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 if they do, they will 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.
Contemporary readers have a much more accessible entry point to this important work, thanks to R. K. Narayan’s masterful 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. As Wendy Doniger explains in the foreword, “Narayan tells the stories so well because they’re all his stories.” He grew up hearing them, internalizing their mythology, which gave him an innate ability to choose the right passages and their best translations.
In this elegant translation, 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.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 3.99
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Condition: New. Brand New. Seller Inventory # 022605165X
Book Description Condition: New. FAST shipping, FREE tracking, and GREAT customer service! We also offer EXPEDITED and TWO DAY shipping options on qualifying orders. Seller Inventory # 3D7E2G004DXD_ns
Book Description Condition: New. Book is in NEW condition. Seller Inventory # 022605165X-2-1
Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. Seller Inventory # 353-022605165X-new
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 19906586-n
Book Description Paper Back. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 187058
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # I-9780226051659
Book Description Paperback or Softback. Condition: New. The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic 0.56. Book. Seller Inventory # BBS-9780226051659
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_022605165X
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. This item is printed on demand. Seller Inventory # 9780226051659