Mahabharat

[Viserys_The Transformed]

I do not know whether this is in the right forum or thread.

There are few reasons I am writing this.

First is that I love this Epic, Mahabharat.

Second is that I wanted to know if others on this site know about this epic and what are their views on it. What others like or dislike in the epic, etc. So I wanted to knw all this.

Third is that I find few similarities between ASoIF and Mahabharat. Both have a Vast Canvas for the Story. I also find Blackfyre Rebellion a little bit like Mahabharat War.

Fourth Reason was that I wanted to Suggest to other members one version of Mahabharat titled JAYA and written by Devdutt Pattanaik available in Market since 2011. It is published by Penguin Books. I dont knw whether it is available in US and other countries or not.

If available, please read it.

Fifth reason is that I found many Posts on forums which indicated, "What to do till the next book?" vibe.

So, I feel that Mahabharat, especially the version I suggest here (JAYA, by Devdutt Pattnaik), will help tremendously to fill the time and also provide a rewarding experience of reading.

I hope other Forum Members enjoy this book.

Happy Reading :-)

[Viserys_The Transformed]

If anyone has read the epic, please do share your experience and your views about it.

[Sci-2]

I'm guessing a lot of us who are Indian have heard of, and possibly seen, the television show.

Thanks for noting the translation. I've been meaning to check the book out actually as I've never experienced the work in its entirety.

[Winter's Knight]

Jaya was the version I read as well and enjoyed it till the end. (Everyone but Yuddishtra goes to hell? Really? He was the biggest asshole of them all).

Fun fact: tradition demands that the Mahabharata never be kept at home-being an story of families tearing themselves apart, it is said that it will cause the same sort of strife in the family that owns it.

[Viserys_The Transformed]

I also know about that tradition.

I keep it at home, though. Nuclear family advantage ;-)

@ Winter's Knight

are u from India too ? I thought you were Westerosi .... Only Kidding

yeaah .... Yudhisthir went to heaven because of karmic merits. He had immense karmic merit.

How to earn karmic merit ?

By following Dharma. But, in order to follow Dharma, one must understand it.

Anyways, Why you consider Yudhishthir an asshole ? And which is your favourite character in the epic ?

I guess u like Karna.

[Viserys_The Transformed]

I also know about that tradition.

I keep it at home, though. Nuclear family advantage ;-)

@ Winter's Knight

are u from India too ? I thought you were Westerosi .... Only Kidding

yeaah .... Yudhisthir went to heaven because of karmic merits. He had immense karmic merit.

How to earn karmic merit ?

By following Dharma. But, in order to follow Dharma, one must understand it.

Anyways, Why you consider Yudhishthir an asshole ? And which is your favourite character in the epic ?

I guess u like Karna.

I am very glad u enjoyed the book :-)

[Francis Buck]

I've always meant to get a decent translation of this at some point, since I'm really into Eastern religions and Hindu myth, but I never have. Anyone know of a good sort of "reader's guide" to go along with it?

I'm guessing a lot of us who are Indian have heard of, and possibly seen, the television show.

Television show?

[AncalagonTheBlack]

I've always meant to get a decent translation of this at some point, since I'm really into Eastern religions and Hindu myth, but I never have. Anyone know of a good sort of "reader's guide" to go along with it?

Some good suggestions here -

http://aidanmoher.com/blog/2013/04/articles/broader-fantasy-foundations-part-three-mahabharata-by-max-gladstone/

[Wilbur]

I read the Mahabharat while working on a month-long project in Hyderabad and Chennai in the late 1990's, and I found the text nearly inaccessible. The main structural weakness, at least in the abridged, novelized English copy I had picked up, was the story-within-a-story, which eventually devolved into an indecipherable mishmash for the casual reader. Since there was absolutely nothing else to do, I soldiered on until the end of the door-stopper, but it was unsatisfactory.

I can imagine that a careful reader with good supporting notes or concordance could learn to enjoy it, but without that, no. I also suspect that reading the full 20-volume version in the original language as one's mother tongue would improve the experience.

My main objections were to the motivations of the many characters, which were obscure, or their actions / reactions within specific situations, which seemed irrational, as well as the problems with the conclusion already mentioned.

Interestingly, I had seen the Ramayana performed in an all-night wayang kulit in Bali previously, and that was more interesting. I admit to dozing off several times during the performance, however, only to be wakened by particularly stirring gamelan passages.

I doubt that most fans of ASOIAF would enjoy the Mahabharat.

[Winter's Knight]

I've always meant to get a decent translation of this at some point, since I'm really into Eastern religions and Hindu myth, but I never have. Anyone know of a good sort of "reader's guide" to go along with it?

Television show?

Yeah about twelve tv shows I think? It's popular serial material: sex, drama,backstabbing, loyalty, rags-to-riches, riches-to-rags and the entire range of human nature from the best to the worst, all spanning several generations in one story.

I also know about that tradition.

I keep it at home, though. Nuclear family advantage ;-)

@ Winter's Knight

are u from India too ? I thought you were Westerosi .... Only Kidding

yeaah .... Yudhisthir went to heaven because of karmic merits. He had immense karmic merit.

How to earn karmic merit ?

By following Dharma. But, in order to follow Dharma, one must understand it.

Anyways, Why you consider Yudhishthir an asshole ? And which is your favourite character in the epic ?

I guess u like Karna.

Yup, I'm from India too. Punjabi, born in Delhi but I grew up in the Middle East.

Personally, I'd call any man who gambled his wife away an asshole, y'know? And I'm sure it goes against darma too.

I think it's hard not to like Karna, him being the one wholly good and honourable person in the whole book. His loyalty towards Duryodhan is heartwarming too.

[Sci-2]

I think it's hard not to like Karna, him being the one wholly good and honourable person in the whole book. His loyalty towards Duryodhan is heartwarming too.

Karna is technically honorable, but his loyalty to Duryodhan only prolongs the war. That said, he was the tragic hero of the tale.

What's interesting is how Krishna comes off. He's like a variation of the Trickster, essentially violating dharma in order to preserve it.

As for being truly honorable [but ultimately on the wrong side], I'd also put Bhishma in that category.

Finally, I mentioned it before but the Mahabharat has one of the greatest blurbs IMO: "The person who begins this book and the person who finishes it will not be the same."

[Viserys_The Transformed]

I read the Mahabharat while working on a month-long project in Hyderabad and Chennai in the late 1990's, and I found the text nearly inaccessible. The main structural weakness, at least in the abridged, novelized English copy I had picked up, was the story-within-a-story, which eventually devolved into an indecipherable mishmash for the casual reader. Since there was absolutely nothing else to do, I soldiered on until the end of the door-stopper, but it was unsatisfactory.

I can imagine that a careful reader with good supporting notes or concordance could learn to enjoy it, but without that, no. I also suspect that reading the full 20-volume version in the original language as one's mother tongue would improve the experience.

My main objections were to the motivations of the many characters, which were obscure, or their actions / reactions within specific situations, which seemed irrational, as well as the problems with the conclusion already mentioned.

Interestingly, I had seen the Ramayana performed in an all-night wayang kulit in Bali previously, and that was more interesting. I admit to dozing off several times during the performance, however, only to be wakened by particularly stirring gamelan passages.

I doubt that most fans of ASOIAF would enjoy the Mahabharat.

I suggest you pick up this version, JAYA by Devdutt Pattanaik, because it is not very long . It is consice.

Also author explains the motivations of the characters through side notes.

You are perfectly correct that the actions of some characters are irrational. Now there is a reason for it which is explained in the version i am speaking of. It is told in the beginning of the book.

Earlier i had read another version which bewildered me because of the story- within-story structure. But in JAYA (Devdutt Pattanaik) , the author has kept track of the flow and i am sure the reader will find closure by the end of reading. It will be a satisfying reading. Try it :-)

[Viserys_The Transformed]

The reason for irrationality of certain characters is mentioned in the beginning of the epic :

The Kings, about whom this story is, are Descendants of Chandra (Moon). It is the tale of Chandravamshis..... Moon Descendants.

Ramayan, another Indian Epic, is story of Sun Descendants who are rational and uphold their honour. Theirs is the story of how through various challenges of life, they still stick to their honour.

Whereas , in Mahabharat the characters are the cause of chaos in the story. Why Moon Descendants are Such ?.... The story is narrated in detail in the book and it is quite interesting, involving an extra-marital affair.

Ramayan had become a History by the time of Mahabharat. It means, to the Characters in Mahabharat, Story of Ramayan, was told as part of their History :-)

[Inigima]

I read the Mahabharata in college -- I gather Mahabharat is the name of a television adaptation? -- for a class; I have a copy of the Peter Brook adaptation, which I had to special order. I'm afraid there is a whole lot I don't remember. I quite enjoyed it though.

[Winter's Knight]

I read the Mahabharata in college -- I gather Mahabharat is the name of a television adaptation? -- for a class; I have a copy of the Peter Brook adaptation, which I had to special order. I'm afraid there is a whole lot I don't remember. I quite enjoyed it though.

They're both the same word. In Sanskrit, there's a tiny little "ah" pronounced at the end of every word that's difficult to write in English.

[Viserys_The Transformed]

I read the Mahabharata in college -- I gather Mahabharat is the name of a television adaptation? -- for a class; I have a copy of the Peter Brook adaptation, which I had to special order. I'm afraid there is a whole lot I don't remember. I quite enjoyed it though.

The author Has Acknowledged the Peter Brook Adaptation. Is it in French language called as Le Mahabharat ?

[Inigima]

They're both the same word. In Sanskrit, there's a tiny little "ah" pronounced at the end of every word that's difficult to write in English.

Ah, thanks.

The author Has Acknowledged the Peter Brook Adaptation. Is it in French language called as Le Mahabharat ?

I'm sorry, I don't know what you're asking.

[BLU-RAY]

I've read it probably 20+ times - when I was young (maybe in 2nd or 3rd grade?) my grandfather got me a copy of Kamala Subramaniam's translation:

http://www.amazon.com/Mahabharata-Kamala-Subramaniam/dp/8172764057

I'm of the opinion that it's one of the great works of epic fantasy, of myth or of legend. I mean, hell - the Bhagavad Gita, which is widely considered one of the more important religious texts out there - is a chapter of this book. And yeah, Radheya is by far the best character - who else can make a god look as petty and venal? Though, Krishna and Drona are a lot of fun to read about as well. The padmavyuha and the subsequent situation with Jayadratha are enthralling.

Note that the Subramaniam version is listed on Amazon at ~870 pages, while the Pattanaik is listed at ~372, so consider how much spare time you have.

[Viserys_The Transformed]

I wondered Whether GrrM know about this Epic ??

Would he have read it ??

I wanted to gift him this Book, but do not know how to contact him. I live in India. Do u think Grrm would like the book and story ??

How to send the book to Grrm ?

What do u guys think ? Is it a good idea ?

[Clueless Northman]

I've read it probably 20+ times - when I was young (maybe in 2nd or 3rd grade?) my grandfather got me a copy of Kamala Subramaniam's translation:

Note that the Subramaniam version is listed on Amazon at ~870 pages, while the Pattanaik is listed at ~372, so consider how much spare time you have.

Anyone attempting to read 20 times the Mahabharata would probably die of old age before being over ;)

Unless we speak of the insanely shortened versions out there, which must probably be closer to a synopsis of the real book.