects, he drank with his friends, swaggered and strutted, got into petty fights, ( did what he had to do to survive), but back home he studied all night.
A horrific memory that Max lived with was the day he and his buddy, Andre, ( both 13 year old kids), were innocently sucking on Popsicles when punks from nowhere took shots at them. Max had some teeth knocked out, but his friend Andre, would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
His younger sister, Sophia hated the gunshots, the screams, being called "white bitch" or "snow bunny"... so, it's easy to understand why both Max and Sophia worked hard in those private schools hoping that fulfilling there mother's dream would be their path to happiness too.

Sophia, learned to reply on herself ( she never fit in nor did she even try the way her brother Max always did - with everyone). Her mother wanted to to get a high paying job ( she was educated and able)...but Sophia followed her heart and went into counseling teen junkies in a Brooklyn treatment facility.

Max, a devoted son, succeed on on levels, Trinity and Harvard, a Wall Street analyst.
Even when he was in high school Max was making choices of sacrifice. He scrubbed bathrooms early morning of a Harlem Public Bar....then would rush to his gym at Trinity to was off the smell of dried vomit and trash cans...then scub himself again and again so his classmates would never smell the Clorox or pine-sol on his body. He also sat hungry and watched his friends eat pizza --lied and said he didn't like the taste of cheese... ( he was starving)... but he didn't have the extra money to spend.
I was sooooo in love with MAX right from the start of this novel.
OH MY GOD... trust me when I haven't even begun to get INTO the heart of this story yet....
I was hoping to give a flavor of MAX. ( NOT give the juicy adventure away itself...as I believe it's best to experience yourself and TRY to imagine being in Max's shoes)...
Or.... Bare feet in some scenes!!!

But at SOME POINT...Max will notice that he is standing between two worlds
1- death and destruction from the projects and...
2 - Hope and life at Harvard and Trinity.
He realizes he was meant to discover something about suffering and why it chose those it did.

One night, Max meets Viveka on the streets in New York...( I'm not giving this gem of a scene away).... But I will say... FOR A SMALL ROLE that VIVEKA has in this book...
my heart still melts for the man...( the human being he is). Tiny gifts come in big packages!!!!

This Book is WONDERFUL ...WONDERFUL ... WONDERFUL!!!!!
The adventures of this story..the struggles...the people Max meets in India, feel so real and genuine. The conditions are often either scorching hot or frost-bite freezing. "Avoiding physical discomfort in India was harder than seeing God face-to-face".

Oh my God...,***INDIA****.... Oh...how gorgeous Karan Bajaj captured India - ON EVERY LEVEL... ( physical, emotionally, and spiritually)...,WOW!!!

This review would be pages long if I keep reviewing it. I'll skip the STORY ITSELF....( to allow you to enjoy)... but God, you have no idea how much I want to spill the beans...
There are soooo many gripping details my skin was on fire! If you have traveled to India - like I have -this book is going to resonate with you BIG TIME....if not...you will still be turning these pages ... knowing - beyond the ENGROSSING STORYTELLING, this is a very special book. Something is going on in this novel. Even the 'attempt' for Karan to write it ...( utterly complex compelling and profound on deeper levels), is an achievement.

Ever wonder why the Yogis living at the top of the Himalayas 'really' don't live in a more comfortable place? Ever wonder what the silence, and solitude for concentration is about? Want to 'try' to understand ( get a semi experience) of their beliefs?
"that the whole world exists in opposite: up and down, cold and hot, darkness and light, night and day, summer and winter, growth and decay. So if there is birth, age,
suffering, sorrow, and death, then there must be something that is unborn, un-aging,
un-ailing, sorrowless, and deathless--immortal, as it were. They want to find it.
Not just believe in it on faith or scripture, but see it face-to-face".

Without being trite, Karan's story radiates a deep spiritual air of enlightenment...which will awaken your senses and encompass your thoughts.

HIGHLY .. HIGHLY recommend!

[Darwin8u · Rating 4 out of 5]

Then the seer dwells in His own true splendor.
- Yoga Sutra 1.3



"Suffering alone exists, none who suffer;
The deed there is, but no doer thereof;
Nirvana is, but no one seeking it;
The Path there is, but none who travel it."
- Visuddhimagga

I was a bit skeptical of this book at first. I've read a lot of really good novels/books surrounding the Western urge for Nirvana, the allure of the East. This genre of literature isn't quite a Bildungsroman, but close. My search for the word has taken me from master (Google) to master (Yahoo). Certainly, there MUST exist already a perfect word for 'fictions of enlightenment'. There does exist a German word for what drives these novels (or transcendental travel lit): "Lebenskrankheit" or "sickness with life". Certainly there must exist in the Universe a word that covers such diverse works as:

1. Hesse's - Siddartha
2. Matthiessen's - The Snow Leopard
3. Maugham's The Razor's Edge
4. Harrer's Sieben Jahre in Tibet
5. Wetering's The Empty Mirror*
6. Harvey’s A Journey in Ladakh*

These types of novels/travel books/memoirs don't just exist just in the West, obviously. There are other Eastern novels that follow the same journey:

1. Wu Cheng'en's - Monkey: The Journey to the West
2. Tung Yüeh's - The Tower of Myriad Mirrors

If there isn't a word, I will make it. I will call these novels -- vanaprasromans, or Seeker Lit? These novels aren't quite tracts for Yoga or Buddhism or even enlightenment, but artistic and often fictionalized stories about the journey away from pain and toward knowledge (generally an Eastern-form of knowledge).

