TOP 15 BOOKS ON MAHABHARATA Mahabharata is the longest epic poem ever written and is one of the most important text of Hindu faith. The name itself explains it as the Tale of the Bharat Dynasty and is a mythological history of India. 1. The Palace of Illusions By Chitra Banarjee Divakaruni This book is a remagination of the famous Indian epic, the Mahabharata from the point of view of a strong woman- Paanchali, the wife of the legendary Pandavas brothers. Takes us back to the time that half history, myth and fully magical, giving us a new interpretation the ancient tale. The novel takes us through the life princess Paanchali from her birth in fire followed by her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands. Their quest in reclaiming …show more content…
This book gives a new interpretation of mythology, which combines stories from Adi Parva which precedes the main narrative of the Pandav-Kaurav war for succession. 12. The Forest of stories: Mahabharat series book one By Ashok Bankers The story starts in a forst of Naimisha, the setting for the narration of a part of the great epic, The Mahabharata, in this book. The book begins with an entry of a traveler in Kulapati Shaunaka’s ashram called Sauti, a disciple of Sage Vyasa himself. He brings the sad news of the death of the great Vyasa. The sages ask him to recite to them the great epic composed by Vyasa. Sauti obliges. It starts with the story of creation and then goes on to trace the lineages and stories of the various races that have been created - Nagas, Yakshas, Asuras, Devas, and humans. 13. The great golden sacrifice of the Mahabharata By Maggi Lidchi-Grassi This great lyrical work, reinterprets the epic from Arjuna’s point of view. He understands the meaning of surrender and sacrifice by reliving the battle of Kurukshetra and senses a profound change coming from himself. The book comprises of three parts narrated by Arjuna, which includes their childhood and youth; part two, the war itself and the teachings of Bhagavad Gita; and part three shows the forgotten victims of the war. The book is very vast and ambitious and keeps the reader …show more content…
The seeds of war By Ashok Bankers This is Book two in Ashok Bankers MBA series, introduces us to the elder protagonists of the epic, as well as some of the great loves and lusts, friendships and enmities, politics and self-sacrifice that will lay the seeds that will eventually fester and erupt into the mother of all wars. It shows the growth and descendants of the original tribe that established the oldest and greatest civilization ever known. Every page reveals new magical thrills and wonders with more and more larger than life personality coming onstage, the drama ratchets up to thriller level. 15. Women of the Mahabharta: The question of truth By Badrinath Chaturvedi This book tells the story of twelve women from the ancient era of Indian epic Mahabharata and showcases various dimensions of truth. The book revolves around women who are a part of this epic, their life and also shows how the women speak about the importance of truth and explains how it can never be an absolute statement. The book shows how present day women are a reincarnation of these ancient characters. It explains how women want the same things from men in contemporary times, as they did thousands of years ago. The book gives a very unique perspective of the
Narayan, R. K., and Kampar. (2006). The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version Of The Indian Epic (suggested by the Tamil version of Kamban). New York: Penguin Books. PDF e-book.
This essay explores the role of women in Homer's Odyssey, James Joyce's Ulysses (1922) and Derrick Walcott's Omeros (1990), epics written in very different historical periods. Common to all three epics are women as the transforming figure in a man's life, both in the capacity of a harlot and as wife.
The 480 page book is divided into four parts and uses a simple to follow, logical sequenced approach in retelling the events in an effort to separate myth from fact.
The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most famous, and definitely the most widely-read, ethical text of ancient India. As an episode in India's great epic, the Mahabharata, The Bhagavad Gita now ranks as one of the three principal texts that define and capture the essence of Hinduism; the other two being the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Though this work contains much theology, its kernel is ethical and its teaching is set in the context of an ethical problem. The teaching of The Bhagavad Gita is summed up in the maxim "your business is with the deed and not with the result." When Arjuna, the third son of king Pandu (dynasty name: Pandavas) is about to begin a war that became inevitable once his one hundred cousins belonging to the Kaurava dynasty refused to return even a few villages to the five Pandava brothers after their return from enforced exile, he looks at his cousins, uncles and friends standing on the other side of the battlefield and wonders whether he is morally prepared and justified in killing his blood relations even though it was he, along with his brother Bhima, who had courageously prepared for this war. Arjuna is certain that he would be victorious in this war since he has Lord Krishna (one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu) on his side. He is able to visualize the scene at the end of the battle; the dead bodies of his cousins lying on the battlefield, motionless and incapable of vengeance. It is then that he looses his nerve to fight.
"Achilles." Gods, Heroes and Myth: Mythologies of Many lands. 10 June 2003. Internet. 23 June 2003.
“Ramayana.” The Language of Literature Ed. Arthur N. Applebee, et al. Boston: McDougal Littell, 1983. 130-140. Print.
Narayan, R.K. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. New York, NY: Penguin, 1977. Print.
