महाभारत का अनावरण: भारतवर्ष के प्रसिद्ध इतिहास के अज्ञात पहलू

by Ami Ganatra, अमी गणात्रा, Pankaj Saxena (Translator)

सहस्राब्दियाँ बीत चुकी हैं जब चचेरे भाइयों के धर्मयुद्ध ने भारत भूमि को हिलाकर रख दिया था। लेकिन हमारे पूर्वजों का यह इतिहास आज भी हमें रोमांचित करता है। आज भी, हम महाकाव्य में लोगों और उनके कार्यों के बारे में भावुक चर्चा करते हैं, उत्साहपूर्वक अपने पसंदीदा का बचाव करते हैं और दूसरों की निंदा करते हैं। महाभारत पर अब भी लिखी जाने वाली रचनाओं की संख्या-रूपांतरण, पुनर्कथन और कथा-साहित्य इसकी स्थायी प्रासंगिकता का प्रमाण है।

जबकि सामान्य कहानी काफी हद तक ज्ञात है, बहुत सारे प्रश्न और मिथक प्रचलित हैं, जैसे- युद्ध की भौगोलिक सीमा क्या थी? क्या द्रोण ने वास्तव में कर्ण को अपने शिष्य के रूप में लेने से इंकार कर दिया था? इंद्रप्रस्थ की रानी के रूप में द्रौपदी की जिम्मेदारियाँ क्या थीं? क्या उसने कभी दुर्योधन का मजाक उड़ाया? क्या महाभारत काल में महिलाएँ नम्र और विनम्र थीं? उस समय युद्ध संरचनाओं के क्या नाम थे? पांडवों के पुत्रों ने क्या भूमिका निभाई? क्या महाभारत में भारत के दक्षिण का उल्लेख है? युद्ध के बाद क्या हुआ? ये और कई अन्य दिलचस्प प्रश्न समकालीन पाठक को भ्रमित करते रहते हैं।

लेखिका अमी गनात्रा मिथकों को खारिज करती हैं, लोकप्रिय धारणाओं को खारिज करती हैं और ऐसे पहलुओं पर अंतर्दृष्टि प्रदान करती हैं जो आमतौर पर ज्ञात नहीं हैं या गलती से ज्ञात नहीं हैं, जो पूरी तरह से आम तौर पर स्वीकृत प्रामाणिक स्रोतों से व्यास के महाभारत में वर्णित तथ्यों पर आधारित हैं। महाभारत जैसे प्रमुखता और प्रभाव वाले इतिहास के लिए, कहानी का सही होना महत्वपूर्ण है। तो इस किताब को उठाएं, आराम से बैठें और महान महाकाव्य के बारे में कम ज्ञात तथ्यों और सच्चाइयों का खुलासा करें।

प्रस्तुत पुस्तक मूल पुस्तक -‘Mahabharata Unravelled’ का हिन्दी अनुवाद है ।

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Mythology, India, Philosophy, Spirituality, Religion

Paperback

First published July 18, 2021

About the author

Management professional with ~15+ years consulting and business management experience across sectors, capabilities and geographies having worked across four continents in various capacities viz. Asia, Europe, South and North America. Currently, working with organizations in the social impact space.

Beyond work, she blogs on travel, Yoga, Shashtra and other things on https://dharmorakshtirakshitah.wordpr...

Reviews

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I have read the original of Mahabharata. I don't want to undermine this amazing work of Ami Ganatra ji by giving less rating. I respect her for what she is doing. I admire her for that. She is spreading the awareness of original Mahabharat. This book is perfect for those who read works of Devdutt, Amish, Shivaji Sawant, Chitra Banerjee and many more. This book clear so many misconceptions of Mahabharata and portray the real itihasa.

The author has researched hard, to bring out many informative and interesting aspects of the Great Itihasa. Recently she wrote on Ramayana too. Do check out that as well.

[Sneha jha · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world filled with literary retellings of Draupadi, Karan, Krishan, Arjun stories, Ami Ganatra has taken a bold step in sticking to the authentic text and analysing the actions and consequences which resulted in the Great war of Kurukshetra which not only consolidated the fact that Good wins over Evil but was instrumental in destruction of many empires and birth of several new empires.

As a child of deeply religious parents, who was raised on stories of Mahabharata and Ramayana and watched the shows whenever it aired. One of my first memories is watching Mahabharata on DD1 and being in awe of Sri Krishna. It stuck a chord in me that the author has not tried to whitewash any aspect of the stories, all actions whether good or bad , whether by Pandavas or Kauravas or even by Sri Krishna has been detailed in the correct form sticking to the text. It has been a principle in authors lately to whitewash Karna’s actions or to spin Draupadi’s story in a fictitious manner and although I enjoy these retellings, someone should be telling the real story too with no frills attached.

The research and effort put by the author is amazing, well researched and well documented. While the focus in Mahabharata is always on the war and the warriors, we ignore the fact that they were also some of the most intellectual beings in India at that time though their destiny was of being a warrior, their wise words can not be ignored for eons to come. Ami Ganatra holds her own in explaining difficult terms like Dharma, duty, responsibility while being clear that she will always be truthful to the text.

[The Conch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generation Z has shallow connection with epics (better to call history) of Bharata. They aware about the name of Mahabharata, but do not have patience to wading painstakingly through pages. It is not their fault or simply blaming will not have any effect. Now, ancient scriptures, epics, history, rituals etc. have to be explained in their terms. They can understand the language of management, science, technology; so author has to keep this view while writing.

