Book Review: Vishwamitra

Title: Vishwamitra
Author: Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
Genre: Mythology
Publisher: Penguin Metro Reads
Edition: 2014

After reading, Meneka’s Choice by Kavita Kane, I was highly fascinated about Vishwamitra. I bought this book after I was intrigued to know more about this brutal king turned Brahmarishi, Vishwamitra

The book starts with the story of Princess Satyavati and her childhood. Her father, King Kandhi’s desperation to make her the heir of Mahodhyapur, her majestic outlook towards her bright future and training of being the perfect ruler. With the dreams beaming up high, the fate of Satyavati takes its toll and she ends up being married to Rishi Ruchik. Madhoyapur is again left without an heir. Rishi Ruchik’s love for his wife helps him create two portions through his mystical powers, one for Satyavati and the other for her mother. Thus as per the portion, they both conceive and produce the rightful ruler for the throne as well as the perfect advisor for the ruler.

But as we know, how much ever we use the ‘free-will’, changing destiny is never possible. Due to Satyavati and her mother’s foolishness, they exchange the portion, exchanging the destiny of both the children as well as the destiny of the mankind. Born of this mix-up is Vishwamitra, the son of a Kshatriya with the qualities of a Brahmin. The fate of his life soon gives a confirmation when he forsakes everything to become a Brahmarishi- the most powerful of all gurus.

The story is very interesting and I liked the way it started which sums up the ending as well. The story is interesting but at some places I found it racing as if there is a deadline to finish. The part of Vishwamitra wasn’t that enticing for me since it gave a very superficial explanation. The first half of the book has been explained nicely but when Vishwamitra grows up, since then, the story is written in such a way as if the book needs to be finished rather quickly. The book is based on Vishwamitra but the story wasn’t properly explored. It is a summary of Vishwamitra’s life rather than a Story on his life.

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