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Perfect Love: 5.5 Ways to a Lasting Relationship
Happily ever afters are easier said than done. How do we choose the right partner, and how do we sustain that relationship so it lasts a lifetime?
Spiritual life coach Shubha Vilas tells you how, with the help of six beautiful love stories from the scriptures. Nala and Damayanti, Krishna and Rukmini, Shakuntala and Dushyanta, Udayana and Vasavadatta, Satyavan and Savitri, Draupadi and the five Pandava brothers—these are accounts we may have heard many a time but have not had an opportunity to understand in such depth and detail, and with such empathy.
But why 5.5 ways and not 6? Because the sixth way is a half-truth, which can be twisted either way.
Combining powerful story-telling with deep philosophical truths, Perfect Love is a treasure trove of scriptural wisdom for the modern age.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2018
15 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Shubha Vilas
72 books159 followersI am: A spiritual seeker and a motivational speaker.
Academics: 1] B.E in Electronics and Telecommunications
2] L.L.B Specializing in Intellectual Property Law : Patent Law.
Leadership Seminars: Focus on relevant and vital themes: ‘Secrets of Lasting Relationships’, ‘Soul Curry to Stop Worry’ and ‘Work–Life Balance’
Believes: A good teacher sees learning and teaching as integral twin aspects of personal and spiritual growth.
Social interaction: I zoom down on
A} Youth: Periodically interact with them in premier institutes like IISC, Bangalore, BITS Pilani, Goa, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Sydnem College. I aim to inspire them to live a life based on deeper human values.
B} Children: Guide towards teaching foundational values through masterful storytelling.
C} Individuals: Practical applications of the Bhagavad Gita; the Ramayana and Vedas in today’s world.
D} Business leaders: as their lifestyle coach, conducting regular classes on Spirituality and Management to help them live a wholesome life.
Academics: 1] B.E in Electronics and Telecommunications
2] L.L.B Specializing in Intellectual Property Law : Patent Law.
Leadership Seminars: Focus on relevant and vital themes: ‘Secrets of Lasting Relationships’, ‘Soul Curry to Stop Worry’ and ‘Work–Life Balance’
Believes: A good teacher sees learning and teaching as integral twin aspects of personal and spiritual growth.
Social interaction: I zoom down on
A} Youth: Periodically interact with them in premier institutes like IISC, Bangalore, BITS Pilani, Goa, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Sydnem College. I aim to inspire them to live a life based on deeper human values.
B} Children: Guide towards teaching foundational values through masterful storytelling.
C} Individuals: Practical applications of the Bhagavad Gita; the Ramayana and Vedas in today’s world.
D} Business leaders: as their lifestyle coach, conducting regular classes on Spirituality and Management to help them live a wholesome life.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 15 reviews
July 2, 2024
Loved reading these love stories https://www.anuradhagoyal.com/perfect...
January 7, 2020
The book is filled with hundreds of phrases and just reading these phrases gives you immense knowledge on handling a responsible and romantic relationship!
Unlike other books, Shubha Vilas has managed to be a spiritual mix love guru and this path is entertaining and interesting. I was a cynical jiffy to pick the book as I was not ready enough to go through the spiritual journey because it felt dreary but as soon as I finished the page 1 of the book, I understood this book needs to be read, felt and digested.
The cover is beautiful to suit the title and like other covers of Shubha Vilas’s Books, this is one of the most beautiful covers! Blurb manages to provoke the idea between suffering and devotion- between tragedy and hope.
Shubha Vilas blends mythology, psychology, and love and teaches the art of love in its purest form!
A must-read book for all those who are in a relationship or want to understand how the relationship works. Though there are thousands of books written on this topic- this book stands out as it is interesting because it relates to Kama sastra- the less known sastra in Hinduism.
Perfect Love: 5.5 Ways to a Lasting Relationshipis a perfect guide of love in the pure Hinduism epic way.
