What do you think?
Rate this book
The Great Indian Epics Retold #1
Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata
High above the sky stands Swarga, paradise, abode of the gods. Still above is Vaikuntha, heaven, abode of God.The doorkeepers of Vaikuntha are the twins, Jaya and Vijaya, both whose names mean ‘victory’. One keeps you in Swarga; the other raises you into Vaikuntha. In Vaikuntha there is bliss forever, in Swarga there is pleasure for only as long as you deserve.What is the difference between Jaya and Vijaya? Solve this puzzle and you will solve the mystery of the Mahabharata. In this enthralling retelling of India’s greatest epic, the Mahabharata, originally known as Jaya, Devdutt Pattanaik seamlessly weaves into a single narrative plots from the Sanskrit classic as well as its many folk and regional variants, including the Pandavani of Chattisgarh, Gondhal of Maharashtra, Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu, and Yakshagana of Karnataka. Richly illustrated with over 250 line drawings by the author, the 108 chapters abound with little-known details such as the names of the hundred Kauravas, the worship of Draupadi as a goddess in Tamil Nadu, the stories of Astika, Madhavi, Jaimini, Aravan and Barbareek, the Mahabharata version of the Shakuntalam and the Ramayana, and the dating of the war based on astronomical data. With clarity and simplicity, the tales in this elegant volume reveal the eternal relevance of the Mahabharata, the complex and disturbing meditation on the human condition that has shaped Indian thought for over 3000 years.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 14, 2010
1586 people are currently reading
16602 people want to read
About the author
Devdutt Pattanaik
286 books3,325 followersDr. Devdutt Pattanaik (born December 11, 1970) is an Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology, and also management. He has written a number of books related to Hindu mythology, including Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, a novel, The Pregnant King, and Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (2010).
He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY.
He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India
He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY.
He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,529 reviews
February 8, 2014
EDIT: I am stripping a star and retracting the positive aspects of this review (well, at least in statement) in light of later readings. Pattanaik's myths are not to be read to 'know' the myths but only for fun. Think of them as a modern variant of the Amar Chitra Kathas for the modern professional who has no time for unabridged epics!
Original Review:
The book started well as it provided a fresh and clear take on Mahabharata without rationalizations and without apology. Devdutt adopts a very traditional stance and uses his small boxes to put in folk tales and other views on the topics.
Some of the illustrations are breathtaking in their honesty and imagination and is worth every penny spent on the books.
But as the book progresses the reader gets the feeling that the incidents are treated a bit too cursorily. Pattanaik has a wonderful way of looking at things, I only wish he had cared to look deeper with that vision.
The amount of space dedicated to any given incident is too less and this makes the whole exercise a bit too shallow. There is not much new insight in the book if you are familiar with the epic. A few interesting folk tale traditions and the author's take on what the driving philosophy is makes the book a worthwhile read but it all smacks a bit strongly of buddhism.
In the end, I was disappointed that so little was explored by an obviously very insightful author. I will be reading his other books soon with hope for more of the same clarity and less of the cursoriness.
Original Review:
The book started well as it provided a fresh and clear take on Mahabharata without rationalizations and without apology. Devdutt adopts a very traditional stance and uses his small boxes to put in folk tales and other views on the topics.
Some of the illustrations are breathtaking in their honesty and imagination and is worth every penny spent on the books.
But as the book progresses the reader gets the feeling that the incidents are treated a bit too cursorily. Pattanaik has a wonderful way of looking at things, I only wish he had cared to look deeper with that vision.
The amount of space dedicated to any given incident is too less and this makes the whole exercise a bit too shallow. There is not much new insight in the book if you are familiar with the epic. A few interesting folk tale traditions and the author's take on what the driving philosophy is makes the book a worthwhile read but it all smacks a bit strongly of buddhism.
In the end, I was disappointed that so little was explored by an obviously very insightful author. I will be reading his other books soon with hope for more of the same clarity and less of the cursoriness.
May 1, 2022
Retelling and concoction are two entirely different things. It is a concoction. You will easily notice it if you are aware of the facts. This book, the author claims, is for those who want to know the original story of Mahabharata without reading the original text, including kids. Though the author suggests this book is not for kids under 18 (without parental guidance), the book does not even suit those who are introduced to the Mahabharata, even in a scanty manner. Here are some examples:
“Pleased with Kunti’s solution to his situation, Pandu said, ‘Call Yama, who is the lord of dharma, and the model for all kings.’ Kunti used the magic formula, invoked Yama and had a child with him.”
“No, I have been with four men,’ said Kunti. ‘If I call another, I will be known as a whore. So it is decreed in the books of dharma.”
“The expansion continued. Detailed conversations on genealogy, history, geography, astrology, politics, economics, philosophy and metaphysics were included. The Bharata came to have eighteen chapters and over a hundred thousand verses. Even the story of Krishna’s early years, the Harivamsa, was added as an appendix. That is how the Bharata came to be the Mahabharata, the ‘great’ epic of the Indian people."
The mantra becomes magic formula, and Kunti tilts towards being a w*ore, as such... just as this, Bharata becomes Mahabharata. Wah re!
I will add more when I have time on any of the leading book review websites. However, if you are familiar with Devdutt's recent acts on Twitter, you should know what standards he meets.
“Pleased with Kunti’s solution to his situation, Pandu said, ‘Call Yama, who is the lord of dharma, and the model for all kings.’ Kunti used the magic formula, invoked Yama and had a child with him.”
“No, I have been with four men,’ said Kunti. ‘If I call another, I will be known as a whore. So it is decreed in the books of dharma.”
“The expansion continued. Detailed conversations on genealogy, history, geography, astrology, politics, economics, philosophy and metaphysics were included. The Bharata came to have eighteen chapters and over a hundred thousand verses. Even the story of Krishna’s early years, the Harivamsa, was added as an appendix. That is how the Bharata came to be the Mahabharata, the ‘great’ epic of the Indian people."
The mantra becomes magic formula, and Kunti tilts towards being a w*ore, as such... just as this, Bharata becomes Mahabharata. Wah re!
I will add more when I have time on any of the leading book review websites. However, if you are familiar with Devdutt's recent acts on Twitter, you should know what standards he meets.
June 4, 2013
Mr. Devdutt Pattanaik, meet your latest die-hard fan: ME!
