Ramayana - The Game of Life (Book 3) : Stolen Hope - Review

In the evil labyrinths of Dandakaranya forest, human values are put to test. Rama’s righteousness, Lakshmana’s loyalty and Sita’s endurance reflect our own sense of values and judgment in difficult times. The story unfolds the facets of human life – the conflict and the trickery, the praise and the slander and, above all, the hope and the despair in the eventful forest life of the Exiled Royals.
Stolen Hope is about extreme deception and extreme love. It is about arrogant power and deep devotion. With every twist and turn, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana find themselves robbed of whatever and whoever they value most.
Exploring the dynamics of human relations – between father and son, husband and wife, teacher and disciple – and the complex game of power and greed, Stolen Hope mirrors our own dilemmas in the modern world and teaches us how we must overcome them.
Seek courage when everything, including hope, is stolen.

About the Author
Shubha Vilas, a spiritual seeker and a motivational speaker, holds a degree in engineering and law with a specialization in patent law. His leadership seminars are popular with top-level management in corporate houses. He addresses their crucial needs through thought- provoking seminars on themes such as ‘Secrets of Lasting Relationships’, ‘Soul Curry to Stop Worry’ and ‘Work–Life Balance’ to name a few.
He believes that a good teacher, no matter how knowledgeable, always sees the process of learning and teaching simultaneously as an inherent aspect of personal and spiritual growth. He also helps individuals in different parts of the world apply the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana and other dharmic traditions in dealing with modern- day life situations.

‘Stolen Hope’, the third installment of Shubha Vilas’s Ramayana – The Game Of Life series, serves as a mood shifter. You feel elated when Rama and Lakshmana defeat the demons in the Dandakaranya forest, relieved when beings under the spell of curse get freed by the divine touch of Rama; you smile when you know that Sita feels happy and contented in the forest solely for the reason that Rama has her full attention here, away from the hustle and bustle of his kingdom, and cry your heart out when she wrongly accuses Lakshmana and questions his character and intentions despite him serving his brother and his sister-in-law selflessly over the years. It’s anger that takes over you when Ravana flies away with Sita to his abode, Lanka, trying to win her love and trust through immoral means, and you start behaving impatiently when the book comes to an end, eager to know what happens next. At least, these are the emotions that travelled within me throughout my journey with this book.

The story of Ramayana isn’t new for most of us. We have read, re-read and listened to the various episodes of this epic from different sources. What then causes Shubha Vilas to stir the readers, engaging them to pick up his latest endeavor? The answer lies in the honesty and the clarity of his efforts. Though we know the basic premise of the Ramayana, we may not be aware of the subplots and the fine nuances that this epic has to offer. In fact, there are several segments, stories and characters which we haven’t heard of, or are acquainted with only a mild familiarity. Shubha Vilas tries to bring these points to the fore, enlightening us with the minutest of details. These pieces of information serve more like a jigsaw puzzle, and when we put the pieces together, we start seeing the Ramayana in a different light altogether, clearer and illuminating.

‘Stolen Hope’ starts where ‘Shattered Dreams’ concluded, in the Dandakaranya forest, highlighting the adventures of the divine trio – Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. As they move from one place to the other, we are introduced to several interesting tales and anecdotes. My personal favourites were the stories about Sage Agastya. Also, true to its essence, this adaptation of the Ramayana is wrapped in learning for our hearts and souls. The footnotes, and the pieces in boxes, are words of pure wisdom, raining the spirit of righteousness and knowledge, and leading us to the path of duty. What is interesting is that these fragments of luminance are relevant even today, and we can adopt them in our day to day activities, making our lives easier, and better.

The book begins on a positive and pleasing note. However, as it reaches its end, we are left enraged by the arrogance and evil of Ravana. As a dedicated reader of this series, I am looking forward to the next volume, where Rama would be able to free Sita from the clutches of Ravana, and punish him for all his wrong doings. Shubha Vilas’s words have magic, his narration simple and fluent, and his story-telling gripping. For all mythological lovers, this book is a must-have asset on your shelves.

Title: Ramayana - The Game of Life (Book 3) : Stolen Hope
Authors: Shubha Vilas
Publisher: Jaico Publishing House
Publication Year: 2016
Language: English
Binding: Paperback
Genre: Religious, Mythology
No. of Pages: 312
Price: Rs 299
My Rating: 4/5

Drenched May

(Image Source: http://onehdwallpaper.com/)

summer rain

a sparrow chirps in joy

on a drenched May

This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem - May Evening.

Cloud Weeps Rain

a flash of lightning—
passing through the darkness
a night heron’s scream
(~ Basho)

only the cloud weeps rain
pitter patter on a barren nest
(~ Amrit)

This Tan Renga is shared with Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge # 103 Basho's "a flash of lightning!".