As Shubha descends through some of these passages in search of enlightenment, we often hold our breath and feel our hearts racing, but when he emerges we see with him the beauty of the love in our eyes.
Publisher: Westland
Unlike other books, Shubha Vilas has managed to be a spiritual mix love guru and this path is entertaining and interesting. I was a cynical jiffy to pick the book as I was not ready enough to go through the spiritual journey because it felt dreary but as soon as I finished the page 1 of the book, I understood this book needs to be read, felt and digested.
The cover is beautiful to suit the title and like other covers of Shubha Vilas’s Books, this is one of the most beautiful covers! Blurb manages to provoke the idea between suffering and devotion- between tragedy and hope.
Shubha Vilas blends mythology, psychology, and love and teaches the art of love in its purest form!
A must-read book for all those who are in a relationship or want to understand how the relationship works. Though there are thousands of books written on this topic- this book stands out as it is interesting because it relates to Kama sastra- the less known sastra in Hinduism.
Perfect Love: 5.5 Ways to a Lasting Relationshipis a perfect guide of love in the pure Hinduism epic way.
As Shubha descends through some of these passages in search of enlightenment, we often hold our breath and feel our hearts racing, but when he emerges we see with him the beauty of the love in our eyes.
Publisher: Westland
April 21, 2022
Shubh Vilas Prabhu is a masterful story presenter. He chooses some of the most amazing stories from Indian scriptures and weaves applicable content for modern consumption. This book is no different. With stories from the life of Bhagavan Krishna, Dushyanta, Nala and Damyanti etc., he helps the reader view the stories from a perspective of growth, learning and evolution. Each story picked here helps us deepen our understanding of relationships.
A really easy to read and enjoyable book. I happily recommend it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A really easy to read and enjoyable book. I happily recommend it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 22, 2018
Perfect Love: 5.5 Ways to a Lasting Relationship is the latest offering by the renowned author and spiritual speaker, Shubha Vilas. I have greatly enjoyed his books in the past, be it The Ramayana series or the others, and was thrilled when he asked me to review his next.
As is the case with all his books, the message that the author sends out in this book, too, is abundant in morals, life lessons and wisdom.
Summary
What the book is about is clear from the title itself. It is a handbook of relationships and how, sometimes, it can be threatened as a result of the many human vices that are prevalent. The author has beautifully managed to give relationship advice by narrating stories of selfless love from the old Indian epics, such as The Mahabharata.
Read the remaining review here:
https://bookvue.wordpress.com/2018/10...
As is the case with all his books, the message that the author sends out in this book, too, is abundant in morals, life lessons and wisdom.
Summary
What the book is about is clear from the title itself. It is a handbook of relationships and how, sometimes, it can be threatened as a result of the many human vices that are prevalent. The author has beautifully managed to give relationship advice by narrating stories of selfless love from the old Indian epics, such as The Mahabharata.
Read the remaining review here:
https://bookvue.wordpress.com/2018/10...
May 3, 2022
Such a beautiful book on love and the ways to make it last forever. 6 intriguing love stories from the Hindu Sacred scriptures has been narrated in an amazing manner which would keep the readers glued to the book. Expecting more and more such wonderful books from the great author.
June 4, 2020
There are 6 stories from the shastras namely ‘The Wheel of Fortune’, ‘The Golden Letter’, ‘A Silent Voice’, ‘The Other Before Oneself’, ‘The Woman Who Chose’ and ‘A Condition About Conditions’, but Shubha has presented them in a very practical and simple way. I was completely surprised by the depth of love, in all the stories.
Forgiveness is key is the main theme of ‘The Wheel of Fortune’ which narrates the story of Nala and Damayanti. Tolerate first and forgive next is the first key to make a relationship last for a lifetime.
Rukmini expresses her love to Krishna in ‘The Golden Letter’ as she explores that expressing love is crucial in a relationship. Appreciative expressions of love are the second key to make a relationship last for a lifetime.