Karan Bajaj's book** is a nice addition to the Vanaprasroman/Seeker canon. Did I enjoy it as much as Maugham, Mathieson, or Hesse? No. As far as "literature" goes, I don't think it climbed to the same heights. However, I think the 'Yoga of Max's Discontent' worked well as bridge. Bajaj is able to span the gulf between the transcendent (and often impoverished) East and hungry (and often impoverished) West fairly well. This gulf is hard to travel across without falling into either kitsch or cliché. So, while my first impulse was to give this novel 3-stars, I don't think that adequately covers the challenge of writing fiction about enlightenment. Writing without restriction about a spiritual journey is about as difficult and perilous as writing about sex. Writing a spiritual narrative is definitely one of the most difficult poses to hold.

* Stolen from Glenn Russell
** Sent to me by the author with no promise to read, review, etc., but Karan Bajaj was such a genuinely NICE guy I ended up purchasing another copy.

[Glenn Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the tradition of Janwillem van de Wetering’s "The Empty Mirror" and Andrew Harvey’s "A Journey in Ladakh" recording the journey of a young man from the West making his spiritual pilgrimage to the East, we now have a splendid new entry with "The Yoga of Max’s Discontent" by Karan Bajaj. And since we all love to read stories, we are given some added spice – rather than a first-person account, Bajaj’s first-hand experience is rendered in novel form, a third-person narrative of Max, a bright, inquisitive New Yorker raised in the low-income projects, educated at Harvard (he won a scholarship) and working as an analyst in Manhattan until he has a spiritual crisis and is off to India to seek the way of the yogis and enlightenment.

To provide a reader with a more specific rasa, that is, taste of Max’s various experiences, here are several quotes from the book along with my comments. Incidentally, I feel a special connection with Max and also the author since, as a Westerner, I have received training under a number of outstanding teachers and have been practicing yoga and meditation for many years:

“They want to find it. Not just believe in it on faith or scripture, but see it face-to-face.” ---------- The appeal of the path of yoga and the enlightenment tradition is direct experience of the divine for the one who steps on and follows the path. Max’s yearning for this direct experience is the same yearning of yogis and Buddhists for the past thousands of years.

“More discussion followed. Authentic Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants, this club and that, what was so good, what was awesome, who was in the know, who wasn’t, drinking, eating and more drinking. Max recalled similar conversations- with a date or colleagues after work – and felt disgusted.” ---------- In a word, Max has had his fill of superficiality – loads of chatter and running after pleasures like a dog chasing its tale. There comes a point when a spiritual seeker rejects the common run of what passes for life in society and yearns for something deeper.

“He barely knew anything about yoga and meditation. The rational part of him still didn’t know what to make of this mystical mumbo-jumbo. And yet he felt compelled to find out exactly where the Brazilian yogi lived.” ---------- There is that part of us - call it consciousness, spirit, light or inner self - that is beyond the rational mind. Max can’t explain it but he senses its reality and yearns for a guide who can show him the way.

“He needed to take the next flight back to New York and get his shit together. No stupid questions, no privileged pontifications on the meaning of life – just live the life he and everyone else expected him to.” ---------- Ah! Once in India and embarking on the spiritual path, the ordinary world calls out, so many social responsibilities and expectations demanded of each individual. How authentic is Max’s quest? This is a challenge that must be faced by every true seeker.

“Next he learned sun salutations, a series of stretching and bending exercises that worked every part of the body from the tops of the arms to the backs of the legs, in an elegant dance.” ---------- As part of the spiritual path, Max discovers the body must be completely and totally transformed. Not easy, but no authentic spiritual teacher ever said the path is easy.

“Once again paranayama worked its magic. The careful, long exhalation meant an automatic long inhalation, which brought a fresh supply of revitalizing oxygen into the body. He wasn’t the breathless, sweaty mess he’d been when he had walked from the village to the ashram.” ---------- On the path of yoga, the bridge from the outer world to the inner is through the breath. Max has a direct experience of the power of breath – a clear sign he is on the right path and future transformations await.

“You have to work harder than ever before. Only the most accomplished of yogis achieve this union,” said Ramakrishna. “You will become the sum of all knowledge. Many powers will come to you. But all that has to be left behind. Falling from this state is easy if you develop even a shadow of an ego.” ---------- After gaining great powers through the practice of yoga, the yogi faces new challenges, including not using his or her power for selfish ends. Not easy. That’s why the path of yoga can be like walking on a razor’s edge.

“The universe is your teacher now. Consciousness will guide you to merge with it,” said Ramakrishna. “See it, hear it, feel it everywhere, within and outside everything. You have nothing more to learn from me.” ---------- Max has come a long way. At some point, the accomplished yogi looks to his own inner resources as the teacher rather than relying on an external guide.