Hats off for accomplishing the task of rewriting the Mahabharat in such a lucid easy fashion, fit to be enjoyed by everyone who don’t want to weigh themselves down with dreary details, but taste the brilliance of the world’s longest epic.
Indeed, I had tried several times before this to read the Mahabharat in its entirety, but could never finish it. Not that I was not familiar with the stories: every Indian child is fed on them with their usual quota of ‘dal- chawal’. But I wanted more: I hungered to read them in a continuity -- for chronology, for ease of understanding, and most importantly, for enjoyment. I wanted to know the beginning, the Adi, and the infinite end, the Anant…
Yet, mostly every copy I came across, were either too simplified, (children’s retellings), or super duper complex, with Sanskrit slokas, which I’m ashamed to say, I cannot read.
Until I found this book. It was perfect: exactly what I was looking for.
Not only is the book wonderfully written, it is addictive! It is divided into parts 3 major parts: events leading to the great war of Kurukshetra, the war, and the aftermaths of the war. Each part has further subdivisions each of which further contain many stories. Yet, it does not, not even for once, weigh you down with the many different characters, or their complex relationships with other.
But what I enjoyed the most, were the little boxes at the end of every story which contained commentaries from the author analyzing the specific event. Sometimes they contain tid-bits of how those stories are relevant even today, or how they have seeped into our, and other foreign cultures. Highly informative and fun to read. It is evident that a lot of research went into writing the book, and I always appreciate authors who work hard to gift you that extra something special.
As an added bonus, the book had wonderful sketches by the author himself, which were a treat to admire. Nothing elaborate, but beautiful in their simplicity, glowing in the confidence of the bold strokes.
So, if you have even a MINUTE interest in Indian mythology, grab this book right now! Even if you know the Mahabharat in its entirety, don’t miss it. I promise you it’ll be a treat you won’t regret.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 6 stars.
Hats off for accomplishing the task of rewriting the Mahabharat in such a lucid easy fashion, fit to be enjoyed by everyone who don’t want to weigh themselves down with dreary details, but taste the brilliance of the world’s longest epic.
Indeed, I had tried several times before this to read the Mahabharat in its entirety, but could never finish it. Not that I was not familiar with the stories: every Indian child is fed on them with their usual quota of ‘dal- chawal’. But I wanted more: I hungered to read them in a continuity -- for chronology, for ease of understanding, and most importantly, for enjoyment. I wanted to know the beginning, the Adi, and the infinite end, the Anant…
Yet, mostly every copy I came across, were either too simplified, (children’s retellings), or super duper complex, with Sanskrit slokas, which I’m ashamed to say, I cannot read.
Until I found this book. It was perfect: exactly what I was looking for.
Not only is the book wonderfully written, it is addictive! It is divided into parts 3 major parts: events leading to the great war of Kurukshetra, the war, and the aftermaths of the war. Each part has further subdivisions each of which further contain many stories. Yet, it does not, not even for once, weigh you down with the many different characters, or their complex relationships with other.
But what I enjoyed the most, were the little boxes at the end of every story which contained commentaries from the author analyzing the specific event. Sometimes they contain tid-bits of how those stories are relevant even today, or how they have seeped into our, and other foreign cultures. Highly informative and fun to read. It is evident that a lot of research went into writing the book, and I always appreciate authors who work hard to gift you that extra something special.
As an added bonus, the book had wonderful sketches by the author himself, which were a treat to admire. Nothing elaborate, but beautiful in their simplicity, glowing in the confidence of the bold strokes.
So, if you have even a MINUTE interest in Indian mythology, grab this book right now! Even if you know the Mahabharat in its entirety, don’t miss it. I promise you it’ll be a treat you won’t regret.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 6 stars.
June 18, 2022
It is hilarious to read the opinions expressed by the author in his preface. You will literally laugh. And the retelling, so-called, is just useless. The author has interpreted, expressed and narrated whatever he thought to be fitting his prejudice, without any concern or the least regard for the sanctity of the original text.
May 1, 2022
The author has no idea. However, what surprises me how a publisher like Penguin can fall for such poorly organised scripts? Total disappointment!
May 1, 2022
Jaya is a funny retelling of Mahabharata with author's prejudices lurking from behind the text. Avoid it if you want to read some genuine text. The author is totally ignorant to the text. It's an 18+ funny, comic and biased movie script.
June 3, 2020
While I know a bit about Greek and Roman Mythologies, being the most popular, I'd known next to nothing about Hindu Mythology, neither their gods nor their epics. So this book was simultaneously entertaining to read and an incredibly insightful experience. If I were to compare the complexity of Greek and Hindu morality, the Hindu would win every single time. This book has sorely exposed how ignorant I had been until now, but at least I can try to learn and find out more.
I will not offer a summary because that would be too difficult, hence I have decided to simply express how I felt and quote the parts that impressed me most.
When I started reading I was a bit confused because there were so many names, which were also very difficult to pronounce, so I had to write down who was related to whom on a piece of paper. Needless to say, things got convoluted quickly, even on paper. But then after a while the main characters of the epic are established and it gets much easier to follow their progress. Each story has a morale that is either evident or explained by the author in something like a footnote (which was GREATLY helpful and offered some valuable pieces of information regarding the historical context and what the story was trying to establish and why).
........................................................
There will be spoilers next, so if you are intrigued enough, please read Jaya and I don't think you will be disappointed. I wasn't.
When Krishna (an incarnation or an avatar of God) entered the scene, I was very happy because I'd always wished to understand more about the Hindu deity and why he/she has so many different names (Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna..), and I did indeed learn a bit about him. But I was also surprised. Because among a host of extremely unlikable characters, Krishna was the one I disliked most, and when I read the title "Death of Krishna" I actually let out a whoop of joy!
Aside from my dislike for Krishna, there were many things that left me wondering at the true purpose of this epic: how both sides fighting in the war were neither wholly good nor wholly evil, but a mix of both; how some good people (well, mostly good) met terrible deaths (like Karna and Bhishma); how the epic was all about kings and fighting to rule land, with no mention of the rest of the population *99% of the characters were of the ruling class*; and how Karma was a very stupid idea to believe in since it makes every single bad decision an inevitability, so when you do sh!t, all you say is, It was destined, and when a good person suffers you say, He must have accidentally killed an ant in a previous life.
It was not until the very end that I realised that everything (well, mostly everything) was intentional: the moral ambiguity of the Pandavas and Kauravas, how Krishna was not a perfect being despite the fact that he was God on Earth, why the battle had to happen, and so on. It turns out that it all centers around a specific message, which is part of Hinduism morality.
