The Lost Symbol, The Lost Wisdom . .The Lost Mind

I am just done with Dan Brown’s new book The Lost Symbol. Set in the American capital Washington D.C., this book is an exciting quest to find the Ancient Mysteries believed to be lost to the history. With the anticipated twists and turns, this book proves to be an exceptional mystery. I have zealously read the earlier books by the author and I just love the way he gels the ancient mysteries, architecture and literature with the present. Its nearly impossible to express the feel you get when you actually imagine that the U. S. Capitol building is linked with an ancient mythological secret. And more over, the secret is still being guarded by a group of people all around the world unknown to others. Wow. This is like realizing that the Ferguson College is linked with some ancient mystery and the mystery is still guarded by some of the elite and oldest families of Pune. Human mind is always attracted towards the secrets, towards the unknown. And this books feeds on that.

While reading the book I realized that, the Christian, the Pagan, the Roman and the Egyptian mythology discussed in Brown’s books are equally old as our very own mythologies. There are a couple of references in the book from the Vedas the Bhagwad Gita as well. We, since long have only accepted the Vedas and the scriptures as a part of the legends without questioning. Never have we tried to explore the scientific possibilities in them – which is what exactly Brown’s book do. If he can dig out such powerful plots and stories from a single folklore, imagine the number of interesting novels we can write from our own part of the ancient knowledge and wisdom. More than the novels, it can generate an attitude of curiosity towards our history which is often considered as ridiculous religious beliefs by educated youths. Take for Ex. The Mahabharata which has numerous incidences which seem as “Miracles” of those times but which if rationally thought today can be simple scientific processes. I hope some historian does think that way, as my own knowledge of these things is far less.

One more thing that I loved about this book is the way it describes our human mind to be. I am giving an excerpt from the book to have a exact idea what I am talking about.

For years the ancients’ claims of man’s awesome mental power have been studied, and now science is showing us that accessing that power is an actual physical process. Our brains, if used correctly, can call forth powers that are quite literally superhuman. The Bible, like many ancient texts, is a detailed exposition of the most sophisticated machine ever created . . . the human mind. Incredibly, science has yet to scratch the surface of the mind’s full promise

The ancients already knew many of the scientific truths we’re now rediscovering. Within a matter of years, modern man will be forced to accept what is now unthinkable: our minds can generate energy capable of transforming physical matter. Particles react to our thoughts . . . which means our thoughts have the power to change the world.

All around the world, we are gazing skyward, waiting for God . . . never realizing that God is waiting for us. We are creators, and yet we naively play the role
of ‘the created.’ We see ourselves as helpless sheep buffeted around by the God who made us. We kneel like frightened children, begging for help, for forgiveness, for good luck. But once we realize that we are truly created in the Creator’s image, we will start to understand that we, too, must be Creators. When we understand this fact, the doors will burst wide open for human potential.

It might be the case that many of you may have thought about the mind like this. But still I wanted to put this for people who have forgotten or don’t think like that.

Angels and Demons

This book is a prelude to Dan Brown's the Da Vinci Code.
If you have liked the DA Vinci code then you are sure to love this book because it is one of the most amazing piece of fiction you could ever find somewhere on earth.
This is a story of Mr. Robert Langdon, A professor of religious iconology and symbology at Harvard University. He is awakened at his home by a phone call from Mr. Max Kohler, the director of CERN, the world's largest science research facility in Geneva, Switzerland. When Langdon reaches CERN, he is told that a senior physicist, Mr. Leonardo Vetra has been killed and he is branded with a strange symbol on his chest "Illuminati" . The symbol considered by many as a brand of an ancient secret scientific society is also an ambigram of a sort. When the daughter of Leonardo, Ms. Victoria arrives, they realise that a new scientific invention "antimatter " which was stored in a canister is stolen from CERN. Antimatter is an highly infalmmable substance which will explode after tha back up battery of canister is discharged in 24 hours and with it, it will destroy everything in half a mile diameter. So from here starts the race against time,which takes victoria and Langdon to the vatican city - the sacred place which hold the highest religious significance in the entire Christiandom and where the conclave is being undertaken to select a new Pope.
In a search for the canister, Langdon realise that the ancient anti-religion group of scientific brotherhood are plannimg to murder the four main cardinals of the conclave on the four altars of sciences namely Air, Fire, Earth and Water. So in order to stop the killings they will have to find all the altars of scinece in the Vatican city and the adjoining country of Rome. With twist and tura and one secret revealing after another finally Langdon and Victoria are successfull to find all the altars of science and save the vatican city but not without finding out some harsh truths about the ancient secret Illuminati and the Vatican City itself.
The book itself is really very intriguing and Dan Brown has created the characters the situations so exactly that your are bound to be virtually glued to the pages. one after another so many secrets are revealed that the reader is in a roaler coaster ride in the world of secret societies, religion, science, ancient artefacts and architectural places, etc. The story is compact and complicated but in the end it also tries to answer one moral question arising everywhere in the world.
The best part of the book is its pace, no where the book seems to be dull and lenghthy but there is a feeling of intrigue and curiousity in each scene and sequence. Dan Brown has created a master piece.
A must read for all the lovers of an entirely different genre of fiction.