Coda: I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Where do I begin? What words can I use that will somehow sum up this transcendent and captivating book? How can I express how deeply this read has affected me? I can’t, but I can try.

This is the tale of Max. Max: average American citizen, brother, corporate man, good friend, straight-A student, rags-to-riches hero. His childhood was spent dividing his days attempting to fit in somewhere in the gang-war-territory he called home and his nights attempting to pass every test and ace every exam in the hopes of alleviating his social position. His story has a tragic beginning but isn’t an unusual one. The journey he embarks on however, is. Following the death of his mother Max leaves behind everything he has ever known, including his family, friends, job, responsibilities, home and even his name, in the search for spiritual enlightenment. He, along with the thousands of other Westerners every year, travels to India to begin his inner-journey. What distinguishes him from the others is his mental strength and perseverance, and his willingness to let go of the life and world he knows in the search for peace.

This story was, quite simply, beautiful. I felt some sort of enlightenment just reading it. Aside from being highly instructive in the art and life of the yogi subculture, reading this felt like sinking into a form of meditation: the story reverberated right to the core of my very being. The writing was stunning, but the story was sublime.

We are, I believe, a cynical generation, who believe in little and conform to a lot. What, without belief, is there to drive us forward and to and to keep us sane? There is a monotony and stagnancy in the world, which Max senses and which I can identify with, that we mask with consumerism and conservative ideologies. With nothing to focus on and nothing to strive to become within ourselves, we put our beliefs and aspirations in corporations and become as hard and as cold as the money we worship.

This message isn’t directly conveyed in the book, but this was what I got from it. There was a satirical and moralist edge that I felt an affinity with and it has made me view from the world from a different tilt. Maybe the tilt was always there, but I am more in tune with it now. I can’t see myself following in Max’s footsteps in the path to enlightenment but I can certainly begin my own journey.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Why I did not finish - I stalled about 30% in and when I tried to go back, found my interest waning. It feels like a Coelho or a Redfield - one of those novels that feels more like a concept lesson. It doesn't resonate or hold my interest because of this, but I know some people really love that kind of book and are likely to enjoy it. I read a bit about the author and think his story would have felt more authentic as a memoir, less dramatic maybe, but something about this lacks authenticity that I seek even in fiction.

Thanks to the author for providing a review copy!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Westerners love it! Spiritual McDonald's!"

After a conversation with a falafel vendor on a New York street corner, Max leaves his life of "success" to go to India and find yogis who live in caves in the Himalayas. No training and very little forethought at all, he realizes his plan was fool-hardy, and regroups. Re-seeks, as it were. He meets people along the way - very much a "Pilgrims Progress" sort of journey theme. We follow Max's journey from the high Himalayas, the back alleys and markets of New Delhi, to the scorching south as he seeks. He seeks for his own yoga.

There's plenty of humor, pathos, and eventually some enlightenment. There's some great scenes that stick out: conversations with the two students riding their motorcycles on the icy mountains, his time at Ramakrishna's ashram, and his stay at the guest house in the Himalayas encountering all sorts of characters who question him and his path.

This book is not perfect - the writing is prosaic, and Max's past was a little too much "Horatio Alger". I realize what the author was doing when he described things about Max's past, but some of those details could have been edited out and it wouldn't have changed the story at all. However, it was well-paced and moved along fluidly, never languishing.

A strong story that keeps me thinking even after I finish it - and I like that.

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chance incident leaves Wall Street banker Maximus Pzoras shaken. After the incident, he starts to question himself about life, death and suffering – things that have bothered him for quite some time yet he never confronted them. But he finally decides to embark upon a journey to find these answers. His search leads him to different corners of India. From the freezing temperature of the Himalayas to the boiling hot weather of South India – he travels far and wide. But does our ‘Seeker’ finally find what he was truly looking for?

I have to admit that I had read Johnny Gone Down when it had come out first and while I did enjoy it the, I really did not understand why people were going ga-ga over it. And, until recently I maintained that it was one of the over-hyped books. But then a friend of mine suggested that I should re-read it now when my tastes have evolved some and that I just might like it a bit more. I have been meaning to do so since last couple of months and that’s when The Seeker arrived! I started reading this book with an open mind… and yes! I have thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Maximus is a brilliant protagonist to know about and to follow. While he takes time to warm up to the reader, he does become endearing by the end. The Wall Street banker that we see is not all that Maximus is and that is soon evident as he takes on his journey towards achieving enlightenment. The other character that leaves a mark on the reader is that of Ramakrishna. There are a number of characters aside from these two and are as well developed and vibrant as the two main characters. The plot of the book was well hatched and the narration is beautiful. From what I understand, some of the experiences are almost autobiographical as the author had been on one year spiritual sabbatical. He learnt Yoga, meditation and experienced living as a Buddhist Monk as well. It is no wonder that when he narrates Maximus’s journey, it is easy for a reader to feel like they are with Maximus at the moment – seeing what he sees and feeling what he feels. The language and the narration of the author was pure magic!