Trust is foundation of all relationships. In ‘A Silent Voice’, Shakuntala first starts learning to trust herself, her inner voice and then later on trusting Dushyanta, her lover and husband. Trust in others begins by trusting oneself first, inner voice second and life itself, third. Trust is the important key to make a relationship strong.
In ‘The Other Before Oneself’, the author narrates the love story of Udayana and Vasavadatta as well as Lohajanga and Rupinika who build their relationships based on quality time spent in each other’s company. Spending quality and quantity time is the fourth key to make a relationship last for a lifetime.
Savitri’s determination to stay with Satyavan is retold in the story ‘The Woman Who Chose’. The determination to stay together actually increases the overall levels of happiness and contentment in a human being. Savitri was resolute not to let go of the relationship even in the face of death itself.
As the name suggests ‘A Condition About Conditions’ is about the conditions that have positive or negative impact on the relationships. A positive condition is the last half-key to make a relationship last for a lifetime. The stories of Shantanu’s relationship with Ganga and Satyavati and Pururava’s love for Urvashi talk about how negative conditions complicate relationships from the beginning and strangulate them in the end. Whereas Draupadi’s marriage with the five Pandavas lasted a lifetime.
Perfect Love – 5.5 Ways to A Lasting Relationship is a treasure trove of scriptural wisdom for the modern age. I appreciate the efforts taken by the author in studying, writing and presenting the book in such a beautiful way! For all those who wish to improve their relationship with their partner it is must read book! :) Highly recommended.
Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...
Forgiveness is key is the main theme of ‘The Wheel of Fortune’ which narrates the story of Nala and Damayanti. Tolerate first and forgive next is the first key to make a relationship last for a lifetime.
Rukmini expresses her love to Krishna in ‘The Golden Letter’ as she explores that expressing love is crucial in a relationship. Appreciative expressions of love are the second key to make a relationship last for a lifetime.
Trust is foundation of all relationships. In ‘A Silent Voice’, Shakuntala first starts learning to trust herself, her inner voice and then later on trusting Dushyanta, her lover and husband. Trust in others begins by trusting oneself first, inner voice second and life itself, third. Trust is the important key to make a relationship strong.
In ‘The Other Before Oneself’, the author narrates the love story of Udayana and Vasavadatta as well as Lohajanga and Rupinika who build their relationships based on quality time spent in each other’s company. Spending quality and quantity time is the fourth key to make a relationship last for a lifetime.
Savitri’s determination to stay with Satyavan is retold in the story ‘The Woman Who Chose’. The determination to stay together actually increases the overall levels of happiness and contentment in a human being. Savitri was resolute not to let go of the relationship even in the face of death itself.
As the name suggests ‘A Condition About Conditions’ is about the conditions that have positive or negative impact on the relationships. A positive condition is the last half-key to make a relationship last for a lifetime. The stories of Shantanu’s relationship with Ganga and Satyavati and Pururava’s love for Urvashi talk about how negative conditions complicate relationships from the beginning and strangulate them in the end. Whereas Draupadi’s marriage with the five Pandavas lasted a lifetime.
Perfect Love – 5.5 Ways to A Lasting Relationship is a treasure trove of scriptural wisdom for the modern age. I appreciate the efforts taken by the author in studying, writing and presenting the book in such a beautiful way! For all those who wish to improve their relationship with their partner it is must read book! :) Highly recommended.
Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...
November 17, 2018
Interesting and engaging, ‘Perfect Love’ is indeed a treasure trove in itself in that apart from putting forth six beautiful stories, it has some gems to offer in the form of quotable quotes and an exhaustive explanation on the key to the success of relationships between the characters involved in the stories.
Narrated in simple and lucid language, each story is not only rich in terms of the lesson it imparts, but is strong on the imagery front too. There is no dull moment or confusing twist that acts as speed-breakers. In fact one tends to get involved in the story, live the character and experience their love, their anguish and all emotions they go through, making it easy to relate to them. This in turn translates into a better understanding of the deep philosophical truths the master- storyteller wishes to convey.
