Man is a social animal; no man can live in isolation. We are surrounded by people. We have family, friends, social acquaintances, work acquaintances and so on. Since the time of our birth, we add names, relationships and people in our social calendars. They become an integral part of our lives as we interact with them on a daily basis. If a person does not acquire knowledge or does not put their common sense to use, continues to live an ignorant life or chooses to remain blind, it is the worst kind of life. It is a life of misery and ill luck. In Mahabharata Retold Part-1, we saw the reasons behind the war. Mahabharata Retold Part-2 marks the best and worst times of one’s life and the time after such a period. Life never ends. We gain and lose in the same life. Our decisions are right at one stage of life and the same decisions stand wrong on another. Life is a series of changes that are unpredictable by the human mind. It not only covers the greatest war of mankind but also tells us what happened after it—how war changes the world around us. Mahabharata’s war was not the only purpose of this Veda’s compilation.

One Of India s Finest Novelists Retells The Two Great Indian Epics As Well As Some Well-Known Tales From Hindu Mythology And Folklore. While The Eleventh Century Tamil Poet Kamban s Version Inspires His Ramayana, Narayan S Mahabharata Is Based On Vyasa S Monumental Work. In Gods, Demons And Others, He Includes Stories From Kalidasa S Sanskrit Classic Abhijnana Shakuntalam, The Tamil Epic Silappadikaram, The Shiv Purana And The Devi Bhagwatam.

William Buck's stirring retelling of a classic Indian epic--in its original Sanskrit, probably the largest epic ever composed.

Millennia have passed since the dharma yudhha of the cousins shook the land of Bharata. But this history of our ancestors continues to fascinate us. Even today, we have passionate discussions about the people and their actions in the epic, fervidly defending our favourites and denouncing others. The number of works on the Mahabharata-adaptations, retellings and fiction-that still get written is a testimony to its enduring relevance. While the general storyline is largely known, a lot of questions and myths prevail, such as-What was the geographical extent of the war? Did Drona actually refuse to take on Karna as his disciple? What were Draupadi's responsibilities as the queen of Indraprastha? Did she ever mock Duryodhana? Were the women in the time of the Mahabharata meek and submissive? What were the names of the war formations during the time? What role did the sons of the Pandavas play? Does the south of India feature at all in the Mahabharata? What happened after the war? These and many other intriguing questions continue to mystify the contemporary reader. Author Ami Ganatra debunks myths, quashes popular notions and offers insights into such aspects not commonly known or erroneously known, based solely on facts as narrated in Vyasa's Mahabharata from generally accepted authentic sources. For a history of such prominence and influence as the Mahabharata, it is important to get the story right. So pick this book up, sit back and unveil the lesser-known facts and truths about the great epic.

High above the sky stands Swarga, paradise, abode of the gods. Still above is Vaikuntha, heaven, abode of God. The doorkeepers of Vaikuntha are the twins, Jaya and Vijaya, both whose names mean ‘victory’. One keeps you in Swarga; the other raises you into Vaikuntha. In Vaikuntha there is bliss forever, in Swarga there is pleasure for only as long as you deserve. What is the difference between Jaya and Vijaya? Solve this puzzle and you will solve the mystery of the Mahabharata. In this enthralling retelling of India’s greatest epic, the Mahabharata, originally known as Jaya, Devdutt Pattanaik seamlessly weaves into a single narrative plots from the Sanskrit classic as well as its many folk and regional variants, including the Pandavani of Chattisgarh, Gondhal of Maharashtra, Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu, and Yakshagana of Karnataka. Richly illustrated with over 250 line drawings by the author, the 108 chapters abound with little-known details such as the names of the hundred Kauravas, the worship of Draupadi as a goddess in Tamil Nadu, the stories of Astika, Madhavi, Jaimini, Aravan and Barbareek, the Mahabharata version of the Shakuntalam and the Ramayana, and the dating of the war based on astronomical data. With clarity and simplicity, the tales in this elegant volume reveal the eternal relevance of the Mahabharata, the complex and disturbing meditation on the human condition that has shaped Indian thought for over 3000 years.

“Narayan makes this treasury of Indian folklore and mythology readily accessible to the general reader . . . he captures the spirit of the narrative.”—Library Journal The Mahabharata tells a story of such violence and tragedy that many people in India refuse to keep the full text in their homes, fearing that doing so would invite a disastrous fate upon their house. Covering everything from creation to destruction, this ancient poem remains an indelible part of Hindu culture and a landmark in ancient literature. Centuries of listeners and readers have been drawn to The Mahabharata, which began as disparate oral ballads and grew into a sprawling epic. The modern version is famously long, and at more than 1.8 million words—seven times the combined lengths of the Iliad and Odyssey—it can be incredibly daunting. But contemporary readers have a much more accessible entry point to this important work, thanks to R. K. Narayan’s masterful, elegant translation and abridgement of the poem. Now with a new foreword by Wendy Doniger, as well as a concise character and place guide and a family tree, The Mahabharata is ready for a new generation of readers. Narayan ably distills a tale that is both traditional and constantly changing. He draws from both scholarly analysis and creative interpretation and vividly fuses the spiritual with the secular. Through this balance he has produced a translation that is not only clear, but graceful, one that stands as its own story as much as an adaptation of a larger work.

I read this story,first time when I was about twelve years old. I could never forget the story-The t generation next,all grown up and on their own), perhaps the story had moved even farther away from their regular orbit of interest. My intention is to give the essence of the story within 120 pages and with illustrations so that it captures the attention of even twelve year olds. But, I am sure,this story will touch the hearts of all book lovers. The very first testimonial I got for this book is by E mail from Mr.Nick baron,who did the proof reading of the book for me. quote "Hi Dr. Ilango, I just wanted to tell you that i am loving this story. Once it is published please let me know. I definitely want to buy a copy, and I have friends who are interested in Indian culture as well - they will buy copies. Wonderful story - thank you so much for the opportunity to work on this. Best, Nick Unquote I had not known Nick before and it was totally unexpected and one of the very best and the first compliment I have received for the book. I really feel that this story needs to reach across shores and not bound by religious or any other man made limitations or boundaries.