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Product Description
Product Description
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It is of immense importance to the culture of the Indian subcontinent, and is a major text of Hinduism. Its discussion of human goals (artha or 'purpose', kama or 'pleasure', dharma or 'duty', and moksha or 'liberation') takes place in a long-standing tradition, attempting to explain the relationship of the individual to society and the world (the nature of the 'Self') and the workings of karma.
About the Author
John D. Smith was born in Nottingham in 1946. He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he read Sanskrit and Hindi. In the early 1970s he held a research fellowship at Christ's College, Cambridge; this was followed by nine years as lecturer in Sanskrit at the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London. In 1984 he returned to Cambridge, where he is now emeritus Reader of Sanskrit. He has worked on both Sanskrit and modern Rajasthani, and his publications include The Visa?adevarasa: a restoration of the text (Cambridge, 1976) and The epic of Pabuji: a study, transcription and translation (Cambridge, 1991).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Too often, renderings into English of the Hindu classics are overly reverential, or use elaborate or archaic language or feel the need to keep readers (often uncomfortably) aware of the sacred significance of the text - all of this produces clunky unreadable prose. Not with this one. This translator has managed the feat of respecting the living classic while producing an updated and readable text. The introduction is particularly valuable for its summary of the narrative and for setting the context on the relevance and significance of the original work. And all of this at a tiny price!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
57 of 61 people found the following review helpful
true to sanskrit
19 Sep 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I did a translation of Bhagavad Gita which I published under the title of Bhagavad Gita English. I also did three commentaries.These can be seen here:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002PJ2ZMA
I mentioned this because the Sanskrit (Devanagari) text was taken from an online source which is supervised by the author of this Mahabharata translation. At the time of his allowing the use of that part of the Mahabharata Sanskrit text, I was unaware that he was to publish this book.
This is an exceptional translation and in a way it is on par with the work which was began by J.A.B. van Buitenen for the University of Chicago, except that this is not as extensive.
This is a good primer for the Mahabharata published by University of Chicago. The English is a true rendering and is practically flawless.
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002PJ2ZMA
I mentioned this because the Sanskrit (Devanagari) text was taken from an online source which is supervised by the author of this Mahabharata translation. At the time of his allowing the use of that part of the Mahabharata Sanskrit text, I was unaware that he was to publish this book.
This is an exceptional translation and in a way it is on par with the work which was began by J.A.B. van Buitenen for the University of Chicago, except that this is not as extensive.
This is a good primer for the Mahabharata published by University of Chicago. The English is a true rendering and is practically flawless.
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Good as you will find
2 July 2010
Format:Paperback
This version of the Mahabharata is mostly a paraphrase in English. I have not been able to find more than that without great expense, however it is very good for someone who wants the narrative with the details of the story but also wants to get the feeling of the text. The paraphrase is interspersed with fairly lengthy sections of text. All the things you might get in an English retelling are reproduced in really beautiful prose. The battle scenes are harrowing. Anyone who might be sqeamish at the Illiad (I have not met such a person, but I am told they exist)would be wise to steer clear. I am not a scholar of Indian Literature and have only the most basic grasp of Hindu pantheon and tradition, but I found this accessible and really compelling. The characters are really unforgetable. The enduring message of the work about faith and dharma has not lost any beauty and relevance today. It would be wise to get a good version of the Bhagavad Gita and read that in its entirety when you arrive at the relevant passages, for that really would complete the experience. For the price of a penguin book you could not get better.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Mahabharata
1 Dec 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This version of the Mahabharata was more of a summary of the Mahabharata rather than the actual epic. Albeit a good summary, I felt like the translation failed to retain its authenticity- over 90% of the book is summarized and paraphrased, and the remaining 10% is written as prose rather than poetry. However, if you are not looking for an authentic reading of the epic then this book definitely serves its purpose.
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