‘Amma’s Gospel' by Rajender Krishan
Paperback ISBN-13 : 978-1-947403116 Amazon ebook ASIN : B08LSYFLN4
Available on Amazon USA | Amazon India

Those who know Rajender Krishan ji must also be aware of his strong penchant for poetry. His earlier book ‘Solitude and other Poems’ is a testimonial of his amazing creativity. His new offering ‘Amma’s Gospel’ is another gem from the renowned author wherein his paternal grand ma keeps his mind and spirits active and also answers many of the unanswered questions in his mind even at this stage of life.

Rajenderji’s 45 brief and a few little lengthy poems almost explore all the intricate, inexplicable and enigmatic life of humans and their constant quest to find a tangible answer to what happens at every stage of one’s life at large.

Starting his book with the Pranav Mantra ‘Om’ the Primordial Energy, his vision spreads over the myriad actions, reactions, questions, doubts, answers, explanations, and above all a way to understand the life and its shades with equanimity. Well, the author explains that all his complicated mental puzzles were solved by simply listening to the ‘Words’ of Amma’s Gospel.

Absolutely.

When one goes through the poems which are deceptively simple and only in some places with slight complexity, make the reader ponder or muse over the lines read and their significance. Most of the titles are monosyllables like ‘Quest’, ‘Word’, ‘Caring’, ‘Patience’, ‘Today’, ‘Life’, ‘Impetus’ to cite a few examples. Only the titles are modest but the contents are reflective. Just look at these verse lines: ‘puppet of emotions, victim of desires’, ‘make one a gadget of ego’, ‘wisdom to distinguish between right and wrong’, ‘despise greed’; these phrases are wonderful to remember and muse over.

Just look at this passage from ‘Quest’ where Amma ji explains:

‘In between the heartbeats
Incarnating birth and death
Is a tiny space
Encapsulating the cosmos
Where life lives majestically
In myriad forms of impulses’.

In the poem ‘Word’ Amma ji muses

‘See how word reveals!
Be it any word
Its several layers
Concealed within
Connect to other words
Forever expanding
As the tree of life.’

Can there be a better way explaining the importance and significance of the words we speak?

In the verse ‘Healing’ the author writes ‘I heard Amma reiterates:

‘Love yourself
By being true to yourself’.

‘Destination’ provides a wonderful advice to parents.

‘Impose not on your children
Your footprints, rules and criterion
Simply lend them
A helping hand
That is full of true love and motivation.’

He adds further:

‘Parenting is
Nothing but a path
Which changes generation after generation
But never the destination.’

How factual and thought provoking!

He appreciates life under the title ‘Unpredictable’ as follows:

‘Unpredictable yet wonderful
is the swinging grandeur of life.’

‘An inherent marvel
Of illusory chaos’, he wonders in the poem ‘Nature.’

The poem ‘Life’ is just breathtaking. Apart from the innumerable terms starting with the letter L in the later part of the poem, he initially quips:

‘This four letter word
Encompassing dynamic vibrance
Mysteriously challenging.’

He concludes this wonderful poetry with the following lines:

‘Life-the eternal mystic
Moves on
With its own conundrum
Of paradoxes, riddles and puzzles
In myriad hues
Of vagaries and variables.’

The book constantly reminds you with the following lines which also is an important part of ‘Amma’s Gospel.’

‘Love yourself
By being true to yourself
Be not in haste to react
First anticipate and then contemplate
And
Then respond
Follow the right path
Be happy
Be successful.’

I honestly feel that this book should not be read just once and keep it aside. The reader needs to browse the pages frequently and go through the lines on any topic as all the topics are related to our life and comprehension of the same.

I will be failing in my duty if I don’t mention the complex, modern, aesthetic, intriguing and beautiful artwork which precedes every poem by Niloufer Wadia. They are simply awesome.

In the true Indian context, all mothers and grandmothers are invariably noble souls who love unconditionally and give their love, life and worldly wisdom to not only their children but everyone in the family. We always celebrate them.

‘Amma’s Gospel’ is a grand salutation to these great souls by philosopher, writer and poet Rajender Krishan ji.


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