The Mahabharata (Narayan book) - Revision history

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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2019}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2019}}
			{{about\|\|other books\|Mahabharata (disambiguation)#Literature}}
	{{Infobox book		{{Infobox book
	\| name = The Mahabharata		\| name = The Mahabharata
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	==Development==		==Development==
	In regards to his [[Abridgement\|shortening]] of the Indian epic, R.K. Narayan states: "I have omitted none of the episodes relevant to the destinies of the chief characters. I have kept myself to the mainstream and held my version within readable limits." On the subject of translation, Narayan notes how an English version of the epic necessitates a process selection and condensation of the poetics into [[prose]], as the "rhythm and depth" and the "hypnotic quality" of [[Sanskrit]] would inevitably be lost in translation. Though Narayan is knowledgable of the scholarly research into the [[Mahabharata#~~Textual history and structure~~\|textual history of the Mahabharata]] (the evolution from a charioteer ballad into ''Jaya'', and then ''Bharata'', and finally the ''Mahabharata'' over the course of hundreds of years), Narayan chose to accept the traditional accounts of the narrative's origins, stating in his version's introduction: "The conclusions of cold, factual research seem like 'catching the rainbow with one's finger's', to quote a line from the epic itself."<ref>{{cite book \|last=Narayan \|first=R.K. \|date=1978 \|title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic \|location=New York City \|publisher=Viking Press }}</ref>		In regards to his [[Abridgement\|shortening]] of the Indian epic, R.K. Narayan states: "I have omitted none of the episodes relevant to the destinies of the chief characters. I have kept myself to the mainstream and held my version within readable limits." On the subject of translation, Narayan notes how an English version of the epic necessitates a process selection and condensation of the poetics into [[prose]], as the "rhythm and depth" and the "hypnotic quality" of [[Sanskrit]] would inevitably be lost in translation. Though Narayan is knowledgable of the scholarly research into the [[Mahabharata#Textual_history_and_structure\|textual history of the Mahabharata]] (the evolution from a charioteer ballad into ''Jaya'', and then ''Bharata'', and finally the ''Mahabharata'' over the course of hundreds of years), Narayan chose to accept the traditional accounts of the narrative's origins, stating in his version's introduction: "The conclusions of cold, factual research seem like 'catching the rainbow with one's finger's', to quote a line from the epic itself."<ref>{{cite book \|last=Narayan \|first=R.K. \|date=1978 \|title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic \|location=New York City \|publisher=Viking Press }}</ref>

	American [[Indologist]] and author [[Wendy Doniger]] notes that although Narayan translated the epic from the Sanskrit version of the text, he still maintained the [[Mahabharata#~~Regional versions~~\|Tamil]]-style spelling of many of the character names (Kunthi instead of Kunti, Satyavathi instead of Satyavati, etc.). That being said, many of the epic's crucial points, such as the ambiguous nature of [[Krishna\|Krishna's]] divinity, follow the conventions of the Sanskrit text. Doniger states that Narayan "selects the precise details to keep the mortal/immortal tension in Krishna alive throughout the book."<ref>{{cite book \|last=Narayan \|first=R.K. \|date=2013 \|title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic \|location=Chicago \|publisher=University of Chicago Press \|isbn=022605165X}}</ref>		American [[Indologist]] and author [[Wendy Doniger]] notes that although Narayan translated the epic from the Sanskrit version of the text, he still maintained the [[Mahabharata#Regional_versions\|Tamil]]-style spelling of many of the character names (Kunthi instead of Kunti, Satyavathi instead of Satyavati, etc.). That being said, many of the epic's crucial points, such as the ambiguous nature of [[Krishna\|Krishna's]] divinity, follow the conventions of the Sanskrit text. Doniger states that Narayan "selects the precise details to keep the mortal/immortal tension in Krishna alive throughout the book."<ref>{{cite book \|last=Narayan \|first=R.K. \|date=2013 \|title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic \|location=Chicago \|publisher=University of Chicago Press \|isbn=022605165X}}</ref>

