To know India one must know her ancient culture, must know her people and identify oneself with their hopes and aspirations, joys and sorrows, and with their daily problems. Swami Vivekananda was unique in this respect. In fact very few have known India as thoroughly as did the author of this book, and without any fear of exaggeration, we may say that very few have loved India with the same degree of intensity as he did. In the pages of this book are collected some of the writings of the author dealing with India. They are extremely relevant at a time when India is entering on a new era of her history.
Those who have succeeded in attaching or detaching their minds at will have succeeded in Pratyahara, which means gathering towards, checking the outgoing powers of the mind, freeing it from the thralldom of the senses. When we can do this, we shall really possess character; then alone we shall have taken a long step towards freedom. Before that, we are mere machines.
-Swami Vivekananda
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