Author now has biggest responsibility towards common people, young generation to familiarize with Bharat's lost glory. Author must have knowledge of Sanskrit and has to be connected with tradition. Otherwise, only profanity will be promoted.

Here, Ms. Ami Ganatra, has done a splendid job in writing the book. The story is quite well-known to older generation. Thanks to Mr. B.R.Chopra. One does not read 7000 pages Geeta Press version or 7-volume Ganguly version or 30 volume BORI version. This book will be enough to know about gist of the epic. The book is full with strategies, politics, negotiation techniques, motivational shots etc. This book is a must-read for students of management. We all know about Chankya niti (principle), but few are aware about Vidura's niti. Mother Vidula's motivation to her dejected son can cheer-up anyone after failure in life. Few knows once Arjun tried to kill his own elder brother Maharaj Yudhisthir.

The book has plenty of these types of incidence, hence, the title of the book is perfect. It has fantastic flow and will not allow one this to be in TBR (to be read) list.

Thanks to Indic Book Club to provide this book for review.

[Prabhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Ami's book on Mahabharata dispelled some myths about Mahabharata as well as giving a ring-side view of the various illustrious characters. My prior exposure to Mahabharata was through TV and abridged versions which have over the years strayed from the original version and this book sets some of the records straight. Also loved the discourses between Vidura and Dhritarashtra... and Bhishma and Yudhisthira.

Great read, well researched and highly recommended. Looking forward to more such works by the author.

[Himanshu Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mahabharata Unraveled is a fascinating book. Like many other readers here, my first introduction to Mahabharat was via the much famous TV series in 1990s. Then in CBSE, in class 8th we were introduced to a short version for our Hindi class. However, while both these medium were great for introduction they missed out on several facets and nuances. Due to this - some aspects of Mahabharat's history are either not understood or worse are badly misunderstood. Ms. Ganatra has done a great job in un-layering different facets of the complex characters in Mahabharat. Further, she has been excellent at explaining some of the nuances - Sanjay and his narration to Dhritrashtra, Kunti's children, different kinds of marriages, social norms of that time and deep dives on the conversations between different historical characters. I learnt a lot. Time spent well.

[Gaurav Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘All wisdom pertaining to the four Purusharthas – Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha – found here may be found elsewhere, but that which is not here is not to be found anywhere’

This has been said about Mahabharata, and rightly so. 100,000 shlokas of Mahabharata not only contain the history of Kauravas and Pandavas but also the wisdom of the Vedas and Smritis. No wonder it is also called the pancham Veda – the fifth Veda.

Many of us have not read the complete Mahabharata but are aware of its story through T.V. serials, short stories, and sometimes through fictional retelling of Mahabharata. These sources are sometimes not factually correct due to so called creative liberty which leads to the prevalence of a lot of myths along with many questions.

Ami Ganatra’s book ‘Mahabharata Unravelled’ busts many of these myths and answers many of these questions. The book starts with the summary of the storyline and the sequence of events and then takes on the eternal question ‘What is Dharma?’ As this is the underlying theme of the epic the author has explained the term in detail as the English translation does not encompasses its true meaning.

Further, the book is divided into three parts –
1. Context of the Mahabharata
2. People, personalities, and happenings
3. Mahabharata Trivia

These three main parts are further divided into 24 chapters. Some interesting facts are presented in the highlighted boxes throughout the book which makes the book quite informative.

The best thing about the book is its fact-based approach. The author has used Gita Press Mahabharta as the primary reference, and BORI critical edition of Mahabharata, and K. M. Ganguli’s English translation as the secondary reference. That’s why the facts presented in this book are quite authentic.

The book describes the family tree of the Bharat Vamsha, the geographical coverage of the war, how the epic was scripted, which army formations were used during the war, and many more interesting things. It also gives a small account of the researches based on astronomical observations to date the Mahabharata war.

Apart from the stories of strong female characters like Draupadi and Kunti the author has also included the stories of Savitri and Shankuntala. I was surprised to read that Shakuntala was quite vocal and firmly argued when Dushyant refused to accept her and her son.

The author has also smashed the conjecture that Draupadi was in love with Karna. Karna is normally described as an innocent person who has been wronged. However, the fact is that he was always jealous of Arjuna and kept on inciting Duryodhana to fight Pandavas. He was the one who asked Dussashana to disrobe Draupadi and called her a prostitute.

Although the book has many interesting stories but some of the stories are repeated over and over again. May be the author intended to narrate the same incident from different character’s perspective. However, it becomes a little boring when you read the same incident over and over again.

Notes are given at the end of the book. It would have been better if they have been given on the same page itself (in the footer) for easy reference.

In the preface author has asked to bring any inadvertent errors to her notice. Here’s is one I found:

In genealogy chart given at the end of chapter 2, Bhima’s wife’s (Hidimba) and son’s (Ghatotkacha) names have been repeated instead of his second wife and son’s names as Valandhara and Savarga respectively.

Overall, it is an excellent book which has made me better-informed about this great epic. It has made me curious enough to read the original unabridged version. I would recommend the book to all Mahabharata aficionados, and to those who know the basic story. Even though the summary of the storyline has been given in the beginning of the book, still I would not recommend the book to those who are not aware of the story.

This is Ami’s first book. I would like to congratulate her for writing a remarkable book and wish her all the best for her future endeavors. I look forward to reading more books authored by her.

Thanks to Indic Academy and Indic Book Club, for sending me this book as a part of the Thousand Reviewers Club.

[eShaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5: Absolutely wonderful

TL;DR
This is a must read for all those who are interested in Mahabharata, but can't read the actual volumes. Its not a retelling, but a summary of the actual Mahabharata, with references.

Long Version

While the core of the Mahabharata is the history of the Kauravas and the Pandavas, interspersed throughout the kavya is the wisdom of the Vedas and Smritis.

The book begins with a brief summary covering the sequence of events.

Strive to understand the nuances of dharma. Strive to uphold dharma. Through dharma, uplift yourself. That is the essence of the Mahabharata - and of life.

Going further is an essay on Dharma, where Ami ji has tried to cover the nuances of Dharma. The rest of the book is divided in three parts: Context, People, personalities and happenings, and Trivia. The context, covers the back stories of the narration of Mahabharata by Ugrashrava, Vamshavalis, the geographic coverage and some folklores. I specially liked the highlighted portion on the Suta community as they are the most misrepresented ones in almost all of the retellings and adaptations. The second part is the fat portion of this book. Here, one gets to see the nature, personalities, relationships of the characters and their interactions. The Trivia part tried to answer questions like when, where, how, why and what it covers etc. It also covers folklores and there is a section on the latest works done towards the dating of the Mahabharata. There is also an interesting detailed section on Vyuha formations.

The enjoyed the second part the most. It gives great insight into the lives of different people. The five Pandavas, were born a year apart. And Arjuna was fourteen when Pandu died. Yudhishthira always thinks of Dharma, righteousness and cares for the family. As a king, his family is the whole kingdom. So, he always tries to avoid war-like situations. Bheema becomes one of the greatest warriors, but remains simple at heart. He is straightforward in speech, but depends on his family, specially Yudhishthira and Draupadi. Arjuna is more independent, the devoted student and the greatest warrior. Nakula and Sahadeva are also great warriors, but they are explored less.

Thanks to Ami ji for dedicating a chapter on Draupadi. Draupadi is the perfect example of Beauty with Brains. She is a Vidushi (learned one), strong in character and independent. She never complained and neither left the path of dharma. I was awestruck after reading the Cheera-Haran (Humiliation) part and the boons she asked when Dhritarashtra offered. A true Kshatriya, she never gave in to injustice, and counselled the five brothers.

A man should strive to do his duty but not become dejected if the outcome is not per his choice. What matters is the effort that was put in. Therefore, irrespective of the result, one must work towards achieving a noble goal.'
- Draupadi quoting Manu to motivate the brothers to not become content with forest life and focus on their ultimate objective.

I now understand why Draupadi is one among the five Pratah-Smaraniya women.
There is a highlighted section at the end of this chapter busting the popular myths about Draupadi, coming from modern adaptations - a must read.

For Karna, I have no words. Its almost funny that people these days have taken Karna to play the victim card. Abhimanyu or Uttara a lot worse than the fabled Karna.

At Draupadi's swayamvara, then again in the battle of Virata, Karna had taken a beating at the hands of Arjuna. Likewise, in the battle against Gandharvas, Karna ran away to save his life while the four Pandavas defeated them and freed Duryodhana and the other Kauravas. He had suffered defeat at the hands of Bheema in Anga desh before Yudhishthira's Rajasuya Yajna when he refused to profess allegiance to Indraprastha.

Before the war, when Duryodhana asked Bhishma to make an assessment of the warriors, Bhishma put Karna on the lower side, but counted his son. He even clarified that

the assessment was not about Karna's skill as a warrior but for his attitude and disposition which hindered the outcome of his enterprise despite his superior weaponry skills.

Bheema defeated Karna in multiple duels and was defeated by Karna once.

Karna was a fierce warrior, no doubt, but he had a major flaw - that of imprudence in speech and incessant bragging.

The Prodigious Sons - is my favourite chapter. It tells about the valour of Iravan, Abhimanyu, Ghatotkacha, the five Draupadeyas and Shwet. Beautifully written, the writing brings out the characters in their full shine and it was heart wrenching to read about their deaths and its mannerism.

The victory of Kurukshetra was not trivial. Its price was the life of a generation of warriors.

The two chapters on names were also interesting. Towards the end, we get to know the full story of Yadava's destruction and Arjuna's PTSD. And Yudhishthira's dejection and Swargarohana.

This book is not a retelling. It is more like Ami ji's notes on Mahabharata. The book is based on Gita Press' Mahabharata, BORI's Mahabharata and the English translation of Kisari Mohan Ganguli. She has added references throughout the book, for those who are curious to explore further.

It's a gem. Highly recommended to all.

[Siddhanth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many versions of The Mahabharata, Ami Ganatra in her book has covered some unknown parts of the itihasa which makes it even more beautiful.. The simplicity of her writing makes it an ideal book for anyone of any age group. Cannot wait for this wonderful authors’ next book..

[Ishan Agrawal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thousands of years have elapsed since the epic war of Mahabharata at Kurukshetra shook our land .Though Mahabharata is known mainly for its war we often ignore the fact that it encapsulates some of the wisest words ever spoken. There have been numerous adaptations and retelling of the great tale so much so that most of the authors even the most learned ones either ignorantly or knowingly use the highly misleading term 'Mythology' to describe something which is so genuine and real .

