THE : A MODERN RENDERING VOLUME 2 PDF, EPUB, EBOOK

Ramesh Menon | 600 pages | 19 Jul 2006 | iUniverse.com | 9780595401888 | English | Bloomington IN, United States The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering, Vol 2

Viewed times since 30th Nov, About the Book The Mahabharata is the more recent of two great epics and by far the longer one: first composed by Maharishi Vyasa in verse it has come to us down the centuries in the timeless oral tradition of guru and sishya profoundly influencing the history culture and art of not only the Indian subcontinent but most of Southeast Asia. At , couples it is seven times as long as the Iliad and the odyssey combined far and away the greatest recorded epic know to man. The Mahabharata is the very Book of Life in its variety majesty and also its violence and tragedy. It has been said that nothing exists that cannot be found within the pages of this awesome legend. The epic describes a great war of some 5, years ago and the events that led to it. The war on Kurukshetra sees ten million Kshatriyas slain and brings the Dwapara Yuga to an end and uhers in a new ans sinister age this present Kali Yuga or modern times. At the heart of the Mahabharata nestles the the song of god. Senay or ubhayor madh ye between two teeming arise expound the eternal to his warrior of light AT one level all the restless action of the Mahabharata is a quest for the gita and its sacred stillness. After the carnage it the gita that survives immortal lotus floating upon the dark waters of desolation the final secret. With its magnificent cast of characters human demonic and divine and its riveting narrative the Mahabharata continues to enchant readers and scholars the world over this new rendering bring the epic to the contemporary redder in sparkling modern prose. It brings alive all the excitement magic and grandeur of the original for our times. About the Author Ramesh menon was born in in New Delhi. He has recently published a modern translation of the Ramayana. Foreword Three hundred and sixty five human years make one year of the Devas and the pitrs the Gods and the ancestors. Four are the ages in the land of Bharata: the krita, treat, dwapara and kali. The krita yuga lasts for divine years the treat for the dwapara for and the Kali for ; and then another krita begins. The krita or satya yuga is an age of purity it is stnless. Dharama righteousness is perfect and walks on four feet in the krita. However from the treta yuga adhrma evil comes to the world and the very febric of time begins to decay. Finally the kali yuga the fourth age is almost entirely corrupt with dharma barely surviving hobbling on one foot. A chaturyuga a cycle of four ages is 12, divine years or x 12, humab years long. Seventy one chaturyugas make a manuvantara fourteen manutaras a kalpa. A kalpa of a thousand chturyuga 12 million divine years is one day of Brhama life is savanas long one day of mahavishnu is the lifetime of brahma. The great war the Mahabharata is fought at the very end of a dwapara yuga the third age just before the sinister kali yuga begins once in time out of mind the gods created the kshatriyas to establish dharma justice in an anarchic world most royal kashtriya bloodlines can be traced back to the devas themselves in most ancient days the Gods came freely to the earth. But in time generations the noble race of warrior kings has grown arrogant and greedy. By the end of the dwapara yuga have become tyrant and they are still practically invincible. Krishna the Avatara and his cousins the are born to destroy the power of the kshatriyas of Bharatavarsha India forever this is what the Mahabharata yudddha the war on the crack of the ages accomplishes; and thus ushers in the Kali yuga modern times. By this Hindu calendar the Great war was fought some five thousand Years ago. The house of Kuru is one of the oldest and noblest Houses it traces its origins to some Deva the Moon God. Timeless hastinapura the city of elephants is the capital of the Kuru Kingdom and one great king after another has ruled from here. The legend of the Mahabharata begins with king shantanu of the Kurus and how a son is born to him but this prince Devavrata will never sit upon his father through instead shantanu blind grandson Dhritarashtra will become king. The main them of the Mahabharata is the story of Dhritarashtra sone the ans his brother Pandu sons the pandavas and the enmity between them. Dhritarastra hundred boys are evill prnces led by the eldest of them the ruthless Duryodhana who is a demon Pandu five princes are devaputras Devas sons born to fight for dharma in the world. Almost every king in Bharatavarsha takes one side or the other in the Great war and ten million Kshatriyas are killed. Dharma is established again on earth but an age has ended and another has begun. The maharishi vyasa the poet of the Mahabharata himself wanders in and out of the story. Unearthly beings Devas yakshas gansharvas nagas and apsaras find their way into the story as do demonic ones asuras and rakshasas. The Mahabharata is set in a pristine and magical time of the earth. Its heroes and villains are