The Condensed Mahabharata of Vyasa

Transcreator: P. Lal
Pages: 478
Year of Publication: First published 1980, Third edition 2010 (Revised and Corrected)
Price: HB Rs 600, FB Rs 400
ISBN:
HB 978-81-8157-955-3 (9788181579553)
FB 978-81-8157-956-0 (9788181579560)

Teaser
Here is an excerpt from P. Lal’s preface:

“There are many condensed versions in English of the Mahabharata of Vyasa but the only one that can be called a translation is Dr. V. Raghavan’s rendering which, by shortening the 100,000 shloka epic to about 2,000 shlokas, is microscopic in its compression. My aim has been to re-tell the story of the Kurukshetra war at greater length but always in Vyasa’s own words, without simplifying, interpreting, or elaborating. I have selected only such shlokas as formed a continuous narrative, leaving out the large clutch of sub-stories, legends, peripheral digressions and other tangential material that is fascinating by itself but not absolutely relevant to the tale of the Kaurava-Pandava conflict. I have stressed incidents and episodes with dramatic qualities which provided illuminating entries into the complex motivation of the Mahabharata‘s main characters.”