The Road to Kedarnath
Everyone is entitled to improbable gifts of grace
A Novel by
Dr. Immanual Joseph
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5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary and inspiring story
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2023
This is the most extraordinary book I have read in a long time. I'm sure many writers would love to write the next Siddhartha or The Prophet, and this author has done just that. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this becomes a staple in college dorm rooms. It is written with unusual clarity and vividness, and I felt, as I think many others may feel, a kinship with Arjuna and his despair, which of course, reminds the reader of Arjuna's despair of a different sort in the Bahgavad Gita. And the Krishna in this story plays a similar role to the Krishna in the Gita. The fact that these comparisons can be made without irony is a testament to the power and simplicity of this book. Although some of the story is in the present, some in the past, and some in verse doesn't in any way cause confusion. If anything, the author has managed to use them to further intensify the story. Some of the lines in the verses are so profound that they each deserve a good deal of thought and meditation. This book, I feel, is an awe inspiring accomplishment. I rarely feel so strongly about a book or feel that I can't praise it enough, but this is one. I feel very lucky that I picked up this book at random and began to read, because it is more than a story--it is a journey of the soul. I strongly recommend this to everyone!
Amazon Review
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating and Heartwarming
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2023
The book is a quick read but also one that can be read over and over again. The author has done an excellent job interweaving deep, practical wisdom and powerful, moving storylines. The themes in the book are highly relatable, and the author provides accessible non-preachy toolkits for inner peace. In addition, the complex ideas presented in the book are easily digestible, making it an excellent read for anyone looking for convincing pointers for self-forgiveness.
One of the unique things about the book is its ability to take on different meanings to different people at different points in their life journeys. The book's foreword states that it is a coming together of The Prophet and Jonathan Livingston Seagull, with a story of love, loss, death, and rebirth thrown in. It is a masterpiece from an author waiting to be discovered by the larger population.
Overall, The Road to Kedarnath is a must-read for anyone looking for an enlightening and empowering journey of self-discovery.
Amazon Review
5.0 out of 5 stars Get the book AND the audio version!
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2022
I loved this so much in print that I downloaded a copy in Audible (The narrator has a lovely evocative voice) just so I could listen to it again, and most likely again after that!
The storyline immediately draws us into the challenges Arjuna faces.
His heartbreaking sorrow and his transformation connects deeply with our own emotions. We recognize the need for self-care and compassion as well as opening our minds to new perspectives and personal growth. Read it for yourself, and you too can grow your wisdom to begin your own transformational journey.
"... a beautiful gift of grace"
Synopsis
Arjuna, a young man from India comes to the USA to study, falls in love with an American girl and marries her against the wishes of his conservative parents, thereby alienating them. He blames his wife for his rift with his parents. In a moment of irrational anger, he causes the death of his pregnant wife. Filled with remorse, he returns to India to make amends. Driven by inner demons, he abandons everything and becomes a mendicant. For three years he is a beggar, a madman, a renunciate, and as fate would have it, a thief and murderer. In his journeys, he consoles an old man on his deathbed, rescues a little girl from a sexual predator, and helps a young woman escape a rapist ‘god-man’. A series of experiences convince him to commit suicide at a place near the holy Kedarnath temple- hoping to be absolved from his sins and released from rebirth. There he is saved by Krishna, an enlightened tea-seller, who lives alone in a mountain cave during the brutal winters of Kedarnath. Arjuna stays at Krishna’s cave that winter, and what follows is six months of spiritual metamorphosis and self-forgiveness. Arjuna discovers the healing power of choices, and realizes that by helping those he did, he is on the path of atonement. When spring comes, Arjuna leaves Krishna to rebuild his life in the plains. But soon after, the great Kedarnath flood of 2013 happens and thousands of lives are lost. A year later, Arjuna returns to the mountains hoping to find his friend.
Dr. Immanual Joseph is a six time author, three time TEDx speaker, former cancer scientist, life coach, teacher and compassion activist. Immanual obtained his PhD from the Tulane University of New Orleans and his life coaching certification from IPEC. He has taught compassion skills in companies including Facebook, Amazon, Salesforce, HSBC and Box. Immanual helps individuals find their inner peace through his coaching and is active in building various human development programs for organizations. Learn more at www.compassionleaders.com
Dr. Immanual Joseph
