{"product_id":"the-light-of-asia-the-poem-that-defined-the-buddha-hardcover","title":"The Light of Asia: The Poem That Defined the Buddha - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eJairam Ramesh\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eHis Holiness the Dalai Lama\u003c\/b\u003e (Foreword by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Light of Asia\u003c\/i\u003e is an epic poem by Sir Edwin Arnold that was first published in 1879. It is a narrative of the life and message of the Buddha. It quickly became a huge sensation and has continued to resonate powerfully across the world over the last century and a half. The poem captivated an Indian monk who remains an iconic personality--Swami Vivekananda. At about the same time, it deeply moved a young man in Colombo who has become famous in history as Anagarika Dharmapala. It caught the attention of an aspiring Indian lawyer in London in 1889. This man later became immortal as Mahatma Gandhi. A few years hence it impacted a teenager in Allahabad who would, in 1947, become the first Prime Minister of India--Jawaharlal Nehru. Two copies of the book adorned the bookshelves of B.R. Ambedkar, the prime architect of the Indian constitution.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWeaving together literary, cultural, political, and social history, Jairam Ramesh uncovers and narrates the fascinating story of this deeply consequential and compelling poem that has shaped our thinking of an ancient sage and his teachings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJairam Ramesh brings into this unusual narrative the life of the multi-faceted poet himself who, among other things, was steeped in Sanskrit literature. Sir Edwin Arnold's English rendering of the Bhagavad Gita was one of Mahatma Gandhi's abiding favourites. Sir Edwin was also in many ways the man who shaped Bodh Gaya as we know it today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJairam Ramesh\u003c\/b\u003e, a Rajya Sabha MP, was Union minister between 2006 and 2014, holding several key portfolios including environment and forests. He is the author of several well-known books including \u003ci\u003eIndira Gandhi: A Life in Nature \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eIntertwined Lives: P.N. Haksar and Indira Gandhi\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 448\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.65 x 9.29 x 5.98 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 01, 2021\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52158853906663,"sku":"9780670094837","price":25.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0793\/8329\/8279\/files\/5f1c48639b294470672f68067faeec44.webp?v=1780528725","url":"https:\/\/skinnonsmooth.myshopify.com\/products\/the-light-of-asia-the-poem-that-defined-the-buddha-hardcover","provider":"SkinnOnSmooth","version":"1.0","type":"link"}