Gulls And Cloud

three gulls, and a cloud

swimming across the sunset

a monk prays in peace

This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem Tokubetsudesu #83 Imagination.

Withered Rose

I once held a withered rose

the petals crisp and brown

what purpose did it serve

now clearly lost and down

was this rose a gift of love

when they kissed under the lamp

or could this be a parting tear

the soldier walking to his camp

does this rose hold a tale of loss

of memories haunting bare

or could this be a good luck charm

in diary, wrapped with care

I smiled at the withered rose

as it hugged the winds and flew

the stars sat back, rapt in fragrance

of the rose's tales anew

This Poem is shared with

• Prompt Nights - Take Time Out And Stop To Smell The Roses,
• Poets United - Poetry Pantry.

Furnish Your Home A To Z

Furnishing our homes as per our own wish is a dream for most. A to Z Furnishing aims to fulfill that dream. It is a home furnishing company providing every component to make the interior of your house as fabulous as possible. It is a one stop destination with all the products available at affordable rates.

A to Z Furnishing is among the leading names in the industry today regarding home furnishing supplier, selling items that include a wide variety of bed and bath linen, curtains, blinds, carpets, mattresses and pillows, table napkins and so on. Recently, some new collections have been launched for the coming season and all the products meet the highesh international standards. The curtains and flooring items like carpets have been sourced from various countries and have already been picked up by major hotel chains for their interiors.

As prospective buyer, one has a lot to choose from, specially with the upholstery as premium fabrics have been handpicked for the collection. Be it an antique piece that the buyer is looking for or an affordable item to cater to a large group of people, A to Z Home Furnishings can be trusted to live up to the expectation and provide the clients with all the items they require. They are also a uniform supplier for the members of the staff at any do and their new ranges of uniform designs are sure to grab all the eyeballs.

One can contact them as per the below detail:

Address: No. 412, Shaikh Memon Street,Opposite Crawford Market
Mumbai (India) - 400002

Phone:
+(91) - (22) - 42123500

For any queries: 
 : +(91) - 9987198911  ( 10.00 pm to 6.30 pm )
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Email:  info@atozhomefurnishings.com

One can also fill up the form at http://atozhomefurnishings.com/index.php/contacts.html and he/she will be contacted. The form for subscription can also be filled for the latest news and updates.

Share The Load For Gen Next

If we sit back and think for a while, we would realize that a large deal of our learning and knowledge comes from our family and our society. The surroundings and the ambiance where we live and spend the maximum number of our daily hours play a key role in our growth. We learn from our elders, and our juniors in turn learn from us. The cycle goes on and on, but the learning never fades.

However, with time, the knowledge becomes obsolete, and is not in accordance with the modern circumstances. When such a situation occurs, it is important to brush aside the age old notions that are no longer valid in today’s world, and adopt a newer, better learning. One of the prime examples of an age old belief that is still a very much part of our modern society (unfortunately) is that of laundry being a woman’s job. Sigh!

The question arises, why should laundry be just a woman’s job? Isn’t the male member of the house equally responsible in keeping the clothes clean. After all, cleanliness is next to Godliness, and there should be no shame in adopting a practice that can be regarded as divine. Yes, I use the word ‘shame’ here because that’s what many men feel about washing clothes.

However, the onus now lies upon the current generation to make sure that the future generation doesn’t believe in such stereotypes. We should mould the thinking of the society, and take up the responsibility to drive a new learning in the minds of all. Women should not be the only one entrusted with the task of laundry. In fact, both men and women should share the load of laundry, like they share every other task of the household. When we talk of gender equality, why not practice it too?

There can be several ways in inculcating this new ideology. One of them is the Odd Even formula, where men of the house wash the clothes on odd days, and the women on even days, or vice – versa. In that way, a woman can also focus on her other tasks, activities and hobbies on days when the laundry job is being done by men. Another method of getting the message across is to divide the laundry task. For example, the lady of the house can wash the clothes in the washing machine, while the man can hang out the clothes for drying, with role reversal happening after a fxed duration of time, say, every week. If those belonging to the next generation see such changes happening realistically in front of their eyes, their notion of gender prejudices will change, and gender equality will no longer be confined to umpteen articles and essays. Instead, gender equality will be the base on which the new generation will be formed, a true reward to our efforts. 

 I am taking part in the #ShareTheLoad Challenge with Ariel and Akshara at BlogAdda.

Steer Ahead With Datsun Redi-GO

A person should always buy his car after thorough research. A car is not just a machine, but it gradually becomes a part of one's life, giving him companionship on a daily basis. While searching for a suitable four-wheeler for me and my family, I came across Datsun redi-GO. I was instantly fascinated by its appearance, and a deep look into its features confirmed my belief that this is one automobile that I would like to own. Its beautiful interior and dashboard denotes fun, the comfort guarantees confidence, while a good mileage makes it the perfect ride of freedom.