Needless to say, apart from experiencing few hours of beautiful literature, this book also offers its readers certain lessons/opinions that can be utilized in every individual’s life. I am certainly going back and re-reading Johnny Gone Down again. And with A chance incident leaves Wall Street banker Maximus Pzoras shaken. After the incident, he starts to question himself about life, death and suffering – things that have bothered him for quite some time yet he never confronted them. But he finally decides to embark upon a journey to find these answers. His search leads him to different corners of India. From the freezing temperature of the Himalayas to the boiling hot weather of South India – he travels far and wide. But does our ‘Seeker’ finally find what he was truly looking for?

I have to admit that I had read Johnny Gone Down when it had come out first and while I did enjoy it the, I really did not understand why people were going ga-ga over it. And, until recently I maintained that it was one of the over-hyped books. But then a friend of mine suggested that I should re-read it now when my tastes have evolved some and that I just might like it a bit more. I have been meaning to do so since last couple of months and that’s when The Seeker arrived! I started reading this book with an open mind… and yes! I have thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Maximus is a brilliant protagonist to know about and to follow. While he takes time to warm up to the reader, he does become endearing by the end. The Wall Street banker that we see is not all that Maximus is and that is soon evident as he takes on his journey towards achieving enlightenment. The other character that leaves a mark on the reader is that of Ramakrishna. There are a number of characters aside from these two and are as well developed and vibrant as the two main characters. The plot of the book was well hatched and the narration is beautiful. From what I understand, some of the experiences are almost autobiographical as the author had been on one year spiritual sabbatical. He learnt Yoga, meditation and experienced living as a Buddhist Monk as well. It is no wonder that when he narrates Maximus’s journey, it is easy for a reader to feel like they are with Maximus at the moment – seeing what he sees and feeling what he feels. The language and the narration of the author was pure magic!

Needless to say, apart from experiencing few hours of beautiful literature, this book also offers its readers certain lessons/opinions that can be utilized in every individual’s life. I am certainly going back and re-reading Johnny Gone Down again. And with The Yoga of Max's Discontent – I am one of those readers who is going ga-ga over the book. Go and pick up this book… SOON!
– I am one of those readers who is going ga-ga over the book. Go and pick up this book… SOON!

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant spiritual tale of a man trying to understand the universe.

Max is the product of those chasing the American Dream, but has an identity crisis when his #1 cheerleader, his mother, dies of liver cancer. A yuppie on Wall Street, Max wants for nothing. However, he feels empty despite the beautiful apartment and loving family. A chance encounter with a wise food vendor inspires him to leaving everything behind and travel to India in search of the most elusive yogi whispered about among travelers as more legend than man. His journey takes him up the Himalayas, across the Indian desert, and into a safehouse that brings his story full circle in the most beautiful way possible.

This is a spiritual journey more than a physical one. Bajaj presents the basic elements of yoga and expands it to show all of yoga's true potential and how in depth someone can dive into themselves to find their place with the universe. Thought-provoking, this story will stick with the reader well after they finish the last page.

[A Mig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that, at first, I found this story too predictable, too slow and without much depth. I was very wrong! I had some unnecessary expectations based on an earlier reading of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. But after a while, I finally got it and felt Max's transformation. A must read.

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max Pzoras is a young man living the American dream but after his mother’s death, he becomes disillusioned with life. He meets an Indian man working at a food cart. It’s bitter cold and the man isn’t even wearing a shirt and is barefoot. Max offers the man his coat but the man says he’s not cold. He then tells Max about the yogis at the top of the Himalayan Mountains who can walk on water and live to be hundreds of years old. This sparks an interest in Max that leads him to India in search of his own enlightenment.

This book is a No. 1 bestseller in India. It reads as a memoir and is so realistic that it’s hard to remember that it’s fictional. Actually, some of this novel is based on the author’s real-life experiences. The author is extremely talented and you’ll not only read about Max’s journey but you’ll be with him as he hikes up the Himalayan Mountains in the winter, you’ll smell the smells and hear the sounds of the night market, you’ll suffer with Max in his cave. Your feet will ache with the cold as Max walks barefoot on ice, you’ll feel his hunger as he fasts, you’ll feel the heat of the Indian sun burning his head.

Not many books have touched my heart and soul like this one has. Reading it was such a beautiful experience. I didn’t just read it, I lived every moment of it with Max. Take this spiritual journey with Max so you can see for yourself the many wonders of the spiritual world. It’s much too deep a book to give it justice in a review.

Highly recommended.

This book was given to me by the publisher through First to Read in return for an honest review.

[Girish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do you remember the infomercials on topics such as girl child education, closed toilets, use of contraceptives? Well, if India ever tried to create an infomercial on Yoga, this book would provide a good starting point. A bestseller abroad thanks to keeping with the image of land of yoga, this book was tough to digest. Ok, maybe I'm not being entirely fair to the book, but then I had high expectations post Johnny Gone Down.

