Description
Manohar The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text (Vol IV) 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 fourth volume of this version comprises two parvas, Virata and Udyoga Parva. Virata Parva is further divided into sub-parvas: Pandava-Pravesa, Samayapalana, Kichaka-vadha, and Go-harana Parva. Whereas Udyoga Parva is divided into four sub-parvas: Sainyodyoga, Sanat-Sujata, Bhagawat Yana, and Uluka Dutagamana Parva. Virata Parva talks about Pandavas and Draupadi’s exile in Virata kingdom, where the Pandavas disguise themselves as non-princely professionals to avoid suspicion. Draupadi’s (disguised as Sairandhiri in Virata kingdom) abduction by Kichaka, followed by the death of the latter and the latter’s family members under Bhima’s hand. The abduction of Virata king and the attack on his kingdom by Susharma, the king of Trigartas is also part of this parva. Udyoga Parva covers the final years of the Pandava’s exile, along with the marriage of Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, with the daughter of Virata ruler. In this part, Lord Krishna asks the Pandavas to return to their kingdom. It talks about Dhritarashtra’s suffering, anxiety, and depression and asks sage Vidura about the essence of spirituality and immortality. This parva also narrates the true identity of Karna, where he is known to be Pandava’s brother followed by the preparation for war and a series of letter exchanges between Kauravas?and?Pandavas?via?Uluka.