all larger than life. The war itself is fought with occult weapons; the astras of the Gods. Just before the war begins the third Arjuna the greates archer in the world loses his nerve on the field of Kurukshetra. That perfect warrior cannot bear the thought of killing his cousin. Krishna who is Arjuna charioteer expounds the etrnal dharma to him. This exposition is the Bhagavad Gita the song of God the gita is the heart of the Mahabharata its real treasure. At one level all the rest of the restless action of the epic is a quest for the precious Gita and its stillness. The Gita is the Hindu new testament. Senayor Ubbayor Madhye.. To this day Kurushetra is holy ground for the Hindu because it was here that Krishna sang his immortal Gita and here that he revealed his vishwarupa his cosmic form to Arjuna. The original Mahabharata in is an epic poem of , couplets; seven times s long as the Iliad and the Odyssey combined. To record his epic for posterity is such a daunting task that Vyasa begs the elephant headed God, Ganesha to be his scribe. Ganesha has one stipulation: Vyasa must never keep him waiting for even a moment during the narration. The poet agrees and manages to keep ahead of his quicksilver writer often with long digressions from his main story. Ganesha writes down Vyasa legend with a tusk he breaks from his own face. This is modern prose version timeless epic the legend of the sons of Pandu. Preface Once, in more Gracious times when the kshatriyas of the earth were like gods, there was a devout sovereign of Chedi called Uparichara. Indra of the Devas gave him a marvelous vimana, a crystal ship that flew anywhere at his very thought. That king became known as Uparichara Vasu; for like the Vasus, he ranged the sky in his vimana. Uparichara's wife was Girika, and she bore him five excellent princes. One morning, when she was in her fertile time, Queen Girika came to her husband and asked him to make love because she wanted another son. But he had to go into the forest to hunt some meat for a sacrifice to his fathers in heaven. Uparichara set out with his bow in his hand. Earlier, his queen had come to him wearing the sheerest robe; the king did not realize how much she had aroused him, until he missed two red stags with his arrows. Uparichara came to a lotus-laden pool in the depths of the forest and, with Girika's lush body before his mind's eye, ejaculated onto a banyan leaf. He folded the leaf, chanted a potent mantra over it and called his hunting falcon down from the sky. The eagle mistook the banyan leaf for a shred of meat and flew at the falcon. The birds fought briefly in the air and the leaf fell out of the falcon's beak, down into the river. Now, a year ago the apsara Adrika had flown down from Devaloka to swim in the Yamuna. It was the twilight hour, and when the nymph had been in the water for a while she saw a sage at the river's edge, at his sandhya vandana his evening worship. The austere on sat motionless his eyes shut first. This was followed by the work by R. The culmination so far has been in the two volume work by Ramesh Menon. The last one is exquisite in its simplicity an Sonia Murthy Certified Buyer. This edition of Mahabharata is all you shall go for if you want to choose from the Mahabharat by different authors. By a week's reserch on various sites, I came to know that I have to choose between this edition or the one by Late Mrs. Kamala Subramaniam's. Let me tell you Mr. Menon has drawn lot of material from the edition by Kamala Subramaniam, which he duly acknoledges at the start of book. The only difference is that of price and length along with some more detailed explainations given Keyur Shah Certified Buyer. Must Read. Delivery and condition perfect! The book was encased properly in a paper case and delivered properly! This is one amazing rendition of Mahabharat with smooth flow and poetry like description for each and every scenario. Anyone who wants an in-depth view of the Mahabharat should read it. Its an amazing book and the quality is also nice. Worthy of the price. However, i do believe that some of the instances in the book are not in harmony with the general perception of people of what really happened. I am only halfway through the book. Fingers crossed, Hoping for the best!!! Aastha Passi Certified Buyer , Amritsar. Simply no words to describe the book Rini Chakraborty Certified Buyer , Kolkata. I enjoyed this book a lot, more so as we have grown up around the stories and legends. I think it connects with the first time Mahabharat reader very well, it is thoroughly enjoyable if you want to read it as a fantasy novel too. The beginning can be a bit slow but once you get into it, it moves quick. Flipkart didn't send me both volumes at first but customer service was quiet good and the issue resolved soon. The second time I wanted to buy the set for a friend it was on sale but never did Sandeep Certified Buyer , Mumbai. Although there are many books available on this epic and having read few of them i can say this one truly stands out. Ramesh menon has portrayed the epic in a picturesque manner and its fascinating to see how the story