Buried in books

Books are man's best friend and they have been an integral part of his life. Whenever others have shunned him or shut him behind doors, they have been there as a constant companion and rejuvenated him. They took him on roller-coaster rides; ups, downs, mystery, adventure, fantasy, drama and what not! People could clear their clogged mind by reading books. They could take better personal decisions by connecting with the character of the book and looking from his/her perspective.

Knowingly or unknowingly, books have played a major role in improving their language and efficiency. Books changed their viewpoint regarding issues in the society. People wanted to be like their favourite characters, so they planted seeds of the commendable characterstics of theirs within themselves. People started craving for fictional worlds and wanted to become part of them too!

The past three months had been an amalgamation of emotions for me because I got a chance to read a wide variety of books. I had read books of different genres and  learnt many things from them. I got so engrossed in those books that I never knew how time just passed by.

During that book spree, I had read books of different authors like Dan Brown, Mario Puzo, Charolette Bronte, James Patterson, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robin Cook and a few Indian authors like R.Krishnan and Rajagopalachari. I I have understood one thing after reading all those books. Every time you start a new book you must begin afresh i.e you mustn't start drawing parallels with the old book. You must understand that each author has his or her vision about his or her work. With each new book added to the collection, his/her thought changes and he writes the next book with a completely different mindset. Also, you must read with an unabridged attention. Only then you can get the complete flavor of the book.

Different people have different interests and they like only specific kind of books. Some like crime thrillers, some like fantasies, some like comedies and parodies, some like family books, some like informative books, auto-biographies , biographies and the list goes on. These categories are general ones. In these again, there are particulars too. Some like crime with fantasy. Some like mystery with adventure. So, one thing has to be understood here. The more diversified the demand or choice, the more effort has to be put in to satisfy the needs.

Now a question arises here. Are there any books that have satisfied all generations and all kinds of audience? There are books which have been worldwide bestsellers and were liked by everyone. But there is this one specific book- a very old one- which is relatable even in the current scenario. It gives us moral values to learn and is filled with almost everything- revenge, drama, plots, sub-plots, previous life connections and many more. This book is always high on adrenaline and the action is always on. By now you might have guessed which book I am talking about: The Mahabharat.

The previous month, I had read a scientist's take on the epic where he had given reasonings and explanations to the astronomical references made by Vyasa. He had also mentioned about how accurately calculations were made in those days. He had cited appropriate examples from the excavations and findings in the present to prove that the Mahabharat had taken place in reality.

Now you may ask me; there are many things which we already know so why should we read it. Remember, you may know many things about it, but there are even more things hidden. Even I thought the same before reading the book, but once I plunged into it, I was shocked at the number of things I was not aware of! For example, minister Vidur was born in a lower caste due to Rishi Animandavya's curse given to Dharmaraja! Shakuntala was named so because when she was born, she was surrounded by Shakuntas(birds)! So, never assume that you are fully cognizant of something because there will always be something that will slip out.

What are the values we should learn from this epic? There are so many things which we can or rather, we should learn from this epic, but know one thing. We can learn from the good people about manners, how to follow the path of Dharma and how to tread their path. We can learn from the bad people not to follow the path of Adharma, and not to fall prey to bad company. So, we can learn something from both good and the bad people. It is not always necessary to idolize a good person and strive to be like him. You can idolize a bad person and strive not to be like him.

Even though being the symbol of Dharma, Yudhishtira fell prey to gambling. Arjuna although knowing the fact that death is inevitable, couldn't slay his own ones as he was blinded by attachment. Remember, even the greatest of people may commit small errors. But, if you trust God and tell him your problems, he will stand by your side, guide you and help you overcome it. He will clear your hazy thoughts and give you proper clarity and direction. Never fear when God is with you because he will never let anything happen to you.

There is nothing wrong in going against your kith and kin if they are treading the wrong path. Some hard decisions have to be taken to maintain sanity in the family. You can tell people in a soft way, but if they don't listen, tough choices are to be made. You personally may have no interest or may feel very bad, but you take up the responsibility keeping in mind the betterment of everyone.

People following the path of Adharma have an upper hand only for a short span of time. But when they clash with the righteous ones, the latter always emerges victorious. This is a universal truth. The virtuous ones always undergo hardships in the start because it is their testing period. Once they pass the test and prove that they are undeterred, no one can stop them. The bad people only have momentary happiness in the start, but good people live long and attain eternal bliss. 

The Mahabharata depicts the glory of our country. There are several instances that prove how advanced our country was in the skill of warfare and metallurgy. We learn about the greatness of our culture and the definition of an ideal man. The Mahabharata has given us two gems: The Bhagvad Gita and the Vishnu Sahasranamam. The former is the storehouse of knowledge and the answer to all our problems.

Now a days people are more keen to finish books than actually reading patiently. This book will not allow them to go in their fast pace. Each fact is important as it connects to some part or the other in the story. Reading this book, one will know how to bury themselves completely in it and extract details and values. People will start looking keenly for the one missing part in the next books they read after this. Thus, they will know the actual fun of reading.

I don't mean to say other books aren't good or they don't have any values. It is just that we don't read in between the lines of those books. Every book has some message or the other. The focus or rather prominence is given to learning and discourses more in the Mahabharata than in other books. 

There are several other books other than the Mahabharata that are relevant even today. For example, the Arthashastra-written by the astute Chanakya during the olden times- contain so many tactics and stratergies of politics that have proved to be useful. Also, there are books like the Diary of Anne Frank that arouses our sympathy and makes us condemn dictatorial policies. Books like Wings of Fire and Long Walk to Freedom instill the nationalistic sentiments and devotedness towards our country. We understand the struggles put in to achieve milestones and respect their sacrifices. 

Sadly, these days, people are preferring e-books over hard cover books. Reading over the net damages your eyesight. Remember, nothing can replace the feel of holding a book in the hand. As far as possible, try avoiding doing that. But if there is no option like that, read only for a stipulated time and mainly- read in bright light only. This will reduce the strain and you can read easily. 

So, on the whole I'd like to say one thing. Don't read books with an intention that you have to complete them. Don't have any deadlines because in the end, time doesn't matter. It is how much you have learnt matters. Read with concentration because it will help you improve your imaginative skills. Also, don't limit yourself. Expand your horizons i.e, read books of versatile genres and aspire to know more about our country's undefiled heritage. Finally, don't read books just because everyone you know read them. Read books only if you are passionate about books- because, things done without interest is far worse than not doing anything.

                                      - Anusha Sridhar