People are mostly aware about the general storyline of what actually transpired but still there are few looming myths that prevail which needs to be debunked. For instance , there is a generic view among a large audience that Dronacharya refused to take Karna as his disciple due to his low caste which is nothing but a fiasco created by leftist brigade .If one reads the original version there is no such mention everywhere. Also I wanted to know the aftermath of the events post war and also the condition of women at that time and the social prejudices associated with them in particular which is generally perceived to be not upto the mark owing to the propaganda and venom spread against our cultural values again by the anti national fringe elements of society over the years. This book does extremely well to give the real picture of things as it is solely based on facts as narrated in the original epic written by Ved Vyas ji.

The amount of research author has done is nothing short of a spectacle in itself. I can't even imagine the efforts she had to put to get the story right amidst a huge amount of mis information on internet and other sources which doesn't paint a true picture of the happening . The best part about this book owing to which it should be read by each and every person is author's single mindededness with which she has carried out the task of unlayering various myths surrounding the legendary tale. She has stuck to the original text throughout her narration and nowhere sugar coated or tried to present her point of view .

Overall it is truly a Masterpiece and Very Highly Recommended

[Sudha · Rating 5 out of 5]

#ibc #indicacademy #indicabooks

The Mahabharata, also known as the Panchama Veda, is a favourite book of many. It is an itihasa which is the best book to learn about how to live.
‘All wisdom pertaining to the four Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha , Kama, Moksha - found here may be found elsewhere, but that which is not here is not to be found anywhere’ - Aadi Parva 62.53

Mahabharata can be called a text which teaches us about actions, consequences and various emotions that change history. Having said that sometimes we come across various versions of this great epic, leading to confusion as to which version is true to the original.

Mahabharata Unravelled is a successful attempt by Ami Ganatra to clear those doubts and tell us what was in the original version. Her writing style is simple and precise. Reading this book is a joyful experience for all Mahabharata fans and helps them to get to know the truth. The only drawback I felt was few episodes were repeated which was jarring the flow of reading.

Overall it is an enjoyable book to read.

Thank you Indica Books for sending this book.

[ReaderWhoReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't know about Mahabharata?
Well probably every Indian or anyone following the Indian history definitely knows all about the dharma-war, or not?

Mahabharata Unravelled- an amazing collection of stories, facts revolving around the kurukshetra war, beginning right from the birth of King Dushyant, to the promise made to Satyavati, to the end of adharma with the deaths of Kauravas.

What made Devavrata known as Bhishma? Whose sons were Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura? How was Veda Vyasa related to the Kuru clan by blood, what made Dhritarashtra blind, was Karna actually refused to be taught by Drona?
Why did Yudhishthir play dyutta-krida, the game of dice, why was Draupadi the favorite queen to Pandavas, was it just her beauty, or something else? Was Duryodhana mocked by her? Since when did Krishna came to help the Pandavas?
Who was the strongest- Bheeshma or Arjuna?
The allies of both Pandavas and Kauravas, why was Karna on the Kauravas side being the eldest brother of Pandavas, how did Krishna came to the rescue of each Pandava brother in the times of difficult situations, how did he save Arjun from being attacked with Indra's Indrastra what were the ten names of Arjuna and why, how were Bheeshma, Duryodhana, Dronacharya and Karna killed, were the kids of Pandavas as mighty as their fathers, if yes, how were they killed, what happened after the war...
Read the book to find the answer to everything, to burst myths you heard about the Mahabharata.
A highly appreciated effort by Ami Ganatra  to put up the story published by Bloomsbury India

[Srishti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking into account the number of Mahabharata related books with underlined sections which I read and reread every few days; which have a permanent spot on my bookshelf, I can proudly say I'm a Mahabharata aficionado. The pot-pourri of history and mythology never fails to impress me and leave it's impact. Through Mahabharata Unravelled, Ami Ganatra brings to us lesser known facts, confutes popular myths and illuminates allied perceptions about Vyasa's Mahabharata based on generally accepted authentic sources. The language and narration is simple alongwith being seamless, impelling the reader to pause and think.

Divided into three parts and twenty four chapters, the novel is a source of inspiration, peace and insight that remains universal and timeless over centuries. The book begins with an overall storyline accounting the sequential events in the Mahabharata, and diverges into three parts: the historical and geographical context including the timeline; the stories that are directly and indirectly linked to the saga; and the last section is about legends associated with the scripting of the epic. Ganatra sheds light on some not-so-well-known nuances of personalities and relationships related to the Mahabharata. 'A friendship that groomed' and 'A friendship of doom', these two chapters are stuck in my mind. Mahabharata Unravelled left me with a feeling of contentment, I have a feeling I'll return to this book time and again.

[Arunita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sixth book I have received from Indic Book Club. Heartfelt gratitude to Abhinav Agarwal sir for giving me this opportunity as getting the chance to read anything remotely related to Mahabharata makes my heart sing with joy. The joy quickly dissipates with my progress through the books in some cases. I am glad that this one is not one of those kinds.

Let us have a look at the blurb:

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.

It is no easy task to capture the essence of the great (and huge) epic between two covers. Still the book tries its best to give a concise idea of the story ( in case there is a reader who picked up the book without any prior basic knowledge of the epic) and then proceeds to provide an analysis on the context of the Mahabharata (Part 1), study on the different shades of many of the complex and glorious personalities the story is enriched with (Part 2) and finally a magnificent trivia section (Part 3).
First thing of the book that grabs attention is the cover. Empress Draupadi crouching down on the infamous dice board and the royal men around her deciding her fate as her husbands sit there numb. It sent a wave of jumbled up variety of emotions through me.
As I went through the pages, I was in awe of the simple matter of fact way the author seamlessly talks about complex stuff like the meaning/ nuances of Dharma and the raw emotions of anger, pain, jealousies of characters with equal ease. Even in a book that discusses on nuances of characters and events, history and myth, she does some handholding for readers with no prior exposure to the Mahabharata. Reading the book first time was a feeling I would like to experience again. Especially loved the chapter 12 ( A Warrior Mother). As far as I have seen, Queen Kunti doesn’t get enough credit for being herself by modern day writers. Also loved the way Ami Ganatra described Arjuna who in her words ‘proved time and again that he was a notch above the others, not consciously but by his response to situations.
Overall a great read. If you have already read the Mahabharata and are fascinated by it, then do go for the book.