	==See also==		==See also==
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← Older revision		Revision as of 09:42, 2 June 2021
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	==Development==		==Development==
	In regards to his [[Abridgement\|shortening]] of the Indian epic, R.K. Narayan states: "I have omitted none of the episodes relevant to the destinies of the chief characters. I have kept myself to the mainstream and held my version within readable limits." On the subject of translation, Narayan notes how an English version of the epic necessitates a process selection and condensation of the poetics into [[prose]], as the "rhythm and depth" and the "hypnotic quality" of [[Sanskrit]] would inevitably be lost in translation. Though Narayan is knowledgable of the scholarly research into the [[Mahabharata#~~Textual_history_and_structure~~\|textual history of the Mahabharata]] (the evolution from a charioteer ballad into ''Jaya'', and then ''Bharata'', and finally the ''Mahabharata'' over the course of hundreds of years), Narayan chose to accept the traditional accounts of the narrative's origins, stating in his version's introduction: "The conclusions of cold, factual research seem like 'catching the rainbow with one's finger's', to quote a line from the epic itself."<ref>{{cite book \|last=Narayan \|first=R.K. \|date=1978 \|title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic \|location=New York City \|publisher=Viking Press }}</ref>		In regards to his [[Abridgement\|shortening]] of the Indian epic, R.K. Narayan states: "I have omitted none of the episodes relevant to the destinies of the chief characters. I have kept myself to the mainstream and held my version within readable limits." On the subject of translation, Narayan notes how an English version of the epic necessitates a process selection and condensation of the poetics into [[prose]], as the "rhythm and depth" and the "hypnotic quality" of [[Sanskrit]] would inevitably be lost in translation. Though Narayan is knowledgable of the scholarly research into the [[Mahabharata#Textual history and structure\|textual history of the Mahabharata]] (the evolution from a charioteer ballad into ''Jaya'', and then ''Bharata'', and finally the ''Mahabharata'' over the course of hundreds of years), Narayan chose to accept the traditional accounts of the narrative's origins, stating in his version's introduction: "The conclusions of cold, factual research seem like 'catching the rainbow with one's finger's', to quote a line from the epic itself."<ref>{{cite book \|last=Narayan \|first=R.K. \|date=1978 \|title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic \|location=New York City \|publisher=Viking Press }}</ref>

	American [[Indologist]] and author [[Wendy Doniger]] notes that although Narayan translated the epic from the Sanskrit version of the text, he still maintained the [[Mahabharata#~~Regional_versions~~\|Tamil]]-style spelling of many of the character names (Kunthi instead of Kunti, Satyavathi instead of Satyavati, etc.). That being said, many of the epic's crucial points, such as the ambiguous nature of [[Krishna\|Krishna's]] divinity, follow the conventions of the Sanskrit text. Doniger states that Narayan "selects the precise details to keep the mortal/immortal tension in Krishna alive throughout the book."<ref>{{cite book \|last=Narayan \|first=R.K. \|date=2013 \|title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic \|location=Chicago \|publisher=University of Chicago Press \|isbn=022605165X}}</ref>		American [[Indologist]] and author [[Wendy Doniger]] notes that although Narayan translated the epic from the Sanskrit version of the text, he still maintained the [[Mahabharata#Regional versions\|Tamil]]-style spelling of many of the character names (Kunthi instead of Kunti, Satyavathi instead of Satyavati, etc.). That being said, many of the epic's crucial points, such as the ambiguous nature of [[Krishna\|Krishna's]] divinity, follow the conventions of the Sanskrit text. Doniger states that Narayan "selects the precise details to keep the mortal/immortal tension in Krishna alive throughout the book."<ref>{{cite book \|last=Narayan \|first=R.K. \|date=2013 \|title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic \|location=Chicago \|publisher=University of Chicago Press \|isbn=022605165X}}</ref>

	==See also==		==See also==
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox book
| name = The Mahabharata
| title_orig = The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic
| translator =
| image = File:TheMahabharataNarayan.jpg
| caption = First US edition
| author = [[R.K. Narayan]]
| illustrator = R.K. Laxman
| cover_artist =
| country = India
| language =
| series =
| genre = [[Mythology]]
| publisher = [[Heinemann (book publisher)|Heinemann]] (UK)<br>[[Viking Press]] (US)
| release_date = 1978
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print
| pages =
| isbn =
| preceded_by = [[The Painter of Signs]]
| followed_by = [[The Emerald Route]]
}}
'''''The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic''''' is a mythological book by [[R. K. Narayan]]. It is a modernised, shortened, and translated retelling of [[The Mahabharata]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mid-day.com/news/2001/may/10639.htm|title=R K Narayan dead: Sun sets over Malgudi|date=May 14, 2001|publisher=[[MiD DAY]]|access-date=2009-08-27}}</ref> It was first published by [[Heinemann (book publisher)|Heinemann]], [[London]] in 1978.<ref>{{cite book|last=Walsh|first=William|title=R. K. Narayan: A Critical Appreciation|publisher=University Of Chicago Press|date=November 1, 1982|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rknarayancritica00wals/page/112 112]|isbn=978-0-226-87213-1|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/rknarayancritica00wals/page/112}}</ref> The book was published as a result of a long endeavour that included three [[Hindu|Hindu mythological]] works, ''[[Gods, Demons and Others]], [[The Ramayana (R. K. Narayan)|The Ramayana]]'' and finally ''The Mahabharata''; in 1995, these works were republished as part of a new book, ''The Indian Epics Retold''.<ref name="O'Neil">{{cite book|last=O'Neil|first=Patrick M. |title=Great World Writers: Twentieth Century|publisher=Marshall Cavendish|year=2004|pages=1044–45|isbn=978-0-7614-7469-2}}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Main|Mahabharata}}
Narayan's version of the Mahabharata focuses on the central conflict of the epic, the [[Kurukshetra War]], while abridging many of the tangential stories-within-stories found in the original text. It begins with the ancestry of the central characters of the story, starting off with the life of [[Santanu|King Santanu]], the vow of [[Bhishma]], the birth of the [[Pandavas]] and the [[Kauravas]], and the tragic death of [[Pandu]]. The tale then follows the tutelage of the Pandavas by [[Drona]], the burning of the house of lacquer, and the [[swayamvara]] of [[Draupadi]].

From there, the story continues building toward the central war of the story, as [[Yudhisthira]] loses everything in the dice game, sending him and his brothers into years of [[Vana Parva|exile in the forest]], where they remain until tensions upon their return escalate into the great war. Narayan focuses the rest of his version of the Mahabharata on the Kurukshetra War (with the central dialogue between [[Arjuna]] and Krishna, the ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]'', summarized into two pages), ending off with a swift post-war chapter and a two-to-three page epilogue.

==Development==
In regards to his [[Abridgement|shortening]] of the Indian epic, R.K. Narayan states: "I have omitted none of the episodes relevant to the destinies of the chief characters. I have kept myself to the mainstream and held my version within readable limits." On the subject of translation, Narayan notes how an English version of the epic necessitates a process selection and condensation of the poetics into [[prose]], as the "rhythm and depth" and the "hypnotic quality" of [[Sanskrit]] would inevitably be lost in translation. Though Narayan is knowledgable of the scholarly research into the [[Mahabharata#Textual_history_and_structure|textual history of the Mahabharata]] (the evolution from a charioteer ballad into ''Jaya'', and then ''Bharata'', and finally the ''Mahabharata'' over the course of hundreds of years), Narayan chose to accept the traditional accounts of the narrative's origins, stating in his version's introduction: "The conclusions of cold, factual research seem like 'catching the rainbow with one's finger's', to quote a line from the epic itself."<ref>{{cite book |last=Narayan |first=R.K. |date=1978 |title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic |location=New York City |publisher=Viking Press }}</ref>

American [[Indologist]] and author [[Wendy Doniger]] notes that although Narayan translated the epic from the Sanskrit version of the text, he still maintained the [[Mahabharata#Regional_versions|Tamil]]-style spelling of many of the character names (Kunthi instead of Kunti, Satyavathi instead of Satyavati, etc.). That being said, many of the epic's crucial points, such as the ambiguous nature of [[Krishna|Krishna's]] divinity, follow the conventions of the Sanskrit text. Doniger states that Narayan "selects the precise details to keep the mortal/immortal tension in Krishna alive throughout the book."<ref>{{cite book |last=Narayan |first=R.K. |date=2013 |title=The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic |location=Chicago |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=022605165X}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[The Ramayana (Narayan book)]]
*[[Gods, Demons and Others]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{R. K. Narayan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahabharata, The}}
[[Category:1978 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Books by R. K. Narayan]]
[[Category:Heinemann (publisher) books]]
[[Category:Works based on the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Viking Press books]]

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{{Hindu-book-stub}}