SHEEL wrote:
Roji's friend Shankar, who gave me the story for "Ladder of Fall" has written complete explanatory notes for the Gita and I am editing it for him.
This is a unique opportunity for me as I am not sure whether I would have embarked on reading a book on Bhagavad Gita by myself. He writes in simple easy to follow terms and used extensive examples from daily life which we can relate to which make the narrative very interesting. Hopefully when we are done with the editing, we will find a publisher.
Few months before Pappe passed away I started sending the first few chapters which Shankar had written. Pappe was quite knowledgeable about the Gita having read and attended Swami Chinmayananda's discourses. But his compliment to Shankar's version was as in the following forwards:
Pappe wrote: 7th July 2020
Read the first chapter. Hats off to the person who has gone through so much difficulties in his personal life and still coming up with such a wonderful description. His thanks to his Patti is mind blowing. Very few people care to remember such things.
His description of Kurukshetra makes one want to visit the battlefield and imagine the happenings there. He has a very valid point that had Dhrishrastra given some portion of the kingdom to the Pandavas, they being his brothers children then the whole war and death and destruction could have been avoided. But had that been done we would not have had the glorious Bhagavad Gita to read as a guide to living
Sheela, Do send me further chapters, will read faster and respond accordingly at the earliest
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Pappe wrote on 8th July 2020
This chapter has also been written very lucidly. He has also been very neutral in his writing.He talks about Duryodhana's arrogance when he tells his Guru Dronacharya about how his former students are arrainged against him but at the same time also equally points out Arjuna's hautiness that him being the best warrior in the world how he would destroy all his enemies.
Only when the Lord brings his chariot between the two armies that he sees the venerable Bhishma Pitamah and his Guru Dronacharya does reality hit him that whether he wins the war or not he will be a loser of all his own people.
It also talks about Shreyas and Preyas. How the choice between that which is permanently good and Preyas which gives temporary pleasure is available to all.
It's upto the individual to use his discrimination and choose the path of Shreyas which is permanent over Preyas which is temporary.
Sheela, Please send the next chapter.
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Pappe wrote on 9th July 2020
Am sure if this gentleman decides to talk about the Gita it would make for very pleasant listening since the language he uses is very simple but ver vivid
Another very simple and concise version of the earlier two lessons. His writing is so simple and relatable
I have had the privilege of attending 10 days of Swami Chinmayananda when I was working with Voltas in Bombay. I had an elderly Malayali who was a colleague who asked me to attend it at least for one day, the day the lecture started.
What a wonderful and lucid orator he was. After listening to him on the first day I attended to his lecture on the Bhagavad Gita. It was something that just dragged you to him.
I even ended up buying the Bhagavad Gita with Chinmayanandas commentary. Such a wonderful way of writing and explaining the Gita.
Sheela. Please get it published, am sure a lot of people would buy the book
Hi. Sorry I haven't reverted on the Bhagavad Gita chapters. My feeding tube broke and started leaking from Sunday evening onwards. Finally managed to get it replaced yesterday. Am in a little bit of pain with the external sutures so taking pain killers and rest. Will try and finish one chapter at least tomorrow. My apologies to Shankar
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23rd July 2020, This was the last message he sent in the early hours of the day he died.
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