Dubbed as 'The Yoga of Max's Discontent' in US as against the Indian 'Seeker' (probably to avoid disgruntling all the Harry Potter fans), the book traces the transformation of an Individual on a path of self discovery. Max is an investment banker trying to cope with grief when he decides to move to India and discover the cosmic truth. He moves to the Himalyas and from there heads to Pavur in Tamil Nadu and from there back to himalayas. The book is in 3 parts - The traveller, the yogi and the saint.

Based on the author's own explorations, the character is on the verge of giving up multiple time till he decides to persist. The author also manages to point out himself the fake yogis, the sarcastic Indian population and the misconceptions about yogis. The good writing can't do much with, what to me, was a insipid plot. Maybe the book had an extensively targeted audience (what with the author being a marketing guy himself). Some universal truths that he discovers like how Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad became Godly made sense.

Skip it and you probably can retain the awesomeness of Johnny Gone Down. Of course if you do go into the spiritual path, you may choose this over 'the autobiography of a yogi'

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an email from the author of this book asking me to review it. I read very little fiction as I'm not really into the mystery/shoot-'em up stuff that seems to be common fare. I typically read books about spirituality. The title and description of this book intrigued me so I decided to take a break from my own spiritual seeking and see what it had to offer.

I was pleasantly surprised as often when I'm asked to review fictional books they're not worth my time to even finish reading them. Max's journey grabbed me from the start as I could relate to his discontent and his deciding to take an adventure I would never take. The author clearly has done some seeking of his own and his knowledge of the concepts of yoga and Hinduism and Buddhism were very believable to me and lined up with what I have found.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot of the book, but I will say that it caused me to contemplate the big questions of life. Why are we here? What should we do while we're here? Is it better to live a "normal" life or to go on a big adventure seeking the "true meaning of life". 90% of the way through the book, I wondered what Max's conclusion would be and if I would agree with the author and Max.

I find the conclusion very satisfying, although just slightly confusing. I went back to re-read the last two chapters to see if I had missed something. A day after finishing it I am still contemplating it. It's not confusing in a way like some novels where a big twist you could never have seen coming came in, but in a good way. It leaves you with more to contemplate. What does it mean to truly achieve what Max was seeking?

If a spiritual quest is of interest to you, but you're not adventuresome enough to quit your job and move to a different continent, spend a few dollars on this book and take a little adventure with Max. Maybe it'll help you answer some of those questions for yourself.

[Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm thrilled that Karan Bajaj requested that I review his new book. This would have been a book I would have never chosen to read. Being a Christian woman, with a slightly conservative stance, it was difficult for me to even get through the first few chapters. I pushed through though, and oh my, I'm so glad I did! I believe reading opens our minds to new ways of thinking, if you will allow it. "The Yoga of Max's Discontent" did this for me.

This book is the fictional account of Max, a young man, with a disturbing, stressful past, who is now working and living on Wallstreet. Max has many nightmares to work through and decides he needs to take time away from his job to travel to India in search of answers much deeper than what he can find in a 9 to 5 job.

I enjoyed reading of Max's determination to pursue his spiritual enlightenment. The descriptions of the yoga poses and breaths were fascinating. As one who just "dabbles" in a weekly yoga class, I had no idea the power that yoga has, if you have the desire to seek and practice. I was amazed at Max's ability to push through the weather, hunger, pain, solitude, and much more in order to find peace with his past and purpose for his life.

It was fascinating to read about many characters' asceticism, and I even later researched on my own to learn that all religions have sects in their communities that practice certain types of this. This book will make you consider other aspects of spiritual matters, if you will have an open mind. It doesn't mean you'll need to practice your faith this way. I'm grateful my mind is a little more open after reading this book.

[Jennifer Kirkwood (Levac) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an amazing book, very lovable characters with a great story of a young man who has strived to become what he felt was is life needs. Only when he meets a food cart owner from India that he realizes there is more to his life than Wall Street and money. Max sets out on an amazing journey of self discovery, to become a great yogi. I was totally drawn to this book right from reading the synopsis. I couldn't wait to read it! Karan did an amazing job of hooking me into the story right from the beginning and taking me on a wonderful journey along with Max and some very dynamic characters that you can't help wondering what my own calling is. I have started my own journey into looking inside me and realize there is so much to learn in a yoga practice. Meditation is an amazing thing. Max overcomes what most people would never even experience in ones life. After reading The Seeker is has me looking at everything we take for granted on a daily basis, also what I can do without and why do I hold onto somethings.

I can't wait to read more from Karan Bajaj as he is an amazing writer. I give The Seeker a 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend this book to everyone not just people interested in meditation and yoga.

[Ty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karan Bajaj does a fantastic job of detailing Max's inward journey to understanding God. This is one of the best spiritual books I've ever read. There aren't many books out there that cover such spiritual concepts portrayed in this book in story form. This book really made me contemplate my own spiritual journey and how I can free myself from useless material attachments. Max's journey motivated me to get back into yoga. I did not want this book to end!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting read! I like how the book manages to make the reader go on a similar emotional journey as Max does.

[Poorvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the few books I have read, where I didn't notice when I had reached the end. It was an incredibly impact-full and highly spiritual journey.
I think one of the significant themes of this book was the importance of yoga and people's oblivion towards it's true meaning. Yoga isn't just an ascetic discipline including breath control, simple mediation and the adoption of specific bodily postures practiced for health and relaxation.Then what is it? Breathing attentively is yoga. Complete absorption in your work is yoga. Thinking about others instead of yourself is yoga. Anything which makes you forget your small self and become one with the infinite is yoga.
Another important aspect in this book was the impact of decision making in our lives. This book allowed me to understand that every moment of our life is a moment of decision. In every moment, you take a decision for the next moment. Then the decision leaves it's impact behind. The decisions taken today create either happiness or unhappiness in the future, not only for us (the individual) but for our family and also for the generations to come. When a problem arises, our mind gets disturbed and filled with uncertainty, the moment of decision making becomes a war and our mind, the war ground. Mostly, we take decisions, not to solve the problem but to calm our mind. However, we fail to realize that a mind at war cannot take an appropriate decision. In reality, when someone takes a decision with a calm mind, they create a happy future, but when someone takes a decision to calm their mind, that person plants a tree filled with thorns in their future.
''I am the seeker, the act of seeking and the one who is sought. I am the field and the knower of the field.'' ''The deed is there, but no doer. The path is there but none who travel it.''
Truly a must read book! I strongly recommend it, but it is only sold in the indian subcontinent.
Although, I am happy to lend my copy to anyone who would like to read it :)

[Dmitri Poletaev · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing... Journey! I can't find a better word to describe this novel. For the Author, of course, but especially for a Reader. Everything that its title promises delivered. "Yoga?" Oh, yes! After reading this book, you would comprehend it better than after reading dozens of "specialized" books on the subject. "Max's..." Doesn't that particularly westerner name of the main character refer to me, European-American reader? You bet! It cold be the journey of any one of us to the depths of understanding of Eastern esoteric tradition. "Discontent?" Well... Aren't we all?

Written breathtakingly and expressively the novel, at many points, leaves no doubt that the author had to go through a lot of the events the Hero goes through, otherwise it's impossible to describe it so clearly. And on the last pages, in "acknowledgement", you found the proof to it. From my point of view, it makes this book even more valuable.

The depth of spiritual "enlightening" after reading this book I can compare with only what you can get after reading Mahatma Gandhi or even Elena Blavatsky, but the "delivery method" - non-stop adventure! - is truly fascinating. I have barely been able to put the book aside until I gulped it to the end! In the genre of Paulo Coelho's "Pilgrimage", if compared to a Western esoteric tradition and even better!

I could tell more, but... As a true "journey" it should be your own experience.

Read it! You wouldn't regret it. It even might makes you a better "You."

[Rajiv Bhattacharya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am back to this author after reading his novel “Keep off the grass” in 2009. This is a stark departure from the writing style I was expecting. Instead of the dark comedy which I relished in “Keep off the grass” this book seems to a melancholic quest of spirituality. The whole book revolves around how an investment banker in US leaves his job, belongings as well family and comes to India for spiritual enlightenment. The spiritual enlightenment described in the book is not the light one as in “ Eat, Pray , Love” but of the intense kind – Eating bare essentials , tilling the land and finally culminating to living in Himalayan caves alone for months together braving the cold and hunger ( Read not a touristy enlightenment but a Kumbh mela baba kind of scene) . I am not a big fan of yoga so most of the passages on yoga didn’t make sense to me . Also some of the supernatural stuff like warding off a bear only by meditating, instantaneously learning Nepali from past lives seemed unscientific and ridiculous. The biggest question which comes to my mind is : Why would a perfectly abled , educated and empowered person be on a quest of self-inflicted suffering to achieve englightenment when the same person could do so much good by utilizing his/ her skills for the betterment of mankind ( or even plants or animals for that matter). Overall I rate this book as average . Read it only if you want to get an account of a Baba-kind of spiritual quest .

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one incredible journey. The Yoga of Max's Discontent is one of those books that really gets you to think, and one that I plan to share with others.

[Abhilash Ruhela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a great fan of Karan Bajaj's books. He writes story based upon some unusual protagonists who urges you to think about your boring life and makes you think something exciting for yourself. He has taken 5 years to release his 3rd book for which many were waiting just like me. "The Seeker" have released just last week and it's already at No. 8 in Bestselling list. That's what Karan Bajaj is even when he has not been in much limelight even after writing some seriously good books. "The Seeker" seems to be his ambitious project and after completing this book, I am happy that I have read something of this kind. Though the story is not as dramatic as his first two books but still, it's no less. It takes you on the path that you might never travel and therefore urges you to go that way and experience what every human being should.

Karan Bajaj's writing style is wonderful which makes you turn pages every minute. He writes in a way that makes his book a definite page-turner. The narration is wonderful even when book is based upon spirituality and enlightenment. Generally, such books are boring and you leave it in between but that's where Karan Bajaj have weaved magic in his writing. He have assured that you will not be preached by anything that can bore you and make you feel that you are in a yoga class or something. He keeps everything simple and yet speaks a story that was very essential to be told in today's world where stress have overcome everything else.

