The Mahabharata: Volume 1  (English, Paperback, unknown)

Bibek Debroy’s The Mahabharata is a modern translation of the Sanskrit classic, and a retelling of Ved Vyasa’s epic tale of conflict.

Summary of the Book

The Mahabharata is known to every living Indian, but only a few known it in its true form. It is the story of the battle between two families, and it is so much more. This translation sets out to do what has never been attempted before: a complete and unabridged version for readers to enjoy. This volume contains most of the Adi Parva, drawing from the Critical Edition compiled at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. Most of the events of the book happen long before the arrival of the Pandavas and Kouravas on the scene, and they foreshadow the great war which lasted for 18 days and was etched into history by Ved Vyasa’s epic composition. Covering the origin of the Kuru clan, the stories of Poushya, Poulama and Astika, the births of the Kouravas and the Pandavas, the houses of lac, the killing of Hidimba and Baka, Droupadi’s marriage, and the story of how the Pandavas get their share of the kingdom, this is a highly accessible contemporary rendition of the Hindu epic.

About Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy is an Indian author and economist. Currently a professor at the Centre for Policy Research, he is best associated with his books on economics.

He began translating the Mahabharata into modern English prose into 10 volumes in 2010, of which eight have been published so far.