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Ranjan and his Many Lives
Gandhi was a jihadi! Was Krishna truly a good friend to Sudama? Where can you find happiness? Can an ordinary man's life be extraordinary?
What extraordinary questions to ponder as you fight for your life!
Meet Ranjan, as he pauses at the brink of life and death, as his life - both past and present whizzes by. It opens a channel where he begins to receive messages from the cosmos. The tale unfurls with him determining what that special something was, that had determined the course of his life?
Will Ranjan have another shot at life with this mystical information from the cosmos? Will the course of his life now change because he has this life changing information?
Are the encounters in our life shaped by 'chance' or by 'choice'?
“The book is an ocean of knowledge & cannot be read as story book, because anecdotes quoted from Mahabharatha and other epics make one to read most valuable books to understand the significant depictions & holy places like Badrinath and Kedarnath. ….. with huge message of knowledge, integrity, honesty and friendship, which is a rare phenomenon in today’s dynamic world.”
-Swaran Singh IAS (Retd)
What extraordinary questions to ponder as you fight for your life!
Meet Ranjan, as he pauses at the brink of life and death, as his life - both past and present whizzes by. It opens a channel where he begins to receive messages from the cosmos. The tale unfurls with him determining what that special something was, that had determined the course of his life?
Will Ranjan have another shot at life with this mystical information from the cosmos? Will the course of his life now change because he has this life changing information?
Are the encounters in our life shaped by 'chance' or by 'choice'?
“The book is an ocean of knowledge & cannot be read as story book, because anecdotes quoted from Mahabharatha and other epics make one to read most valuable books to understand the significant depictions & holy places like Badrinath and Kedarnath. ….. with huge message of knowledge, integrity, honesty and friendship, which is a rare phenomenon in today’s dynamic world.”
-Swaran Singh IAS (Retd)
140 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2019
About the author
Prakash Balasubramanian
1 bookPrakash Balasubramanian born on November 8, 1975, in Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, in a middle class family, he grew up in many towns across Tamil Nadu, where his father’s job took them. He spent about 10 years in Trichy, from 7th standard till completing Engineering. This is the longest he has lived in any town, yet. After graduation, his vagabond lifestyle extended to other states and countries. However, he has not lived in the same house for over 2 years (including Trichy). This has made him highly adaptable and adsorbing.
After completion of Engineering, he started his career in Engineering sales. He spent 8 years in this field and moved to banking. In banking he handled retail lending for 4 years and enterprise lending for 6 years. Then he spent 4 years in a logistics company in operations and strategy. He is heading for business development in an IoT Technology.
Balasubramanian enjoyed writing since his college days. He sees writing “as a powerful way to express ideas since the medium allows to reach people with whom I might never engage”. He considers himself to be a happy-go-lucky honey bee that collects nectar and saves it in the hive for its own nourishment. In his case, as the nectar is in-depletable, he is happy to share it with anyone who is interested in enjoying it.
After completion of Engineering, he started his career in Engineering sales. He spent 8 years in this field and moved to banking. In banking he handled retail lending for 4 years and enterprise lending for 6 years. Then he spent 4 years in a logistics company in operations and strategy. He is heading for business development in an IoT Technology.
Balasubramanian enjoyed writing since his college days. He sees writing “as a powerful way to express ideas since the medium allows to reach people with whom I might never engage”. He considers himself to be a happy-go-lucky honey bee that collects nectar and saves it in the hive for its own nourishment. In his case, as the nectar is in-depletable, he is happy to share it with anyone who is interested in enjoying it.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 22, 2021
Ranjan is in a coma after surgery for lung cancer. The plot revolves around his family as they wait for him to wake up. Tara, Ranjan’s wife is a very hard-working mother of two kids and a restaurant owner. While Ranjan is in a coma, he has encounters with God and several characters from the Mahabharata. The characters tell him their perspective on their decisions and actions.
The book starts by discussing the purpose of human life. The preface by Swaran Singh IAS (Retd) discusses the evolution of human beings throughout time, from living in caves to living in multi-story buildings. He addresses one of the most important questions of life— Are we happy, peaceful and healthy? Is our society harmonious? The book delves deeper into these topics.
Ranjan’s encounters with God, while he’s in a coma, constitute the majority of the book. I loved how everything was questioned about how we think God is. It made me think that we should all question things more too instead of blindly following. Portraying an entity like God in work a of fiction is tricky, and I think the author did a very good job.
I was very confused about the structure and concept of this book in the beginning. The plot could have taken a bigger part in the book. I would’ve liked to read about Ranjan’s family more.
This is more of a spiritual book filled with wisdom than a fictional story. I loved how many emotions and qualities such as pride and unconditional love were explained. It gave me a lot to think about.
This book opens your eyes to some things in life and most of all, questions human actions. I especially liked how the author addressed friendship, karma, and selflessness. I will be revisiting the many passages I have highlighted in this book. If one truly understands the concepts of being an honest and integral human being from this book, they could make their lives better.
Ranjan and his Many Lives by Prakash Balasubramanian is a well-written, quick read that is jam-packed with knowledge. The gripping narrative makes it the perfect book to read in one sitting. I would recommend everyone to read this book.