Apart from the style of narration what actually bowled me over was the thought process involved in tapping the truth regarding relationships and their interpretation. I wonder how many of us who have heard / read these stories, have ever gone into this aspect. One can actually learn a few things regarding narration and interpretation of stories from Shubha Vilas ji. Having said this was there something that irked me/ stops me from rating the book a 5 on a scale of 5?
Absolutely nothing! Try as I might, I can’t stop myself from declaring this book a must read.
A few takeaways from a sea sprinkled across ‘Perfect Love’:
‘Committing before understanding is like burping before eating. It’s a serious sign of indigestion.’
‘Forgiveness is the pathway to liberate yourself from bondage of blaming people who are the instruments of your misery.’
‘Confusion and clarification are two sides of the same coin. When the side of confusion faces you, turn it around and seek clarification.’
‘When you make a choice you pick a challenge. Every compromise to your self respect is a little move away from yourself.’
‘False love is like a fountain, it seems to be giving out everything but in reality taking it all back.
True love is like a waterfall, it gives everything while expecting nothing.’
‘Story telling is like colouring wax. First it melts you, then it adds colour to your life and then it shapes you.’
Narrated in simple and lucid language, each story is not only rich in terms of the lesson it imparts, but is strong on the imagery front too. There is no dull moment or confusing twist that acts as speed-breakers. In fact one tends to get involved in the story, live the character and experience their love, their anguish and all emotions they go through, making it easy to relate to them. This in turn translates into a better understanding of the deep philosophical truths the master- storyteller wishes to convey.
Apart from the style of narration what actually bowled me over was the thought process involved in tapping the truth regarding relationships and their interpretation. I wonder how many of us who have heard / read these stories, have ever gone into this aspect. One can actually learn a few things regarding narration and interpretation of stories from Shubha Vilas ji. Having said this was there something that irked me/ stops me from rating the book a 5 on a scale of 5?
Absolutely nothing! Try as I might, I can’t stop myself from declaring this book a must read.
A few takeaways from a sea sprinkled across ‘Perfect Love’:
‘Committing before understanding is like burping before eating. It’s a serious sign of indigestion.’
‘Forgiveness is the pathway to liberate yourself from bondage of blaming people who are the instruments of your misery.’
‘Confusion and clarification are two sides of the same coin. When the side of confusion faces you, turn it around and seek clarification.’
‘When you make a choice you pick a challenge. Every compromise to your self respect is a little move away from yourself.’
‘False love is like a fountain, it seems to be giving out everything but in reality taking it all back.
True love is like a waterfall, it gives everything while expecting nothing.’
‘Story telling is like colouring wax. First it melts you, then it adds colour to your life and then it shapes you.’
February 20, 2020
🌺Review🌺 :-
This book contains oldest love stories known to mankind. They have been told and retold from time immemorial.
Nala-Damayanti, Krishna-Rukmini, Shakuntala-Dushyanta, Udayana-Vasavadatta, Satyavan-Savitri, Draupadi & five Pandava brothers these are accounts included in this book.
This book tries to excavate lost lessons from these ancient love stories that have been buried with time. Derived primarily from the Mahabharata, the Srimad Bhagavat and the Kathasaritasagar, the selected six stories have some nail-biting twists and turns with edge-of-the-chair adventures. A potpourri of multifarious love stories, these six tales will touch your heart, the exploits narrated in them will exhilarate your mind and the wisdom within them will inspire your intellect. All at once !
But why 5.5 ways and not 6 ? For that secret to unfold, read the book.
.
🌺What could have been better🌺:-
1) Writing style could have been a bit more better. Inappropriate use of quotations turned me off.
2) Lacks the proper use of grammar.
.
🌺Verdict🌺:-
Recommended for those who love mythology. Also, it will be helpful for the people who are struggling in their relationships.
🖤Happy Reading🖤
This book contains oldest love stories known to mankind. They have been told and retold from time immemorial.