At that moment, Yudhishtira realized he was not the great man who he thought he was. He had not really overcome his prejudices. Only when there is undiluted compassion for everyone, even our worst enemies, is ego truly conquered. Realization humbled Yudhishtira. He fell to the ground and began to weep.
Led by the Devas, Yudhishtira then took a dip in the Ganga and rose enlightened, purified, refreshed and truly liberated, with the sincere desire to forgive and accept the Kauravas. There was no more hatred. No more ‘them’ and ‘us’. No more ‘better’ and ‘worse’. There was only love. Everyone was one.
‘Jaya!’ shouted Indra. ‘Jaya!’ shouted the Devas. ‘Jaya!’ shouted the Rishis. For Yudhishtira had won the ultimate victory, victory over himself. Now he would ascend to a heaven higher than Swarga. Now he would ascend to Vaikuntha, the abode of God.
"Since God takes birth as a mortal, he needs to live like a mortal, earn demerits that will be the cause of his death. Vyasa reminds us that all actions have positive and negative repercussions. In establishing dharma, Krishna kills many people. They may be villains according to one measuring scale, but according to another measuring scale they are the beloved sons of doting mothers. So while Krishna is blessed for restoring faith in justice, he is also cursed for breaking a mother’s heart. What may seem like a good deed from one point of view may not be seen as one from another point of view. Thus does Vyasa reflect on the complexity of life where even the goodness of God is challenged by man."
‘I am confused,’ said Janamejaya. ‘Who is the hero of this tale? Who is the villain?’
‘Who shall we call villain, my king? Duryodhana, who refused to share even a needlepoint of land? Yudhishtira, who gambled away wife and kingdom? Bhishma, who prevented Dhritarashtra from becoming king just because he was blind? Shantanu, who sacrificed his son’s future to satisfy his own lust? Or is it Gandhari, for blindfolding herself to her son’s many faults? Or maybe Krishna, who had long ago promised the earth-goddess to rid the world of unrighteous kings? You decide who is hero and who is villain,’ said Vaisampayana.
Janamejaya had no reply. He recollected the many forces that influenced the flow of the tale: boons and curses and manmade laws. There was no hero or villain in the epic, just people struggling with life, responding to crises, making mistakes, repeating mistakes, in innocence or ignorance, while trying to make their lives meaningful and worthwhile. ‘Why then do you call this tale “Jaya”? There is no real victory.’
‘There are two kinds of victory in this world,’ said the storyteller-sage, ‘Vijaya and Jaya. Vijaya is material victory, where there is a loser. Jaya is spiritual victory, where there are no losers. In Kuru-kshetra there was Vijaya but not Jaya. But when Yudhishtira overcame his rage and forgave the Kauravas unconditionally, there was Jaya. That is the true ending of my tale, hence the title.’
Eventually, after exhausting merits and demerits, the Kauravas will fall and the Pandavas will rise. Both will resume their journey through the cycle of rebirths. Once again they will be born and once again they will die. Once again they will earn merit, or demerit. Once again they will attain either Swarga, or Naraka. This will happen again and again until they learn.’
‘Learn what?’
‘What Yudhishtira learnt—the point of existence is not to accumulate merit, but to attain wisdom. We have to ask ourselves—why do we do what we do? When we truly accept the answer, we break free from the cycle of births and deaths, and discover the realm beyond Swarga, Vaikuntha, where there is peace forever.’"
I will not offer a summary because that would be too difficult, hence I have decided to simply express how I felt and quote the parts that impressed me most.
When I started reading I was a bit confused because there were so many names, which were also very difficult to pronounce, so I had to write down who was related to whom on a piece of paper. Needless to say, things got convoluted quickly, even on paper. But then after a while the main characters of the epic are established and it gets much easier to follow their progress. Each story has a morale that is either evident or explained by the author in something like a footnote (which was GREATLY helpful and offered some valuable pieces of information regarding the historical context and what the story was trying to establish and why).
........................................................
There will be spoilers next, so if you are intrigued enough, please read Jaya and I don't think you will be disappointed. I wasn't.
When Krishna (an incarnation or an avatar of God) entered the scene, I was very happy because I'd always wished to understand more about the Hindu deity and why he/she has so many different names (Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna..), and I did indeed learn a bit about him. But I was also surprised. Because among a host of extremely unlikable characters, Krishna was the one I disliked most, and when I read the title "Death of Krishna" I actually let out a whoop of joy!
Aside from my dislike for Krishna, there were many things that left me wondering at the true purpose of this epic: how both sides fighting in the war were neither wholly good nor wholly evil, but a mix of both; how some good people (well, mostly good) met terrible deaths (like Karna and Bhishma); how the epic was all about kings and fighting to rule land, with no mention of the rest of the population *99% of the characters were of the ruling class*; and how Karma was a very stupid idea to believe in since it makes every single bad decision an inevitability, so when you do sh!t, all you say is, It was destined, and when a good person suffers you say, He must have accidentally killed an ant in a previous life.
It was not until the very end that I realised that everything (well, mostly everything) was intentional: the moral ambiguity of the Pandavas and Kauravas, how Krishna was not a perfect being despite the fact that he was God on Earth, why the battle had to happen, and so on. It turns out that it all centers around a specific message, which is part of Hinduism morality.
At that moment, Yudhishtira realized he was not the great man who he thought he was. He had not really overcome his prejudices. Only when there is undiluted compassion for everyone, even our worst enemies, is ego truly conquered. Realization humbled Yudhishtira. He fell to the ground and began to weep.
Led by the Devas, Yudhishtira then took a dip in the Ganga and rose enlightened, purified, refreshed and truly liberated, with the sincere desire to forgive and accept the Kauravas. There was no more hatred. No more ‘them’ and ‘us’. No more ‘better’ and ‘worse’. There was only love. Everyone was one.
‘Jaya!’ shouted Indra. ‘Jaya!’ shouted the Devas. ‘Jaya!’ shouted the Rishis. For Yudhishtira had won the ultimate victory, victory over himself. Now he would ascend to a heaven higher than Swarga. Now he would ascend to Vaikuntha, the abode of God.