unfolds. This book contains few additional stories and explanations which one might not find otherwise. Although of a sheer size this book can really keep you engrossed. Im in all praise for Ramesh menon after reading this book. For those who enjoy his writing style would recomme It has been said that nothing exists that cannot be found within the pages of this awesome legend. The epic describes a great war of some years ago, and the events that led to it. The war on Kurukshetra sees ten million warriors slain, brings the dwapara yuga to an end, and ushers in a new and sinister age: this present kali yuga, modern times. Senayor ubhayor madhye, between two teeming armies, Krishna expounds the eternal dharma to his warrior of light, Arjuna. At one level, all the restless action of the Mahabharata is a quest for the Gita and its sacred stillness. The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering, Vol. 2 by Ramesh Menon

It has been said that nothing exists that cannot be found within the pages of this awesome legend. The epic describes a great war of some years ago, and the events that led to it. The war on Kurukshetra sees ten million warriors slain, brings the dwapara yuga to an end, and ushers in a new and sinister age: this present kali yuga, modern times. Senayor ubhayor madhye, between two teeming armies, Krishna expounds the eternal dharma to his warrior of light, Arjuna. At one level, all the restless action of the Mahabharata is a quest for the Gita and its sacred stillness. Keyur Shah Certified Buyer. Must Read. Delivery and condition perfect! The book was encased properly in a paper case and delivered properly! This is one amazing rendition of Mahabharat with smooth flow and poetry like description for each and every scenario. Anyone who wants an in- depth view of the Mahabharat should read it. Its an amazing book and the quality is also nice. Worthy of the price. However, i do believe that some of the instances in the book are not in harmony with the general perception of people of what really happened. I am only halfway through the book. Fingers crossed, Hoping for the best!!! Aastha Passi Certified Buyer , Amritsar. Simply no words to describe the book Rini Chakraborty Certified Buyer , Kolkata. I enjoyed this book a lot, more so as we have grown up around the stories and legends. I think it connects with the first time Mahabharat reader very well, it is thoroughly enjoyable if you want to read it as a fantasy novel too. The beginning can be a bit slow but once you get into it, it moves quick. Flipkart didn't send me both volumes at first but customer service was quiet good and the issue resolved soon. The second time I wanted to buy the set for a friend it was on sale but never did Sandeep Certified Buyer , Mumbai. Although there are many books available on this epic and having read few of them i can say this one truly stands out. Ramesh menon has portrayed the epic in a picturesque manner and its fascinating to see how the story unfolds. This book contains few additional stories and explanations which one might not find otherwise. Although of a sheer size this book can really keep you engrossed. Im in all praise for Ramesh menon after reading this book. For those who enjoy his writing style would recomme Sahadev Das Certified Buyer , Siliguri. Flipkart Customer Certified Buyer , Bareilly. Questions and Answers. Q: It's the same Mahabharat or something else. What is the significance of modern rendering.??? A: It is a novelization of the original epic. It is "modern" in the sense that it closely follows the style and syntax of English as used in contemporary English literature. Subhodeep Sarkar. Report Abuse. Q: I am confused about the description saying "Modern retelling". Greetings, cousin! Whatever brings you to Dwaraka, young Arjuna? Could it be the same thing I have come for? But I came before you and I will speak to Krishna first. Arjuna sat as far away from Duryodhana as he could and said calmly, What does it matter who came first or last? He who decides all things, for his own reasons, will decide this as well. Satyaki came into the room. He greeted them both perfunctorily and said, Krishna is still asleep, but you can come in and wait beside his bed. He will speak to you when he wakes up. Duryodhana jumped up to follow Satyaki and Arjuna went after them at his ease. In his chamber, Krishna lay asleep. At the head of his bed stood an exquisite chair carved from dark rosewood. Duryodhana crossed to it and sat down. Duryodhana fidgeted in his chair. Satyaki had barely left the room, when Krishna opened his eyes, yawned and saw Arjuna at the foot of his bed. Krishna was all smiles. As he rose, there was a cough behind him. He turned to see Duryodhana, sitting stiffly in his chair. The said, Krishna, I came before Arjuna and it is only just that you hear me first. Krishna said softly, How nice to see you, Duryodhana. And I am glad to hear you speaking of justice today! He scratched his cheek thoughtfully. Yet, when I awoke, it was Arjuna I saw first. Well, I must be fair to both of you, since you have come so far to seek my advice or help, or…what is it you have