Ramayana: The Game of Life - Shattered Dreams by Subha Vilas Book review

Ramayana: The Game of Life - Shattered Dreams by Subha Vilas Book review

OMG!! It has been years I read a good novel like “Ramayana: The Game of Life - Book 2 (Shattered Dreams)”. That was the first thought flashed in my mind after completing the novel.

Ramayana and Mahabharata are the two words that would make me to dodge. Though it’s a great epic of Indian history and people say a person’s education is incomplete without reading these two epics, I was always hesitant to read them. Neither had patience to watch movies or listen it from my grandparents. I had an aversion because I felt it’s a maze of stories, traits and character.  Remebering those manifold personalities names like Shatrughna, Sugriva, Surpanakha,Vibhishana and tenaciously following throughout the circuitous story was a tiring one. But Hats off to Subha Vilas for penning a wonderful novel with easy narration. It is definitely a must read novel of all age group. I loved the way the author has written. Simple language with so many positive and valuable lessons for life.

When I glanced the Author Subha Vilas profile and understood that he is a spiritual seeker and a motivational speaker, I was not impressed much. With blank mind, I started reading the novel and was so impressed by the teachings he mentioned in the book. I always carried a pen and kept underlying the sentence that are very useful and up-lifting. I suggest all the modern youth should read this novel. It was such a valuable lessons for our life. If one follows the lines mentioned in the novel, I am sure, the journey of life will be crystal clear with peace and joy. It’s an excellent novel for these modern times.

PROS:

1. Language style - Simple and keeps you glued the story. Even a 6-year-old kid can read and grasp the story.
2. Motivational words and teachings that was used through the book.
3. Even if you don’t know anything about Ramanaya you will easily grasp the story.
4. Tempts and Plants a seed to read the Ramayana: The Game of Life Part One - Rise of the Sun Prince

CONS:

1. Felt capitalization issues at many places. Not sure, whether it was intentional. But it was annoying at places.

One liner about the book - Thank you Subha Vilas for such a useful novel.

About the Book:
Shattered Dreams is the sequel to the national bestseller, Rise of the Sun Prince, in the new spiritual and motivational series Ramayana - The Game of Life. Twelve joyful years have passed in Ayodhya since the wedding of Rama and Sita at the end of Book 1.

Now, in Shattered Dreams, Shubha Vilas narrates the riveting drama of Rama’s exile. Through tales of Rama’s unwavering and enigmatic persona, the book teaches us how to handle reversals positively; through Bharata’s actions, it teaches us to handle temptation; and through Sita’s courage, to explore beyond our comfort zone. This complicated family drama provides deep insights on how human relationships work and how they fail.

With Valmiki’s Ramayana as its guiding light, Shattered Dreams deftly entwines poetic beauty from the Kamba Ramayana and Ramacharitramanas, as well as folk philosophy from the Loka Pramana tales, to demonstrate how the ancient epic holds immediate relevance to modern life. Experience the ancient saga of the Ramayana like never before.

Title:  Shattered Dreams, Book 2
Series: Ramayana: The Game of Life
Author: Shubha Vilas
Publisher: Jaico Publishing House
Publication Year: 2014
ISBN 13: 9788184955316
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 387
Price: Rs 350

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35 Ways to Respect your Parents

"35 Ways to Respect your Parents"

. Parents are the first person whom we should treasure and care with ardor. Parents are the only soul who wish to see their children happy and long for the welfare and happiness of their child. Whatever role we are in "an-obedient-parent" or "a-sincere-employee" or "studious-student" or "a-dependent-child" or "an-aging-person" its our responsibility to keep our parents happy.

I got the below "35 Ways to Respect your Parents" message from my friend and could not control myself from posting in my blog. Below 35 points are simple yet powerful tips to keep our parents happy.

35 Ways to Respect your Parents
1. Put away your phone in their presence
2. Pay attention to what they are saying
3. Accept their opinions
4. Engage in their conversations
5. Look at them with respect
6. Always praise them
7. Share good new with them
8. Avoid sharing bad news with them
9. Speak well of their friends and loved ones to them.
10. Keep in remembrance the good things they did.
11. If they repeat a story, listen like it's the first time they tell it.
12. Don't bring up painful memories from the past
13. Avoid side conversations in their presence.
14. Sit respectfully around them
15. Don't belittle/criticize their opinions and thoughts
16. Avoid cutting them off when they speak
17. Respect their age
18. Avoid hitting/disciplining their grandchildren around them
19. Accept their advice and direction
20. Give them the power of leadership when they are present
21. Avoid raising your voice at them
22. Avoid walking in front or ahead of them
23. Avoid eating before them
24. Avoid glaring at them
25. Fill them with pride even when they don't think they deserve it.
26. Avoid putting your feet up in front of them or sitting with your back to them
27. Don't speak ill of them to the point where others speak ill of them too
28. Keep them in your prayers whenever possible
29. Avoid seeming bored or tired of them in their presence
30. Avoid laughing at their faults/mistakes
31. Do a task before they ask you to
32. Continuously visit them
33. Choose your words carefully when speaking with them
34. Call them by names they like
35. Make them your priority above anything