Book Review of The Quest of Ruru
A short review of a rare occult biography of an Indian seeker and his personal search for enlightenment
Guest article by Paul G. Vaughan
"A weird melody, like the cry of a strange bird, but sweet, sprang up from the Sarungi which was lying beside Ruru's bed, and it floated away tremblingly between the colonnaded trees of that wild forest, after quivering for a while in the tiny room. And the Sarungi's sympathetic strings hummed with ecstatic vibrations and resounded still when Ruru woke up with a shock of amazement, as if he had fallen from a great height; and he listened with breathless rapture to the echo of that ravishing chant, the picture of his dream still before his dazzled eyes; the tones of that flute-like voice still ringing in his ears. And sleep fled before him for the rest of that night, like the sand-demons of the desert fly before the hot wind."
To hear this melody and realise the significance of Ruru's dream is a great boon indeed. This utterly unique book reads like nothing else I have ever come across, and it has the secret power of transporting one's mind to hidden realms of beauty and delight. I know not how to give it justice in a short review, nor do I feel qualified to write a thorough recommendation, but I am yet to come across a more wonderful account of the true workings of Destiny upon a Path to Initiation.
Ruru's adventure in the beautiful land of Hind of over 2,000 years ago bears all the hallmarks of a Hero's journey, but its conception and culmination reach such sublime heights that the reader gasps in admiration and rapture; led on by the inspired writer from the sylvan beauties of the lords of the forest, through encounters with most colourful and fascinating people of the ancient India, all the way to the realms empyreal where dwell the Gods themselves. And as they behold with their unwinking eyes the dance of the heavenly Apsaras, the mindful reader gets a glint of that paradisiacal existence, and the sweet aromas blend with otherworldly music as we gain further insight into one Hero's quest for Truth and Liberation.
I took special delight in the lucid and inspired descriptions of Nature and the Higher Realms, ever-so-subtly interweaved with most profound Occult truths, which are often veiled behind unassuming or seemingly obscure statements, and adorned with poesy. Thus the whole book bears the mark of the hand of a true Mystic, and one will be greatly rewarded if he reads this story with the mind of a child, for in child-like simplicity and wonder lie hidden the keys to many great mysteries the Author touches upon in The Quest of Ruru.
"And in the subtleness of his magical Art he wrote those shining words as if they were spells, written in strange runes and unknown sigils—a conjuration of the greatest Powers."
There is no doubt in my mind that the final climax and resolution of Ruru's mystic Quest is unique in all the world's literature, and I will gladly be challenged on that statement. It will suffice to say that it is the most exalted and transcendent account of the true Sympathy of Souls one can expect to find in any written work. Ruru's Quest is the highest conception of what Man, a Child of the Gods, can aspire to in his earthly existence. At the very least, it is a most enchanting adventure, full of magical sceneries and adorable characters, and a true labour of Love in itself—reminding us that as we may read in this book:
"Those who truly love are not of the Earth, for their Souls are filled with a strange nectar, flowing from the vessels of Heaven into their thirsty Minds."
Review published 13 December 2014. Updated 11 September 2022
© Copyright Paul G. Vaughan & occult-mysteries.org.
