The parents were happy when the author was born. The whole family was delighted. But there was a serious concern. The author’s horoscope indicates danger to his father’s life. The author was taken on the tenth day of his birth and brought up by his maternal grandfather.
The author’s childhood memories are the days spent in the paddy fields, cranking a late 40’s Vauxhall for the joy ride, swimming, sharing the frugal laborer’s meal at noontime, and joining in their folk songs. Living with his grandfather, the author finished his schooling and further studies in Civil engineering.
The Literature Times: Can you share the inspiration behind the title “Ground Below Zero” and how it reflects the themes of your book, particularly those related to Greed, Poverty, Fear, and Terrorism (GPFT)?
Author: My Guru was narrating moral stories while treating my back pain. I penned them and gave them to Guru so that my understanding of the stories aligned with his teachings. The inspiration came to me when my Guru asked me to write a book as he was impressed with my storytelling capabilities. The attack on WTC in Manhattan, NY, was afresh in everyone’s thoughts. I plunged into Ground Zero of WTC to understand the cause and effect.
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 created FEAR among Americans and also other nations and forced all nations to spend billions of dollars to defend their internal and border securities. Otherwise, this money could have been spent to improve many people’s living conditions, earning a dollar a day. The poor man’s fear of not being able to find the next meal, having no home, no shelter, and no food seriously affected both their physical organism and psychological levels. Poor became poorer and immersed in poverty.
POVERTY is a political and economic injustice globally. When we look around, nearly half the people in developing countries live on less than$1.25 daily. Every night on the Tonda in Manila, Dharavi in Mumbai, Orangi Town in Karachi, Kibera in Nairobi, Khayelitsha in Cape Town, Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro, and Neza in Mexico, thousands of people go to sleep amid acres of rotting food and industrial residues in a vast urban dumping ground.
The creation of Israel engendered a series of anti-Western transformations and movements throughout the Arab and Islamic world. Following Israel’s 1967 defeat of Arab forces, Palestinian leaders realized that the Arab world was unable to confront Israel militarily. Lessons were drawn from revolutionary movements in Latin America, North Africa, and Southeast Asia; radical Palestinians used modern communication and transportation systems to internationalize their struggle. The world named their struggle TERRORISM.
A severe lack of sense of moral imperative drives Israel’s GREED for land-grabbing in the name of security and Biblical claims. As Jews owned most of the major businesses in the USA, their greed infused American corporates, whereby most of the small investors in companies like Enron lost their life savings. With the introduction of MBA courses in B-schools, Greed became a global phenomenon.
The Literature Times: The protagonist, John, experiences a transformative journey dealing with the aftermath of 9/11 and reconnecting with family and friends through Maureen, a medium. How did you develop the character of John, and what role does Maureen play in addressing the GPFT challenges in the story?
Author: The late Gaye Muir was my teacher and mentor and one of the most recognized mediums in the world. You can google it. I have known Gaye for over 30 years. With Gaye right next to me, I could easily communicate with my mom and dad from the other world. Gaye was instrumental in deciphering the messages. She has taught me how the medium can help and guide others and offered conclusive evidence that an individual’s existence will continue on another plane after their death. She unequivocally substantiates the assertion that there is life after death. My experience with Gaye gave birth to the main character, John, who could communicate with his family and close friends from another world through Maureen, a close friend of John’s mother. Maureen played a significant role by lending her cognitive senses to John so that he could propose solutions to GPFT challenges.
The Literature Times: The book delves into the solutions for Greed and Poverty based on Indian philosophy, as illustrated through lectures at CBS and Sloan-MIT. How did you incorporate these philosophical concepts into the narrative, and what message do you hope readers take away from these lessons?
Author: While addressing the issue of greed, John referred to the ancient Indian text’s sublime essence, the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna warns his disciple Arjuna that the way to hell is Greed. Greed makes one fulfill undisciplined impulses. Greed’s enslavement is a misperception of the mind. The mind must be restrained to differentiate between required and needless necessities. The teachings of Patanjali, the father of the Indian Yogic system, help us rid ourselves of greed through yoga exercises, as it is not an inborn quality.
John gave the following advice to students at CBS, which readers can practice. To focus on procedures related to ethics codes and employee behavior guidelines. Suppose those procedures were not revised or updated due to recent corporate misdeeds; you should jot down the loopholes as your points and advise the CEO to take immediate measures to plug them. If you join the Finance or accounts division, you must examine the necessary internal financial control procedures. Compare those procedures with the authorities’ regulations, such as the Companies Act or Security Exchange Commissions Act, and any non-compliance that must be brought to the attention of the company’s CEO and respective authorities.