[Sunil Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do your duty and shape your destiny. That is the secret of life. You hold the reins of destiny in your own hands'- Lord Krishna to the Pandavas.

There is nothing that exemplifies the genius of ancient India more than the epics. They are the bedrock of Sanatana Culture and the Indosphere. The poetic majesty of what Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa created has stood the test of time and its echoes reverberate to the present day. I have read a lot of books on the Mahabharata and about it by C Rajagopalachari, Bibek Debroy, R.K Narayan et al apart from the latest by Smt. Saroj Bala , so I was apprehensive at first when I received 'Mahabharata Unravelled'.

To my personal delight, it was another immersion in the uncharted depths of the ocean of the epic. In the beginning, there was the word and the word was God, says the Bible. Ved Vyasa's mesmerizing epic dazzles us from beginning to end, living up to its hyperbolic claim that everything in the world is encapsulated in its verses. To the ancient aesthete, rasa poshanam was a hallowed goal and the Mahabharata more than lives up to that with its tumultuous mix and insights into the exalted mind of ancient India.

The author has succinctly summed up the major narrative streams and given us a unique perspective on its different characters which is a herculean task in itself. The Pancham(Fifth) Veda as the Mahabharata is sometimes called also has the BhagavadGita, Vishnu Sahasranam, Gajendra Moksha, Anusmriti that dwell more on the philosophical aspect as well as inspiring Kavya, Dramas and stories throughout the subcontinent as well as the larger Indosphere, primarily South East Asia.

The renowned Sanskrit Scholar and Jnanpith award winner Prof Satyavrat Shastri recently mentioned that Thailand still uses Sanskrit terms for directions as well as education. Given the wealth of themes and issues in this epic, the author has managed to do a creditable job.

I particularly liked some lesser known stories the author has mentioned, especially the chapter on the 'Prodigal Sons' towards the end.

Modern misconceptions about the static nature of varnas or what is rather inappropriately translated as the 'caste system' as if it were set in stone can be cleared up if one reads certain episodes mentioned in this book intently. Apart from the BhagavadGita, where Lord Krishna explicitly mentions qualities and not birth as a determinant of 'varna', there are a few other episodes in the epic which the author mentions in the book.

The Mahabharata world is a universe or a multiverse in itself, and Sri Krishna the purna(complete) and enigmatic avatar. The author uses a judicious mix of points of view to bring alive the four purusharthas or goals of life, namely, Dharma, Kama, Artha and Moksha. Structuring ancient knowledge in bite-sized chunks was an excellent touch,even though it could potentially jar some purists.

The only flaw in my opinion was it tended to get a little repetitive wading through the book, which I found a tad boring.

The language is simple and crisp, easy to understand without excessive verbal flourishes. I would have liked to know some of the mysteries associated about the epic in excessive detail, and a few other relatively unknown stories.

From Bhasa to Kalidasa and modern takes that draw inspiration from the core narrative and modify it in some ways, the Mahabharata has been a creative fount for literary inspiration.

The author has largely drawn from the Gita Press version by her own admission, and has tried to remain faithful to the text in whatever somewhat pristine form that it exists in. The vortex of the epic is such that the more you read about it, the more you feel like reading about it. It is the ensnaring charm of a true literary masterpiece.

The author reminds us consistently of the complexity and multi-dimensional aspects of the epic, things that have sustained interest for millennia. Compared to the relatively more idealistic world of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata has many aspects that still resonate in a contemporary, complex and depraved global scenario.

The book will be appealing to people who are just starting to read the epics to a hardcore aficionado who is well versed with the narrative. It has finesse, sensitivity and depth. Thank the Indic Book Club for another fascinating read.

[Mahesh Urkude · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mahabharata Unravelled" is a valiant attempt by Ami Ganatra to answer Why, Who, When and Where. You start with a brief storyline and the sequence of events of Mahabharata, followed by the context of Mahabharata, People, Personalities & Happenings to Trivia (historical dates, types of army formations, who and when it was scripted). Best part are the shaded or the highlighted sections of the book which adds value and provide greater insights. You get answers to why Yudhisthira agreed for the game of dice, why Bhisma never objected to Draupadi being dragged into the courtroom, who all were the children of Kauravas and Pandavas, who all were the lesser known warriors and several more.