Nala-Damayanti, Krishna-Rukmini, Shakuntala-Dushyanta, Udayana-Vasavadatta, Satyavan-Savitri, Draupadi & five Pandava brothers these are accounts included in this book.
This book tries to excavate lost lessons from these ancient love stories that have been buried with time. Derived primarily from the Mahabharata, the Srimad Bhagavat and the Kathasaritasagar, the selected six stories have some nail-biting twists and turns with edge-of-the-chair adventures. A potpourri of multifarious love stories, these six tales will touch your heart, the exploits narrated in them will exhilarate your mind and the wisdom within them will inspire your intellect. All at once !
But why 5.5 ways and not 6 ? For that secret to unfold, read the book.
.
🌺What could have been better🌺:-
1) Writing style could have been a bit more better. Inappropriate use of quotations turned me off.
2) Lacks the proper use of grammar.
.
🌺Verdict🌺:-
Recommended for those who love mythology. Also, it will be helpful for the people who are struggling in their relationships.
🖤Happy Reading🖤
November 5, 2018
The Perfect Love is an outstanding book authored by Shubha Vilas. The book delves deep into six exciting stories from the scriptures. The author has examined the tales of adventure and intense love in a unique way. It will take a few days for you to understand the whole plot of the book but the story is pretty much intense. You should turn over to the epilogue section if you would like to know more about the various elements towards the achievement of perfect love. I would highlight recommend the book for all people who would like to explore the universal world of love.
July 28, 2019
Title of this book describes better than my review....
Few words will describe 'what actually this book is....' Awesome | Practical thoughts | Solving today's problem | High level of thinking | Difference b/w True love & conditional love | Very informative.... This book is for those who wants there love or relationship would be long lasting.... And last you will get knowledge and lots of understanding which would be beyond your expectations..... And thanxxx.....
Few words will describe 'what actually this book is....' Awesome | Practical thoughts | Solving today's problem | High level of thinking | Difference b/w True love & conditional love | Very informative.... This book is for those who wants there love or relationship would be long lasting.... And last you will get knowledge and lots of understanding which would be beyond your expectations..... And thanxxx.....
February 18, 2020
Some have inborn skills to understand and choose their partner wisely,not all are gifted. This book can be a bible for not so lucky ones. From the basics to the advanced level,this read will enhance your outlook.
The languge and writing is lucid.
This book did teach me how to build and maintain a relationship.
What an awesome book!! I grew up emotionally reading this one.
The languge and writing is lucid.
This book did teach me how to build and maintain a relationship.
What an awesome book!! I grew up emotionally reading this one.
November 4, 2019
A collection of six love stories which will teach the basis of managing our relationships, both romantic and not.
Read
November 15, 2018Self-help books are not a new phenomenon by any means. They are found in aplenty. Books on love tips also fall under this genre. They give ‘relationship tips’ and carry a threat of becoming too preachy after a point of time.
But author Shubha Vilas’ Perfect Love: 5.5 Ways To A Lasting Relationship stands apart from the normal books in this genre for two reasons. It tells stories of interesting individuals instead of preaching anything. Secondly, it proves that ancient mythological stories carry messages and wisdom that can be useful even in 2018.
The book tells these six stories:
The Wheel Of Fortune – About Nala and Damayanti
The Golden Letter – About Krishna-Rukmini and Arjun-Subhadra
A Silent Voice – About King Dushyanta and Shakuntala
The Other Before Oneself – King Udayana and Vasavadatta
The Woman Who Chose – About Satyavan and Savitri
A Conditions About Conditions – Draupadi narrating the story of king Shantanu and her five husbands
Our mythological stories are vast. You feel you know a story by knowing its outline. However deep within, there are sub-plots and even little anecdotes that are not only interesting but also filled with positive messages. To see such minute detailing of incidents speaks a lot about the author’s command over mythology.