"Since God takes birth as a mortal, he needs to live like a mortal, earn demerits that will be the cause of his death. Vyasa reminds us that all actions have positive and negative repercussions. In establishing dharma, Krishna kills many people. They may be villains according to one measuring scale, but according to another measuring scale they are the beloved sons of doting mothers. So while Krishna is blessed for restoring faith in justice, he is also cursed for breaking a mother’s heart. What may seem like a good deed from one point of view may not be seen as one from another point of view. Thus does Vyasa reflect on the complexity of life where even the goodness of God is challenged by man."
‘I am confused,’ said Janamejaya. ‘Who is the hero of this tale? Who is the villain?’
‘Who shall we call villain, my king? Duryodhana, who refused to share even a needlepoint of land? Yudhishtira, who gambled away wife and kingdom? Bhishma, who prevented Dhritarashtra from becoming king just because he was blind? Shantanu, who sacrificed his son’s future to satisfy his own lust? Or is it Gandhari, for blindfolding herself to her son’s many faults? Or maybe Krishna, who had long ago promised the earth-goddess to rid the world of unrighteous kings? You decide who is hero and who is villain,’ said Vaisampayana.
Janamejaya had no reply. He recollected the many forces that influenced the flow of the tale: boons and curses and manmade laws. There was no hero or villain in the epic, just people struggling with life, responding to crises, making mistakes, repeating mistakes, in innocence or ignorance, while trying to make their lives meaningful and worthwhile. ‘Why then do you call this tale “Jaya”? There is no real victory.’
‘There are two kinds of victory in this world,’ said the storyteller-sage, ‘Vijaya and Jaya. Vijaya is material victory, where there is a loser. Jaya is spiritual victory, where there are no losers. In Kuru-kshetra there was Vijaya but not Jaya. But when Yudhishtira overcame his rage and forgave the Kauravas unconditionally, there was Jaya. That is the true ending of my tale, hence the title.’
Eventually, after exhausting merits and demerits, the Kauravas will fall and the Pandavas will rise. Both will resume their journey through the cycle of rebirths. Once again they will be born and once again they will die. Once again they will earn merit, or demerit. Once again they will attain either Swarga, or Naraka. This will happen again and again until they learn.’
‘Learn what?’
‘What Yudhishtira learnt—the point of existence is not to accumulate merit, but to attain wisdom. We have to ask ourselves—why do we do what we do? When we truly accept the answer, we break free from the cycle of births and deaths, and discover the realm beyond Swarga, Vaikuntha, where there is peace forever.’"
June 9, 2022
This is a biased encroachment of the ancient history that India witnessed. The author doesn't have any basic decency in handling the text. He has only focused on sexual interpretation of the text. Such a lame idea to read this book. I will still rate Amar Chitra Kathas much higher compared to this waste of time.
June 19, 2022
Who can find anything great about it? The series 'The great Indian epics retold' is all about mocking the scriptures and the great works of Hindu literature... why this person who abuses people on Twitter is writing such important works once again – so-called retelling? You will be laughing on his naive thinking on many occasions when you read his books.
May 6, 2022
This book mocks the ancient Mahabharata by making things look funny. I did not like the idea at all.
October 2, 2019
This is more a myth than a historical re-telling of Mahabharata. Devdutt is a propagandist and he has been recently exposed. He has given the details which are not authentic and based on his personal whims and fancies. I won't recommend his book to anyone!
June 19, 2022
It is boringly told with one eye closed... I could not go beyond the first chapter and would rather love to read the original edition once again, the Gita Press one.
August 11, 2011
Where do I even begin to review this book? I was on my way back to Boston from Hyderabad, India and had a lot of time to kill at the airport after the security check. As I was wandering in the airport bookstore, I came across this book, read the back cover and was hooked. It goes thus,
A son renounces sex so that his old father can remarry
A daughter is a prize in an archery contest
A teacher demands half a kingdom as his tuition fee
A student is turned away because of his caste
A mother asks her sons to share a wife
A father curses his son-in-law to be old and impotent
A husband lets another man make his wife pregnant
A wife blindfolds herself to share her husband's blindness
A forest is destroyed for a new city
A family is divided over inheritance
A king gambles away his kingdom
A queen is forced to serve as a maid
A man is stripped of his manhood for a year
A woman is publicly disrobed
A war is fought where all rules are broken
A shift in sexuality secures victory
The vanquished go to paradise
The victors lose their children
The earth is bathed in blood
God is cursed
Until wisdom prevails
I grew up listening to stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, but I was always partial towards the Mahabharata. I don't know whether it was because of the Krishna's adorable childhood antics, the myriad of heroic characters each with their own prowess, or because the unfortunate tale of the Pandava brothers struck a cord in my heart. Honestly, the Mahabharata is an epic in the true sense of the word. The scope is so vast and there are so many characters that typically most interpretations just skim the events and dwell on the famous warring cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas.
Anyway, coming back to Devdutt Patnaik's retelling, I think he makes it more interesting by presenting much more than the bare bones of the story. He delves into the sub-plots, significance of little known events, different folk-lores and the numerous stories within stories which make up the real Mahabharata visualized by Ved Vyasa. I absolutely loved it, if I haven't said so before already!
Devdutt Patnaik is a mythologist by passion, according to his Goodreads bio and I think he does this job exceptionally well. Any lover of Hindu mythology will not be disappointed by this book.
A son renounces sex so that his old father can remarry
A daughter is a prize in an archery contest
A teacher demands half a kingdom as his tuition fee
A student is turned away because of his caste
A mother asks her sons to share a wife
A father curses his son-in-law to be old and impotent
A husband lets another man make his wife pregnant
A wife blindfolds herself to share her husband's blindness
A forest is destroyed for a new city
A family is divided over inheritance
A king gambles away his kingdom
A queen is forced to serve as a maid
A man is stripped of his manhood for a year
A woman is publicly disrobed
A war is fought where all rules are broken
A shift in sexuality secures victory
The vanquished go to paradise
The victors lose their children
The earth is bathed in blood
God is cursed
Until wisdom prevails
I grew up listening to stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, but I was always partial towards the Mahabharata. I don't know whether it was because of the Krishna's adorable childhood antics, the myriad of heroic characters each with their own prowess, or because the unfortunate tale of the Pandava brothers struck a cord in my heart. Honestly, the Mahabharata is an epic in the true sense of the word. The scope is so vast and there are so many characters that typically most interpretations just skim the events and dwell on the famous warring cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas.
