It is not every day, we sit with a particular philosophical book and read it repeatedly, till we jade ourselves. The same happened with me and the book happened to be `The Alchemist . The two reasons which made me start this book are
1. I have a soft copy of this (courtesy : netmon.iitb.ac.in)
2. My favourite Blogger appreciated this book to the highest degree.
The holy reading began:
Prologue
Part one
Part two
Epilogue
It really took time to understand what he meant in those lines, and those in between the lines. A writer has a "duty and an obligation never to be understood by his own generation”. Paulo Coelho is such a one. Capturing and building all the senses together to ponder over a single thought is no ordinary task. He deserves a standing ovation, Dil Se, for his extraordinary perception towards worldly and godly, pleasures and treasures.
In reference to the novel, Santiago, a shepherd, leads life in pursuit of his knowledge and there is one unfulfilled dream, which makes him restless. When he decides that he should go with his dream, he sells of all his sheep, starts the journey by following his entire good omen. Had he been reluctant to sell his sheep, He would be just another normal human on this planet. But, the confidence that even if he wouldn’t gain his treasure, he could still tame the sheep, is what strikes the readers. He wished he would earn his fruits; nevertheless, he got to face many hurdles in the course.
"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." This is the core philosophy and motto he believed in. And the same happened; the world was at his feet, since he was following his heart.
He encountered many people ~ The King of a state, a crystal merchant, an Englishman, Fatima and the Alchemist. Each of them, enlightened him, in a different dimension.
I would like to jot down those remarkable lines told by each of them, which can truly, inspire everybody.
King of Salem:
“ That at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That's the world's greatest lie.”
“ It's called the principle of favourability. When you play cards the first time, you are almost sure to win. Beginner's luck. Because there is a force that wants you to realize your Personal Legend; it whets your appetite with a taste of success.”
The Crystal Merchant:
“ I'm afraid that if my dream is realized, I'll have no reason to go on living.
It is that dream that drives me forward.”
Englishman:
“ When you want something with all your heart, it's always a positive force."
Fatima:
“ I have become a part of you.”
“ I have forgotten about my past, about my traditions, and the way in which
men of the desert expect women to behave. Ever since I was a child, I have dreamed that the desert would bring me a wonderful present. Now, my present has arrived, and it's you.”
“ That's why I want you to continue toward your goal. The dunes are changed by the wind, but the desert never changes. That's the way it will be with our love for each other.”
"If I am really a part of your dream, you'll come back one day."
The Alchemist:
“ Love never keeps a man from pursuing his Personal Legend. If he abandons that pursuit, it's because it wasn't true love ...”
“ If what one finds is made of pure matter, it will never spoil. If what you had found was only a moment of light, like the explosion of a star, you would find nothing on your return.”
“ Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victor's being severely tested.”
“ When you possess great treasures within you, and you try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed.”
It is then I got to know that there is nothing philosophical about this book, only a godly nomenclature of the most subtle human trajectories. May the light shower upon our dark minds…
MAKTUB ( It is written )