come for? Duryodhana said, Krishna, we mean to have war between us. There is no point pretending otherwise, since both of us are mustering armies. I have come to ask you, Krishna, to fight for the Kaura-vas. And I came before he did. Krishna turned questioningly to Arjuna, who inclined his head to say that he, also, had come for the same reason. Duryodhana went on smoothly, Krishna, they say you favor neither the Pandavas nor the Kauravas. It is only dharma you join the one that came to you first. The rishis all say you are the greatest man in the world. You must not violate dharma. Krishna nodded gravely at Duryodhana and the Kaurava smiled as if he already had what he wanted; and if Krishna joined him, the Pandavas would be finished! He would have won the war before it began. He would not be surprised if Yudhishtira abandoned the thought of fighting and went back into the jungle for another twelve years. To be fair, I cannot turn either of you away. So I will offer you a choice. Again, Duryodhana wanted to speak and again Krishna would not let him. Listen to the choice I offer before you protest. I feel you will both be pleased with my offer. Can you agree to trust me? For once the choice is made, it will bind all three of us. I promise it will be fair to both of you: a choice after your own hearts and neither of you shall be disappointed. Will you trust me? Arjuna nodded at once and, after some hesitation, Duryodhana did as well. Make your offer, Krishna. Krishna said, On one hand, I offer myself, just me mind you and I will carry no weapons during your war, nor strike a blow regardless of who wins or loses. Arjuna, you choose first. Arjuna did not hesitate. This is the easiest choice I ever had to make. I choose you, Krishna! Who else do I need in this world, or the next? Duryodhana had to restrain himself, so he did not laugh aloud. On one hand, an unarmed Krishna who would not strike a blow and a formidable legion of Vrishni heroes on the other: if he had the first choice, he would certainly have chosen the Yadava warriors. What could Krishna do if he did not fight? It was a laughable choice and what was more, the fool of a Pandava had made it for him. He could not keep the glee out of his eyes and Krishna smiled to see it. He was so overjoyed he ran straight to his master Balarama. Balarama raised him up. Duryodhana, I am glad to see you. Have you heard how I defended your cause at Upaplavya? I have heard, my lord and I thank you! I have come to tell you how much what you said there has helped me. Arjuna and I saw Krishna together. He said he would be fair to both of us. He offered us a choice and asked Arjuna to choose first. Oh no, my lord! In this instance, he has been entirely fair. Duryodhana laughed, On one hand, himself and he will bear no arms, nor strike a blow during the war, whatever its outcome. And on the other, a legion of Vrishni warriors who will fight! But Duryodhana was too excited to notice his master was not enthused. The Kaurava was already saying, So, will you fight for me, my lord, as part of the Yadava legion? Balarama shook his head. How can I fight against my brother? I have already told Krishna I will take no part in this war. If you and your cousins do fight, I shall go away on a pilgrimage to pray for all of you. And for Krishna. Kindly, he said, Duryodhana, among all my sishyas, you were always my favorite. You are a brave man, born in a noble house. Fight your war like the proud kshatriya you are. How pleased Shakuni would be! When Duryodhana had gone, Balarama sat very still for a long time and a tear glistened in his eye. He rose and poured himself a bowl of wine. There was no doubt now that there would indeed be war and blood would flow in scarlet streams. Balarama drained the bowl and set it down. He whispered, Oh, my brother, how savage are your ways. What choice did you offer? You knew both their hearts. The only choice you offered Duryodhana was his death. You made such a foolish choice! Did you think the Sudarshana Chakra would be yours to cast at the enemy? I will not strike a blow, Arjuna. You had the first choice and you chose wrongly. Ah, what have you done, Pandava? I have what I came for, though I came slowly and arrived after my clever cousin. Krishna, I will raze the Kaurava army by myself. But will you be my sarathy? So I can fight in your name and in the name of dharma and rid the earth of the evil that chokes her. And if you will, my own name shall become immortal: for they will call you Parthasar-athy! But are you certain you have made the right choice? Where you are, victory shall be. Life is a storm and you are our only shelter. You have come to the world to till this ancient land and let kshatriya blood in a sea to renew her. I will be your priest for that ritual, Krishna. Spring will be greener, when we have finished our sacrifice. Rain-clouds will be darker and the colors of autumn more resonant. Winter will be purer and the summer more true because your blue feet walked the earth! My heart knows all this, why do you try to make me think it is otherwise? Win or lose, no matter, for posterity will know that Krishna fought