Mahabharata: The Great Indian Epic

Mahabharata, a tale of great influence, a tale so timeless that it never gets old enough to not choose. “Mahabharata- the great Indian epic” by Sudarshan Ray is a concise and comprehensive take on the timeless story of Mahabharata. Ray divided the book into six parts from The Beginning to The Aftermath each divided into sub titles with amazing take on Karma (the consequences to your actions), Dharma (righteousness) and Relationships between families. The book takes you on an amazing journey of the war in Kurukshetra between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The book depicts how both of them have their own strengths and weaknesses. For me who have never read or watched Mahabharata this book is a gem. Easy to follow with great characters building this book is like a sweet treat to heart. Even the war scenes seem to play in front of your eyes. What I liked most is the thesaurus given on each page to help understand each line better. The ending just stole my heart. Now I actually understood who belongs to which family. Loved the description of friendships between Krishna and Arjuna, Karna and Duryodhana! What adds to the beauty of the retelling is the glossary at the end. Even though you miss out on some character (which is actually not possible), you get to know them at the end as well. I really loved the character of Yudhisthir and the lessons learned and taught by him. Great work by the author! A must read!

Highly recommended for personal growth with ancient stories

This felt like a heartfelt recap to Mahabharata. As a child I grew up listening to these stories from my grandfather. His stories, filled with wisdom and reverence, used to bring these epics to life, teaching me morals, values, and the greatness of each character. Reading this now was like revisiting those cherished memories. The story was precise and concise and beautifully structured. If you are reading this for the first time, getting to know Mahabharata in full length, then this book is for you. You will understand the entire history and the complete happening of the epic. The writing is simple and the story was neatly explained. The brief history of the kingdom and the history of every person involved with their back stories were also helpful as it help readers understand the motivations and complexities of each character. The flow of the story was great and the pacing was perfect. Best part of the book, it comes with flow charts and explaining Sanskrit terms which again would be perfect for the first timers. I’m genuinely glad I picked this up. It wasn’t just a read it was a journey through time, memory, and meaning. For anyone seeking a clear, emotionally resonant introduction to the Mahabharata, this book is a gem.

What an epic timeless story, with moral teachings that are so relevant to today. The author has done a brilliant job of bringing the story to the fore, and authoring in such a fashion that makes it eloquent yet accessible for the average person to read. I couldn't put the book down, finished it in 5 days. Now organising a trip to India to visit the sacred/historical sites of the Mahabharat.

Great read