The Gods Have Gone Silent
The Gods Have Gone Silent is a deeply contemplative and spiritually charged book that challenges readers to confront life’s most profound questions. Traversing India’s physical and metaphysical spiritual landscapes, it bridges ancient wisdom with contemporary struggles, inspiring introspection and the pursuit of truth.
Rich in philosophical depth and vivid storytelling, the narrative examines the silence of the divine in the face of human suffering, offering insights that are both unsettling and illuminating. It sheds light on profound concepts such as Brahman, Atman, and the interplay of faith, knowledge, and self-discovery. Through engaging anecdotes and reflective dialogue, the book delves into the worldview of the Vedas and their self-orientations, providing a framework for understanding ancient texts and rituals in the context of modern challenges.
Set against India’s wilderness, mountains, and villages, the story introduces readers to spiritual masters while exploring the enigmatic relationship between human struggles and the silence of higher powers. Blending mysticism and realism, it critiques human existence while serving as a spiritual guide to the essence of Vedanta.
With its balance of intellectual depth and emotional resonance, The Gods Have Gone Silent invites readers on a transformative journey, inspiring awe, curiosity, and the eternal quest for meaning.
Question and Answer (From Translators interview)
Question: Why did you choose to translate devtaon ka maun into English?
Answer: I found the inherent concept of Devtaon ka Maun very inspiring which was the “Rekindling Vedanta in every household.” The book is already very popular in Hindi. I felt the need to take it further to the non Hindi speaking reader as well.
Question: Yes, that’s a remarkable achievement—simplifying Vedanta’s profound ideas into everyday Hindi has made it both relatable and accessible to a broader audience.
Answer: yes. Thats true. What happened was that A year ago, the publisher of devtaon ka maun contacted me to ask if an English edition of the book existed, as he had been receiving numerous inquiries. That served as the impetus for the English translation which is called The Gods have gone Silent
Question: The author of devtaon ka maun says that the book is written in such a way that it cannot be reduced to any conceptual category. Extreme care was taken in writing it, but you have used some basic concepts.
Answer: See, Translating Brahman, Atman, Vak, and Soma into English is challenging because they represent lived experiences for the average Indian. These concepts are deeply rooted in a way of our being, something that is almost impossible to fully convey in English, as they are tied to our lived experience.
For instance, we awaken bodily in a world illuminated by the sun and moon, sustained by air, water, earth, plants, and animals. It is a breathing, nurturing world—an alive biosphere, a living, breathing ecology. At the same time, we are also born into language scripted worlds, that is into linguistic and cultural worlds shaped by traditions and meanings. These worlds structure our survival practices, orienting and attuning us, while simultaneously constraining us. In this way, we are both “enwombed” or as we say in hindi गर्भित hona signifying being nurtured and protected within a larger whole. and “enworlded.”meaning to be humanly attuned between the self and something greater—whether it is God, the cosmos, or a transcendent truth
Question: “enwombed” and “enworlded.” Interesting choice of words, very feminine.
Answer: Yes…Although existence is ultimately indescribable and independent of our conceptual knowledge, categories, or attributes—we rely on certain foundational concepts to make these ideas intelligible to English readers. These liberties have been explained in my introduction.
Question: Why should we read this book on adhyatma (spiritual knowledge), there are already so many? ….What relevance does it have in today’s world, where science has become a way of life, and artificial intelligence is poised to become as integral to our lives as the air we breathe—a fundamental element of our lived experience?
Answer: We go to war for the sake of what we hold dear to us. We live, build houses, style and groom ourselves; every minute we are engaged with and concerned about things. Therefore, it is imperative that we know this ‘I,’ this self.
Let me quote from the book: “Our whole life revolves around ‘I am’ and ‘my’: my world, my dreams, my child, my wife, my house, my religion, my god. With so many ‘I’s, it’s no surprise that we become attached to this identity.This attachment shapes how we see the world and ourselves. It influences our decisions, defines our priorities, and affects our relationships.
But this attachment can also prevent us from seeing who we truly are, beyond the roles we play or the possessions we claim.So, what is this ‘I’ that we work so hard to protect and define? Is it simply a collection of thoughts, roles, and experiences? To see this clearly is to step into these reflections and self reflections and recognize the truth.
When your words and actions align with this realization, you fulfill your purpose: to understand that you are more than the identity you create for yourself. There might be a thousand worlds and a thousand desires animating your life. And still—is there anything more important than knowing who you truly are?”
Now, you also mentioned about the danger of AI, so let me recite the ending of one of Rajiv’s poems:
“And now—
Are we more machine than maker?
Our reflection shimmers,
An alloy of spirit and algorithm.
What we create, we become.”
This, indeed, is the danger staring us in the face today. We are becoming increasingly like the machines we invent.
What is the significance of the statement “Do you have the Upanishads?” he asked. “Yes. We’re in it, surrounded and sheltered in its openness…Look around.”
…Is it something mystical?
Answer: yes so, this statement from the chapter The Screwdriver of Quantum Mechanics this is a conversation between the author rajiv and his friend on their to Rajneesh asram in pune. Now…this is not necessarily mystical or even profoundly philosophical. But I admit that I may not be fully qualified to answer it, but while translating this chapter, I had a lengthy discussion with Rajiv. From our conversations, my key takeaway is that this statement highlights the idea that the reality of the Upanishads are neither distant nor abstract—they are deeply embedded in our immediate and present reality.
The statement emphasizes, that there is no need to search for a far-off or mystical truth; instead, we are already living within it.
It is the precondition for any subsequent inquiry or dissection of reality, including quantum mechanics. Only because it ‘is’ can we do science, or investigate and conceptualise.
Question: What does the phrase “Look around” mean and what has it got to do with the book ‘The Tao of Physics’?
Answer: Look around means that existence cannot be abstracted or broken down into metaphysical constructs. It is not a theoretical or an intellectual concept but an undeniable, self-evident reality. Sat meaning truth, being, or existence is the undeniable presence that precedes all understanding and measurement.
This presence is not a matter of belief or interpretation, and unlike symbols or metaphors, which point beyond themselves, Sat requires no explanation. It does not represent something else; it simply ‘is’.
Also, this presence is not something we can fragment with the tools of abstraction or thought.
Scientific methods, like the ones used in science and mechanics, often rely on measurement, which assumes a subject-object relationship. But Sat transcends such dualities. It is the indivisible ground of all phenomena, encompassing both subject and object, existing as the totality within which measurement and division occur.
Quantum mechanics, in its pursuit of dividing reality into particles, forces, and mathematical abstractions, risks overlooking this seamless unity. The Upanishadic presence reminds us of the limitations of such reductionism, urging us to perceive the wholeness of existence.
So…To truly understand the world, we must recognize that we are already immersed in the truth—in the “is” of existence—and that this ‘is’ precedes and underpins all attempts to measure or understand it…and so the Being or “isness” is not a phenomenon that can be dissected or understood through measurement, because it is the ground of all phenomena.
Question: How would you define the above to a layman?
In this paradox, the self exists as both a part of the absolute, enwombed in Brahman, and as an individual enworlded in samsara—the embodied cycle of existence.
Through avidya, we remain enwombed in ignorance, unawareness, and illusion, until the light of spiritual awakening dissolves these veils, revealing the profound truth of our nature.