on the side of the Pandavas. Not I, or any of my brothers would have it otherwise. Krishna embraced Arjuna. Then he led him into another room in his palace, where Satyaki was pacing the floor. Krishna said, Look, Satyaki, at what this Arjuna has done. Satyaki gave a shrill laugh. I thank God! I was terrified Arjuna would make the wrong choice. A shadow crossed his face. But Duryodhana has gone to meet Balarama, to ask him to fight on his side. Kritavarman says your brother is already with him. Krishna said, My brother will take no part in the war. He did his best to keep me out of it as well. But that would not do, would it? He smiled, mysteriously as ever. The vital thing is, he will not fight. He took a grape from a silver bowl and chewed thoughtfully on its purple flesh. It was surely Shakuni that sent his nephew to me in such haste and he will be overjoyed at the news Duryodhana takes back to him. That is the pity with people like Shakuni: they are satisfied with the skin of the fruit. But in the end, it is Arjuna and his brothers who will taste the flesh. This is always the way of time: that the righteous shall have lasting victory, while evil only appears to win and for a short while. He spat some seeds through a window, from the grape he had just eaten. Anyway, I am thankful I did not have to turn Duryodhana down when he came to me. Now no one can say Krishna was not just. Though heaven knows what I would have done if I had not seen Arjuna standing at the foot of my bed when I awoke, while the Kaurava sat haughtily where I could not see him. I really wonder what I would have done. Satyaki said quietly, Shall I tell you what you would have done? You would have told Duryo-dhana that you had already decided to join the Pandavas. That is what you would have done. I know you, Krishna! Everyone seems to know me, these days, better than I do myself. Shall I tell you what my brother said? You are determined that Duryodhana and Karna must die and I will not fight against you. But I feel sorry for Duryodhana. Time will remember him as the man who sent the Pandavas into exile, the kshatriya who cheated at dice. But what about his other qualities, Krishna? His generosity, his charm, his intelligence, his courage: who will say Duryodhana was a respectful pupil, a softhearted and loyal friend? He will be remembered only for one folly and not for his kindness toward Karna, whom he treats like his own brother. I ask you, would any of the Pandavas have been so generous to a man who is not their own blood, but a sutaputra. Would anyone? He sighed. But that was not what you wanted, was it? I know you, Krishna. Only what you have decided will happen. Once Shakuni twirled loaded ivory dice; now you twirl the dice of fate in your hands, my brother. And they are loaded, too, with the deaths of Duryodhana and Karna, both of whom have never been given a fair chance in this life. Krishna sighed, "My brother is very unhappy, Satyaki. And should Yudhishtira, who is the noblest of men, suffer endlessly for no fault of his? Why should he? Because he is truthful and patient and because he never leaves the path of dharma? No, he has suffered enough for being righteous. The hour of reckoning has come, now Duryodhana must pay for his sins. Shall Bheema not keep his oath, which he swore when Dusasana tried to strip Draupadi in the sabha of Hastinapura? They shall! Or dharma has no meaning. If there was any way at all, I, as much as Yudhishtira, would prevent this war. But I do know Duryodhana. His hatred rules him and he will not relent. And I fear the war on the crack of the ages must be fought. Softly he added, As it was always meant to be. For a moment, he was plunged in some thought too deep to share. Then Krishna smiled brightly again at Arjuna and Satyaki. He put his hands on their shoulders and said, But now we must hurry to Upaplavya. As Balarama says, the die is cast and Yudhishtira waits anxiously for us. My lord Yudhishtira wants you to know there may be war between the Pandavas and the Kaura-vas. He sends word to ask you to fight for him. Shalya set out the next day with one aksauhini. It was some way from his kingdom to the Matsya city and the going was hard. He decided he wanted to win the powerful kshatriya to his side and strike the first blow off the field of battle. Wine flowed, the food was fit for kings, the music was sweet and the dancing-girls were seductive. Duryo-dhana even had his agents lead Shalya some way from his true route and feted him lavishly in mansions built within Kuru lands. Duryodhana had instructed his men not to reveal for whom they worked. He said to the servants, Call your masters who serve my nephew Yudhishtira. I want to thank them. A little puzzled, the servants bowed and withdrew. Duryodhana himself was waiting in that mansion. The servants came to him and told him what Shalya said. Shalya got up and embraced him. You have looked after me and my men with unforgettable affection. I must reward you! Ask me for anything and it shall be yours. Duryodhana knelt before Shalya, My lord, I want just one boon from you: that you fight the war for me. Having given his word, Shalya could hardly refuse. I will fight my nephews for you, Duryodhana. But I was on my way to meet Yudhishtira. You have my word. Duryodhana embraced Shalya. Then hurry to Upaplavya and meet your nephews. So you can join me quickly in Hastinapura. And Duryodhana was gone. He pushed the thought aside and gave orders for his army to march within the hour to Upaplavya. Shalya was quite sober when he arrived in that city. The Mahabharata (A Modern Rendering) (A Set of 2 Volumes)

