Books with author Subba Rao

King Virat’s honour was at stake and his son, Uttara, was anxious to show off his warrior skills. But faced by the enemy Kaurava hordes, Uttara’s courage vanished. It was up to his hero, the famous Pandava, Arjuna, to ensure that the young prince succeeded in his mission. And yet, Arjuna had to keep his own identity hidden, or the Kauravas would gain the upper hand.

Bharata, king of Ayodhya, had an overriding ambition to become king of kings. He set about subduing every kingdom possible including those of his brothers. The only person to oppose his arrogance was his half-brother, Bahubali, who defeated Bharata in single combat. However, Bahubali abdicated all claims to the throne and left for the forests to meditate. Centuries later Chavundaraya, a commander-in-chief of the Ganga dynasty built a 57 feet high statue of Bahubali at Shravana Belagola. This story has been taken from Pampa's Adi Purana and Panchabana's Bhujabali Charita.

Young and virtuous, Nachiketa and Satyakama had one thing in common - they sought true knowledge. The song of birds, the thunder of rain clouds, and the glow of the morning sun revealed life's secrets to Satyakama. Coming face to face with the lord of death, Nachiketa found the key to immortality. The lessons the two seekers learned were priceless, for they opened to others the door to eternal bliss.

The 'Jamini Bharata' is attributed to a disciple of Vyasa, Jaimini, who is also said to be the founder of the Purvamimamsa philosophy. The book is a treasure house of stories of the devotees of Lord Vishnu. Through each story the author seeks to prove that God does not forsake him who has implicit faith. The repeated attempts on the life of innocent Chandrahasa not only failed to materialise, but also finally boomeranged on the villain himself because of Chandrahasa’s implicit faith in the Lord.

This collection of Buddhist tales tell of Amrapali, an accomplished dancer who commanded the love and admiration of an entire town, and of Upagupta, who was just a poor monk. Amrapali craved peace; Upagupta’s bearing exuded contentment. Amrapali depended on the adulation of her audience; Upagupta spurned the attentions of the rich and famous. Their stories were different, but the Buddha’s wise teachings linked their lives – and the lessons to be learned from them.

Chandragupta Maurya defeated the Nandas and established himself on the throne of Magadha in 321 B.C. It was a journey fraught with dangerous challenges but his chance meeting with the wily Chanakya changed his destiny forever. The clever Brahmin showed him how by the sheer brilliance of his wit and wile he could help the young Mauryan prince to rise from being an unknown warrior to one of the greatest emperors of India.