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The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering #1-2
The Mahabharata: a Modern Rendering
The Mahabharata is the more recent of India’s two great Epics, and by far the longer. First composed by the Maharishi Vyasa in verse, some 5000 years ago, it has come down the centuries in the timeless oral tradition of guru and sishya, master and disciple, profoundly influencing the history, culture and art of not only the Indian subcontinent but most of South-east Asia. At 100,000 slokas, couplets, it is more than seven times as long as the Odyssey and the Iliad combined: far and away the longest recorded Epic known to man, which millions also believe to be the greatest story ever told.
The Mahabharata is the very Book of Life – in its sheer variety, majesty, the incredible perfection of its composition and, also, its inescapable violence and tragedy. It has been famously said that nothing exists in this world that cannot be found in the pages of this awesome Legend. The war on Kurukshetra sees ten million warriors slaughtered, bringing the Dwapara Yuga to an end, and ushering in a new and sinister age: the present Kali Yuga, modern times.
At the heart of the Mahabharata nestles the Bhagavad Gita, the Song of God. Senayor Ubhayor madhye – between two teeming armies, Krishna expounds the eternal dharma to Arjuna, his warrior of light. At one level, all the relentless action of the Mahabharata is a quest for the Gita and its sacred stillness. After the carnage, it the Gita that survives – immortal lotus floating upon the dark waters of desolation: the final secret!
With its magnificent cast of characters – human, demonic and divine – and its riveting narrative, the Mahabharata continues to enchant lay readers and scholars alike, the world over. This new rendering brings the Epic to the contemporary reader in vivid modern prose. It brings alive all the excitement, magic and grandeur of the original – for our times.
The Mahabharata is the very Book of Life – in its sheer variety, majesty, the incredible perfection of its composition and, also, its inescapable violence and tragedy. It has been famously said that nothing exists in this world that cannot be found in the pages of this awesome Legend. The war on Kurukshetra sees ten million warriors slaughtered, bringing the Dwapara Yuga to an end, and ushering in a new and sinister age: the present Kali Yuga, modern times.
At the heart of the Mahabharata nestles the Bhagavad Gita, the Song of God. Senayor Ubhayor madhye – between two teeming armies, Krishna expounds the eternal dharma to Arjuna, his warrior of light. At one level, all the relentless action of the Mahabharata is a quest for the Gita and its sacred stillness. After the carnage, it the Gita that survives – immortal lotus floating upon the dark waters of desolation: the final secret!
With its magnificent cast of characters – human, demonic and divine – and its riveting narrative, the Mahabharata continues to enchant lay readers and scholars alike, the world over. This new rendering brings the Epic to the contemporary reader in vivid modern prose. It brings alive all the excitement, magic and grandeur of the original – for our times.
1561 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 17, 2020
At the outset of this review, I must immediately admit that I am a big fan of The Mahabharata and that it is singularly my favorite story to read. I do not say my favorite book, because there is no one book on the tale. In fact, part of the reason why The Mahabharata remains as relevant and eternal today as it was all those 5000 years ago is because it can be interpreted any which way possible, limited only by the experiences and perspectives of the authors and readers. In that very sense, there is no book and there is no one story.
Hundreds of authors the world over have interpreted The Mahabharata in their own spirit and millions of readers have found different tales, characters and subplots to relate to, often changing as they themselves grow up and experience new things and gain new perspectives.
The hallmark of any great story lies in the number of times it can adapt itself and be reinterpreted to suit the existing culture and prevalent views, blending seamlessly into it while still maintaining its essence. In that sense, there is no story as vast as The Mahabharata, nor as complete.
Having said that, the narration of the epic by Ramesh Menon is the 6th version of the tale that has crossed my hands. Great authors like Kamala Subramaniam, Devdutt Pattanaik, Maggi Lidchi-Grassi (a French author), Iravati Karve (whose Yuganta was an absolute delight to read and study) and Chitra Divakaruni (The Palace of Illusions is possibly the only modern, feminist retelling that I could appreciate, notwithstanding the hundreds of clones that came after) have adorned my desk (or Kindle) before him.
I make it a point to read the epic once a year, not to see if the story is any different, but to know whether I have changed in the last year. The way I interpret the story tells me a lot about myself.
While it is hard to separate the story from the book in most cases, the intention here is not to review The Mahabharata itself, but rather the interpretation of it by Mr. Menon. The story itself is perhaps the most well-known one in India, with deep roots in every facet of our culture, and still used to justify and vilify actions. It is also one of the most ambiguous stories known to man, introducing us to shades of grey and destroying the concept of black and white characters and situations so much more prominent in The Ramayana, much before it became trendy to have ambiguity and fifty shades of grey in every story we tell.
Evidenced by the fact that no character in the epic, right from Krishna and Yudhishtira to Duryodhana and Shakuni, is purely good or evil, with each using their own version and interpretation of Dharma to justify their actions and ultimately facing the consequence of those actions. Cause and Effect itself is a major theme throughout the epic, with karma playing a big role in how the story pans out. The Butterfly Effect, defined much later, plays itself out in practically every subplot in The Mahabharata, with even the slightest actions having drastic consequence, sometimes immediately and sometimes lifetimes later. Actions and decisions taken by multiple, unrelated characters, across space and time, come together to have consequences which cannot be imagined. The importance of following the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law is emphasized on every page, all the more stark because this is a quality we still have not imbued.
Great people like Bheeshma, Drona and Karna had to die because they knew what Dharma wrote ages ago but forgot why it was written. They followed without questioning, and when the question arose, they had the wrong answer.
Even today, we forget why a particular law, custom or tradition is important and follow them blindly, even as they stagnate, rot and hold society back from progress. The Mahabharata, in its entirety, ultimately asserts why Dharma must be fluid in order to allow progress in the right direction, and why a stagnant Dharma inevitably becomes Adharma and what was once an engine becomes a shackle. In other words, Memetic evolution is as important as Genetic evolution.
Needless to say, The Mahabharata, due to all these many lessons, none of which are very obvious nor are they immune to debate, is a very complicated story. Multiple characters cause conflict, and each is justified in their own motives and destiny. The definition of right and wrong, good and evil becomes excruciatingly difficult, and the only answer may be that it would be impossible to define them without the context, which changes from character to character. As such, it takes an author of extraordinary skill to interpret the story coherently and present it so that the messages are as clear as possible.
Ramesh Menon has been inspired by Kamala Subramaniam, as he states right off the bat. Kamala Subramaniam’s, I must state here, remains my favorite version of the story, given how balanced her approach was, bringing out the ambiguity embedded in the tale with poise and elegance. To write a story like this without bias is extremely difficult, given how Krishna is considered a God and how the Pandavas and Kauravas have been immortalized as heroes and villains respectively.