The Ramayana is the most famous and well-known of all Indian epics, originally based on an epic poem, it has taken many variations and forms over the centuries. Traditionally the story centers on the hero Prince Rama, who is the embodiment of virtue and perseverance, as he is wrongfully denied his birthright of being crowned king and instead is unjustly exiled into the forest where he encounters his fair share of dilemma. In R. K. Narayan’s condensed, modern version of The Ramayana, the classic conflict of duality is a predominant theme, as Rama faces many instances of uncertainty and trivial chaos which are eventually balanced by order and goodness under the laws of karmic causation and dharma alike which he virtuously strives to uphold. Nina Paley’s animated film “Sita Sings the Blues” takes a lively, musical, and very modern approach to the classical Indian epic The Ramayana.
R.K. Narayan’s translation of The Ramayana brings out the characteristics of an ideal Indian woman and everything that these women shouldn’t be. The women of respect and those that should be looked up to have beauty that is both physical and spiritual. The good women make loyal, thoughtful wives and have a sense of maternal instinct. The bad women are those that rely solely on their physical beauty and are manipulative. They do not respect men and in fact go against all the advice the men in their life give them, even if it is good advice. The ideal Indian woman is beautiful, respectful, and puts the men in their lives above all other individuals. The women in The Ramayana portray everything about society’s ideals about Indian women, both the good and the bad characteristics.
As we compare the traditional women versus modern women, we perceive differences and similarities. Prachi fights for a belief system that controls her meanwhile Ruhi struggles with self-identity and depends on the beauty pageant to empower her as an Indian woman. Prachi defends Hinduism but at the same time, is Hinduism that restrains her from becoming “modern.” Ruhi on the other hand considers herself a very modern girl and she values freedom therefor the pageant is a road to liberation for her. Both girls struggle in distinct ways but their goal is similar, to shape their countries future.
In contemporary society, feminism is emerging as a theory of social construct. In literature it is often challenging to discover female characters that go beyond the limits of marginalized female stereotypes and roles as a means to transgress beyond societal norms. Women are characterized as subordinate objects, amid the dominant patriarchal nature entrenched amid the epic. In The Ramayana, women are portrayed as powerless objects that succumb to the manipulation of men as the text portrays a false empowerment of women, which ultimately succumb to common archetypes accustomed to women in literature; implementing a hierarchy of gender that institutionalizes male dominance amid female inferiority. The women of The Ramayana struggle to oppose the systemic patriarchy and pursue a pathway towards attaining dynamic elements of power, that enable their ability to embody autonomous authority. In Valmiki’s The Ramayana, while women appear to be empowered, ultimately they are feeble instruments utilized to fulfill the desires of men.
The Ramayana is one of the two major epics of modern Hinduism along with the Mahabharata. The Ramayana tells the story of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. The epic could be thought of as a classic tale of how dharma was restored through a great battle. In the Hindu tradition Vishnu takes form of avatars to restore dharma on Earth. Vishnu takes the form of Rama to defeat the 10 headed demon Ravana. Ravana favored by the heavens was granted a boon and asked for immortality. He can only be killed by a human but not the divine or demons. Rama is borned to the ruling family of Ayodhya but is exiled for 14 years. His brother Lakshman and his wife Sita join him in exile. While living a simple life in the jungle Sita is captured by Ravana and taken to Lanka. Rama with the aid of Lakshman & Hanuman form an army to save Sita. Ravana tries to persuade Sita to marry him but she refuses. Rama’s army in the end defeat Ravana and Rama takes his place as king of Ayodhya. On might consider Rama to be the most important character but Sita is the most crucial character in the story. This paper examines Sita’s role in the epic and how the potter and clay analogy applies to her role in the epic.
The book further talks about the multi-dimensional portrayal of gods in the Bhakti tradition where the gods appeared in male, female or even in neuter and animals forms , carrying tones of an homoer...
Classical Hindu Mythology. Cornelia Dimmitt and J. A. B. van Buitenen. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1978. 38-40. Print.
In the history of political principles, India, like Greek, developed its principles in ancient times which may be still favourably compared to most of the principles existed in the world. Ancient Indian political thinker have developed their own tools to understand Indian Political Infrastructure and Political Obligation. To have a political obligation is to have a moral duty to obey the laws of one’s state. Political thoughts or political obligations have been significantly represented by Great Indian Epic Mahabharata which is considered as the great text of ancient Indian Polity. It deals with many political facts and abundant materials are available on political science in it. In Mahabharata an important part, from the political viewpoint is the Shanti Parva which beautifully explains Governance as integral part of all the societies. The Mahabharata theorists appraises Bhishma’s discourses in the Shanti Parva as its most authoritative exposition of Rajadharma, Dandniti, Shasanpadhiti, origin of state etc.