The Mahabharata

The Mahabharata

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy

The Mahabharata is one of the greatest stories ever told. Though the basic plot is widely known, there is much more to the epic than the dispute between Kouravas and Pandavas that led to the battle in Kurukshetra. It has innumerable sub-plots that accommodate fascinating meanderings and digressions, and it has rarely been translated in full, given its formidable length of 80,000 shlokas or couplets. This magnificent 10-volume unabridged translation of the epic is based on the Critical Edition compiled at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. *With the ninth volume, the magnificent epic approaches its end. The war is over and Yudhishthira is crowned. Bhishma's teachings that began in the eighth volume continue past the Shanti Parva into the Anushasana Parva. * Every conceivable human emotion figures in the Mahabharata, the reason why the epic continues to hold sway over our imagination. In this lucid, nuanced and confident translation, Bibek Debroy makes the Mahabharata...
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Sarama and Her Children

Sarama and Her Children

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy

The Most Recognized Dog In Indian Myth Is The Dog In The Mahabharata That Accompanied The Pandavas Not Actually A Dog But Dharma In Disguise. There Are, However, Several More References To Dogs In The Classical Texts. Mentioned For The First Time In The Rg Veda, The Eponymous Sarama Is The Dog Of The Gods And The Ancestor Of All Dogs. In Sarama And Her Children, The Evolution Of The Indian Attitude Towards Dogs Is Traced Through The Vedas, Epics, Puranas, Dharmashastras And Niti Shastras. The Widespread Assumption Is That Dogs Have Always Been Looked Down Upon In Hinduism And A Legacy Of That Attitude Persists Even Now. Tracing The Indian Attitude Towards Dogs In A Chronological Fashion, Beginning With The Pre-Vedic Indus Valley Civilization, Bibek Debroy Discovers That The Truth Is More Complicated. Dogs Had A Utilitarian Role In Pre-Vedic And Vedic Times. There Were Herd Dogs, Watchdogs And Hunting Dogs, And Dogs Were Used As Beasts Of Burden. But By The Time Of The...
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The Bhagavata Purana 3

The Bhagavata Purana 3

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy

A seamless blend of fable and philosophy, the Bhagavata Purana is perhaps the most revered text in the Vaishnava tradition. It brings to life the legends of gods, asuras, sages and kings-all the while articulating the crucial ethical and philosophical tenets that underpin Hindu spiritualism.The narrative unfolds through a series of conversations and interconnected stories. We are told how the sage Vyasa was inspired by Narada to compose the Bhagavata Purana as a means to illumine the path to a spiritual life. We learn of the devotion of Prahlada, the austerity of Dhruva, and the blinding conceit of Daksha. Also recounted are tales of the many incarnations of Vishnu, especially Krishna, whom we see grow from a beloved and playful child to a fierce protector of the faithful.
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The Markandeya Purana

The Markandeya Purana

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy

A marvellous amalgam of mythology and metaphysics, the Markandeya Purana unfolds as a series of conversations, in which the sage Markandeya is asked to answer some deeper questions raised by events in the Mahabharata. These illuminating exchanges evolve into a multi-faceted exploration of the core concepts of Hindu philosophy-from an excellent exposition of yoga and its unique attributes to a profound treatise on the worship of the goddess, the Devi Mahatmya, which also includes the popular devotional texts known as 'Chandi' or 'Durga Saptashati'.Brimming with insight and told with clarity, this luminous text is also a celebration of a complex mythological universe populated with gods and mortals, and contains within its depths many nested tales like that of Queen Madalasa and her famous song.Bibek Debroy's masterful translation draws out the subtleties of the Markandeya Purana, enabling a new generation of readers to savour its timeless riches.
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The Bhagavata Purana 1

The Bhagavata Purana 1

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy

A seamless blend of fable and philosophy, the Bhagavata Purana is perhaps the most revered text in the Vaishnava tradition. It brings to life the legends of gods, asuras, sages and kings-all the while articulating the crucial ethical and philosophical tenets that underpin Hindu spiritualism.The narrative unfolds through a series of conversations and interconnected stories. We are told how the sage Vyasa was inspired by Narada to compose the Bhagavata Purana as a means to illumine the path to a spiritual life. We learn of the devotion of Prahlada, the austerity of Dhruva, and the blinding conceit of Daksha. Also recounted are tales of the many incarnations of Vishnu, especially Krishna, whom we see grow from a beloved and playful child to a fierce protector of the faithful.
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The Bhagavata Purana 2

The Bhagavata Purana 2

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy

A seamless blend of fable and philosophy, the Bhagavata Purana is perhaps the most revered text in the Vaishnava tradition. It brings to life the legends of gods, asuras, sages and kings-all the while articulating the crucial ethical and philosophical tenets that underpin Hindu spiritualism.The narrative unfolds through a series of conversations and interconnected stories. We are told how the sage Vyasa was inspired by Narada to compose the Bhagavata Purana as a means to illumine the path to a spiritual life. We learn of the devotion of Prahlada, the austerity of Dhruva, and the blinding conceit of Daksha. Also recounted are tales of the many incarnations of Vishnu, especially Krishna, whom we see grow from a beloved and playful child to a fierce protector of the faithful.
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Harivamsha

Harivamsha

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy

A gorgeous, lucid rendering of the majestic conclusion to the Mahabharata As an epilogue to the greatest epic of all time, the Harivamsha further elaborates on the myriad conflicts of dharma and the struggle between good and evil. Stories abound—from the cosmogony of the universe to the legends of the solar and lunar dynasties and even a foreshadowing of kali yuga in the future. At the centre of all these magnificent tales is the mercurial figure of Krishna, whose miraculous life and wondrous exploits are recounted with vivid detail. In offering a glimpse into Krishna's life—as a mischievous child, as an enchanting lover, as a discerning prince—this luminous text sheds light on many questions left unanswered in the Mahabharata. Brimming with battles and miracles, wisdom and heroics, philosophical insight and psychological acuity, Bibek Debroy's splendid translation of the Harivamsha is absolutely essential reading for all those who love the Mahabharata.
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