Pujya Dr. K.C. Varadachari - Volume -2   SEVEN PATHS TO WISDOM - Preface    When requested by the publishers to write a preface to this book, I was more than confused because the task is such I do not in any way feel competent to do it. However, I got myself emboldened to write the preface as I know that opportunities just do not come when we desire, more so in matters like this where Divine Will alone operates. There is another reason. I was told that I am named as Satari by my grandfather Dr. K.C.Varadachari. My father told me that I was named so because Dr. K.C.Varadachari had an experience similar to that of the Zen “Satori”during that period. Further he compared the same with the Srivaishnavaites ‘Satari’ which grants the seekers such bliss. It is this blessing of that great soul that I feel unique to myself, also granted me this unique opportunity. Dr.K.C.Varadachari, my revered grandfather is one of the most popular professors of philosophy in India during his days and has profusely contributed to the development of proper understanding of the philosophies of Visistadvaita, Aurobindonian thought and has contributed meaningfully in the fields of aesthetic, theory of knowledge and other branches of knowledge. He has found an integral and holistic approach of sadhana in the system of Rajayoga of Sri Ramchandraji of Shahjahanpur. In his late 50’s and through the time till he lived he has dedicated himself to that system or way of life. The book that is being presented now is one of his last unpublished works. The book deals with seven different types of understanding emanating from different types of understanding emanating from different theories of knowledge or logics. That logic by itself can not grasp the reality of things is better known to the author than any one else. However, he carries us through a very enterprising journey of various modes and means of understanding through the seven chapters in this work. That this work requires an introduction was clearly felt by the author and he wrote the introduction to these seven types of understanding. That wisdom is something that is an extra to understanding is known to all the discerning seekers. The author takes us through the different modes of comprehension as adumbrated by the various darshanas viz., Samkhya, Mimamsa, Rasayoga, Advaita, Aurobindian, Visistadvaitin and Jainism. The book explains in detail the different types of logic with an emphasis towards trying to explain the relevance of the different view of seekers towards having a better understanding of the concept of God and divinity. In an era when mankind is obsessed with ‘I’ it is indeed very rare for anyone to try and understand the differences in the various concepts of the Ultimate and still rarer to hold such a dispassionate view when it comes to expounding the different views as explained through the ages. As the reality of the nature of Light is revealed through the Seven colours of the spectrum, the author seems to emphasise the need to know that the Divine Light (which itself is said to be grey as imperienced) consists of the seven ways of knowing. The name of the book as ‘Seven types of Logic’ and the sequence of the chapters therein were given by the author himself and no effort has been made to change the sequence of the chapters, either to suit the logics or to take it chronologically as it is not clear how he has numbered them as such. However, to make the intention of the author in writing this book understood by the readers the book is now named as Seven paths to Wisdom. This I do with reverence. It is hoped that the reader who goes through the book with the serious attention that is required keeping in view the depth of understanding that is needed for a study of the topics under consideration, he will appreciate the profound maturity, status and the command of the write over the subject. The book should also hold a special interest to the seeker as it tries to arrive at an answer to the unending question about the nature of the ULTIMATE after discussing the pros and cons as associated with each individual system of logic. As mentioned earlier this book is one of the last unpublished work of Revered Dr. K.C. Varadachari. However, some of the chapters were published as articles in the S.V. University Oriental Journal. The third chapter on the Logic of the Artistic Mind is a review of a book by Prof Northrop Fyre titled the ‘Fearful Symmetry’. It may be noted that some of these articles were written earlier to the book of the author titled ‘New Darsana’ wherein the system of Sahaj Marg as propounded by Sri Ramchandraji Maharaj of Shahjahanpur was explained in detail keeping in view the metaphysical, metapsychological and logical points of view and the reader is recommended to read the ‘New Darsana’ also. It is indeed a great honour for me to have written the preface to this book and I express my grateful thanks to the publishers for having provided me an opportunity to be part of this novel and challenging work of Dr. K.C. Varadachari for greater understanding of the Reality, particularly for those who do sadhana. I feel that it is indeed divine will that this book was not published earlier and I humbly feel that this is the way the Divine Master Babuji Maharaj blesses me. I do hope that the reader is influenced by this work and seeks the ultimate reality and proceeds towards the Natural path of Sri Ramachandra or the New Darsana. Hyderabad K.C. Satari 03.02.1997.