Perfect Love gives various timely messages in the book. The most important ones are the importance of proper communication (in the second story) and the dangers of being carried away by lust over love (in the fifth one). These are simple messages but they are needed to be told today when one can’t perceive simplest of things since the minds are so clouded by complications.
Vilas is known for keeping his writing simple yet rich in his Ramayana series. He has followed exactly the same method here. And like his other quality in his previous works, he has kept the narrative engaging and his description and presentation of scenes is akin to mainstream Hindi films.
The problem area here are some sentences that range from questionable to objectionable. They are:
‘Begetting a son is more meritorious than performing a sacrifice. But speaking the truth is more meritorious than begetting a hundred sons.’ – Now, how is begetting a son glorified in an unimaginable way? Does that mean daughters mean less? It can be argued that such beliefs were present in ancient times. But as the book is written for today’s youngsters, it is worrying to see such theories being preached, especially at a time when the country is struggling to achieve women empowerment.
‘A man who has a wife can be trusted more than a man who is a loner.’ – Now this is so shocking that it needs to description. It’s self-explanatory.
Apart from this, the explanation after each chapter could have been shorter.
Overall: Perfect Love is an interesting and insightful book that provides ways for lasting romantic relationships without being preachy.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Review by: Keyur Seta
Author: Shubha Vilas
Publisher: Westland Publications
Pages: 203
Price: Rs 350
Cover: A simple illustration of ancient lovers that goes with the subject
For more book reviews and articles on spirituality, log onto - roadtodivinity.wordpress.com
But author Shubha Vilas’ Perfect Love: 5.5 Ways To A Lasting Relationship stands apart from the normal books in this genre for two reasons. It tells stories of interesting individuals instead of preaching anything. Secondly, it proves that ancient mythological stories carry messages and wisdom that can be useful even in 2018.
The book tells these six stories:
The Wheel Of Fortune – About Nala and Damayanti
The Golden Letter – About Krishna-Rukmini and Arjun-Subhadra
A Silent Voice – About King Dushyanta and Shakuntala
The Other Before Oneself – King Udayana and Vasavadatta
The Woman Who Chose – About Satyavan and Savitri
A Conditions About Conditions – Draupadi narrating the story of king Shantanu and her five husbands
Our mythological stories are vast. You feel you know a story by knowing its outline. However deep within, there are sub-plots and even little anecdotes that are not only interesting but also filled with positive messages. To see such minute detailing of incidents speaks a lot about the author’s command over mythology.
Perfect Love gives various timely messages in the book. The most important ones are the importance of proper communication (in the second story) and the dangers of being carried away by lust over love (in the fifth one). These are simple messages but they are needed to be told today when one can’t perceive simplest of things since the minds are so clouded by complications.
Vilas is known for keeping his writing simple yet rich in his Ramayana series. He has followed exactly the same method here. And like his other quality in his previous works, he has kept the narrative engaging and his description and presentation of scenes is akin to mainstream Hindi films.
The problem area here are some sentences that range from questionable to objectionable. They are:
‘Begetting a son is more meritorious than performing a sacrifice. But speaking the truth is more meritorious than begetting a hundred sons.’ – Now, how is begetting a son glorified in an unimaginable way? Does that mean daughters mean less? It can be argued that such beliefs were present in ancient times. But as the book is written for today’s youngsters, it is worrying to see such theories being preached, especially at a time when the country is struggling to achieve women empowerment.
‘A man who has a wife can be trusted more than a man who is a loner.’ – Now this is so shocking that it needs to description. It’s self-explanatory.
Apart from this, the explanation after each chapter could have been shorter.
Overall: Perfect Love is an interesting and insightful book that provides ways for lasting romantic relationships without being preachy.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Review by: Keyur Seta
Author: Shubha Vilas
Publisher: Westland Publications
Pages: 203
Price: Rs 350
Cover: A simple illustration of ancient lovers that goes with the subject
For more book reviews and articles on spirituality, log onto - roadtodivinity.wordpress.com
Displaying 1 - 14 of 15 reviews