My favorites...
1. Dharam Sankat: whenever in a dharam sankat, choose a bigger cause. Self, Family, Society, State, Nation
2. Vidura Niti: discourse to Dhritarashtra on who is wise man, type of people who do not deserve to live, six vices, six virtues, six enemies, six situations that make life joyful and so on...
3. Yaksha Prashna: answers given by Yudhishthira to Yaksha
4. Arjuna defeated: two occasions when Arjuna was defeated, one by his own son and other where he could not save women and children from Dwaraka
5. Arjuna's vow to kill Yudhisthira: Krishna managed it well but the episode itself is a great learning
6. Karna (as a wicked personality): unlike being portrayed as a danveer, may I take the liberty to blame the entire war on him. And WHO kills his on nephew, Abhimanyu (after being told by Kunti and Krishna that he is the eldest Pandava)

All along you have stories of strong female characters like Draupadi, Kunti, Gandhari, Amba, Savitri and Shankuntala. 100,000 shlokas of Mahabharata not only contain the history of Kauravas and Pandavas but also the wisdom of the Vedas and Smritis. No wonder it is also called the pancham Veda – the fifth Veda. ‘All wisdom pertaining to the four Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha , Kama, Moksha - found here may be found elsewhere, but that which is not here is not to be found anywhere’ - Aadi Parva 62.53

[Sooraj Naga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an experience for an individual to comprehend the great battle of Kurukshetra, one needs a certain level of sukshma to understand the series of events in the war, and this was brought home well by the author here.

Even though I felt certain portions repeated, I understood this is to move the reader to the next scene while recalling later sequentially throughout the book. So this book provides a first-hand experience to visualize the scenes in the readers' canvas of mind.

This meta workaround enforces the reader to contemplate and seek out the backgrounds of each character also to examine their mannerism, to gain an insight into their lives, Why and what made them be this. Therefore, the reader becomes more curious about the lives of the characters in the Bharatavarsha.

[Vineet Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was in class 4th/5th, my grandfather had bought Mahabharat written by Sabal Singh Chauhan. Soon I completed the whole book. I used to read that and narrate the story in classroom. Since Mahabharat is so voluminous, very few of us bother to read it. Taking advantage of it communist had succeeded in creating a lot of myth about characters and stories in Mahabharat. Also they have smeared the every icon/hero of Mahabharat/Ramayan about which we used to rejoice. As a result, Hindus stared shying away from reading Mahabharat/Ramayan. But Mahabharat is ocean of knowledge and it is abound with a lot of stories. Like I said that it is voluminous, presenting it in a single book form is almost impossible. Because, it will lead to a lot of omission. The author Ami Ganatra through this book has succeeded in busting many myths about Mahabharat. The book is not like simple translation from original source and it does not progress as per sequence of events. It has chapters on special themes. One who has read Mahabharat from original sources, can easily notice that the author has thorough knowledge and has almost command on the subject. However, I have noticed two issues:-
(i) Estimation of Mahabharat era between 5000 to 7000 BC – Somewhere I had read that most of the estimations of Mahabharat and Ramayan era are done in a manner to accommodate Bible theory. If we go as per our records, the Bible theory collapses. Therefore, I think that we should not reach on any conclusion in hurry.

(ii) Comparison to Das with slaves- There is false equivalence of Das and salve. One who could not pay his debts, use to offer voluntarily to his lender as Das only for labour and they had all rights as other people, while slaves were example from Islamic and Christian society which were captured during war and raids. They had almost negligible right.
This is as per my knowledge. Comments of any other knowledgeable people are welcome.

[Rishabh Karwayun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ramayana and Mahabharata are naively referred to as "mythologies”. This is incorrect as these epics are Itihaas or history. It is high time that they are studied objectively, yet still from a point of respect, reverence, and pride. Ms. Ganatra’s book is undoubtedly a welcome step in this direction.

There are three dimensions to my thoughts on Ms. Ganatra's book. The first one is the effort, which is truly commendable. Second is research, for which again she should be applauded. The third and final one is the tone of the book and that is something which I do not agree with her completely.

The format of the book is remarkable. Ms. Ganatra has painstakingly provided all the textual references for the events mentioned. Also, she worked hard to bust myths and point out things that are assumed a part of the epic but are not present in the original text. Also, correcting misconceptions about people and events.

For example, pointing out that Karna is not exactly a tragic hero as he is portrayed to be. Some of his decisions, like giving his armor to Indra to protect his reputation and a promise to Kunti about not killing any Pandava apart from Arjuna went against his duty as a friend to Duryodhana. Hence he effectively prioritized in a way himself over his friendship with Duryodhana. This is excluding countless times he went against Duryodhana's interests and nudged him towards conflict just to have a decisive duel with Arjuna. This was really a very compelling argument and I agree with her.

Coming to the tone of the book, this is something where I am not fully on board. It felt slightly imbalanced in favor of the Pandavas. While I do not in any way condone the actions of Duryodhana, it still feels that the actions of the Pandavas are not adequately scrutinized.

For example, one major point of contention I have with Mahabharata adaptations and commentaries is the portrayal of Kunti. While Ms. Ganatra does not depict her as a helpless widow like she normally is, her motives and character are in my humble opinion still sanitized. Kunti was a very cunning and shrewd lady. Case in point birth of the Pandavas. Kunti wanted to be the more dominant wife of Pandu. There is nothing wrong with the sentiment, however, I think it needs to be pointed out instead of showing her as a goody-goody lady. Here is what is mentioned in Section 124 of Adi Parva:

“Sometime after, Pandu again requested Kunti on behalf of Madri. Addressed, O king, by her lord in private, Kunti replied, ‘Having given her the formula of invocation only once, she hath, O king, managed to obtain two sons. Have I not been thus deceived by her, I fear, O king, that she will soon surpass me in the number of her children. This, indeed, is the way of all wicked women. Fool that I was, I did not know that by invoking the twin gods I could obtain at one birth twin children. I beseech thee, O king, do not command me any further. Let this be the boon granted (by thee) to me.’"