Though the book is not very interesting initially when Max, the protagonist, is living in a very stressed situation in overseas. But as soon as he decides to go to Himalayas to find the peace that he have been eyeing for in the situation, the book takes a wonderful turnover and starts delivering a journey to you on which you find yourself walking along side Max. Every geographical location is so beautifully described that you feel you are actually finding a Yogi yourself through the way that Max is traveling. Even protagonist's adventure isn't taken in an over-the-top description where everything starts seeming to be some fantasy world. You can relate with him as you have heard such stories before.

The whole struggle of Max in an avalanche is wonderfully narrated. You can feel for the protagonist. The real fun of the book starts when Max reaches where he wanted to and his routine starts from as early as 3.30 AM. How he starts getting physically fit is an inspiration and you want to leave the book then and there and start performing those Asanas yourself. Another great scene is when Max starts performing Yoga and feels that he is flying in the air in between. It is beautifully written. And the summer scene when Max gets attracted to a woman and makes love with her even when their body didn't have any energy is memorable. In all, Karan Bajaj have written a good book which will compel you to follow the path of Yoga, meditation, spirituality and enlightenment. I give the book 3.75*/5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

[Angie Reisetter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written story, and it'll make for an interesting movie. Because it is, more than anything else, an adventure. There's lots of physicality here: Max does yoga for hours, Max holds his breath for 15 minutes, Max walks on water, Max speaks the secret language of animals, Max holds his left arm up in the air for weeks for no apparent reason. Good movie stuff. It's somewhat disappointing on the spiritual side, though. Sorry, I know. Lots of people think this is an amazing spiritual book. I just disagree.

So what is this book about, really? It's marketed as a book of spirituality, one that will help us find ourselves, meditate on the meaning of life. And in that it fails miserably. It is a book of magic. Max, having only tried one yoga class in New York that he hated, wanders into India and miraculously out-yogas the yogis. He is Special. He is Chosen. He can do magic tricks without really trying. It is his previous lives that give him these special powers. Don't we all like to feel Special?

Max goes on a quest for the meaning of life, more or less, and ultimately, he's unsuccessful in finding it. Even though he does all these amazing things and his body starts glowing and he feels connected to the One -- he still doesn't live life with others. He abandoned those who love him and need him -- it's that pesky love for his sister that really holds him back, how awful. I feel like I need to apologize for this view, but all this meditation is only admirable if he gains insights that help him to make the world a better place, to help others. His insight is only insightful if it can help us to live in the world. His only lesson is that it relieves stress to abandon everything and not have possessions or a job or people in your life. That feels a little selfish. Yes, I know, he has his breakthrough when helping one stranger, but that is not a lifestyle.

Argh. So well-written, yes. Will make a good movie, yes. Read it if you're looking for an adventure. But I wouldn't recommend it for spiritual insights.

I got a free copy of this from First to Read, and I hope they don't regret it.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

goodreads win!

this is the first time i've read karan bajaj's book,and this is something one should never miss!

its a story about max,who travels to india to discover the secrets of the universe,to find out the true meaning of life,he starts his journey towards himalyas. soon after struggling enough,he starts losing his patience.but there is always something that stops him from returning back to his old life.


. so he goes to a village in south india where he lives in an ashram. after few days,he gets accustomed with the way of living. he discover many things about himself,which is very hard to believe sometimes.he even questions himself about reincarnation,the possiblity of reading others thoughts,to see the things happening in outside world.

then he goes back to himalyas,but this time he is no longer afraid of how he is going to survive. he is in full control of his mind.

the story itself is enlightening,with great characters and incredible plot. every next chapter was more intresting than previous one. the author has very well described two different life of max,one as a banker in New York,and another as a person who is in search of enlightment.

every word has deeper meaning into it,it feels as if the author has experienced something like this. there is detailed description of yogas and meditation,which comes from personal experience,not only by reading the books.

this is a sort of book i won't easily forget,and its going to be with me for long time.

[Brian Schiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Brian Schiff -- Last update on Jan 19 2016
Review

Karan Bajaj's novel 'The Yoga of Max's Discontent'' was a real 'eastern religion' page turning cliffhanging experience. The closest I've gotten to any of this has been one experience at a Hare Krishna Temple-and a lot of Indian restaurants. This novel really tells you "everything" you ever wanted to ask about Indian culture/"Eastern religion"..Yoga..Yogi's..
Max goes from housing projects to elite schools and ends up as a number cruncher;his mother dies-and Max decides to get away from it all..really get away from it all. He ends up in India where he deals with all kinds of weather..he loses some fingers-and a lot of weight.He does endless yoga and meditation and works hard in the field. By the end of the book, he succesfully searches for someone in the Himalayas-and feels he's attained a certain advanced level of enlightment-which is where "Eastern religion" sort of deadends for me.,My ongoing impression is that this type of religion is a divorce bigtime from problems guys like Max are needed to solve; Viveca-an Indian barely dressed foodcart guy at the beginning of the novel who's spent time with Yogi's I think is where Max needs to be in hopefully the sequel.
Max has left his sister Sophia and best buddy Andre sort of adrift back in New York;maybe he can return