Mr. Menon tries to take the same approach and does succeed in parts. While he tries hard to be balanced, there are places where the bias he holds towards Krishna and the Pandavas comes forth and the tendency to vilify the Kauravas shines through. Yes, the heroes and villains in the story are ultimately clear, but they are not nearly as black and white as one would imagine. The prime example of this would be Krishna himself, the God who came to wipe out adharma in the world. The fact that he himself uses treachery and adharma to do this is constantly justified because he is God and because it is his destiny.
While reading Kamala Subramaniam’s version, one gets the impression that Krishna was an extraordinarily intelligent politician and kingmaker rather than a God, who played the Pandavas much in the same way as Shakuni played the Kauravas to become the most powerful man in the empire. He is subject to human failings and mistakes. In Ramesh Menon’s version, however, he is constantly referred to as a God, all-knowing and practically infallible. This serves to somewhat reduce the ambiguity of the story, and makes the story much clearer, hiding the faults of Yudhishtira and the virtues of Duryodhana.
One other gripe I had with the book was that it was truly inspired by Kamala Subramaniam’s version, and does not really differ from the story she told. There is nothing new Mr. Menon brings to the table, and one would rather read the original than the almost exact retelling presented here, minus the ambiguity. Moreover, there are spelling errors to be found in the book at places, which is unforgivable in this age of editors and proofreaders.
However, the book written by Mr. Menon is exhaustive enough that anyone reading the story for the first time would be introduced to most facets of the exceedingly complicated tale without preaching too much. The author brings forward the apathy of war and the descent of the human race into decadence with an atmosphere of destiny and irrepressible fate, with a sense of epic inevitability, as we enter the Kaliyug and Adharma takes center-stage. Across 2 volumes and 1600 pages, the complex story is presented with grandeur and all the splendor worthy of it. In most cases, I would want books to be short, sweet and deep, but for a story like this, the length is more than justified and in fact, I’d say necessary.
The reader would be left to his own interpretation and that, in my opinion, is the crux of the story. That every reader has the freedom to choose his own heroes, his own villains, his own dharma and his own treachery is the reason why The Mahabharata is as relevant as it is today, as human beings continue to enact the same traits and cycles they did 5000 years ago.
There is no clear message here, and there are no clear guidelines. The end sometimes justifies the means and the means must be justice themselves at other times.
However, one thing remains clear. The Mahabharata is one of the most complete stories ever told, encompassing every shade of human character, of kindness, apathy, destruction and construction, of human failings and eternal hope, of revenge and forgiveness in its pages. As it boasts, everything which exists finds it place in the tale and what does not find its place does not exist. To not read this story from a human perspective would be to rob yourself of something which could fundamentally change the way you look at life and how you interpret situations.
It is, after all, Ithihas.
Hundreds of authors the world over have interpreted The Mahabharata in their own spirit and millions of readers have found different tales, characters and subplots to relate to, often changing as they themselves grow up and experience new things and gain new perspectives.
The hallmark of any great story lies in the number of times it can adapt itself and be reinterpreted to suit the existing culture and prevalent views, blending seamlessly into it while still maintaining its essence. In that sense, there is no story as vast as The Mahabharata, nor as complete.
Having said that, the narration of the epic by Ramesh Menon is the 6th version of the tale that has crossed my hands. Great authors like Kamala Subramaniam, Devdutt Pattanaik, Maggi Lidchi-Grassi (a French author), Iravati Karve (whose Yuganta was an absolute delight to read and study) and Chitra Divakaruni (The Palace of Illusions is possibly the only modern, feminist retelling that I could appreciate, notwithstanding the hundreds of clones that came after) have adorned my desk (or Kindle) before him.
I make it a point to read the epic once a year, not to see if the story is any different, but to know whether I have changed in the last year. The way I interpret the story tells me a lot about myself.
While it is hard to separate the story from the book in most cases, the intention here is not to review The Mahabharata itself, but rather the interpretation of it by Mr. Menon. The story itself is perhaps the most well-known one in India, with deep roots in every facet of our culture, and still used to justify and vilify actions. It is also one of the most ambiguous stories known to man, introducing us to shades of grey and destroying the concept of black and white characters and situations so much more prominent in The Ramayana, much before it became trendy to have ambiguity and fifty shades of grey in every story we tell.
Evidenced by the fact that no character in the epic, right from Krishna and Yudhishtira to Duryodhana and Shakuni, is purely good or evil, with each using their own version and interpretation of Dharma to justify their actions and ultimately facing the consequence of those actions. Cause and Effect itself is a major theme throughout the epic, with karma playing a big role in how the story pans out. The Butterfly Effect, defined much later, plays itself out in practically every subplot in The Mahabharata, with even the slightest actions having drastic consequence, sometimes immediately and sometimes lifetimes later. Actions and decisions taken by multiple, unrelated characters, across space and time, come together to have consequences which cannot be imagined. The importance of following the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law is emphasized on every page, all the more stark because this is a quality we still have not imbued.
Great people like Bheeshma, Drona and Karna had to die because they knew what Dharma wrote ages ago but forgot why it was written. They followed without questioning, and when the question arose, they had the wrong answer.
Even today, we forget why a particular law, custom or tradition is important and follow them blindly, even as they stagnate, rot and hold society back from progress. The Mahabharata, in its entirety, ultimately asserts why Dharma must be fluid in order to allow progress in the right direction, and why a stagnant Dharma inevitably becomes Adharma and what was once an engine becomes a shackle. In other words, Memetic evolution is as important as Genetic evolution.
Needless to say, The Mahabharata, due to all these many lessons, none of which are very obvious nor are they immune to debate, is a very complicated story. Multiple characters cause conflict, and each is justified in their own motives and destiny. The definition of right and wrong, good and evil becomes excruciatingly difficult, and the only answer may be that it would be impossible to define them without the context, which changes from character to character. As such, it takes an author of extraordinary skill to interpret the story coherently and present it so that the messages are as clear as possible.
Ramesh Menon has been inspired by Kamala Subramaniam, as he states right off the bat. Kamala Subramaniam’s, I must state here, remains my favorite version of the story, given how balanced her approach was, bringing out the ambiguity embedded in the tale with poise and elegance. To write a story like this without bias is extremely difficult, given how Krishna is considered a God and how the Pandavas and Kauravas have been immortalized as heroes and villains respectively.
Mr. Menon tries to take the same approach and does succeed in parts. While he tries hard to be balanced, there are places where the bias he holds towards Krishna and the Pandavas comes forth and the tendency to vilify the Kauravas shines through. Yes, the heroes and villains in the story are ultimately clear, but they are not nearly as black and white as one would imagine. The prime example of this would be Krishna himself, the God who came to wipe out adharma in the world. The fact that he himself uses treachery and adharma to do this is constantly justified because he is God and because it is his destiny.
