I was reading the first book of Ramayana By Shubha Vilas for the second time when I received the email that I had been chosen to review the second book in the series as well. My first reaction was like 'finaly' the book is out. The first book was simply great but it was just the beginning of a story that changes your life.
The second part starts off with King Dashratha deciding to abdicate his throne in favor of his son Rama. What follows is a series of jubilation and unfortunate heart breaks. This is the beauty of Ramayana. We know how it starts and ends still love to read it again and again.
Also interesting are the facts and stories that are in between. Shubha Vilas masterfully narrates and explains these to us. He has weaved in various forms and versions of Ramyana, from Valmiki's Ramcharitmanas to Kamba Ramyana and other popular versions of the legendary tale.
As in the first book I liked the idea of footnotes. They are something to look forward to. Each of them are like little gems of wisdom. We move in from Rama's marriage which we read in the first book to Ram's coronation and exile. Like I said before it breaks many hearts but it also shows us inspiration in form of characters like Sita, Bharata, Lakshman. Each one in their own way showing a strength of character which we should emulate in ourselves. Then we have other interesting people in the story like Urmila, Lakshman's wife who pays a heavy price of her elder brother in law's exile.
The book is a treasure of knowledge and their is nothing in it that won't teach you something. The narration is very precise and exact. Their is no overload of mythology or preachings. Plain simple facts and statements.
The second part starts off with King Dashratha deciding to abdicate his throne in favor of his son Rama. What follows is a series of jubilation and unfortunate heart breaks. This is the beauty of Ramayana. We know how it starts and ends still love to read it again and again.
Also interesting are the facts and stories that are in between. Shubha Vilas masterfully narrates and explains these to us. He has weaved in various forms and versions of Ramyana, from Valmiki's Ramcharitmanas to Kamba Ramyana and other popular versions of the legendary tale.
As in the first book I liked the idea of footnotes. They are something to look forward to. Each of them are like little gems of wisdom. We move in from Rama's marriage which we read in the first book to Ram's coronation and exile. Like I said before it breaks many hearts but it also shows us inspiration in form of characters like Sita, Bharata, Lakshman. Each one in their own way showing a strength of character which we should emulate in ourselves. Then we have other interesting people in the story like Urmila, Lakshman's wife who pays a heavy price of her elder brother in law's exile.
The book is a treasure of knowledge and their is nothing in it that won't teach you something. The narration is very precise and exact. Their is no overload of mythology or preachings. Plain simple facts and statements.
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