Kunti knew that her biggest strength, and in some cases her only strength was the unity between her sons. Therefore, to avoid any jealousy and thus potential rift between them due to Draupadi, she did not oppose her being the shared wife of the Pandavas. This is hypocritical considering in Section 123 of Adi Parva when Pandu requests Kunti for a fourth child here is what she had to say:

"The woman having intercourse with four different men is called a Swairini (unbound), while she having intercourse with five becometh a harlot (prostitute)."

On the topic of Karna, again we see her cold and practical nature. All through Karna's life, she did not acknowledge him as her son for the sake of her honor and that of the family. She knew that Bhishma will not kill any Pandava, and Drona too had a soft spot for her sons. The only real danger to them was Karna. Hence, Kunti was ready to throw the honor out of the window and acknowledge him as her firstborn before the war. When Karna promised her that he will not kill any Pandava save Arjuna, thus ensuring she will have five sons even after the war, she accepted his proposal.

Another point that I am not yet convinced of is Yudhishthir as Dharmaraj. My question, even as a child was that how can a person who can stake himself, his brothers, their wife, and his whole kingdom be a good king, let alone Dharmaraj? I had hoped to find answers in this book but alas it wasn’t the case. Wasn't it prudent to refuse the invitation to the dice game rather than knowingly play a rigged game and lose everything? If he would have refused, then he probably would have taken a hit on his reputation as a Kshatriya by refusing a challenge or as a nephew by refusing an order by his uncle but would have probably saved destruction that the war which the dice game led to ensued. More bewildering is his acceptance of a rematch, well aware of the deceit and after all the spine-chilling events that happened especially with Draupadi.

Yudhishthir had a great tradition of surrounding himself with well-wishers and intelligent advisors and actually listening to and following their advice. Considering his actions in the dice game, an instance where he had no one to advise him and he took all the decisions himself, I think it was for the better.

In the end, I would just like to say that I have immense respect for Ms. Ganatra and her work on bringing the actual epic in this manner into the mainstream and I hope she continues by covering other scriptures too. Just that it felt to me that sometimes she refrained from calling spade a spade. I hope it is taken as what it is, a constructive criticism in good spirit.

Sources:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/15474...
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/15474...
https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/qu...

[Subho Routh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book on Mahabharata. This book taught me many things and cleared many misconceptions and also made me realise how little I actually know about this great epic. Highly recommend.

[Nancy McQueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing and highly detailed on the Holy Epic

[Ruchi Pritam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Mahabharata Unravelled by Ami Ganatra

The Epic Mahabharata has been the magnum opus par excellence of Indian Civilisation. This Epic fascinates every reader and due to the millennia that have passed by since the happening of the events that jolted the entire Bharatvarsha, we tend to romanticise or exaggerate certain characters and events.

Through this book, author Ami Ganatra has answered many questions that usually crosses a person’s mind when they read various subsequent takes on the Mahabharata. A summary of the storyline has been given in the beginning of the book, but it is advisable to read a good version of the epic so that the events and observations pertaining to them are better understood.

Ami has debunked some common misrepresentations that most of us have come to think of as part of the original depiction of the events. Modern retelling of this magnum opus includes a genre where characters on the margins are taken as the centre of interest and the events are reinterpreted based on their point of view. There are best-sellers with the themes based on concepts such as the unrequited love between Draupadi and Karna, the mocking of Duryodhana by Draupadi in the Maya Mahal etc. Based on her study of reliable texts, Ami has pointed out the inconsistencies of such narratives as compared to the original story.

I have enjoyed the read, especially the information on the geographical extent of the war, the reason behind the narration and writing of the epic, the events during the war and its aftermath. The author has given a clear characterization of the main protagonists in the events which unfolded during the tumultuous times millennia ago. Krishna, Draupadi and Arjuna shine out the most with positivity in character and overall frailties of Karna has been pointed out.

The analysis of the events are not arranged in any particular order resulting in repetition of description of events that could have been avoided with better editing. On the whole this is a good read that leaves the reader thinking about dharma and righteousness.

[Sakshi Kathuria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I read this year. Will post a detailed review soon

[AK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book talks about some of the lesser known facts of Mahabharata I expected much more specially on interesting characters of Mahabharata like - Karna, Draupadi, Ghatokatcha and so on.

Some of the incidents are repeated multiple times in the books. However the book is worth a read for someone who is aware about basic facts of Mahabharata. The author has given a decent shot to cover some of unknown facets of Mahabharata.

[Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The outlines of the Mahabharta and the life trajectories of the major characters are well known to every Indian, whether or not they have read the epic. We've been exposed to it since our childhoods and B.R.Chopra's fantastic TV series influenced the entire nation - cities and towns across the nations would virtually go into what we now call lockdown when the series aired on Sunday mornings on Doordarshan, the national (and only!) broadcaster. Many of us read the many Amar Chitra Katha comic books which embedded the visual characterization of many of the characters in our mind.

We all know of the good cousins - the Pandavas, their ongoing struggle from birth with their 100 Kaurava cousins who were jealous of them. We feel sorrow for the accident of birth of Karna which led him to the side of the Kauravas, the might of Bhima, the archery of Arjuna, the self-respect of Draupadi, the Empress of India and the divine presence of Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, throughout the epic.

Reading the Mahabharata itself though presented its own challenges as it is the largest epic in the world. There's of course C.Rajagopalachari's wonderful (and extremely) abridged version of the Mahabharata and now recently Dr.Bibek Debroy's 10 volume literal translation of the entire epic - there's nothing in between for the reader who needed the details of specific characters and incidents. This is exactly where Ami Ganatra's book Mahabharata Unravelled - Lesser-known Facets of a Well-known History fits in.