Check out my book reviews, recommendations, and other content on Travelling Through Words and my bookstagram!
The book starts by discussing the purpose of human life. The preface by Swaran Singh IAS (Retd) discusses the evolution of human beings throughout time, from living in caves to living in multi-story buildings. He addresses one of the most important questions of life— Are we happy, peaceful and healthy? Is our society harmonious? The book delves deeper into these topics.
Ranjan’s encounters with God, while he’s in a coma, constitute the majority of the book. I loved how everything was questioned about how we think God is. It made me think that we should all question things more too instead of blindly following. Portraying an entity like God in work a of fiction is tricky, and I think the author did a very good job.
I was very confused about the structure and concept of this book in the beginning. The plot could have taken a bigger part in the book. I would’ve liked to read about Ranjan’s family more.
This is more of a spiritual book filled with wisdom than a fictional story. I loved how many emotions and qualities such as pride and unconditional love were explained. It gave me a lot to think about.
This book opens your eyes to some things in life and most of all, questions human actions. I especially liked how the author addressed friendship, karma, and selflessness. I will be revisiting the many passages I have highlighted in this book. If one truly understands the concepts of being an honest and integral human being from this book, they could make their lives better.
Ranjan and his Many Lives by Prakash Balasubramanian is a well-written, quick read that is jam-packed with knowledge. The gripping narrative makes it the perfect book to read in one sitting. I would recommend everyone to read this book.
Check out my book reviews, recommendations, and other content on Travelling Through Words and my bookstagram!
September 1, 2019
Prakash's book takes the route of using a life-changing event to talk about harsh realities and delve into the complex realities we navigate through.
The moment of Near Death Events (NDEs) has been capitalized very often and does lend to the purpose of understanding through the power of reflection.
While the book is conceptually strong and makes good pointers - it does come off as 'holier than thou' at times perhaps because not enough is done to humanize Ranjan's vulnerabilities while he is at the crux of life and death.
Nevertheless - a good read and heartening to see more Indian authors take the route of delving into the route of Mythology ( a bankable topic, for authors that strikes a chord across Indian audiences).
The moment of Near Death Events (NDEs) has been capitalized very often and does lend to the purpose of understanding through the power of reflection.
While the book is conceptually strong and makes good pointers - it does come off as 'holier than thou' at times perhaps because not enough is done to humanize Ranjan's vulnerabilities while he is at the crux of life and death.
Nevertheless - a good read and heartening to see more Indian authors take the route of delving into the route of Mythology ( a bankable topic, for authors that strikes a chord across Indian audiences).
September 10, 2019
The book comes across as a sincere effort by the author to wed Hindu mythology with the rigors and trepidations of everyday life in the current world. It offers enough by way of answers and open ended questions to pique the curiosity of mythology buffs.
The protagonist, a man occupied with worldly pursuits, is reflective of a large section of society. The book begins at a critical juncture in the man's life when he starts to contemplate events from his past. This serves as the author's instrument of choice for developing the central narrative of the book.
A must-read for those who look to God for answers to life's never ending challenges.
The protagonist, a man occupied with worldly pursuits, is reflective of a large section of society. The book begins at a critical juncture in the man's life when he starts to contemplate events from his past. This serves as the author's instrument of choice for developing the central narrative of the book.
A must-read for those who look to God for answers to life's never ending challenges.
July 5, 2019
The tale of a confused mind meeting Hindu Gods and mythological characters. Their otherside of what was told to us shakes up the real side of the protagonist giving life to his sick soul. Truly intriguing episode in a journey through a dying man's mind. A real page turner.
July 19, 2021
What do you do when you have a deep urge to live by spiritual values but are undermined by the contortions and misinterpretations that are much prevalent in our times and also by the lack of connectedness and bearing, religion and mythology have in our everyday life? Prakash, the author, with his wisdom and clarity brings much insight into how we can wade through these swarms of distortions. He lets skepticism have its full sway for the modern mind and balms the questions with rational and unbiased perspectives.
The views of the author do full justice to the ancient spiritual ethos of love and purpose. The endearing way in which the idea of God and the dialogues filled with undaunted questioning is presented is what makes this book an engaging read. In every question with God, the author makes you feel it was your voice and with every answer you are made to say, 'Ah! This is what I thought so too!'.
To build a bridge between our everyday struggles and timeless wisdom, Prakash sketches a protagonist (Ranjan) that is relatable and simultaneously brings out our argumentative self to the fore. In a succinct and stimulating manner, the author makes Ranjan become you; and his words, questions, claims and answers become yours.
The views of the author do full justice to the ancient spiritual ethos of love and purpose. The endearing way in which the idea of God and the dialogues filled with undaunted questioning is presented is what makes this book an engaging read. In every question with God, the author makes you feel it was your voice and with every answer you are made to say, 'Ah! This is what I thought so too!'.
To build a bridge between our everyday struggles and timeless wisdom, Prakash sketches a protagonist (Ranjan) that is relatable and simultaneously brings out our argumentative self to the fore. In a succinct and stimulating manner, the author makes Ranjan become you; and his words, questions, claims and answers become yours.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews