Kratu: A Novel

by Samarpan

Cursed with eternal memory for transgressing the thin line between orthodoxy and liberty, Kratu, a young man from the ancient era, moves through time and worldly spheres, exploring both the illusions and the wisdom permeating the universe. Burdened by deathless memory, he pines for freedom while traversing successive worlds and epochs, deeply empathizing with the characters, bound in various shades of shackles that populate these sojourns. By the time he is born in a city in the present time, Kratu has dedicated himself to sprinkling joy and freedom from entrapment to people and personalities of all hues. As the story weaves together the successive births of Kratu, tales of wisdom, told masterfully through the medium of divinities and great seers, get knit into a unified whole of past, present and future, bringing alive the consciousness of a millennia of Indian tradition. Kratu, as an engaging novel, not only narrates a multitude of absorbing tales but goes beyond – indeed, as Kratu, the pan-temporal traveller, embeds our psyche with priceless wisdom deeply imbued in the numerous streams coursing through the consciousness of India and its people.

Genres: Spirituality

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2021

About the author

Samarpan is a monk in a reputed monastic organization in India. Born in 1960, he took his vows when he was twenty, and since then has been associated with varied organizational work, mostly educational. He was the principal of a well-known residential school and has been associated with medical, rural and relief services. Presently he teaches Indian scriptures at the university of his organization.

Reviews

[Priyanka Dutta · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are some quotable lines I thought of putting up here instead of writing a review. This book is timeless, priceless.
1. A smile is the product of certainty, good or bad. Page 8
2. Joy lies in being free of burden. Page 15
3. Growth is life, stagnation is death. Page 24
4. Luxury of freedom hates the discipline of knowledge. Page 24
5. A man can attain God through true friendship. Page 24
6. Emotions are devoid of intelligence, Additionally, anger does not differentiate between high and low. Page 41
7. Without a memory, your knowledge is a big fat zero. Page 47
8. Viciousness demands sharpness of mind, crude minds can be violent but not vicious. Page 48
9. Fullness is Joy. Fullness is strength. Fullness alone exists. Variety is the play of the full on the full. Page 76
10. Time is a manufacture of the mind. Past, present and future have no meaning in the absolute. Page 79
11. Fullness is knowledge, fragmentation is ignorance. Knowledge is Joy, ignorance is death. Page 80
12. Anger is the inseparable friend of failure. Page 86
13. Knowledge creates aspiration which turns into achievement. Never stop learning. Page 97
14. Be free. Strength liberates you, fear binds you down. Page 97
15. Strength is weakness and weakness is strength, these are one and the same. Push one's strength beyond a point, and it will become the cause of his destruction. Similarly, the strength of a person lies in his weakness. Push weakness beyond a point, and it becomes his strength. Page 100
16. Crisis is the portal to new opportunity. Page 107
17. That which is created by sacrifice, can be destroyed only by sacrifice. Page 109
18. Oneness signifies love, while two or more signifies varied emotions Page 116
19. Existence is strength. Page 117
20. Awareness increases eminence. Page 122
21. An exponential growth of information and proportional loss of wisdom helps bloom the bluffers. Page 134
22. Gossip is like a chain. By holding one link and the proceeding on, one can reach the truth. Page 139
23. Humour is a sign of intelligence. Page 145
24. The cost and speed of communication is the measure of progress of a society. Page 160
25. Discipline withholds freedom but gives security. Page 161
26. Sleep is the time when the mind brings order to its house. Page 187
27. Universe is like a canvas of moving pictures in which different life forms present a perfect collage. Page 207
28. Transgressions are like roadblocks that can be overcome by penances. Page 209
29. Creativity comes from the depths of silence and not from the din of words. Page 233
30. Adversity is only the gateway to opportunity. Page 235
31. Ordinary minds learn the how, mediocre learn the why, and the great minds apply why to how. Page 237
32. Social network is the web where every spider is a potential prey. People meet, weigh and then make plans to suck the juice out of the other. Page 238
33. Calmness comes when a person is face to face with oneself. Page 244
34. Tenderness and whispers are signs of nearness while shouting and screaming signals distance. Page 244
35. Death is not an end but only the portal to a new life. Page 251
36. Life is not important, the philosophy of life is. Page 258
37. Freedom is the goal. Be free. That is the greatest service that you can do to yourself and to the world. Page 261
38. The seed comes when the field is ready, greatnes comes when the mind is ready. Page 270
39. Emotions are the great enemy of mind power. Page 291
40. Intense life makes existence heavy. Page 303
41. A man is a combination of cruelty and compassion towards all, including oneself. Page 306
42. Silence is a sign of maturity. Page 308
43. Eternal separation alone is true on this earth, everything else falls short. Page 316
44. Life is the great chance, the great platform that allows one to improve and move ahead. Page 316
45. Greatness is the goal. Each one has to be established in greatness. That is Life. Page 316
46. One achieves everything in life only through concentration. Page 317
47. Suicide is not the gateway to peace but is the trapdoor to hell. Page 318

