The noble effort of Sage Vyasa’s intense penance bore fruit in the form of a great gift known to us as the “Mahabharata”. This epic work serves as a bridge connecting the Vedic and Sanatana cultures, a testament to Vyasa’s transcendence beyond the ordinary plane…. The pages of this timeless text not only carry poetry but also reflect an eternal renaissance of Bharata’s soul, with each story and moral principle carefully woven into its vast fabric. Even the greatest hero is marked by the stain of stigma here, whereas flowers of glory are seen to be showering down over the head of the protagonist…. Within the folds of Mahabharata, one discovers an assortment of tales, short stories, valuable teachings and moral dilemmas, all intricately placed within the context of the whole. This extensive work encompasses a treasure of knowledge, ranging from science and philosophy to dharma, economics, politics and sociology. It is a reservoir of wisdom that the Hindus believe has the power to dispel sins and inauspiciousness, a sacred passage that resonates from the grandest castles to the humblest thatched huts… Just as we rely on water and air for sustenance, Indian society and literature have drawn inspiration, refreshment and essential life livivng force from the text, adapting its teachings and principles to every age.
by S R Ramaswamy (Author) Foreword by S L Bhyrappa (Foreword) translated with additional notes by Hari Ravikumar, Arjun Bharadwaj with Sandeep Balakrishna
The noble effort of Sage Vyasa’s intense penance once bore fruit in the form of a great gift known to us as the “Mahabharata” today . This epic work serves as a bridge connecting the Vedic and Sanatana cultures, a testament to Vyasa’s transcendence beyond the ordinary plane. The pages of this timeless text not only carry poetry but also reflect an eternal renaissance of Bharata’s soul, with each story and moral principle carefully woven into its vast fabric. Even the greatest hero is marked by the stain of stigma here, whereas flowers of glory are seen to be showering down over the head of the protagonist. Within the folds of Mahabharata, one discovers an assortment of tales, short stories, valuable teachings and moral dilemmas, all intricately placed within the context of the whole. This extensive work encompasses a treasure of knowledge, ranging from science and philosophy to dharma, economics, politics and sociology. It is a reservoir of wisdom that the Hindus believe has the power to dispel sins and inauspiciousness, a sacred passage that resonates from the grandest castles to the humblest thatched huts. Just as we rely on water and air for sustenance, Indian society and literature have drawn inspiration, refreshment and essential life force from the text, adapting its teachings and principles to every age. To comprehend India, one must seek wisdom from this ancient scripture, as it is an indispensable source that has sustained the Indian social and cultural fabric for centuries. That is why Mahabharata itself says,
“That which is great in quality and quantity is called Mahabharata”.
If one wants to know India, if you want to understand the outlook of Indian people and want to recognize the essence of India’s own culture, it is mandatory to know Mahabharata. Also, the eternal pulse of human life is heavily felt in this epic. And, to understand the evolution of the text and various writings and important ideas connected to the epic one can go through this book this time, titled “Evolution of Mahabharata and Other Writings on the Epic”. The original book was a Kannada classic named ‘Mahabharatada Belavanige’ written in 1972 by S R Ramaswamy that also included other seven essays on Mahabharata. This time the copy is effectively translated by Hari Ravikumar, Arjun Bharadwaj and Sandeep Balakrishna. The book reports on the interesting journey of one of the academic successes of the 12th century i.e. development of the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata by Vishnu Sitaram Sukthankar along with the scholarly teams at Bhandarkar Institute.
Till now I used to know that already a great storm of revolution at the societal to national level has swept through India. A blood-thirsty monstrous mishap arising from nucleus anger, jealousy and hatred- in the name of the Kurukshetra war took place, unbearable in the eyes of humanity- and, that is the historical background. Further, I have hear many commenting that there are many fascinating but out-of-context stories though interpolated but not a matter of surprise. Now, if interpolated, then, was there any reason for these interpolations? And, what is its connection with the main story? Well, the experts of the critical edition have already contemplated much on these. But, till now, I have always made an attempt to explore the text in totality. From my side, I have always tried to connect them with the contemporary society. And, also its historicity can’t be denied, right?
Now, let’s delve deep into the review of the book and what the author has to say regarding the world of Mahabharata.