Three features that grabbed my attention in particular are as follows:

1) Fuel Economy: With the price of petrol on the rise, I would prefer a car that would give me a good fuel economy. Datsun redi-GO scores high on that front, with a mileage of 25.17 Km/L. This means that driving long distance would not burn a hole in my pocket. I could drive on an on, and visit new sites along with my family, with my car consuming minimal petrol. Also, going by the current market trend, the mileage offered is among the best in today's automobile industry.

2) Small Turning Radius: Driving in Delhi NCR demands extra care and awareness. With buses, trucks, auto-rickshaws, cars and bikes plying on the roads at all hours, traffic gets congested. Often, to avoid the jam, it’s best to take the nearest turn and drive towards an alternate lane, keeping in mind the traffic rules. However, in such jam-packed spaces, turning the car also becomes a challenge. Datsun redi-GO addresses this concern, equipped with a small turning radius of 4.7 m.

3) Shift Indicator: I wish to get the maximum output from my car and have it running efficiently for years. A car becomes a member of our family, with its reliability and the trust we bestow upon it during crunch situations. To enhance the performance of the car while driving, changing the gears at appropriate time is of utmost importance. Datsun redi-GO has an inbuilt Shift Indicator, which helps us to decide when to shift the gear while driving.

 I am seeking a family car, and the Datsun redi-GO looks a perfect fit. If given the option to test the car, I would like to drive it on hilly terrains. Residing in Delhi NCR, I am spoilt with choices regarding hill stations, and thus I would like to see how my car performs on roads of Shimla, the destination I am planning to travel next with my family. With so many features, I expect it to be a smooth drive, so that I can satisfy my love for hills by driving there on regular weekends.

The Datsun redi-GO looks promising. The long traffic signals shouldn’t bother much, with its comfortable seating, the beautiful interior and the cool air conditioning. The performance augmented brakes will ensure that the car stops just at the right time, while the best-in-class ground clearance will help tackle the low obstacles on roads that are often irritating. Pack all of these features into a sleek and stylish design and the Datsun redi-GO turns out to be the urban driving solution that I have been looking for.

Fun. Freedom. Confidence. The ultimate Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO - the capability of a crossover with the convenience of a hatchback. 

For more details, do visit https://www.datsun.co.in/redi-GO.html.

 

I ensure (to the best of my abilities and circumstances) that my blog post remains accessible in an un-altered state for a minimum of one year.

How The Jungle Sways

rumbling winter storm –

Ents are dancing with their wives –
ancient limbs entwined

(~Paloma)

look how the jungle sways
woodpeckers flee in fright

(~Amrit)

This Tan Renga is shared with Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge.

 

Odd Even With Ariel

With the Odd Even initiative in full flow in the Capital to curb the pollution, I did have a thought, thanks to Ariel. Why should laundry be just a woman’s job? In fact, why should it be a gender specific task at all. We need fresh clothes, irrespective of whether we are male or female, and thus, keeping our clothes clean should be the topmost priority for both the gender.

I decided to go the Odd Even way for washing clothes. I told my wife, “Let’s take the responsibility to wash clothes on alternate days. While you do the laundry on Odd days, I will do it on Even days.”

My wife thought for a moment and agreed. It would be better this way. While one of us will perform the laundry task, the other partner can do the other household chores like cleaning and cooking. A good way to share the job, isn’t it?

We started the next day as planned. Since the date was 20^th, it was my task to wash clothes. I took a spoonful of Ariel and placed it in the detergent holder of our washing machine. I then kept all the dirty clothes in it and started the machine. Within a few minutes, the clothes came out shining bright and looking as if they were almost new. Meanwhile, my wife had started with her cooking, and I went into the kitchen to help her once the clothes were hung on the roof to dry.

Role reversal took place the next day. While my wife did the laundry activity, I prepared a sumptuous dish for the two of us. It was weekend, and we relished on an afternoon lunch of Khichdi and chatni.

“Odd Even has made our household tasks organized,” my wife commented, smiling to herself.

I smiled back. I had often seen the female members of the family washing and cleaning clothes. I was glad that the stereotype was slowly being broken. I suggested the idea to several of my friends and they embraced it with open arms. After all, when we advocate gender equality, there is no point in typesetting a particular work to a specific gender.

We are still going on with the Odd Even initiative, our smiles broadening, and the clothes shining brighter with Ariel Matic. With just one wash being enough, the laundry work is no longer a burden. In fact it is now one of the reasons for our happiness, a perfect concoction to our married life.

#LaundryGoesOddEven surely should be the way to go, in every family, in all households.

I am taking part in the #LaundryGoesOddEven Challenge by Ariel India at BlogAdda.