While reading Kamala Subramaniam’s version, one gets the impression that Krishna was an extraordinarily intelligent politician and kingmaker rather than a God, who played the Pandavas much in the same way as Shakuni played the Kauravas to become the most powerful man in the empire. He is subject to human failings and mistakes. In Ramesh Menon’s version, however, he is constantly referred to as a God, all-knowing and practically infallible. This serves to somewhat reduce the ambiguity of the story, and makes the story much clearer, hiding the faults of Yudhishtira and the virtues of Duryodhana.
One other gripe I had with the book was that it was truly inspired by Kamala Subramaniam’s version, and does not really differ from the story she told. There is nothing new Mr. Menon brings to the table, and one would rather read the original than the almost exact retelling presented here, minus the ambiguity. Moreover, there are spelling errors to be found in the book at places, which is unforgivable in this age of editors and proofreaders.
However, the book written by Mr. Menon is exhaustive enough that anyone reading the story for the first time would be introduced to most facets of the exceedingly complicated tale without preaching too much. The author brings forward the apathy of war and the descent of the human race into decadence with an atmosphere of destiny and irrepressible fate, with a sense of epic inevitability, as we enter the Kaliyug and Adharma takes center-stage. Across 2 volumes and 1600 pages, the complex story is presented with grandeur and all the splendor worthy of it. In most cases, I would want books to be short, sweet and deep, but for a story like this, the length is more than justified and in fact, I’d say necessary.
The reader would be left to his own interpretation and that, in my opinion, is the crux of the story. That every reader has the freedom to choose his own heroes, his own villains, his own dharma and his own treachery is the reason why The Mahabharata is as relevant as it is today, as human beings continue to enact the same traits and cycles they did 5000 years ago.
There is no clear message here, and there are no clear guidelines. The end sometimes justifies the means and the means must be justice themselves at other times.
However, one thing remains clear. The Mahabharata is one of the most complete stories ever told, encompassing every shade of human character, of kindness, apathy, destruction and construction, of human failings and eternal hope, of revenge and forgiveness in its pages. As it boasts, everything which exists finds it place in the tale and what does not find its place does not exist. To not read this story from a human perspective would be to rob yourself of something which could fundamentally change the way you look at life and how you interpret situations.
It is, after all, Ithihas.
August 8, 2012
A very sensual, easy to read, fast-paced, novelistic version.
Like all retellings, it shows the author's own idiosyncratic take on the characters and events. He imbues the sex scenes (particularly the sequence in which Kunti summons the Gods to father her children) with luscious detail, has a science-fictional take on the vimanas, and is perhaps excessively fond of some unusual words, like "luculent." But it's generally faithful, and it would be a good first version to read if you have never read one. If you are already familiar with the story, you will almost certainly enjoy this take on it.
It's in two volumes, which are currently going for three dollars each on Kindle at Amazon. The deal of the millennium!
Like all retellings, it shows the author's own idiosyncratic take on the characters and events. He imbues the sex scenes (particularly the sequence in which Kunti summons the Gods to father her children) with luscious detail, has a science-fictional take on the vimanas, and is perhaps excessively fond of some unusual words, like "luculent." But it's generally faithful, and it would be a good first version to read if you have never read one. If you are already familiar with the story, you will almost certainly enjoy this take on it.
It's in two volumes, which are currently going for three dollars each on Kindle at Amazon. The deal of the millennium!
January 21, 2014
A lucid, racy and vivid interpretation of one of the greatest epic's . Once you start, you are compelled to read the next page; Truly UN-putdown able stuff!
Hats off to Ramesh menon for undertaking this humongous effort and coming out with this adaptation of an already spellbinding epic.
Volume 1 covers the events before the war, while volume 2 is , quite astoundingly, all about the 18 day(only) war !
The memorable ups and downs as you read through the battles stay with you forever.
For example.
An indescribable thrill rises up from within as you read through the exploits of daredevil Abhimanyu, all of 16, exploiting loopholes as well as keeping the enemies army and its much more experienced leaders at bay, all with a degree of panache and style that would have made his father burst with pride !
Alas, the sad, if inevitable conclusion to this tale as well as the deep, introspective way in which either sides are portrayed after this seminal event is one of the high-points of this book.
Though i'm not sure of whether i would ever get to read and understand the book in it's original all encompassing avatar, i would surely recommend this edition of the epic as the starting point.
Hats off to Ramesh menon for undertaking this humongous effort and coming out with this adaptation of an already spellbinding epic.
Volume 1 covers the events before the war, while volume 2 is , quite astoundingly, all about the 18 day(only) war !
The memorable ups and downs as you read through the battles stay with you forever.
For example.
An indescribable thrill rises up from within as you read through the exploits of daredevil Abhimanyu, all of 16, exploiting loopholes as well as keeping the enemies army and its much more experienced leaders at bay, all with a degree of panache and style that would have made his father burst with pride !
Alas, the sad, if inevitable conclusion to this tale as well as the deep, introspective way in which either sides are portrayed after this seminal event is one of the high-points of this book.
Though i'm not sure of whether i would ever get to read and understand the book in it's original all encompassing avatar, i would surely recommend this edition of the epic as the starting point.
October 11, 2017
One of the two EPIC BOOKS IN HINDUISM AND INDIAN HISTORY. THE OTHER ONE "THE RAMAYANA ".
THIS TALE TAKES PLACE IN DWAPARA YUGA...ROUGHLY 357 B.C.
IT'S A TALE OF BATTLES BETWEEN DHARMA AND ADHARMA...
LORD VISHNU' S AVATAR SHREE RAM PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN TRETA YUGA DURING THE RAMAYANA TALE..
NOW LORD VISHNU TAKES AVATAR OF SHREE KRISHNA AND PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE MAHABHARATA...
THERE WERE UNBELIEVABLE CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK....THE PANDAVAS (THE SYMBOL OF GOOD) ON ONE SIDE SUPPORTED BY THE GOD HIMSELF (SHREE KRISHNA), AND ON THE OTHER SIDE ARE THE 100 KAURAVAS BROTHERS (THE SYMBOL OF EVIL) SUPPORTED BY MANY MEMORABLE EVIL CHARACTERS..
BOTH THIS SIDE FIGHT A 18 DAYS WAR...ONE SIDE TRY TO RESTORE DHARMA BACK ON EARTH..WHILE THE EVIL SIDE TRY TO SPREAD ADHARMA ON THE EARTH...ON THE 1ST DAY SHREE KRISHNA SINGS "THE BHAGAVAD GITA " TO ARJUNA ..
