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Title : Minstrels of GodThe book is divided into two volumes, each divided into two parts.In the first volume, the author has given short sketches of 13 saints of India. As all the saints treated by the author have expressed themselves in poems, the author has styled this work "MINISTRELS OF GOD." The saints dealt here are the Braj-Gopikas, Sri Mira, Sri Andal, Sri Bilwamangal, Sri Jaideo, Sri Surdas, Sri Chaitanya, Sri Tukaram, Sri Tulsidas and a contemporary saint. In the first book, the
author has potrayed the great message - by total surrender to Lord Radha Krishna, through kirtan (singing of his exploits) one can gain Saguna Sakshatkar (self-realisation) and cross over the ocean of metempsychsosis.
The second volume is also subdivided into two parts. In Part I of the second volume, which will follow shortly, the author shall deal with Baba Farid, Sarmad, Bullah Shah, Shah Latif and Nazir - the Indian Sufi saints who, transcending Tauhid (experience of Oneness), obtained a vision of the Divine Beloved as a distinct Person, Being; through repetition of the Name (WORD), practising great austerities, singing praises of the Lord in satsang (company of saints) and by adopting the course of Fana-Fil-Allah (living in perfect resignation to the Divine Will).
In Part II of the second volume, the author deals with saints of the Nirguna, Advaita or Yogic modes of worship. They are, Sri Shankaracharya, the great propounder of Mayavada; Nanak; Kabir; Gyaneshwar; Namdeo and Ramdas. Some of them of course combined with the Saguna and Nirguna forms of worship while others leaned towards yoga and Nirakar form of Divine or Atmic realisation. That all these are realised souls, none can doubt. The nature of realisation of these emancipated souls was of course according to their ananya nishta - firm conviction. It will be observed that the saints selected in this volume and in the second are from all parts of India - from the Punjab, Sindh, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Maharashtra (Bombay), Gujarat and South India.
About The Author: Bankey Bihari :
Hailing from Allahabad, Sri Bankey Behari started life as a lawyer as a junior of Dr. K.N. Katju and later practised law independently.
Gradually drawn to mysticism, he came into close contact with Mahatma Gandhi, Sri Ramana Maharshi and later Sri J. Krishnamurti and Sri Aurobindo. Finally he gave up every material belonging and became a sannyasin. He studied, wrote and contemplated on all that is best in all religions including Christanity and Sufism. But the Gita and the Bhagavata attracted him most.
From 1940, he was an inmate of Brindaban practising intense sadhana at the feet of a realised soul, Sankirtan and the Gita were his guide-posts and his goal in life was to see Lord Radha-Krishna face to face.
Sri Bankey Bihari passed away in 1975.