Introduction

Across the Vedic subcontinent Princess Damayanti embarks on a heart-pounding quest to discover and win the heart of her perfect beloved Prince Nala. First she must risk her life to pass seemingly impossible tests set up by her guru Great Swan, Goddess Shakti, Lords Shiva, Indra and other immortals. Meanwhile, Kala – the tormented god of time – is smitten by Damayanti’s beauty and hatches up a plan to destroy Nala by using three diabolical gold dice in a deadly game of chance. This 21st century retelling of an ancient tantric love story reveals the roots of yoga and how past pitfalls must be redeemed to learn the secret of enduring love.

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Excerpt

The princess strode down the first line with eyes for one man but trying not to make it too
obvious. These exhausted men looked much more like a battery of boys desperate to be
caressed by their mothers than the famous kings and warriors feared throughout the
world. Approaching the corner at the end of the first line she finally realized the power of
being a woman. So this was what her mother had been talking about all these years. All
day these men had wielded swords, battleaxes and maces to prove their worth. But in the
decisive moment where her power trumped all these men combined, the only weapon the
princess carried was a string of white flowers.
As she stared down the parade of faces along second line, the princess felt an
unbearable burden in having to choose just one and disappoint so many others.
Damayanti was dumbfounded that her mother could have wasted her entire married life
being obsessed with a return to this crossroad. She could see no beauty here. Nor did she
feel love. This power fed off the desperation that these men concealed in their hearts. It
was cold and cruel.
Damayanti wished she could discard this power. Then she thought of what Chandri said
about girls and boys everywhere looking to the princess and this swayamvara for
guidance in the ways of love. So she did just that. The princess discarded the illusion that
she held any power over these men. They had chosen their journey. And she was choosing
hers.
In front of the next man in the line Damayanti stopped and turned to face him. With her
winningest smile she extended the garland opening her palms in the direction of the man’s
heart while silently reciting the mantra. Then she turned to the next man in the line and did
it again. She was not going to rush through this ordeal. From the royal box the princess
had descended the crystal stairway with the aim of loving one man only to discover that in
order to do so she must love each and every one of them. These were the teachings Great
Swan had instilled in her disciple. The men standing along the second line were gawking
at the princess perplexed by her sudden change of actions. So too were the other men on
the field. As was Damayanti’s mother. And the spectators scattered across India far and
wide.
From the Vidabhar throne Bhima arose and extended his open palms just as his daughter
was doing. In unison the entire amphitheater of spectators including the gods and
goddesses stood up and opened their palms. This swayamvara had been billed as a
celebration of enduring love. Every morning and evening of practice had prepared the
princess to discern which way she would walk in this crossroad moment of her life. Now
Damayanti was proving to be a princess who led by the example of following her own
inner guidance.
Just what these men would do with this love was anyone’s guess
... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. What similarities can you see between your own quest to find love and the journey of
Princess Damayanti?
2. Do the seven gateways correspond to the seven chakras? Do the gateways literally open up?
Or is the opening of a gateway a literary metaphor?
3. How does Prince Nala’s addiction to gambling sabotage the love he feels for his beloved
Damayanti? And other characters? How does Kala, the god of time, exploit this blind spot to
drive a wedge between the lovers?
4. What role does karma (destiny) play in the development of the characters?
5. What is the relationship between redemption and responsibility in the novel?
6. What sets the gods and goddesses apart as divine beings? At times the gods act as though they
are enlightened while in other instances they act from impulses not so different from human
beings. How do you reconcile this disparity in behavior? Is their abundance of power what
makes the gods divine? Or is it their higher consciousness?
7. Do the characters of Shiva & Shakti exist in the real world? Or are they mythological deities
like Zeus & Athena? How do Shiva & Shakti influence the practice of yoga for people who
roll out yoga mats in the United States & elsewhere?
8. In the chapter: Birth of the Universe, the goddess of the moon Chandri is telling a story to
Queen Uttani and her two granddaughters Samadhi and Sumitra. Is there any correlation
between this story and the actual birth of the universe?
9. How does the mantra infuse the characters with power? Can readers use the mantra as a tool
in their yoga practice? Are special instructions required?
10. If this novel was inspired by an ancient Vedic tale, what did the author keep from the
original? And what did he change to update the story?

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