IF YOU CHOSE TO READ THIS BOOK..YOU WILL HAVE A BREATHTAKING EXPERIENCE AND ALSO LEARN ..LOTS OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND PREDICTED DURING THIS TIME ...IT'S HAPPENING IN THIS EVIL FILLED KALI YUGA AND IT'S TRUE...
THIS BOOK IS ANOTHER ONE ON THE LIST THAT HAS DONE AND EXCELLENT JOB TO CHANGE MYSELF AND MY APPROACH AND VIEWS TO MY LIFE AND WORLD AROUND ME...
JAI SHREE KRISHNA 🙏🙏🙏🙏
THIS TALE TAKES PLACE IN DWAPARA YUGA...ROUGHLY 357 B.C.
IT'S A TALE OF BATTLES BETWEEN DHARMA AND ADHARMA...
LORD VISHNU' S AVATAR SHREE RAM PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN TRETA YUGA DURING THE RAMAYANA TALE..
NOW LORD VISHNU TAKES AVATAR OF SHREE KRISHNA AND PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE MAHABHARATA...
THERE WERE UNBELIEVABLE CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK....THE PANDAVAS (THE SYMBOL OF GOOD) ON ONE SIDE SUPPORTED BY THE GOD HIMSELF (SHREE KRISHNA), AND ON THE OTHER SIDE ARE THE 100 KAURAVAS BROTHERS (THE SYMBOL OF EVIL) SUPPORTED BY MANY MEMORABLE EVIL CHARACTERS..
BOTH THIS SIDE FIGHT A 18 DAYS WAR...ONE SIDE TRY TO RESTORE DHARMA BACK ON EARTH..WHILE THE EVIL SIDE TRY TO SPREAD ADHARMA ON THE EARTH...ON THE 1ST DAY SHREE KRISHNA SINGS "THE BHAGAVAD GITA " TO ARJUNA ..
IF YOU CHOSE TO READ THIS BOOK..YOU WILL HAVE A BREATHTAKING EXPERIENCE AND ALSO LEARN ..LOTS OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND PREDICTED DURING THIS TIME ...IT'S HAPPENING IN THIS EVIL FILLED KALI YUGA AND IT'S TRUE...
THIS BOOK IS ANOTHER ONE ON THE LIST THAT HAS DONE AND EXCELLENT JOB TO CHANGE MYSELF AND MY APPROACH AND VIEWS TO MY LIFE AND WORLD AROUND ME...
JAI SHREE KRISHNA 🙏🙏🙏🙏
August 6, 2010
There can be nothing more timeless than The Mahabharata. Ramesh Menon renders the Mahabharata with a distinct taste of the old art of story telling. The Mahabharata contains the greatest characters and the greatest dialogues ever and is befittingly titled too.
After reading the Mahabharata one realizes that every story ever told is just borrowed from some sub plot of this great epic.
Even the villains in this great epic win your heart and the most inconsequential characters are so full of honor.
I am proud to belong to a country from where an epic like the Mahabharata was born.
After reading the Mahabharata one realizes that every story ever told is just borrowed from some sub plot of this great epic.
Even the villains in this great epic win your heart and the most inconsequential characters are so full of honor.
I am proud to belong to a country from where an epic like the Mahabharata was born.
April 4, 2017
1600 pages! Phew!
June 27, 2015
(Writing this half way into the Vol 2)
If you are looking for a JRR Tolkien version of the Vyasa epic, this is not the book. This is an abridged version for the millennials to appreciate the richness of story play, character building and moral ethics. This book in a very simple way depicts the great epic as a singular threaded story. It has succeeded in showing how Indian culture was totally moral and immoral at the same time with lofty price for values, family and friendship. You will definitely find all the important characters, their struggle with morality, twists and turns as suited for a great epic and enjoy the somber evening and a definite read for people reading about this for the first time.
However, the book fails to satisfy the affluent reader who knows the story very well and looks for all the nuances which was not easily accessible. Some of the background stories are indeed explained especially in the Vol. I, however the Vol.2 leans more towards the recital of Bhagawad Gita and the gray areas of Shakuni's story and few others such as Barbarik are either mentioned on the offing or not there at all.
Would definitely give it a 3.5 out of 5 for the magnificent effort for even attempting this and turning into a page turner.
If you are looking for a JRR Tolkien version of the Vyasa epic, this is not the book. This is an abridged version for the millennials to appreciate the richness of story play, character building and moral ethics. This book in a very simple way depicts the great epic as a singular threaded story. It has succeeded in showing how Indian culture was totally moral and immoral at the same time with lofty price for values, family and friendship. You will definitely find all the important characters, their struggle with morality, twists and turns as suited for a great epic and enjoy the somber evening and a definite read for people reading about this for the first time.
However, the book fails to satisfy the affluent reader who knows the story very well and looks for all the nuances which was not easily accessible. Some of the background stories are indeed explained especially in the Vol. I, however the Vol.2 leans more towards the recital of Bhagawad Gita and the gray areas of Shakuni's story and few others such as Barbarik are either mentioned on the offing or not there at all.
Would definitely give it a 3.5 out of 5 for the magnificent effort for even attempting this and turning into a page turner.
June 2, 2012
The Mahabharata being a timeless classical tale of love, power, fratricide and politics.....Menon has done a great job in translating it . Being an abridged version it makes it easier for the reader to read it through like a novel skipping the heavier prologues. A must read for the young reader to understand the Indian epics..
August 31, 2015
Well it took me like 27 hours (24 days) to finish this but it was all worth it. Written between 300 BC and 300 AD it is considered the greatest spiritual epic of all time. The book largely concerns two groups of warring cousins symbolizing the fight between good and evil. The modern retelling I read does a wonderful job of preserving the Indian spiritual vibe of the original but it is also written in a way the modern reader will understand. The book deals very much with early developments of Hinduism and I found it was like entering a magical world full of heroes, monsters, gods, and war. Every fantasy novel, every science fiction novel has been influenced by this text (whether they know it or not). You are completely immersed in another world that is so fantastic, so magical it is incomprehensible it was written so long ago. I am so glad I took the time to read this, it is such an important basis for all literature. This book kind of changed me as a person. I just found it to be really spiritually inspirational and I'm sure I will keep coming back to it throughout my life.
February 22, 2014
A brilliant translation of an epic story that, in my opinion, has absolutely no parallel. It has taken me more than 4 months to read this book, and its probably the most time i have ever taken, but the sheer magnitude of the story, the characters and the plot makes for very interesting reading. The principles and the "dharma" on which the entire story is based is true to this era, and it surprises me that we are not even half as spiritual or philosophical as our ancestors were. Mahabharata is a saga of philosophy and there is hardly a topic in human life that is not touched in the book. For people who love politics, almost everything that a ruler, a leader should be doing is also clearly mapped out in the end chapters of the book.