Anyway, coming back to Devdutt Patnaik's retelling, I think he makes it more interesting by presenting much more than the bare bones of the story. He delves into the sub-plots, significance of little known events, different folk-lores and the numerous stories within stories which make up the real Mahabharata visualized by Ved Vyasa. I absolutely loved it, if I haven't said so before already!
Devdutt Patnaik is a mythologist by passion, according to his Goodreads bio and I think he does this job exceptionally well. Any lover of Hindu mythology will not be disappointed by this book.
September 16, 2021
If you are really looking for an authentic story of Mahabharata, I would strongly recommend Rajaji's 'Mahabharata'. He never misses the story outline nor twists it to meet his own ends. Also, I strongly wish the story be told in its own essence rather than we draw conclusions and assumptions to suit our present day needs, which is what the author does again and again.
Mahabharata, if we look objectively and read its nuanced versions, is quite gory and violent, just like the world happens to be. The greatness of the story lies in the fact that it presents the violence, the injustice, falsehood of human life without diluting its impact or ever giving justification for their actions. It also shows that how futile human actions and ego is, in the context of the larger mechanism of the universe. But, all such ideas are not presented by the author for he is more ready to give his own version than what the story wanted to say.
Mahatma Gandhi has warned that our history might turn into a burden, when we fail to move forward by clinging to it. Our generation is doing exactly the same. When we need to move forward, challenge our own tradition, mythology, culture, and if need be, our religion. Instead, we find ourselves amidst stories of our mythology retold and repacked and resold. Our tradition and mythology should be consumed but with a pinch of salt. For they still carry huge strings of ideas which we should leave behind. For that, we should first consume our mythology, religion without any refreshed dose of conclusions which suit our present day needs. We should accept that there are parts of them which are outdated. And, to see this great epic as what it is, I do not recommend this author.
Mahabharata, if we look objectively and read its nuanced versions, is quite gory and violent, just like the world happens to be. The greatness of the story lies in the fact that it presents the violence, the injustice, falsehood of human life without diluting its impact or ever giving justification for their actions. It also shows that how futile human actions and ego is, in the context of the larger mechanism of the universe. But, all such ideas are not presented by the author for he is more ready to give his own version than what the story wanted to say.
Mahatma Gandhi has warned that our history might turn into a burden, when we fail to move forward by clinging to it. Our generation is doing exactly the same. When we need to move forward, challenge our own tradition, mythology, culture, and if need be, our religion. Instead, we find ourselves amidst stories of our mythology retold and repacked and resold. Our tradition and mythology should be consumed but with a pinch of salt. For they still carry huge strings of ideas which we should leave behind. For that, we should first consume our mythology, religion without any refreshed dose of conclusions which suit our present day needs. We should accept that there are parts of them which are outdated. And, to see this great epic as what it is, I do not recommend this author.
March 12, 2013
In my teens in India, I used to be fascinated by the retelling of the Mahabharata by Rajaji in Tamil. I read it repeatedly over the years and was well conversant with the myths, the war and its aftermath. One thing that always stood out as an anamoly was the repeated conduct of 'adharmic' actions by the Pandavas during the war and Krishna's collusion in most of them. However, Rajaji, being a devotee of Krishna himself, always glossed over these acts of adharma and presented mostly a sanitised picture of the Pandavas as the good guys, the Kauravas as the bad guys and the role of Krishna as beyond evaluation because he was God himself on Earth. Rajaji also was guilty of presenting an incomplete picture of the epic in some ways. For example, he writes that the Pandavas, during their exile in the forest, were implored by the King of Animals to stop decimating the deer population in their search for food. Yudhishtra agrees and moves away from the forest and Rajaji heralds this as an indication of the environmental concern of our ancestors. But he completely avoids mentioning the cruelty of the Pandavas in burning down the Khandavaprastha forest to build the city of Indraprastha, killing all the animals, reptiles, trees and insects wantonly.
Hence, for me, this book by Devdutt Pattanaik is a welcome addition to the retelling of the Mahabharata. He takes a more critical and objective look at the epic and speculates on the motives of the various players in the epic without being constrained by false religious devotion and dogma. He also brings in alternative versions of the epic from various folk traditions in Tamilnadu, Orissa, Rajasthan and Indonesia. I found this book an educational and refreshing read.
The story is too well known to be recounted here. Instead, I shall touch upon some of the other interesting aspects of the epic that the author writes about.
1. The author quotes Indian psychoanalysts of the Freudian school to suggest that Indian men possibly suffer from the 'Yayati complex' rather than the 'Oedipus complex'. In the Greek view, dominated by the Oedipus complex, it is the next generation which inherits society, while in the Indian world-view, dominated by the Yayati complex, it is the older generation which always dominates society, explaining the stranglehold of tradition over modernity in Indian society. I guess all Indians can relate to this very well from personal experience!
2. This retelling of the epic also brings the Pandavas and Bhishma down to earth instead of blindly keeping them on a pedestal of perfection. The author suggests that Arjuna was very insecure about his position as the best archer and that the Pandavas were mostly insecure and unsure of their identity till their marriage to Draupadi. It was the marriage to the daughter of the King of Panchala which gave them a sense of royal identity and power. Most narrations of the epic do not suggest such a prime role for Draupadi. Elsewhere, it is also shown that the Pandavas did argue and bicker among themselves over Yudhishtra's penchant for continuing to play the game of dice and losing everything in the process. Bhishma is also shown to be not so saintly but prone to pride and arrogance in the way he kidnapped Amba, Ambika and Ambalika and ruining Amba's life in the process. The author lists ten major acts of 'adharma' during the war and shows that eight belonged to the Pandavas (and Krishna) while only two were committed by the Kauravas.
3.Dating the Epic: Indians often like to date the Mahabharata as far back in time as possible because we seem to think that something must be great just because it is very old. Here, the author quotes B.N. Narahari Achar of the Dept of Physics, Memphis Univ, USA in dating the epic using the Planetarium software. Based on astronimical data exactly as given in the epic - that two eclipses separated by 13 days took place around the war, that of a lunar eclipse and then a solar eclipse with Saturn at Rohini and Jupiter at Revathi - the Great war must have started on 22 Nov 3067 BCE. The author also suggests that the epic was written over many centuries, starting with the Vedic times around 2000 BCE all the way to 300 CE when the Bhagvad Gita was possibly added. The proof he gives is as follows: 'The Gods invoked by Kunti and Madri to beget children were Vedic Gods like Yama, Vayu and Indra rather than Shiva or Vishnu or Brahma. The notion of an all-powerful God is a later development in Hindu thought. This indicates that the epic first took shape in Vedic times which were dominated by beliefs in elemental spirits.