[Aishwary Mehta (The_Fugitive_Biker) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5th book of 2021 (174 Books read overall)

Quote from the Book I Liked - 'Luxury of freedom hates the discipline of knowledge. To acquire something you have to give up a lot, which you are not ready to do so. That is why knowledge can never be for the masses.' (Page no. 24)

Rating - 5 Stars

*Important take from the book* - 'Nowhere implies everywhere.' (Page no. 34)

Plot Summary - Cursed with eternal memory for transgressing the thin line between orthodoxy and liberty, Kratu, a young man from the ancient era, moves through time and worldly spheres, exploring both the illusions and the wisdom permeating the universe. Burdened by deathless memory, he pines for freedom while traversing successive worlds and epochs, deeply empathizing with the characters, bound in various shades of shackles that populate these sojourns. By the time he is born in a city in the present time, Kratu has dedicated himself to sprinkling joy and freedom from entrapment to people and personalities of all hues. As the story weaves together the successive births of Kratu, tales of wisdom, told masterfully through the medium of divinities and great seers, get knit into a unified whole of past, present and future, bringing alive the consciousness of millennia of Indian tradition. Kratu, as an engaging novel, not only narrates a multitude of absorbing tales but goes beyond – indeed, as Kratu, the pan-temporal traveller, embeds our psyche with priceless wisdom deeply imbued in the numerous streams coursing through the consciousness of India and its people.

My Review - This book is the best book I've read in the past few years. Not only the story but the philosophy and imagination of the author is what makes this book a rare gemstone which if valued, must become timeless. But I guess such books are read by very few readers.

This book tells us the timeless story of Kratu, who was cursed by his Guru for the misconduct of Gurukul rules. And the curse was that of Eternal memory, but why he did what he did is interesting. He also gave a promise to his friend, to be on his side whenever he needed it. The promise is what made Kratu take birth after birth. While on his journey to find his friend in consequent births, we are here in present, where Kratu is born in a family of two and later have a younger sister born. Kratu's sister loves to hear stories and considers his brother to be the Hero of them all. Thus, Kratu narrated her (and us), his story of all the lifetimes (important ones). He narrates and takes us on a journey of adventure and great wisdom. From his memory of visiting Heaven and later Hell, meeting with Vishvamitra as he designs the 'Cosmic Correction Centers' of Hell. He met several other great personalities like Manu, Kabir, Vyasa and even Jesus and Buddha. What the conversations and stories between them were, completes this book.

This is among those books which can only be written by some very extraordinary cosmic being. Such vivid imagination, story continuation and sarcasm at several points are what makes this book perfect for any time, may you be reading it today or even after several years. This book is a fresh specimen of Classic which keeps a reader wondering about the author's magnificence piece which is called 'Kratu'.