It'll need patience, but the book is worth a read.
It'll need patience, but the book is worth a read.
December 17, 2007
This fluid and accessible version of the Mahabharata is by an Indian journalist and novelist, and as a result, the account is like reading a novel. I find that I can't wait to get back to it. Even though it consists of two large volumes, it is still an abridged version. The long prologue has been omitted. However, it's a wonderful introduction to the story of the Pandavas, Drapaudi, and Krishna. A great read.
July 21, 2013
Liked it.. Hats off to the author for his deep understanding in the Epic.. Salute for the effort to put in paper
March 26, 2026
When something is this great, I just end up staring at an empty review box because I feel too dumb to come up with words about how great it is. That's really all I have to say. The Mahabharata has spoken for itself for a long time, and it still speaks for itself.
"When you act during the day, think of the night, which will surely come. Do nothing by the sun that will rob you of sleep or visit you with nightmares, when darkness falls. Let your youth be as the day; use it to make your old age calm and joyful. Let your whole life be as a bright day, live it so your hereafter is blessed."
"When you act during the day, think of the night, which will surely come. Do nothing by the sun that will rob you of sleep or visit you with nightmares, when darkness falls. Let your youth be as the day; use it to make your old age calm and joyful. Let your whole life be as a bright day, live it so your hereafter is blessed."
August 16, 2024
The GOAT!!
March 6, 2016
The Mahabharata is an epic from ancient times which is a “narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes, the Mahabharata contains philosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four “goals of life” or purusharthas “ (Source: Wikipedia). It is believed by the faithful, that the epic was narrated by Sage Vyasa and penned by none other than Lord Ganesha himself.
Since time immemorial. this Indian epic has been told and retold by countless authors, poets and writers. However, I should admit that my early introductions to Mahabharata didn’t really hit the right note. A major part of the reason was because of the literature heavy translations that were too archaic for me. Our elders made sure we studied the fat books that had both Sanskrit Shlokas (verses) with the actual translation in English or Telugu.
Being born in the novel and story-liking generation of the 80s and the 90s, the efforts of our elders were lost out on my poor brain. But when someone spoke to me about Ramesh Menon’s retelling of the Mahabharata, I decided to give it a shot. And boy, I was hooked! That was followed immediately by a feeling of realization! Like many who have read the epic, I had the honor of experiencing the profound meaning hidden in the story of love, hate, politics, war and revenge. It is relevant in any generation and for any culture as long as it is not labelled as belonging to a particular religion or faith.
Menon has painstakingly researched, understood and reproduced the essence of the epic in a way that appeals to every reader. Don’t ever get fooled or overwhelmed by the size of of the two volumes. Every page you turn gives you a feeling of ‘what’s gonna happen next!’. I know it sounds like a novel, but Menon’s effort to balance an extremely heavy epic into current generation’s relevance is outstanding.
On a critical note, there are a few instances, where certain characters or events have been randomly thrown in without warning or with little explanation of their significance. That aspect however, made me research a bit more on their background which was fun. But hey, there’s only so much you can do to abridge a humongous epic, which is ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined, into two interesting volumes!
So go ahead and grab yourself a copy of the The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering by Ramesh Menon or gift it to someone you love or even hate! They will get the point!
Since time immemorial. this Indian epic has been told and retold by countless authors, poets and writers. However, I should admit that my early introductions to Mahabharata didn’t really hit the right note. A major part of the reason was because of the literature heavy translations that were too archaic for me. Our elders made sure we studied the fat books that had both Sanskrit Shlokas (verses) with the actual translation in English or Telugu.
Being born in the novel and story-liking generation of the 80s and the 90s, the efforts of our elders were lost out on my poor brain. But when someone spoke to me about Ramesh Menon’s retelling of the Mahabharata, I decided to give it a shot. And boy, I was hooked! That was followed immediately by a feeling of realization! Like many who have read the epic, I had the honor of experiencing the profound meaning hidden in the story of love, hate, politics, war and revenge. It is relevant in any generation and for any culture as long as it is not labelled as belonging to a particular religion or faith.
Menon has painstakingly researched, understood and reproduced the essence of the epic in a way that appeals to every reader. Don’t ever get fooled or overwhelmed by the size of of the two volumes. Every page you turn gives you a feeling of ‘what’s gonna happen next!’. I know it sounds like a novel, but Menon’s effort to balance an extremely heavy epic into current generation’s relevance is outstanding.
On a critical note, there are a few instances, where certain characters or events have been randomly thrown in without warning or with little explanation of their significance. That aspect however, made me research a bit more on their background which was fun. But hey, there’s only so much you can do to abridge a humongous epic, which is ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined, into two interesting volumes!
So go ahead and grab yourself a copy of the The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering by Ramesh Menon or gift it to someone you love or even hate! They will get the point!
October 18, 2015
I already miss it. Even though the story is familiar, and the poem is abridged in this prose version, I could not stop reading. Even though I wanted to stop many times--violence and tragedy aren't my usual reading list fare. But, I don't know why I'm complaining. The Mahabharata is a story that strikes deep in the heart, and it never ends.
This "modern rendering" keeps the storyline clear and exciting. The Mahabharata is a very long read, and to make it manageable, this version had to move the story along quickly. But that meant that I could only read a little at a time, to absorb the drama's effect. I'm still reading through the Appendix notes for more of the details that this author did not include in the main text. Still, I would recommend this book-- a good way to take in the great story and to realize the context of the beautiful Bhagavad Gita.
This "modern rendering" keeps the storyline clear and exciting. The Mahabharata is a very long read, and to make it manageable, this version had to move the story along quickly. But that meant that I could only read a little at a time, to absorb the drama's effect. I'm still reading through the Appendix notes for more of the details that this author did not include in the main text. Still, I would recommend this book-- a good way to take in the great story and to realize the context of the beautiful Bhagavad Gita.
July 13, 2015
Amazing read. Read it on my new Kindle paperwhite; really enjoyed the lucid narration of the author. He has presented the story with lot of details in a fast paced fashion while retaining the bhakti/philosopy.
June 9, 2012
This is one of the very greatest and most complex and most alive books ever written
June 13, 2013
If all books in the world happened to be written by one single person, then this would have to be his magnum opus!
May 16, 2026
‘The aphorism of a legendary philosopher: that eating was the first of all pleasures!’
