Description
Manohar Publishers and Distributors The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text (Vol VI) 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 sixth volume comprises of five parvas – Dronabhisheka, Abhimanyu-vadha, Jayadratha-vadha, Ghatotkacha-vadha and the first part of Drona-vadha parva. Dronabhisheka Parva covers the appointment of Dronacharya, the guru of both Kauravas and Pandavas, as the new commander-in-chief of the Kaurava army following the death of Bhishma on the deathbed of arrows. It describes the 11th day of the war, where Drona encounters his pupil Arjuna in the battlefield and both were reluctant to kill each other. Abhimanyu-vadha Parva describes the valour of Abhimanyu when he enters the chakravyuha strategy devised by Kauravas. He kills many of Kaurava’s forces, but eventually gets slayed by Dushasana in a mace fight. Jaydratha-vadha Parva is the longest parva within Drona Parva. It shows the vengeful attitude of Arjuna following the death of Abhimanyu, by killing Jayadratha along with other prominent army members of the Kauravas. Ghatotkacha-vadha Parva contains the brave acts of Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima. It follows the plan by Kaurvas to kill Ghatotkacha to weaken Bhima, in which they eventually succeed. Drona-vadha Parva marks the death of Drona due to a rumour spread in the war camp. Drona overhears about the death of his son, Ashwatthama, but it is the elephant with a similar name, which is killed. Taking advantage of the false news, Pandavas kill Drona,?thus?further?weakening?the?Kaurava’s?army.