When Nakula and Sahadeva take the field, which Kaurava will ride against them? Who will fight Shikhandi and Dhrishtadyumna? How will they contain Gada, Samba and Pradyumna? Which of them will face Abhimanyu? Our enemies are rotted soft with the sins moldering in their hearts. How will they stand against the forces of dharma? We all know Duryodhana. He will never give back the kingdom and I think gentle Yudhishtira knows this as well as any man here. Why should our emperor, for whom we are all ready to die, demean himself with an obsequious message to a serpent who has always done his best to destroy him and his family? Yudhishtira should send word to Duryodhana that he must return what no longer belongs to him, at once, or prepare to meet death on the field of battle. Satyaki sat down with a final glower at Balarama. The sabha burst into loud applause. Yudhishtira smiled gratefully at the young Yadava. Krishna had an inscrutable and, now, rather faraway look in his eyes. The time had come for an elder to speak and Drupada rose. Duryodhana will never give back the kingdom without war; most likely, he already prepares for it. Dhritarashtra will stand with his son. Shakuni and Karna are with him. Bheeshma and Drona will be foolish if they take his part, but it is not impossible we find they do. I differ with Balarama today. We must not send a humble message to Duryodhana; he must not think we are afraid of him. If there is any hope of his returning the kingdom without war, it is if he fears us. An animal like him does not understand gentleness or dharma, only violence and fear. We must send a messenger to Hastinapura; but he must carry our word in strength, not weakness. There were noises of approval from the council. Drupada went on, "But, to my mind, sending an ambassador to Hastinapura is not our most pressing concern. In all likelihood, our enemies already prepare themselves for war and so must we. Let word go out to all the kings of the earth who will ally themselves to us. I am an old man and I have some instinct for history. I sense a horrible war, formed like a fetus, growing in the womb of time and its birth drawn very near. A war such as this earth has never seen: a war between dharma and adharma, good and evil, for the right to rule the world. Let us not deceive ourselves with foolish hopes, but be well prepared. There is an old saying that a kshatriya always agrees to support the man who goes to him first. We must not lose any allies because Duryodhana sent word to them before we did. Yudhishtira, this very day, let your messengers ride to the courts of Shalya, Dhrishtaketu and Jayatsena. Let the loyal Kekaya brothers not feel we have left them out of our deliberations. We must not underestimate Duryodhana. Drupada glanced pointedly at Balarama. The Panchala king loved Draupadi more than his life. He would not rest until Duryodhana was dead. Let me send my family priest as our messenger to Hastinapura. He is a wise and distinguished man and used to dealing with kings. Tell him what message to carry to Dhritarashtra, Bheeshma, Drona, Duryodhana and the others and he will deliver it without dishonoring the sender. Smiling, Krishna rose again. I agree with what he says. Strange though it may sound, I see the Pandavas and the Kauravas with equal eyes. We are grateful to Virata that he has honored us by giving his lovely daughter to our nephew. The wedding is over and it is time we went back to Dwaraka. Balarama, who sat crushed by what Satyaki and Drupada had said, breathed a sigh of relief. Unpredictable as ever, Krishna had not turned against his brother in public, whatever he might have felt about his views. We shall see how they face Arjuna and Bheema away from the dice-board! On that note, the sabha in Upaplavya concluded. Virata bid farewell to his guests, sending them home with many precious gifts. Krishna and Balarama left with the Yadava army and went back to Dwaraka, Balarama rather chastened and Krishna with a growing instinct of the war that plunged ever closer along the maze of time. The Dark One also had a premonition of a piquant choice that would soon confront him in his ocean-city, the prospect of which he quite relished. Yudhishtira and Virata began to prepare in earnest for war. They sent messengers abroad, to kingdoms far and near, to warn their allies of the impending war and enlist their support. News of this traveled swiftly to Duryodhana and he, too, sent his own envoys to powerful kings who were his friends. Soon, armies on the move covered the earth. And surely, the greater number went to the Kuru capital; for in those days, Duryodhana was at the height of his influence and