[Anitha Mohanraj · Rating 5 out of 5]

An experience, a memoir, a spectacle unfolding in your mind eye and more. An awesome life transformation with typical hardships and obstacles placed by the mind and body and in the end the Soul in its strength reigns supreme.
A spiritual seeking relating to the problems within and society are dealt with in true maturity. Ramakrishna fills our mind with an intensity and warmth as he understands and looks beyond what meets the human eye. The ESP between Max and Ramakrishna is true bliss.
Look inward and understand to be conscious before you think of enlightenment is a strong bring home. The walking on water part gave me the goosebumps, the bear at the cave entrance, the avalanche, all physical calamities around us are Nature and a part of us itself.

Stop the internal chatter.
When you are ready, your Guru finds you.
Spirituality is not Religion.
Get out of your attachments and consider them duties.
Many, many more take homes for me, A Seeker.

Karan Bajaj Kudos! You gave unique tell tales of human lives in Keep Off The Grass, Johny Gone Down and I recommend that readers get to read the author's books in the order of publishing for a truly life transforming journey.

[Veronique · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried so hard to keep an open mind for this book, and I forced myself to keep reading it to see if the ending would change my mind. The entire story is just a white guy unhappy with his life who goes to India to find "true meaning," even though he has never done yoga or meditation or anything thoughtful in his life before. He leaves his sister alone right after their mother's death, even though she begs him not to go and says she needs him. As a random white guy with zero experience, he somehow surpasses all other students that he trains with, and even surpasses his teacher. I'm willing to forgive the idea of things like walking on water and yogis being ridiculously healthy and young because of breathing holds. However, I thought every other premise in this book was ridiculous.

[Sankrutyayan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been through all of it myself just as I read it. I read ‘Johnny Gone Down’ few years back and I did the same back then. For this author it would just not be enough to narrate a story, he unrelentingly urges the reader to go with him on a quest. You should know what else he does. He makes you realize of your monotonous life between the four walls and shakes you by your shoulders to go on an adventure. The characters you may never encounter run at such speeds that they make it hard for the reader to put the book down and leaves you emaciated and craving for something higher than normal, some greater difficulties to fight with, tougher situations to live through once the book ends. My head spun back then while reading the story of Nikhil with exhilaration. It was a roller-coaster ride to be honest.

Max took me with him through the length of India making me live through some extreme climatic conditions. My lips felt parched while I was reading the episodes from the summer of South India. I shivered in the sub-zero temperatures of Himalayas and trembled with fear of running into a wild bear or a snow leopard while searching for a cave. I felt exhilarated with the events unfolding in an animate manner. The scenes from New York went by so fast that I am glad. They would have decelerated the pace if they tried to jog some interest in the reader right from the start. The Himalayas, the people, the bus rides, everything seemed so sure. The author never tried to preach anything through the story, he just narrated in the most interesting way possible the experiences of a man clouded with questions.

The questions quite commonly pop up now and again until we do something about them or till we push them back into some dark corner of the mind where they cannot be seen. Seldom people look for answers for the path is filled with ambiguity, uncertainty and most probably will end in futility. It seems to others madness to witness a man seeking answers to the questions they had had but covertly they wait for him to seek for answers for them too. The blurb and the reviews made me think twice before buying as they all pointed to the fearful self-help and religious category. But I know the author and with a whim bought it and started reading and would not have stopped in-between if not to relish the story by searching for the real places and to have a mental note of those beautiful Himalayas beforehand to make it more interesting.

The description of everything was so detailed. He who lived through all that which is Indian can only describe those petty shops in South India where snacks and hardware tools sold at one place, the lodge rooms with dampness on the roof, the clamour of a bazaar in the darkest places of Mumbai. Everything seemed so real, the smoke of beedi, the strong smells of urine in the streets, the repulsive smell of burnt flesh. One can just imagine the things unseen or unheard of before with the mind’s eye when there is so much description coming your way to guide you through it. The love making situations did not seem not necessary nor was there a demand for it. They were impulsive as they should be. There was eagerness, there was need.

Every character was necessary to build the yogi in Max. Ramakrishna was pivotal in the search of Max. I truly admire his kind. Say nothing much and make sense otherwise. More sense than a mere mortal can discern. The way the words were there in Max even before he received them from Ramakrishna sort of explained the whole of oneness in the universe. And the way Max did not even know how he was doing certain asanas names of which Ramakrishna himself do not know made it clear that there are many other than conventional ones which are hidden deep in us and afloat when we seek with a pure and unrelenting mind. The old woman was an important element too in realizing the idea of dependency to seek from another. Everything fitted in. I do not want to really comment about that walking above water and all, but it did feel good to be ascertained by some power unknown to man which can communicate with the living things for we are all one and the One. The caves, glaciers, dried up fields, hollow smiles, dark skins, hippies, yogis, snakes, scorpions everything and everyone would live for sometime in the mind with same spirit and animation.

It was truly an incredible path to walk on. It had been a great transcendence.