My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“If you are unable to find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?”
----Dōgen
Mukunda Rao, an Indian writer, has penned a compelling mythological book of short stories called, Shambuka Rama: Three Tales Retold, inspired and taken straight out of the great Indian epics namely, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The stories are about Bhima who chances upon the female rakhshas (monster), Hidimba and decides to stay back in the forest of Maya, Duryodhan who ponders on the Great War and the pain that it brought upon the world and about Rama who during his exile meets Valmiki and Shambuka Rama, forcing him to quench for the truth.
Synopsis:
Rama, Lakshmana and Sita chance upon Valmiki's ashram in the forest. But what is the shudra Shambuka doing there? As Duryodhana lies dying on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, he reflects on all that brought the world to this pass, his guilt and that of his enemies, his loyalties and those of his friends and allies. As the story flashes back and forth on the last moments of the Great War, dharma and adharma merge and blur. In the forest, during the exile of the Pandavas, Bhima, married to Hidimba, compelled by his love for his son, Ghatotkacha, decides to stay back. Even his mother's anger and his elder brother's command will not sway him. Mukunda Rao tells three classic stories from the epics, shedding new light on them, illuminating corners that we haven't looked at before. Shambuka Rama: Three Tales Retold is a powerful blend of spiritual search, philosophy and mythology.
The five brothers and their mother have narrowly escaped from the murder attempt on their lives by their cousin brother, and is walking towards the forest of Maya, where they are advised to hide for a few days. But in this very same forest, amidst of life-threatening dangers and monsters, the second Pandava brother, Bhima, loses his heart to a former monster turned into a divine woman named Hidimba and eventually their love story blossoms, and finally resulting in the birth of their son, Ghatotkacha, that compels Bhima to stay back in that forest.
Duryodhan is pondering over adharma and how could the Great war in the epic Mahabharata could have been avoided. Even Yudhisthira wonders on whether evil can only be fought with evil. Whereas in Ramayana, Rama is pondering about the real meaning of truth with the help of Valmiki and Shambuka Rama. The deeper meaning of truth will set him free, but why is a Shudra man lurking in a village of hermit is what is bothering Rama more than the truth.
The three classic tales are spun really tastefully and interestingly by the author, that will provoke the readers to think beyond the concepts of truth, love and evil. The philosophy of life is explained in a simplistic and realistic manner that will not only leave the readers engaged but will also enlighten them about life. The author strikingly portrays the three stories under different life and through a different approach, hence it becomes easier for the readers to look between the lines for its true meaning.
The writing style of the author is quite coherent and is laced with deep, moving emotions. The author's narration of the great Indian epics are done in a vivid manner, as the dialogues between the characters are not only realistic and thoughtful, but are also extremely captivating enough to keep the readers glued to the book. The considerably fast pace keeps the story flowing through the meaningful stories of some of the great mythological characters.
The characters from the book are very well etched out by the author in this book. From Bhima's convincing demenaor towards his family and son, Rama's confusing demeanor about truth and the real reason behind Shambuka Rama's presence in that village and Duryodhan's regretful consicence towards the war and pain he caused to his cosuin's family. Even the supporting female characters are also strikingly portrayed from Draupadi to Kunti to Sita, in this book.
In a nutshell, this is a must read book for all the mythology loving freaks, as the stories in the book will satisfy you to your very core.
Verdict: A very enlightening read!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me and opportunity to read and review this book.
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Author Info:
Mukunda Rao is the author of six insightful philosophical works, six books of much-acclaimed fiction and two popular plays. After his voluntary retirement from a teaching job in a college in 2000, he now lives with his wife on a farm outside Bengaluru.
Visit him here
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