There are many more commentaries by the author on other aspects of the Epic which make this book a very worthwhile read. The illustrations are not bad either. Even non-Indians can get a good understanding of the epic through this book though the number of characters may simply overwhelm one and all.
Hence, for me, this book by Devdutt Pattanaik is a welcome addition to the retelling of the Mahabharata. He takes a more critical and objective look at the epic and speculates on the motives of the various players in the epic without being constrained by false religious devotion and dogma. He also brings in alternative versions of the epic from various folk traditions in Tamilnadu, Orissa, Rajasthan and Indonesia. I found this book an educational and refreshing read.
The story is too well known to be recounted here. Instead, I shall touch upon some of the other interesting aspects of the epic that the author writes about.
1. The author quotes Indian psychoanalysts of the Freudian school to suggest that Indian men possibly suffer from the 'Yayati complex' rather than the 'Oedipus complex'. In the Greek view, dominated by the Oedipus complex, it is the next generation which inherits society, while in the Indian world-view, dominated by the Yayati complex, it is the older generation which always dominates society, explaining the stranglehold of tradition over modernity in Indian society. I guess all Indians can relate to this very well from personal experience!
2. This retelling of the epic also brings the Pandavas and Bhishma down to earth instead of blindly keeping them on a pedestal of perfection. The author suggests that Arjuna was very insecure about his position as the best archer and that the Pandavas were mostly insecure and unsure of their identity till their marriage to Draupadi. It was the marriage to the daughter of the King of Panchala which gave them a sense of royal identity and power. Most narrations of the epic do not suggest such a prime role for Draupadi. Elsewhere, it is also shown that the Pandavas did argue and bicker among themselves over Yudhishtra's penchant for continuing to play the game of dice and losing everything in the process. Bhishma is also shown to be not so saintly but prone to pride and arrogance in the way he kidnapped Amba, Ambika and Ambalika and ruining Amba's life in the process. The author lists ten major acts of 'adharma' during the war and shows that eight belonged to the Pandavas (and Krishna) while only two were committed by the Kauravas.
3.Dating the Epic: Indians often like to date the Mahabharata as far back in time as possible because we seem to think that something must be great just because it is very old. Here, the author quotes B.N. Narahari Achar of the Dept of Physics, Memphis Univ, USA in dating the epic using the Planetarium software. Based on astronimical data exactly as given in the epic - that two eclipses separated by 13 days took place around the war, that of a lunar eclipse and then a solar eclipse with Saturn at Rohini and Jupiter at Revathi - the Great war must have started on 22 Nov 3067 BCE. The author also suggests that the epic was written over many centuries, starting with the Vedic times around 2000 BCE all the way to 300 CE when the Bhagvad Gita was possibly added. The proof he gives is as follows: 'The Gods invoked by Kunti and Madri to beget children were Vedic Gods like Yama, Vayu and Indra rather than Shiva or Vishnu or Brahma. The notion of an all-powerful God is a later development in Hindu thought. This indicates that the epic first took shape in Vedic times which were dominated by beliefs in elemental spirits.
There are many more commentaries by the author on other aspects of the Epic which make this book a very worthwhile read. The illustrations are not bad either. Even non-Indians can get a good understanding of the epic through this book though the number of characters may simply overwhelm one and all.
December 24, 2012
I don't always judge a book by its cover but in this case, the cover just lured me in.
I hardly ever write a review (I'm too lazy; rating the book is as far as I go because all it takes is a click) but in this case I felt like making an exception.
Where to begin? With the beginning.
So the author chooses to call his book 'Jaya - An illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata' rather than simply 'Mahabharata retold' or some such... It is not just to stand apart from the other versions, no maam; he justifies his choice of this title quite satisfactorily before the book ends.
Also, this book is literally 'illustrated' with his line drawings which are simple yet evocative.
This book is divided into 18 parts. Ved Vyasa's Mahabharata is also divided into 18 parvas but there is no one-to-one correspondence between the divisions made by Vyasa and Pattanaik. For example, in this book the great war has been compressed into just 1 part whereas in Vyasa's version, 4 of the 18 parvas are devoted to the war - Bhishma parva, Drona parva, Karna parva and Shalya parva. That is because this book focuses on something much beyond the war. It tries to find the message for mankind hidden in the complexities of this epic saga.
Each of the 108 chapters ends with some bullet points which present alternate versions of the stories contained in that chapter, its significance in context of the overall story etc. This was, for me, the best part of this book and what may possibly make it worth a read even for those who are already quite familiar with the tale (as I was even before reading this book). It is very easy to miss the forest for the trees when you embark upon this adventure called Mahabharata, so Pattanaik spells it out for you, and I believe there is no harm in benefiting from his vast research.
Moreover, each chapter is self-contained, in the sense that there is a proper beginning, middle and end. No chapter ends with a cliff-hanger. So even though the chapters are arranged in a chronological manner, really they can be read in any order if one so desires.
There was hardly any chapter in which I didn't come across some new tidbit or other, and that is when I have watched all 94 episodes of B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharat, which itself is quite detailed, as well as have read Kamala Subramaniam’s Mahabharata which deals with even such minor characters like the Trigarta brothers (Samsaptakas) - Susarma, Satyaratha, Satyavarma, Satyaasu, and Satyadharma; sons of Karna - Satyasena, Sushena, Vrishasena; etc. In fact Part 1 (‘Ancestors’) was almost entirely new to me.
Because this book is an abridged version of the original, Pattanaik has obviously had to compromise on many details. Out of the numerous sub-plots, he has shed light on only those which probably appealed to him the most. Because he tried to keep the chapters short, simple & sweet, he missed out on the opportunity to really develop some of the characters. There is also a lack of poetry in this retelling which focuses more on the plot points. All these are reasons why this should not be the only book you ever read about the Mahabharat.
Nevertheless it remains a compelling read (I finished it within 2 days flat and that was when curiosity or suspense was not my driving force.) I highly recommend it for both Mahabharat noobs and nerds and also for all those in between.
I hardly ever write a review (I'm too lazy; rating the book is as far as I go because all it takes is a click) but in this case I felt like making an exception.
Where to begin? With the beginning.