The author addresses the many misplaced myths that have become part of the epic due to it retelling in popular culture which differ from the authoritative text. She also re-examines some commonly accepted understandings about the epic - for example was Karna really a good friend of Duryodhana or was he just using Duryodhana to fulfil his own personal ambitions? The chapters on Draupadi and Kunti bring out the characteristics of a warrior queen and how they behaved across varying situations of governing a larger empire or living in a hermitage in the jungle.

The highlight of the book is that almost every section has a reference that provides the section in the original text that the interested reader could refer to for more details. Given the size of the Mahabharata, the wealth of narratives, stories, advice and the characters who are spread across this ocean, we hope the author can come out with a second volume that brings out highlights more of these.

I am grateful to Indic Academy for providing me an opportunity to read and review this wonderful book which I will be dipping into again and again.

[Apurupa Guntupalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the compilation of the lesser known details is comprehensive and much needed, the writing was left a little lacking. Nevertheless, the intent and determination of the author in bringing to light the multiple facets of such a grand account of Indian history shines through. To have been refreshed about the nuances of Mahabharata and to have been re-educated of its all encompassing nature was worth the read.

[Shazzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic and a must read

[Remya Mohanraj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read, reread, told and retold a zillion times over and over; interpreted in a multitude of ways, Mahabharata fits into every definition an extraordinary epic. Nested within the larger plot are numerous anecdotes. Similar to many other Indian kids, these were narrated to me by my mother as did her grandmother to her aiming to ingrain the virtues and values from these stories into young minds. One that continues to inspire me is the story of Arjuna and the parrot . Karna’s unwavering devotion to Duryodhana, Bhishma’s resolve and righteousness, Krishna’s supreme intellect;his relationship with Arjuna, Ekalavya’s reverence to Dhrona, Viduhra’s wisdom are all equally awe inspiring.

I was naturally attracted to this book when I spotted it on one of my friend’s reading list and I throughly enjoyed reading it. Through this book, Amy retells the story of Mahabharata, making it more relatable to contemporary readers and prompts the reader to look beneath the surface for deeper insights. There are life lessons to be leant from each one of its characters and Amy has done a wonderful job of decoding them through her unprejudiced portrayals . Her own perspectives of the various aspects of the epic are quite thought provoking and she provides rational explanations based on research.

Regardless of weather it’s a historical account or just a great story, Mahabharata tells us a great deal about the time period around which it was composed. The author cites evidences pointing to the fact that events recorded in this epic could be dated to alteast 5000 BC. This clearly attests to the antiquity, rich cultural heritage and the enormity of Indian subcontinent stretching back to pre-vedic times!

[Simple · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is brilliantly researched and well-articulated. The book starts well by giving a brief history of Mahabharata in pointers. Then proceeded to address other nitty-gritty of Mahabharata. The book is a good guide who wants to have an objective approach to Arjuna Vs. Karna as the warrior; Dharma vs. Adharma; righteousness in the face of adversity. I had read the points of Karna's arrogance and his defeats in the hand of Bhima and Satyaki apart from arjuna in the book "Karna on trial" and also that Bhima had not drunk the blood of Dushanansa in the book " Those eighteen days".
But the book presented some new perspectives that had not been mentioned in other books. The hoax that Draupadi had laughed at Duryodhana and made a sly remark about his father being blind has not been discussed anywhere in Mahabharata. Also, the defeat of Arjuna by his son in Manipur and the anecdotal stories Kunti shared when she had to inspire Yudhistra. Also, the courage of Shwet, the other son of Virata, has been new to me and many other stories.
Overall this book has been fast-paced, coherent in different chapters, well researched, and covered many topics. This book is a respite in the age of rendition and spoiling the original text by adding the underdog context and scandalous love stories.

[Aparna Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Mahabharata. As someone constantly searching for new insights and facts about this great epic, I found it incredibly enlightening. This book made me aware of how certain events and characters are inaccurately or differently portrayed in popular culture. Some chapters were truly eye-opening, reshaping my understanding and bringing me closer to the actual essence of the Mahabharata. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to explore the truth behind this timeless epic.

[Sumit Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mahabharat is a gift that keeps on giving.

Mahabharata Unravelled is the latest one in a series of books that explores the epic. What sets it apart is that rather than being influenced by the numerous other books that have come before it, it keeps the focus on Ved Vyas Ji's version.

The first part of the book also has the Bharata family tree which helps in understanding the scope of the entire epic. With so many characters and interrelations between all the clans and kingdoms of Bharatvarsha, it helps in understanding how the family dynamic worked. It also has the map of India detailing the prominent kingdoms who took part in the war.

The second part is the meaty part of the book. This book is the first I have come across in my limited exposure to the epic that does justice to characters that are not Arjun, Karna or Krishna. The book will go down in history for explaining why Yudhishthir was followed by the Pandavs, why Draupadi was one of the best female characters in the epic (and not just a pretty but haughty lady, as the popular culture has presented) and why Karna is not that good as we think he is. The best chapters in the book are the one on the friendship between Karna and Duryodhan, and the one on the friendship between Arjun and Krishna.

All in all, the book is successful in dispelling a lot of faux knowledge about the epic and can be a starting point for those who want to explore the epic in the original text. We need more authentic texts rather than reimaginations of the best book ever written.