power. Drupada sent his erudite and experienced priest to the Kaurava court. This man was a highborn brah-mana and presented himself with dignity before the blind king, Bheeshma, Drona, Vidura and the other Kauravas. Earlier, before he left the Panchala capital, Drupada had said to him, "You know the gravity of the mission on which I am sending you. You are aware of all the circumstances, the injustice the Pandavas and my child have endured. Vidura was the only one in the Kuru sabha who spoke for dharma on the day the Pandavas were banished. But Dhritarashtra paid him no heed. Shakuni is a malignant creature; he is the heart of evil in Hastinapura. Duryodhana and the others have gone too far down the path of darkness to turn back now; there is no point talking to them. Address yourself directly to Dhritarashtra. He is old enough to fear death and wise enough, at least by his infirmity, to acknowledge his fear. Yet, he dotes on his son and you might not persuade him. However, though you address the blind king, what you say can influence those wiser than him: Bheeshma, Drona and Kripa. And I am sure the good Vidura will support you. If you speak of how much their deeds are at variance with the ways of the Kuru sires, the Kaurava may well have to spend some time winning back their hearts. That will be time won for us and we can strengthen our forces. This is the real purpose ofyour embassy to Hastinapura, a subtle and vital one. Set out under the Pushyami nakshatra, at the time of day called Jaya. In Upaplavya, Yudhishtira and Virata called Arjuna. He even said the Kauravas and Pandavas are the same to him and Balarama seems to be against us. More than anything else, this worries me. I want you to ride to Dwaraka and ask Krishna for which side he will fight. He is always mysterious and I will have no peace until I know what he means to do. Arjuna set out alone for the city in the sea. Duryodhana burst in on his uncle and main advisor, Shakuni. He said with rare urgency, You must reach Dwaraka before Arjuna does and ask Krishna to support you in the war. Take your swiftest horses, go now! Within the hour, Duryodhana swept toward the ocean-city. Meanwhile, Arjuna went along with no doubt in his mind that Krishna would join the Pandavas. How would the love the Blue God bore his cousins allow him to fight for the Kauravas? Arjuna did not hurry, but went in faith and arrived in fabulous Dwaraka only after Duryodhana did. It was early morning. The city of dreams lay languid on a sea tinted with the colors of a new day. Arjuna took his chariot across the bridge that led into Dwaraka; the city was just beginning to bestir itself. Still rubbing the sleep from their eyes, some Yadavas came out of their homes to worship the sun. They saw Arjuna, shouted his name in surprise and waved. He saw Duryodhana sat there already, grinning smugly at him. Greetings, cousin! Whatever brings you to Dwaraka, young Arjuna? Could it be the same thing I have come for? But I came before you and I will speak to Krishna first. Arjuna sat as far away from Duryodhana as he could and said calmly, What does it matter who came first or last? He who decides all things, for his own reasons, will decide this as well. Satyaki came into the room. He greeted them both perfunctorily and said, Krishna is still asleep, but you can come in and wait beside his bed. He will speak to you when he wakes up. Duryodhana jumped up to follow Satyaki and Arjuna went after them at his ease. In his chamber, Krishna lay asleep. At the head of his bed stood an exquisite chair carved from dark rosewood. Duryodhana crossed to it and sat down. Duryodhana fidgeted in his chair. Satyaki had barely left the room, when Krishna opened his eyes, yawned and saw Arjuna at the foot of his bed. Krishna was all smiles. As he rose, there was a cough behind him. He turned to see Duryodhana, sitting stiffly in his chair. The Kaurava said, Krishna, I came before Arjuna and it is only just that you hear me first. Krishna said softly, How nice to see you, Duryodhana. And I am glad to hear you speaking of justice today! He scratched his cheek thoughtfully. Yet, when I awoke, it was Arjuna I saw first. Well, I must be fair to both of you, since you have come so far to seek my advice or help, or…what is it you have come for? Duryodhana said, Krishna, we mean to have war between us. There is no point pretending otherwise, since both of us are mustering armies. I have come to ask you, Krishna, to fight for the Kaura-vas. And I came before he did. Krishna turned questioningly to Arjuna, who inclined his head to say that he, also, had come for the same reason. Duryodhana went on smoothly, Krishna, they say you favor neither the Pandavas nor the Kauravas. It is only dharma you join the one that came to you first. The rishis all say you are the greatest man in the world. You must not violate dharma. Krishna nodded gravely at Duryodhana and the Kaurava smiled as if he already had what he wanted; and if Krishna joined him, the Pandavas would be finished! He would have won the war before it began. He would not be surprised if Yudhishtira abandoned the thought of fighting and went