The Literature Times: The author’s childhood, spent in the paddy fields and immersed in folk songs, seems to have had a significant impact on the narrative. How did your experiences and upbringing influence the themes and tone of “Ground Below Zero”?
Author: My upbringing with my grandpa’s teaching influenced me to follow the Hindu bhajan, Vaishnava Jana To, written in the 15th century by Narsinh Mehta. I sincerely feel the pain of others and help those in misery without letting pride enter my mind. I have forsaken greed and deceit and stay far away from desire and anger, and I’d be grateful to meet such a soul whose virtue liberates their entire lineage. I have portrayed all these qualities in the main character, John, to help the present civilization face GPFT challenges in Ground Below Zero.
The Literature Times: Your daughter Jane is portrayed as someone who masters skills in Patanjali’s system, embodying the inspirational essence of Indian philosophical approaches. How did you approach integrating these teachings into the character of Jane, and what significance do these teachings hold within the broader context of the story?
Author: Jane is John’s daughter. I introduced Jane so that all readers of this book can encourage their children to learn and practice yogic Science, where the union of positive and negative energies are in an ideal balance to maintain equilibrium and good health through physical and mental purification by managing the mind and body and additionally develops the power of concentration for remote hearing and viewing and the marma shastra, which manipulates vital points in the body for healing. With knowledge of Yogic Science, Jane could very quickly explain in her school that children are the product of nature and how to promote Universal brotherhood for coexistence on this earth with no FEAR.
The Literature Times: John lectures at prestigious b-schools, CBS and Sloan-MIT, offering solutions to Greed and Poverty based on Indian philosophy. Can you elaborate on the influence of Indian philosophy in your approach to addressing these global issues?
Author: Indian Philosophical perspective believed in the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Manava dharma prescribes that an individual considers the entire universe as his extended family. Varnāshrama dharma and svadharma are the duties according to an individual’s profession towards society. Therefore, a person’s imperfect performance of his responsibilities hurts society and the world. Hence, the role of the dharma is vital in people’s concerns. It helps a person to control his greed and passion from harming and exploiting nature and natural phenomena. The goals Sarvodaya sets for economic development have a spiritual base. Economic growth not only includes production for profit but also considers the distribution of wealth towards the upliftment of the poor and poverty. Hence, the production patterns based on greed and envy are avoided. If one realizes that all living beings are happy and at peace and free from afflictions and perceives it, there would not be any suffering in this world.
The Literature Times: The narrative promises riveting solutions to present-day terrorism. Without revealing spoilers, can you provide insights into how the book tackles this pressing issue?
Author: Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of intentional violence and fear to achieve political or ideological aims. The terms “terrorist” and “terrorism” originated during the French Revolution of the late 18th century but became widely used internationally and gained worldwide attention in the 1970s during the troubles in Northern Ireland, Spain, and Israeli–Palestinian. After visiting allthecountries that suffered terrorist attacks, John proposed that every individual should live by one’s truth, which would help to live harmoniously with others in the present terrorism scenarios. Negotiations are considered an essential element in a broader range of policies. Negotiations carry many benefits; the most likely result for a government that chooses to negotiate and can withstand its domestic pressure is the long-term management of the threat over a lengthy period of gradual group demise, while other factors lead to the terrorist group’s end. Terrorism being a global issue, John advocates involving the United Nations and refers the matter to the International Court of Justice.
The Literature Times: The description hints at an intriguing turn of events involving Jane towards the end. Can you share more about the resolution of her character and its significance in the overall narrative?
Author: Jane resolves that speaking of truth is essential in living an authentic and fulfilling life by remembering that truth reflects one’s values, beliefs, and experiences, exploring one’s inner self, and connecting with one’s authentic voice. Embracing and expressing the truth allows one to live a life that is true to oneself. Speaking the truth is not about winning an argument or proving someone wrong. It’s about expressing oneself and creating meaningful connections with others. By embracing the truth and communicating it effectively, one can cultivate stronger relationships and live a more fulfilling life. John told the world through his daughter Jane to “hold fast to the truth with strong conviction even if it costs your life.” Truth alone triumphs (Satyameva Jayate) is a part of a mantra from the Hindu scripture Mundaka Upanishad.
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