A highly-highly recommended book from my side if you love reading and applying those philosophies in your waking life. Filled with Humour, Wisdom, Perspectives and Sarcasm, this book will brighten up your mood and will take you on a journey that no one else took you on to.

Conclusion - The timeless book with timeless wisdom and story.

Full Review on Blog.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker

[Sayan Mukherjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

KRATU: The journey of one to Oneness

At first I offer my respectful salutation to author Samarpan. I feel very blessed & fortunate to read your extraordinary & unique book KRATU.The fusion of 'Trikal' along with numerous ideas, myths, stories, Vedic chants, slokas including profound spiritual truths , realisations of ancient sages, wisdom of acharyas & various saints , presence of several historical characters , time travel, citations of present socioeconomic & political scenario in a fresh, humorous, witty & razor sharp writing has made Kratu- an epic saga of entire Indian cultural and spiritual heritage starting from ancient time to modern age. It is the story of every Indian. The book requires multiple reading to assimilate the outstanding teachings in our heart. One should contemplate upon the beautifully woven ideas, present all over the book. I was mesmerized to think about the futuristic intellectual clue when Kratu prayed to Jesus to make his advent in holy land of India. The meeting of Kratu with Ritam, gifts us the very essence of Advaita philosophy. I am delighted to study the deep meditative stages & realisations of Kratu, after passing away of Paras, the fishermen sage. One can appreciate your books more vividly if he/she has the adequate knowledge in our Scriptures or has the opportunity to hear your entire lecture series, available on ISH. I know you do not expect any fame, money or result from writing as it is quite evident from the philosophy of the book but I think Kratu posseses every quality & capability to win the Sahitya Academy award & International booker prize for the concerned year, I have the firm belief that Kratu will easily beat it's competitors, so I think Pan Macmillan must consider this book as a qualified book to contest in national & international competition. Do continue your contemplative writing, I will be waiting for your next creation. No ordinary writer can compose this magnificent work without having deep spiritual insights. You are truly enlightened soul, hence I bow down to the infinite, pure & ever-present, almighty for choosing you "an instrument in his hand" , Pranam , Thank You.

[dharmendra pandey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please accept my gratitude for churning out such a masterpiece in Kratu that I just finished reading.
What a treat it has been to the soul!
Who could better encapsulate the Vedantic Philosophy into such an interesting journey of Kratu the protagonist but you?
There is fun, there is pun and that pun suddenly converts itself into a punch, hits you direct into your brain and opening it wide.
Towards the end a scene appeared to be a bit filmy when every character comes to the suicide point. However Kratu was able to drive the point home.
Loved it, enjoyed it and always looking for the next one.

[Apoorva Ranade · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Crisis is the portal to new opportunity”

This is only one of the numerous astute quotes in this book.
Due to all the books by Samarpan that I have read , I had very high expectations from Kratu and it did fulfil all of them. This is a beautiful story with moments which made me laugh out loud. I loved the interwoven stories through time and the wisdom imparted to Kratu in them. Profound and witty, I took my time with this book by reading slowly. After almost every chapter, I spent some time pondering over the ideas expressed. Cosmic Correction Centre was one of my favourite parts. .
I highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in philosophical fiction. The writing style is simple and engaging.

[Priyanka Dey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking

Very thought provoking. Absolutely wonderful. Regards and respect for the philosophical ideas expressed so beautifully...going through this was a blessing

[Shravya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the journey the book has put me through. The shift from present to past and the thoughts and sanskrit verses kept me entertained and at the same time made me dwell of my lifestyle. It's a great read.

[Indrani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kratu – A book truly written for eternity, not for this or that gen

I just finished reading Kratu and am truly overwhelmed. It's not a simple read but an experience itself.