August 25, 2020
Mernon’s lively paraphrase relies on two previous English translations of the third century Sanskrit epic poem by Vyāsa. It is a lively retelling of the events leading up to and following a war of succession between rival cousins which occurred in a time so ancient that gods and humans freely moved between heaven and earth. In this the tale resembles the Greek Iliad, although Mernon notes that the 100,000 couplets of the original are “seven times as long as the Iliad and the Odyssey combined.” his version runs to two volumes of 1606 pages when added together.
It is a long read, but an exciting one of wonders, God, gods, miraculous occurrences, court intrigues, visits to heavenly realms, jungles filled with gigantic demons, and heroic actions. The book is as action filled as a superhero movie with dramatic scenes of long smoldering emotions bursting into flame. At the end of volume one the five Pandava brothers (the good guys) and their wife have ended their thirteen-year exile and humiliated their demonic cousin Duryodhana and his army. All ancient India stands on the brink of a war that will end the era and usher in a new age.
Volume 2 is the war itself told in gruesome detail followed more briefly by its aftermath and consequences. In addition to many fantastic duels between combatants in their chariots and, incidentally, the casual slaughter of thousands of their supporting foot soldiers.
Just before it begins, there is a profound revelation of divine wisdom. Krishna, a cousin of the Pandavas and their opponents, has vowed not to fight in the war. But he does volunteer to drive the chariot of Arjuna, the most skilled archer and fighter of the brothers. Just before the battle starts, Arjuna, after pausing for prayer, begins to tremble. Shaking, he drops his bow (a supernatural weapon) and bewails the prospect of this internecine battle with his kin. Krishna then reveals himself as an avatar (a divine incarnation) and expounds at length on why Arjuna as a kshatriya (a member of the hereditary military caste) must do his duty, the larger significance of this war, and the vast scope of cosmic reality, of which this is a small part. Cosmology, time, fate, the interconnectedness of all, and Hindu ethics are detailed. This section is known as the Bhagavad Gita (in English, “The Song of God”). It is often published separately and considered sacred scripture by Hindus.
Immediately following this sublime episode, the bloodshed begins. Eighteen days and a night of heroic duels, vengeance, and horrific slaughter between sworn enemies and bitter rivals in a civil war that nearly extinguishes the kshatriya caste entirely. Only enough survive to carry out a few equally gruesome vendettas before peace is truly established. But by then the age has ended. The rest of the epic continues until the death of the principal characters and the reader sees them in their place of eternal rest.
Mernon uses Sanskrit terms throughout that are translated into English in glossaries appended to each volume. This gives his version an authentic voice, which he enhances by his extensive English vocabulary to add color, especially when describing the appearance of a supernatural being. For example, in volume one he describes the appearance of the sun god Surya as “the coruscant Deva.” Later when Bheema, another Pandava brother, suddenly finds himself in the clutch of an immense demon snake, “moist, mottled, yellow and green,” the author writes, “The cold dampness and purulence of those coils were more than he could bear.” My dictionary and the Internet got a good workout, but it was always rewarding. I learned that coruscant is not just the capital of the Evil Empire in Star Wars; it’s an adjective that means glittering or sparkling and that purulence means foaming pus.
It is a long read, but an exciting one of wonders, God, gods, miraculous occurrences, court intrigues, visits to heavenly realms, jungles filled with gigantic demons, and heroic actions. The book is as action filled as a superhero movie with dramatic scenes of long smoldering emotions bursting into flame. At the end of volume one the five Pandava brothers (the good guys) and their wife have ended their thirteen-year exile and humiliated their demonic cousin Duryodhana and his army. All ancient India stands on the brink of a war that will end the era and usher in a new age.
Volume 2 is the war itself told in gruesome detail followed more briefly by its aftermath and consequences. In addition to many fantastic duels between combatants in their chariots and, incidentally, the casual slaughter of thousands of their supporting foot soldiers.
Just before it begins, there is a profound revelation of divine wisdom. Krishna, a cousin of the Pandavas and their opponents, has vowed not to fight in the war. But he does volunteer to drive the chariot of Arjuna, the most skilled archer and fighter of the brothers. Just before the battle starts, Arjuna, after pausing for prayer, begins to tremble. Shaking, he drops his bow (a supernatural weapon) and bewails the prospect of this internecine battle with his kin. Krishna then reveals himself as an avatar (a divine incarnation) and expounds at length on why Arjuna as a kshatriya (a member of the hereditary military caste) must do his duty, the larger significance of this war, and the vast scope of cosmic reality, of which this is a small part. Cosmology, time, fate, the interconnectedness of all, and Hindu ethics are detailed. This section is known as the Bhagavad Gita (in English, “The Song of God”). It is often published separately and considered sacred scripture by Hindus.
Immediately following this sublime episode, the bloodshed begins. Eighteen days and a night of heroic duels, vengeance, and horrific slaughter between sworn enemies and bitter rivals in a civil war that nearly extinguishes the kshatriya caste entirely. Only enough survive to carry out a few equally gruesome vendettas before peace is truly established. But by then the age has ended. The rest of the epic continues until the death of the principal characters and the reader sees them in their place of eternal rest.
Mernon uses Sanskrit terms throughout that are translated into English in glossaries appended to each volume. This gives his version an authentic voice, which he enhances by his extensive English vocabulary to add color, especially when describing the appearance of a supernatural being. For example, in volume one he describes the appearance of the sun god Surya as “the coruscant Deva.” Later when Bheema, another Pandava brother, suddenly finds himself in the clutch of an immense demon snake, “moist, mottled, yellow and green,” the author writes, “The cold dampness and purulence of those coils were more than he could bear.” My dictionary and the Internet got a good workout, but it was always rewarding. I learned that coruscant is not just the capital of the Evil Empire in Star Wars; it’s an adjective that means glittering or sparkling and that purulence means foaming pus.
March 1, 2018
The Mahabharata – the great war; is one of the India’s greatest epics. This epic, written in 100,000 couplets describes the great war between cousins for the rightful succession of the throne - Panadavas and Kauravas.
How to describe it? I guess no words in any language can encompass the true magnificence and grandeur of this beautiful book. It has every known element of every known language- gods, humans, demons, celestial nymphs, gurus, saints, eunuch along with love, hate, rage, honor, war, occult weapons, reincarnation, incarnation, exile, scorned lovers, relationships between man-woman, between siblings, between teacher-student , between human-god, between god-demon……………. And to top it all, it is said to have occurred in India 5000 years ago. Yes, it is a true story. And there are have been particular findings to corroborate the same.
And how could we forget Gita, the philosophy of life narrated by Lord Krishna. It forms the heart of Mahabharata.
