Bhārata has been a land of plenty in many ways. We have had a timeless tradition of the twofold principle of Brāhma (spirit of wisdom) and Kṣāttra (spirit of valour) nourishing and protecting this sacred land. The Hindu civilisation, rooted in Sanātana-dharma, has constantly been enriched by brāhma and safeguarded by kṣāttra.
The renowned Sanskrit poet and scholar, Śatāvadhānī Dr. R Ganesh takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride through space and time, highlighting the dazzling acmes when kṣāttra shone brilliantly and also pointing out the despicable abysses when kṣāttra was all but forgotten.
This book is a must-read for all Indians in general and all students of Indian history in particular, for it paints an authentic picture of the past unlike the post-Independence History textbooks, which have attempted to whitewash the crimes against humanity committed by the Islamic invaders and downplayed the achievements of the native rulers who adhered to Sanātana-dharma. The spirit of valour tempered by wisdom ensured the continuity of our civilisation spanning more than seven millennia. We can forget this only at our own peril.
This book is a result of deep research spanning many years but it has been presented in an eminently readable form, accessible even to high school students. It has been adapted into English from Dr. Ganesh’s bestselling Kannada work Bhāratīya kṣāttra-paramparè (‘Indian Kṣāttra Tradition’) by Sandeep Balakrishna and Hari Ravikumar, who are authors in their own right with several books to their credit.