Kratu as a book stands out from the crowd of philosophical fiction by sheer varieties of philosophies it knitted together. It should give birth to a new genre ‘Spiritual Fiction’ which can only be ventured by the enlightened souls writing for eternity. Irrespective of its getting any accreditation from any organized forum this book will serve as an utmost delight to the readers who want to feel the spark of Infinite in the finite act of reading.
There are 16 chapters in this book touching upon different themes including Indian mythology, culture, traditions, social issues, human values and most importantly Indian spiritual heritage. But the underlying melody of ‘Silence’ amidst all the noise of events is the essence of the book. The book instills the ultimate spiritual truth of discovering the treasures through inner silence, into the reader's mind with such an ease that no ordinary author can pen it without special grace of almighty.
There gems of quipped wisdom laid out throughout the book makes it enjoyable reading. The brilliance of ideas like high flyer Homa caged in the family of sparrow, futuristic ‘cosmic correction center’, surprise in the eyes of ‘learner from the future’, perfectionist fisherman practicing subtle ‘paras’ (touch), spotting the rhythm of the oars of Valmiki by a boatman of vaitarini river are unparallel. While the author dispenses sweet water of profound philosophies, he skillfully mixes the colors of modern life in it through Jeshi the cunning politician, Anvi the gen-x teenager, Bhu Baba the spiritual guru, Bharati the aspiring poet, Mrini the vicious lover. The perceptiveness while describing mere everyday affairs shook me thoroughly and made me relook at many things which were discarded as ordinary before.
I strongly recommend this book to everyone who has interest in Indian culture, philosophies or spirituality in general. This book would reveal more sense if the reader is a follower of Indian spiritual scriptures broadcasted in youtube channels like ‘Indian Spiritual Heritage’, ‘Amrit Setu’ and others.

[SHRIMOYEE CHAKRABORTY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kratu : A pedestrian of eternal path.


This novel is not merely a novel, it is a representation of Indian spiritual heritage in a fiction,studded with dazzling precious stones and gems.What are those stones,gems??? Each of those gems is a divine oracle purified by the light of wisdom which has come out from the very depth of author's mind.

The principal protagonist of this novel is Kratu,a young man from ancient era,whose prolonged movement through the passage of several births seems to represent before us how like a fountain of sweet pure water a source of elixir can come up through the narrow aperture of death. It is that wave of elixir which flows towards that Supreme eternal self overcoming the irresistible bondage of body,mind,emotion and memory.

At each and every curve of this wave we can come across several characters and all of those characters are adorned with their own personality and inexplicable uniqueness. They seem to help Kratu to move towards the path of inevitable truth step by step.

This book strikes the same melodious chord in the harp of my mind as I had realised while reading Tagore’s NAIBEDYA.

As a monk, leading a life of renunciation, the author Samarpan has got an opportunity of realising the ultimate truth.I am expressing my gratitude to the author for making us realise the degree of absoluteness through this book.

[Shikha Rawat · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Growth is life, stagnation is death."
~Samarpan🛐
⠀
🛐 Samarpan is an Indian Monk and Author.
Kratu is a story of a young man from the ancient era, who is cursed with deathless memory. He moves through time and successive worlds exploring the illusions and wisdom permeating the universe.
⠀
🛐Now he is born in a city in the present time and has dedicated himself to sprinkling joy and freedom from entrapment to people and personalities of all hues. As the story weaves together the successive births of Kratu get knit into a unified whole of past, present, and future, bringing alive the consciousness of a millennia of Indian tradition.
⠀
🛐Reading this book was a very unusual event for me. It's not the sort of book I commonly read and it was my first time reading this genre too.
⠀
🛐Kratu is an amalgamation of Vedic philosophy and the story of human evolution in simple storytelling. Almost every chapter has some kind of learning in it. It talks about the connection of mind, body, and soul, considering real-life events which are relatable.
⠀
🛐However, there were times when the learnings were so intense that it was arduous for me to navigate. After few chapters, I was sure that this book is not for every audience. It will take some kind of discipline and subject matter expertise to understand the plot.
⠀
🛐Overall, this did not work well for me as I am not the intended audience. However, I feel it can do wonders for someone who can relate to it.
Hence, I leave it to you to decide whether you want to pick or skip this one.
⠀
🛐Thank you @panmacmillanindia for the gifted copy.