Originally in Sanskrit, Ved Vyasa, who is also one of the foremost characters, narrated the whole story to Lord Ganesha who wrote it down. There are multiple characters along with multiple stories and they all link to each other to form a whole picture which leads to the Mahabharata- the great war of 18 days which according to Hindu Mythology marked the end of an era.
Ramesh Menon hasn’t missed out on a single detail and it is so beautifully translated that the essence of the Sanskrit is not lost. There are certain incidents which have been written in such detail, that you can actually picture it and imagine it and feel it .Please please please do read these books. I am telling you, your concept about literature, reading, books will change completely. This is something which shouldn’t be missed. To all those who want to read Mahabharata, these books are amazing.
Lightning fact : According to Hindus, Mahabharata is not supposed to be kept in the house, since it promotes negativity and quarrels. (Even my mom believed it. She made me sit in the garden to read the books and when I was finally on last chapter, she figured English Mahabharata doesn’t count. Moms are supercute, aren’t they? )
How to describe it? I guess no words in any language can encompass the true magnificence and grandeur of this beautiful book. It has every known element of every known language- gods, humans, demons, celestial nymphs, gurus, saints, eunuch along with love, hate, rage, honor, war, occult weapons, reincarnation, incarnation, exile, scorned lovers, relationships between man-woman, between siblings, between teacher-student , between human-god, between god-demon……………. And to top it all, it is said to have occurred in India 5000 years ago. Yes, it is a true story. And there are have been particular findings to corroborate the same.
And how could we forget Gita, the philosophy of life narrated by Lord Krishna. It forms the heart of Mahabharata.
Originally in Sanskrit, Ved Vyasa, who is also one of the foremost characters, narrated the whole story to Lord Ganesha who wrote it down. There are multiple characters along with multiple stories and they all link to each other to form a whole picture which leads to the Mahabharata- the great war of 18 days which according to Hindu Mythology marked the end of an era.
Ramesh Menon hasn’t missed out on a single detail and it is so beautifully translated that the essence of the Sanskrit is not lost. There are certain incidents which have been written in such detail, that you can actually picture it and imagine it and feel it .Please please please do read these books. I am telling you, your concept about literature, reading, books will change completely. This is something which shouldn’t be missed. To all those who want to read Mahabharata, these books are amazing.
Lightning fact : According to Hindus, Mahabharata is not supposed to be kept in the house, since it promotes negativity and quarrels. (Even my mom believed it. She made me sit in the garden to read the books and when I was finally on last chapter, she figured English Mahabharata doesn’t count. Moms are supercute, aren’t they? )
December 1, 2017
As I have said in the review of Part 1 - a timeless classic. But everytime I read a version from another writer I learn a lot more. This tale is like a river, nourished by just so many small streams melting into it and giving it the grandness and diversity.
This version is an abridged version of the original but has covered a lot of events in detail. As a modern reader sometimes you wonder if all the details were required but one must remember that this is part of history and hence there will be details. If you want to read versions of this tale in a story form then there are many other authors you can refer to like Devdutt Patnaik, Ashok Bakar etc.
I am just too invested in this tale to say anything negative about it ever. This deserves a Hollywood TV series without the usual protests which happen in this country. Hope to see this before my term ends
This version is an abridged version of the original but has covered a lot of events in detail. As a modern reader sometimes you wonder if all the details were required but one must remember that this is part of history and hence there will be details. If you want to read versions of this tale in a story form then there are many other authors you can refer to like Devdutt Patnaik, Ashok Bakar etc.
I am just too invested in this tale to say anything negative about it ever. This deserves a Hollywood TV series without the usual protests which happen in this country. Hope to see this before my term ends
August 3, 2018
If someone today wants to start reading the genre of Mythology (or speculative fiction), I would recommend to start with this. It's a masterpiece by Ramesh Menon, well researched, no sides taken, simply outstanding.
August 28, 2018
I read this like a woman possessed! It is the well-known epic, delivered with exceptional prose and story-telling. I found myself being overwhelmed by the sheer profundity of the story at many places. Leaves me with a deep introspective feeling that is going to be with me for a very long time.
November 11, 2016
Awesome. Take the plunge into this tome, especially if it's outside your usual fare. This and the same author's Ramayana are highly recommended.
December 31, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this behemoth of an epic.
Living in India now for 5 years I've heard of the Pandavas being mentioned only a few times although I did witness a riverside possession ceremony in which 5 men were said to be possessed by the Pandava's spirits.
Krishna is another story altogether, I've heard much about him in my time here.
Krishna's likeness and idols are to be found everywhere!
The Bhagavad Gita is highly regarded by the members of Iskcon too.
I appreciate Menon's retelling of this story and I especially liked that he tells where his retelling leaves out large sections form the Ganguli translation (the first complete English translation of the Mahabharata). Apparently this retelling leaves out thousands of pages worth of tangent tales which are recorded in the Ganguli translation. It doesn't seem to take away from the storyline though as most of these stories are completely unrelated.
The cast of characters is so broad, but the introduction to each is well-paced and long.
I think the Mahabharata does well to explain itself in claiming that, as it's events take place in the Dwarpa Yuga- a time where gods still roam the earth- there are many miraculous events which take place like:
Drona- A man born as a result of a king ejaculating semen into a pot/ leaf.
The Pandavas- Each born to Kunti who had intercourse with a different god to bear each of them.
The Kauravas- Born as one giant nasty lump of goo, then divided into 100 jars of oil in which they develop into fetuses.
Curses- People have the power to curse others and destroy their future. Even Krishna gets cursed by a woman. It's interesting that even the gods are at the mercy of humans when it comes to cursing or rewarding tapasya.
Much is explained about Dharma, that was helpful in clarifying the justice or injustice of certain actions.
At the end I was left perplexed, here are a few points:
1. Drona demanded guru dakshin from Ekalavya, a low caste who became a better archer than Arjuna. He intentionally cripples the low caste man so that Arjuna's position as world's best archer won't be threatened.
He does this by demanding that Ekalavya give him his thumb.
2. The house of lac- The Pandavas escape the burning palace meant to kill them and leave behind a low caste woman and her 5 sons (so that Duryodhana will think they died in the fire and won't pursue them).
They intentionally get this family so drunk that they pass out and cannot escape.
They recognise that this is a great sin and that they may have to pay for it later. However, by the end of the epic it's not mentioned again as having been a sin. Yudhishthira in fact is only faulted for having told a white lie during the war, this offense apparently doesn't count.
3. Krishna's family- Krishna has 16,000 wives and later kills his own children and family because he can't leave them on earth after he goes because they are immortal.
4. More on the killing of his family- Krishna needs his clansmen to die before he goes so he gets them roaring drunk and let's them kill each other.