So the author chooses to call his book 'Jaya - An illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata' rather than simply 'Mahabharata retold' or some such... It is not just to stand apart from the other versions, no maam; he justifies his choice of this title quite satisfactorily before the book ends.
Also, this book is literally 'illustrated' with his line drawings which are simple yet evocative.
This book is divided into 18 parts. Ved Vyasa's Mahabharata is also divided into 18 parvas but there is no one-to-one correspondence between the divisions made by Vyasa and Pattanaik. For example, in this book the great war has been compressed into just 1 part whereas in Vyasa's version, 4 of the 18 parvas are devoted to the war - Bhishma parva, Drona parva, Karna parva and Shalya parva. That is because this book focuses on something much beyond the war. It tries to find the message for mankind hidden in the complexities of this epic saga.
Each of the 108 chapters ends with some bullet points which present alternate versions of the stories contained in that chapter, its significance in context of the overall story etc. This was, for me, the best part of this book and what may possibly make it worth a read even for those who are already quite familiar with the tale (as I was even before reading this book). It is very easy to miss the forest for the trees when you embark upon this adventure called Mahabharata, so Pattanaik spells it out for you, and I believe there is no harm in benefiting from his vast research.
Moreover, each chapter is self-contained, in the sense that there is a proper beginning, middle and end. No chapter ends with a cliff-hanger. So even though the chapters are arranged in a chronological manner, really they can be read in any order if one so desires.
There was hardly any chapter in which I didn't come across some new tidbit or other, and that is when I have watched all 94 episodes of B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharat, which itself is quite detailed, as well as have read Kamala Subramaniam’s Mahabharata which deals with even such minor characters like the Trigarta brothers (Samsaptakas) - Susarma, Satyaratha, Satyavarma, Satyaasu, and Satyadharma; sons of Karna - Satyasena, Sushena, Vrishasena; etc. In fact Part 1 (‘Ancestors’) was almost entirely new to me.
Because this book is an abridged version of the original, Pattanaik has obviously had to compromise on many details. Out of the numerous sub-plots, he has shed light on only those which probably appealed to him the most. Because he tried to keep the chapters short, simple & sweet, he missed out on the opportunity to really develop some of the characters. There is also a lack of poetry in this retelling which focuses more on the plot points. All these are reasons why this should not be the only book you ever read about the Mahabharat.
Nevertheless it remains a compelling read (I finished it within 2 days flat and that was when curiosity or suspense was not my driving force.) I highly recommend it for both Mahabharat noobs and nerds and also for all those in between.
August 11, 2015
When I give three stars to a book, it's often grudgingly as I think I may be over-emphasising its merits, or guiltily as I think I may be downplaying the book's merits. These three stars are given guiltily.
Pattnaik's retelling of the Mahabharata is narrated in a simple manner, through the lens of present day wisdom but with an awareness of its absence in the past. One of the immediate impacts of listening to the audio is that I eagerly want to read the Bhagavad Gita. Pattanaik's take on the wisdom Krishna imparted to Arjuna, was one I enjoyed. Perhaps, once I read the translation of the Mahabharatha, I will be able to judge this work on several scales. For now, it suffices to say that it is both enjoyable and non-trivial. I also heard it instead of reading the illustrated version. I've flipped through the book before and think reading it will be better than listening to the audio.
Jaya's strength lies in the fact that it interprets the Mahabharata, something that is not done by most who have encountered the tales, and it does so in simple language. Additionally, it does not rely on the Sanskrit version alone but incorporates various folk tales from different regions. The Mahabharata is considered an Itihasa, meaning history. Personally, I don't see it that way. The value of the epic is in making one contemplate and Jaya's primary motive may be to provide a boost to those who have not borne the fruits of active reading.
Pattnaik's retelling of the Mahabharata is narrated in a simple manner, through the lens of present day wisdom but with an awareness of its absence in the past. One of the immediate impacts of listening to the audio is that I eagerly want to read the Bhagavad Gita. Pattanaik's take on the wisdom Krishna imparted to Arjuna, was one I enjoyed. Perhaps, once I read the translation of the Mahabharatha, I will be able to judge this work on several scales. For now, it suffices to say that it is both enjoyable and non-trivial. I also heard it instead of reading the illustrated version. I've flipped through the book before and think reading it will be better than listening to the audio.
Jaya's strength lies in the fact that it interprets the Mahabharata, something that is not done by most who have encountered the tales, and it does so in simple language. Additionally, it does not rely on the Sanskrit version alone but incorporates various folk tales from different regions. The Mahabharata is considered an Itihasa, meaning history. Personally, I don't see it that way. The value of the epic is in making one contemplate and Jaya's primary motive may be to provide a boost to those who have not borne the fruits of active reading.
June 14, 2022
This is a perverted pursuit of a great piece of literature, even if we disregard the civilisational and historical value of the epic...
June 14, 2022
Horrible writing... no sense of the art of retelling. It is just a dumb attempt to further confuse something rather straight.
June 15, 2022
The book fails to provide for any quest whatsoever that a reader may have for the ancient tales (history) like The Mahabharata... the very argument of the author that it just came into the mainstream just because people kept telling it is problematic and absurd. Chapters in the so-called retelling are prejudiced and so are the character sketches. The author has written with a perverse mindset and a faulty technique.
February 7, 2014
I consider myself more well-versed with the Mahabharata than the average person, because of my interest in Hindu mythology and the amount of reading I've done on the subject. But I'm really glad I read this, not just because of the small details I learned about (I counted 6 things I hadn't known about - Sahadeva's precognition gained by eating Pandu's flesh, Draupadi cursing dogs to copulate in public for stealing Yudhishtira's slippers, Vibhishana being present at Draupadi's swayamwar, a couple of stories on why Krishna stepped in to protect Draupadi when Dusshasana tried to disrobe her, why Shakuni did his best to ensure the destruction of the Kuru clan, Draupadi's regret over Karna and at least a couple more interesting tidbits) but because of the wonderful lessons it provides. The author also mentions several variations of the tale, regional renditions and folk variations adding layers to the original story. Even as one feels the familiarity thanks to the places (which still exist) mentioned and can identify with the experiences and tribulations of the mortal characters, there is also an awe created by the elements of divinity.
