The Mahabharata is the story of two warring factions of cousins—100 demons in human form against five sons of gods. Woven into this epic martial tale of great and bloody battles are numerous narrative igressions and much religious instruction—including the wisdom of Bhisma, give from a deathbed of arrows, and the legendary Bhagavadgita, spoken by Krsna on the very verge of war. The enactment of eternal conflicts, it is also a vital Hindu text on the nature of dharma—the right way for each person to live his or her life, and the only way to scure an improved lot in future births.
This selection by John D. Smith includes an introduction on the nature and fundamental themes of the Mahabharata, the events of the story and the massive cast of characters appearing in it, and its importance to India and Hinduism. This edition also includes a pronunciation guide, map, glossary and key to names, genealogical tables, bibliography and index.