5. Krishna lies- During the war Krishna tells Yudhishthira that he must tell a lie in order to defeat Drona. He then claims that no sin will attach itself to Yudhishthira if he does this.
However, immediately after this lie Yudhishthira's chariot loses its ability to levitate and later he spends an hour in hell all because of this lie.
So we have Krishna not only commanding his follower to sin but lies to him about it.
This doesn't get clarified at the end.
6. Duryodhana- He's the main antagonist of the story but it seems he commits less evil than the Pandavas, he also goes to heaven at the end of the story.
7. Celibacy- As seen in the case of Bheeshma, if one refrains from having sex their entire lives they become invincible!
8.In the Wilderness- During their time in the wilderness, Bheema has multiple sexual encounters with a demoness, who is later described as having regularly serviced the vile and disgusting forest demons before she got with him.
Overall, an enjoyable, at times disturbing, often insightful read.
I'd really like to hear what Hindus have to say about this and how it shapes their views.
I recommend this for anyone interested in India!
Living in India now for 5 years I've heard of the Pandavas being mentioned only a few times although I did witness a riverside possession ceremony in which 5 men were said to be possessed by the Pandava's spirits.
Krishna is another story altogether, I've heard much about him in my time here.
Krishna's likeness and idols are to be found everywhere!
The Bhagavad Gita is highly regarded by the members of Iskcon too.
I appreciate Menon's retelling of this story and I especially liked that he tells where his retelling leaves out large sections form the Ganguli translation (the first complete English translation of the Mahabharata). Apparently this retelling leaves out thousands of pages worth of tangent tales which are recorded in the Ganguli translation. It doesn't seem to take away from the storyline though as most of these stories are completely unrelated.
The cast of characters is so broad, but the introduction to each is well-paced and long.
I think the Mahabharata does well to explain itself in claiming that, as it's events take place in the Dwarpa Yuga- a time where gods still roam the earth- there are many miraculous events which take place like:
Drona- A man born as a result of a king ejaculating semen into a pot/ leaf.
The Pandavas- Each born to Kunti who had intercourse with a different god to bear each of them.
The Kauravas- Born as one giant nasty lump of goo, then divided into 100 jars of oil in which they develop into fetuses.
Curses- People have the power to curse others and destroy their future. Even Krishna gets cursed by a woman. It's interesting that even the gods are at the mercy of humans when it comes to cursing or rewarding tapasya.
Much is explained about Dharma, that was helpful in clarifying the justice or injustice of certain actions.
At the end I was left perplexed, here are a few points:
1. Drona demanded guru dakshin from Ekalavya, a low caste who became a better archer than Arjuna. He intentionally cripples the low caste man so that Arjuna's position as world's best archer won't be threatened.
He does this by demanding that Ekalavya give him his thumb.
2. The house of lac- The Pandavas escape the burning palace meant to kill them and leave behind a low caste woman and her 5 sons (so that Duryodhana will think they died in the fire and won't pursue them).
They intentionally get this family so drunk that they pass out and cannot escape.
They recognise that this is a great sin and that they may have to pay for it later. However, by the end of the epic it's not mentioned again as having been a sin. Yudhishthira in fact is only faulted for having told a white lie during the war, this offense apparently doesn't count.
3. Krishna's family- Krishna has 16,000 wives and later kills his own children and family because he can't leave them on earth after he goes because they are immortal.
4. More on the killing of his family- Krishna needs his clansmen to die before he goes so he gets them roaring drunk and let's them kill each other.
5. Krishna lies- During the war Krishna tells Yudhishthira that he must tell a lie in order to defeat Drona. He then claims that no sin will attach itself to Yudhishthira if he does this.
However, immediately after this lie Yudhishthira's chariot loses its ability to levitate and later he spends an hour in hell all because of this lie.
So we have Krishna not only commanding his follower to sin but lies to him about it.
This doesn't get clarified at the end.
6. Duryodhana- He's the main antagonist of the story but it seems he commits less evil than the Pandavas, he also goes to heaven at the end of the story.
7. Celibacy- As seen in the case of Bheeshma, if one refrains from having sex their entire lives they become invincible!
8.In the Wilderness- During their time in the wilderness, Bheema has multiple sexual encounters with a demoness, who is later described as having regularly serviced the vile and disgusting forest demons before she got with him.
Overall, an enjoyable, at times disturbing, often insightful read.
I'd really like to hear what Hindus have to say about this and how it shapes their views.
I recommend this for anyone interested in India!
January 9, 2023
Though there are dozens of interpretations of the Mahabharata, Ramesh Menon's work strikes a good balance by keeping the narrative clear and modern, while devoting enough space and time to go into specific episodes in the epic.
While my personal preference is to treat this particular epic as periodic light reading material, some folks intent on scholarly studies would benefit from other more detailed works such as the BORI edition, the Ganguly or the MN Dutt editions. However, this is my go-to version of the book as the others can get extremely heavy for a casual reader. Other editions such as the work from Devdutt Pattanaik seem to take too many liberties by playing fast and loose with facts, perhaps to try and keep it more interesting for a very casual reader. This work too does take a few liberties with facts, but I'm willing to overlook this since the author himself claims the work is "A Novel" right on the cover of the book!
While my personal preference is to treat this particular epic as periodic light reading material, some folks intent on scholarly studies would benefit from other more detailed works such as the BORI edition, the Ganguly or the MN Dutt editions. However, this is my go-to version of the book as the others can get extremely heavy for a casual reader. Other editions such as the work from Devdutt Pattanaik seem to take too many liberties by playing fast and loose with facts, perhaps to try and keep it more interesting for a very casual reader. This work too does take a few liberties with facts, but I'm willing to overlook this since the author himself claims the work is "A Novel" right on the cover of the book!
May 31, 2026
The story of Mahabharata is beyond reproach but the rendering in the author's voice is what's getting this rating. The almost modern framing of actions especially when it comes to carnal relations between people was ridiculous. It's purely the author's imagination and it truly broke the pace, tension, and the gravity of the story. Though this is far superior & compulsively readable than some cringe retellings I have had the misfortune of reading, it still made me wonder about the quality (or lack) of his authorial voice if he didn't have the sheer ocean of Mahabharata's unabridged texts.
But I still am already onto the next book, because who on earth can ever resist Mahabharata? Also the sheer effort of consuming unabridged texts and re-rendering it is a bhageeratha prayathna of its own and deserves an applaud. For fans & as in my case for people who are obsessed with our Indian epics this is a must-read.
But I still am already onto the next book, because who on earth can ever resist Mahabharata? Also the sheer effort of consuming unabridged texts and re-rendering it is a bhageeratha prayathna of its own and deserves an applaud. For fans & as in my case for people who are obsessed with our Indian epics this is a must-read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews