Description
Manohar The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text (Vol II) by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (Trans )
The Mahabharata of Veda Vyasa is one of the greatest war epics in the world after Iliad and Odyssey. Mahabharata is the story of the feud between two clans – Kaurava and Pandava. This English translation was originally published by Pratap Chandra Roy, a Calcutta-based bookseller, who owned a publishing house and printing press from 1883 to 1896. The fourteen parvas were published by Pratap Chandra Roy, and the last four parvas by his widow Sundari Bala Roy. The English version of the Sanskrit epic was composed at the behest of Dr Reynold Rost of the India Office Library, who was in dire need of an authentic and complete?English?version?of?the?original?text. The second volume of the Mahabharata comprises two parvas, Sabha and the first part of Vana Parva. Sabha Parva comprises sub-parvas, such as Sabhakriya, Lokapala Sabhakhyana, Rajasuy-arambha, Jarasandha, Digvijaya, Rajasuyika, Arghaharana, Sisupala-badha, and Dyuta Parva. The initial part of Vana Parva contains Aranyaka, Kirmirabadha, Arjunabhigamana, Kairata, Indralokagamana, Nalopakhyana, and Tirtha-yatra Parva. Sabha Parva begins with the description of the palace and assembly built at Indraprastha, as the title of the parva suggests. It touches upon the issues of governance and administration in the political arena and talks about virtuousness, happiness, and prosperity among the inhabitants. However, the important part of this parva is Yudhishthira’s downfall, as he becomes addicted to gambling after Shakuni’s provocation. Vana Parva is concerned with the discourse on virtues, ethics, and tales of Arjuna, Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Nahusha. It also includes the stories of Nala-Damyanti?and?Savitri-Satyavana.