The text titled Yuktisastikakarika is one of the six treatises on Madhyamaka Philosophy ascribed to Acarya Nagarjuna. Containing a total number of sixty stanzas excluding the words of worship, it mainly explains the impossibility of attaining the state bliss without becoming free from two extremes referring to the extreme of eternalism and the extreme of nihilism. In its beautiful verses of succinct, clear and logical expression, existence and non-existence of phenomena, liberation, samsara, nirvana, extreme etc., are examined in order to establish that emptiness is their essence- a central theme of Madhyamika philosophers.

Acarya Nagarjuna and Yuktisastikakarika, Sanjib Kuma Das, Buddhist World Press, Hardcover, 110 pages, $20.00

Nrusingh Charan Panda is the 1929 born Scientist Emeritus having retired from the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, as Professor and Dean of the Veterianary Faculty. Notwithstanding his specialization in Nutritional Biochemistry, with M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees of the University of Missouri, Columbia, USA, Dr. Panda is essentially a versatile personality, combining in him the endowments of a scientist, a Sanskritist, a philosopher, a psychologist, a litterateur, a yogi and a Tantrist. His achievements have been recognized, at different times, with a number of prestigious awards in both science and literature. Internationally reputed for his scientific interpretations of Vedic literature, Professor Panda has also authored a number of widely acclaimed books like Maya in Physics, The Vibrating Universe, Mind and Supermind (2 Vols.) and Cyclic Universe (2 Vols.). His is truly the integral, synthetic, holistic approach.