The Mahabharata [Hardcover]

R. K. Narayan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 1978

Growing from an oral tradition of ballads based on historic events in India, the Mahabharata was passed down and extended through the centuries, becoming the longest poem ever written. R. K. Narayan provides a superb rendition in an abbreviated and elegant retelling of this great epic.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The Mahabharata, together with the other great Sanskrit epic, the Ramayana, embodies much of the cultural and religious heritage of India. Based on the narrative of the great war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, it tells of warriors, kings, saints, and goddesses caught up in the romance and drama of family intrigue. With its diversity of plots and themes-including the philosophical teachings of the Bhagavada Gita-the Mahabharata has entertained and influenced Indian audiences for nearly two thousand years. R. K. Narayan's abbreviated prose version provides a superb and elegant rendition of this great epic.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

R. K. Narayan is one of the most prominent Indian novelists of the twentieth century. Born in 1906, Narayan was the recipient of the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy, India's highest literary honor. His numerous works Mr. Sampath-The Printer of Malgudi, Swami and Friends, Waiting for Mahatma, and Gods, Demons and Others, all published by the University of Chicago Press.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 182 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; 1ST edition (March 20, 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670450855
• ISBN-13: 978-0670450855
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,102,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Useful as first introduction only, January 20, 2001

By 

Walter O. Koenig "Amoxtli" (San Diego, California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Paperback)

This book is only useful for those who want a very basic introduction to the Mahabharata, and only want to invest a minimum of time doing so. This book will give the reader the basic outline of the Plot, but does not dwelve into the many important Philosophical portions of the Epic, and the "outside stories". The book is well written. I like the style of R.K. Narayan. As an introduction this book is much better than that of Buck, not only because Narayan is a better writer, but because he had a better knowledge of the Epic, Hinduism and Sanskrit Literature.

If you must get an introduction, I recommend the one by C.V. Narasimhan, which based on selected verses, and brings the reader much closer to the Mahabharata.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book for new readers, December 20, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (Sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Paperback)

This is a good book for those who do not know Mahabharat story. The reason it is good for the beginners is that it is concise and flows through the subject quickly. So it would be a good book for new readers who can quickly get a sort of overview of Mahabharat.

If you already know Mahabharat plot and story, try and get a little advanced book.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Epic, November 11, 2000

By 

Zerzura (Chino Valley, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Paperback)

This shortened prose version of the Mahabarata by R. K. Narayan presents the engaging adventure of the five Pandava brothers' efforts to reclaim their empire. The story itself has nearly everything anyone could want in a good book: edge of your seat action and edge of your mind inspiration. In addition to celebrating the Pandavas' super-human strength and feats of daring, the book also catalogs many types of human relationships: mother-child, sybling-sybling, husband(s)-wife, king-courtier, mentor-apprentice, even writer-reader..... Long after you finish reading this book, you'll be realizing why Hindus recognize it as one of their two most sacred books---it's got everything! And yet it rarely stoops to the level of being preachy. (Narayan also has a shortened prose version of the other sacred Hindu book---The Ramayana.)