[Kalyan Boro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book indeed and a lifetime opportunity to read and understand such a mystical novel that has the power to reform character and personalities. The Novel starts from, "The huge, insurmountable rock -- standing majestic amidst the spread of smaller ones --was the meeting ground of the divine and the profane for the local people." A beautiful quote from the Novel -"‘As for the future of India, I must say it is brilliant. But for that to happen, the cultured have to come down from their high pedestals."

[Sneha {a.tiny.reader} · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute gem—the greatest I've ever read. Kratu, a young man from antiquity, travels through time and worlds, investigating the illusions and knowledge that permeate the cosmos. He is cursed with an eternal memory for stepping over the thin line between orthodoxy and liberty. Trapped by a deathless memory, he longs for freedom as he travels across several planets and eras, feeling a strong sense of empathy for the people who are confined in all kinds of restraints during these adventures. By the time Kratu is born in a modern metropolis, he has committed himself to bringing happiness and escape from captivity to individuals and groups of all races. The narrative skillfully combines narratives of knowledge, skillfully conveyed through the channel of divinities and great seers, with the sequential births of Kratu to create a cohesive whole.

🕊️ Let noble thoughts come to me from all sides.

🕊️ Life can never be all blank; a loss had to be compensated by some gain.

🕊️ The truth of life is that whenever there is a churning, first comes the froth of poison. Only if that poison can be absorbed, then one can expect to attain better things.

🕊️ You may not be able to practise all that I say, but it is always good to know the truth. Knowledge creates aspiration which turns into achievement. Never stop learning.

🕊️ Mountains are so like humans: beautiful from a distance, but menacing, and even dangerous, when close.

🕊️ The unholy alliance of the mind with the senses makes one seek pleasure even in the heaven.

🕊️ We are born unique and die unique. So, should not we aspire to be unique in life too? Be not a factory product, but rather strive to be handmade; special.

🕊️ When one does something, good or bad, it becomes easy to do that a second time. If continued, an act becomes easier to perform till it becomes one's nature. That is how a noble person or an evil person graduates. The evil ones make a mistake: when they do a wrong act a second time, they don't realize that it won't take long for that unpardonable act to become their nature.

[Dipankar Bhadra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a character named Kratu who gets cursed by his Guru for breaking the rules. The curse gives him the ability to remember everything from his past lives. He promises his friend that he will always be there for him, and this promise leads him to be reborn multiple times. In each lifetime, he goes on exciting adventures and learns valuable lessons from encounters with famous personalities like Vishvamitra, Manu, Kabir, Vyasa, Jesus, and Buddha.
What makes this book special is the author's incredible storytelling ability. They take us on a journey filled with imagination, humor, and wisdom. The book is a classic that can be enjoyed by readers of any age. It leaves you thinking about life and its meaning long after you finish reading it.
If you love reading books that make you laugh, think, and reflect, then this is the perfect read for you. It will bring a smile to your face and inspire you to look at life from different perspectives. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good adventure mixed with valuable life lessons.

[Arka Chakraborty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the contemporary Indian prose fictions in English, Kratu will stand apart for the large oeuvre of knowledge, wisdom and the core spirituality it encompasses.Simple straightforward language, intellect of occasional wit, implementation of the postmodernist feature of fragmentation and the protagonist influencing historical events such as Valmiki's composition of the Ramayana and a modernist journey from phenomenon to noumenon while infusing the knowledge of core Hinduism in every part of the narrative make the novel one of a kind.

[Rajesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book considered a work of fiction, it emanates insights either directly or through interpretation between the lines. It took a very long time for me to complete this book however, partly due to personal reason where I stopped reading for a while, and partly due to its style, various plots and timelines, which for me I think needs another read to grasp it in its totality. But kudos to the author and those who were able to weave it together