Step 1 : Understanding the Question:
This question asks us to identify the author of a deeply spiritual and poetic statement concerning the reading experience of a book, describing it as being "like a book of prayers."
Step 2 : Key Formulas and Approach:
The approach involves analyzing the stylistic and philosophical tone of the given quote. By connecting the meditative, metaphysical language of the quote to the specific writing styles of the listed Indian and British authors, we can identify Raja Rao as the author.
Step 3 : Detailed Explanation:
• Raja Rao was a pioneering Indian English novelist whose work is characterized by its deep integration of Advaita Vedanta philosophy and Indian metaphysics with modern narrative forms.
• His prose often displays a ritualistic, spiritual quality that elevates everyday experiences to the level of spiritual reflection, which aligns with the meditative tone of the quote.
• The comparison of reading a text to engaging with "a book of prayers" reflects Raja Rao's persistent belief that literature can serve as a spiritual medium or sadhana.
• In contrast, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, George Bernard Shaw, and John Masefield wrote within Victorian and modern British contexts that focused on social criticism, poetry, and realistic drama, rather than this specific style of spiritual prose.
Step 4 : Final Answer:
Therefore, the author of the given quotation is Raja Rao.
The correct option is (D) Raja Rao.