The excellent illustrations and the simple yet elegant and evocative storytelling took me back to a time when I first started hearing these stories - childhood. So vivid is the prose that one can easily create visualisations of the events. The explanation of events are done on many planes - rational, metaphysical, spiritual, bringing a lot of clarity to the complex tale. The concepts of dharma and justice are explained beautifully and even as the Pandavas grow their perspective during their exile and their pride, anger etc get tempered before and after the war, there is tremendous learning for the reader too. It is easy to understand why this is indeed considered the greatest story ever told, and continues to be relevant through ages. The original tale is epic, and so is this narration. Very highly recommended.
The excellent illustrations and the simple yet elegant and evocative storytelling took me back to a time when I first started hearing these stories - childhood. So vivid is the prose that one can easily create visualisations of the events. The explanation of events are done on many planes - rational, metaphysical, spiritual, bringing a lot of clarity to the complex tale. The concepts of dharma and justice are explained beautifully and even as the Pandavas grow their perspective during their exile and their pride, anger etc get tempered before and after the war, there is tremendous learning for the reader too. It is easy to understand why this is indeed considered the greatest story ever told, and continues to be relevant through ages. The original tale is epic, and so is this narration. Very highly recommended.
June 18, 2022
Poorly written, rarely edited, whimsically adapted, and wrongly executed narrative that tells you the story of Mahabharata like a guy who thinks only from one side of his brain.
April 3, 2018
Too many distorted facts and misinterpretations ,deliberate or not ,which you can clearly find if you refer to the original Mahabharata. One should rather treat his works as fiction rather than interpretation of the original text.
One simple example of this is that in his book he says that competitive spirit to have more babies kicks in when Kunti and Pandu hear about Gandhari being pregnant. Which is blatantly incorrect ,because Kunti and Pandu had no idea that Gandhari was pregnant when Pandu asks her to use her mantra to summon devas.
One simple example of this is that in his book he says that competitive spirit to have more babies kicks in when Kunti and Pandu hear about Gandhari being pregnant. Which is blatantly incorrect ,because Kunti and Pandu had no idea that Gandhari was pregnant when Pandu asks her to use her mantra to summon devas.
October 16, 2012
Devdutt Pattnaik's Jaya is his retelling of the Mahabharata. I found it a bit like the Mahabharata for management people. A bulleted summary ends each chapter! I have never read myths with such clinical precision.
August 9, 2014
I'm flat out shocked by the number of positive reviews for this book. The Mahabharata is larger than life and behemoth and amazing and epic. Jaya is none of those things.
Jaya is like a boring presentation conducted in the most monotonous drone of a voice. Think yearly performance review where the numbers are massive, the profits are phenomenal, the strategies employed were genius, but your CEO gets into none of that. He reduces all of that to 200 slides of percentages and bullet points. That is what Jaya is. A bullet point shallow retelling of Mahabharata, stripping it of all drama, emotion and epicness. If you're an Indian philosophy student and need to know the right answers, then sure, pick it up. But if you want to be sucked into the story of Mahabharata, stay away. Pick up palace of illusions instead. It covers maybe 1/4th of Jaya but does heaps more for the reader.
Jaya is like a boring presentation conducted in the most monotonous drone of a voice. Think yearly performance review where the numbers are massive, the profits are phenomenal, the strategies employed were genius, but your CEO gets into none of that. He reduces all of that to 200 slides of percentages and bullet points. That is what Jaya is. A bullet point shallow retelling of Mahabharata, stripping it of all drama, emotion and epicness. If you're an Indian philosophy student and need to know the right answers, then sure, pick it up. But if you want to be sucked into the story of Mahabharata, stay away. Pick up palace of illusions instead. It covers maybe 1/4th of Jaya but does heaps more for the reader.
December 22, 2018
What I would like to say is:
The Mahabharatha is so much more than what is highlighted in this book.
I guess, what each one derives from this epic is a reflection of himself/herself.
I understood that one can always focus on the wrong even if the right is inches from your nose.
So, I didn't like this book... big surprise.
I think it is better to read the Amar Chitra Katha series on the Mahabharata. It gives the story in an unbiased manner. Or even better, Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata.
I wonder how this book even got ratings as high as 4.
The Mahabharatha is so much more than what is highlighted in this book.
I guess, what each one derives from this epic is a reflection of himself/herself.
I understood that one can always focus on the wrong even if the right is inches from your nose.
So, I didn't like this book... big surprise.
I think it is better to read the Amar Chitra Katha series on the Mahabharata. It gives the story in an unbiased manner. Or even better, Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata.
I wonder how this book even got ratings as high as 4.
June 8, 2018
There was no hero or villain in the epic, just people struggling with life, responding to crises, making mistakes, repeating mistakes, in innocence or ignorance, while trying to make their lives meaningful and worthwhile.
Very simple yet meaningful illustration of the epic Mahabharata.. Loved the background stories of all the characters, the inferences of the story made by the author at almost each chapter's end...
If you want to read a novel about Mahabharata, this should be the one...
Very simple yet meaningful illustration of the epic Mahabharata.. Loved the background stories of all the characters, the inferences of the story made by the author at almost each chapter's end...
If you want to read a novel about Mahabharata, this should be the one...
November 18, 2017
This book is full of revelation that surprised me a lot, so many unknown stories, characters. Even very tiny details are captured in this book. The kudos to the author, for his effort to understand all the version and related stories of Mahabharata in this world.
Yes this book is a page-turner though we knew the ending and plot. By reading this book I learnt 55 new words. This is not spiritual or philosophical book, its about way of life.
* For the efforts
** For narration
*** For keeping me engaged.
**** For teaching valuable lessons.
Yes this book is a page-turner though we knew the ending and plot. By reading this book I learnt 55 new words. This is not spiritual or philosophical book, its about way of life.
* For the efforts
** For narration
*** For keeping me engaged.
**** For teaching valuable lessons.
January 16, 2014
Am IMPRESSED. Confession - am not a die hard mythology fan. I sometimes get bored by the various stories and sub stories. But this was a refreshing read. Was more like a precise guide to Mahabharatha. It made me think, made me understand many incongruities in the story and now that I see the characters as ordinary people I like them more, even the Kauravas. This was a mine house of less known facts. At least 1-2 illustrations per page, which made reading pleasanter. Many thoughts which prodded and poked at my sleepy mind and conscience. Spent a wonderful few days with this book. A definite future reread.
June 18, 2022
This is more like a Bollywoodiya retelling of Mahabharata... biases and irks peep through the lines. Nothing near the original tale...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,529 reviews