‘Think and Grow Rich’, By
Napoleon Hill, (the original unabridged edition, Embassy Books, ISBN 10:
81-88452-34-3) is a brilliant read on the power of thought towards financial
success. But it is interesting to note that the book reveals references to Hinduism,
not directly but conceptually. The author Napoleon Hill otherwise is seen to be
a proud Christian and throughout this book he inserts references to
Christianity wherever he desires to do so.
For example, on page 286,
Chapter 15 titled “How to outwit the six ghosts of fear”, the author writes:
“The entire world is made up
of two things, energy and matter. In elementary physics we learn that neither
matter nor energy (the only two realities known to man) can be created nor
destroyed. Both matter and energy can be transformed, but neither can be
destroyed.
Life is energy, if it is
anything. If neither energy nor matter can be destroyed, of course life cannot
be destroyed. Life, like other forms of energy, may be passed through various
processes of transition, or change, but it cannot be destroyed. Death is mere
transition.”
This is exactly the concept of
life and death in Hinduism, as revealed by Lord Krishna Himself in the Geeta or
the Mahabharata! It seems that despite being a devout Christian, Napoleon Hill
was well versed in at least some Hindu texts or Hindu scriptures.
At another place where the
author is writing about the most powerful man on planet, he gives example of
Gandhi ji. But the context in which he brought Mahatma Gandhi into the picture
was “faith”. Napoleon Hill was elaborating the role of faith, particularly in
the context of Christianity, and then he went on to give example of a man who
could be considered immensely successful because of his faith and who is
Napoleon’s example? Mohandas Gandhi, a Hindu. I think this means a lot.