back into the jungle for another twelve years. To be fair, I cannot turn either of you away. So I will offer you a choice. Again, Duryodhana wanted to speak and again Krishna would not let him. Listen to the choice I offer before you protest. I feel you will both be pleased with my offer. Can you agree to trust me? For once the choice is made, it will bind all three of us. I promise it will be fair to both of you: a choice after your own hearts and neither of you shall be disappointed. Will you trust me? Arjuna nodded at once and, after some hesitation, Duryodhana did as well. Make your offer, Krishna. Krishna said, On one hand, I offer myself, just me mind you and I will carry no weapons during your war, nor strike a blow regardless of who wins or loses. Arjuna, you choose first. Arjuna did not hesitate. This is the easiest choice I ever had to make. I choose you, Krishna! Who else do I need in this world, or the next? Duryodhana had to restrain himself, so he did not laugh aloud. On one hand, an unarmed Krishna who would not strike a blow and a formidable legion of Vrishni heroes on the other: if he had the first choice, he would certainly have chosen the Yadava warriors. What could Krishna do if he did not fight? It was a laughable choice and what was more, the fool of a Pandava had made it for him. He could not keep the glee out of his eyes and Krishna smiled to see it. He was so overjoyed he ran straight to his master Balarama. Balarama raised him up. Duryodhana, I am glad to see you. Have you heard how I defended your cause at Upaplavya? I have heard, my lord and I thank you! I have come to tell you how much what you said there has helped me. Arjuna and I saw Krishna together. He said he would be fair to both of us. He offered us a choice and asked Arjuna to choose first. Oh no, my lord! In this instance, he has been entirely fair. Duryodhana laughed, On one hand, himself and he will bear no arms, nor strike a blow during the war, whatever its outcome. And on the other, a legion of Vrishni warriors who will fight! But Duryodhana was too excited to notice his master was not enthused. The Kaurava was already saying, So, will you fight for me, my lord, as part of the Yadava legion? Balarama shook his head. How can I fight against my brother? I have already told Krishna I will take no part in this war. If you and your cousins do fight, I shall go away on a pilgrimage to pray for all of you. And for Krishna. Kindly, he said, Duryodhana, among all my sishyas, you were always my favorite. You are a brave man, born in a noble house. Fight your war like the proud kshatriya you are. How pleased Shakuni would be! When Duryodhana had gone, Balarama sat very still for a long time and a tear glistened in his eye. He rose and poured himself a bowl of wine. There was no doubt now that there would indeed be war and blood would flow in scarlet streams. Balarama drained the bowl and set it down. He whispered, Oh, my brother, how savage are your ways. What choice did you offer? You knew both their hearts. The only choice you offered Duryodhana was his death. You made such a foolish choice! Did you think the Sudarshana Chakra would be yours to cast at the enemy? I will not strike a blow, Arjuna. You had the first choice and you chose wrongly. Ah, what have you done, Pandava? I have what I came for, though I came slowly and arrived after my clever cousin. Krishna, I will raze the Kaurava army by myself. But will you be my sarathy? So I can fight in your name and in the name of dharma and rid the earth of the evil that chokes her. And if you will, my own name shall become immortal: for they will call you Parthasar-athy! But are you certain you have made the right choice? Where you are, victory shall be. Life is a storm and you are our only shelter. You have come to the world to till this ancient land and let kshatriya blood in a sea to renew her. I will be your priest for that ritual, Krishna. Spring will be greener, when we have finished our sacrifice. Rain-clouds will be darker and the colors of autumn more resonant. Winter will be purer and the summer more true because your blue feet walked the earth! My heart knows all this, why do you try to make me think it is otherwise? Win or lose, no matter, for posterity will know that Krishna fought on the side of the Pandavas. Not I, or any of my brothers would have it otherwise. Krishna embraced Arjuna. Then he led him into another room in his palace, where Satyaki was pacing the floor. Krishna said, Look, Satyaki, at what this Arjuna has done. Satyaki gave a shrill laugh. I thank God! I was terrified Arjuna would make the wrong choice. A shadow crossed his face. But Duryodhana has gone to meet Balarama, to ask him to fight on his side. Kritavarman says your brother is already with him. Krishna said, My brother will take no part in the war. He did his best to keep me out of it as well. But that would not do, would it? He smiled, mysteriously as ever. The vital thing is, he will not fight. He took a grape from a silver bowl and chewed thoughtfully on its purple flesh. It was surely Shakuni that sent his nephew to me in such haste and he will be overjoyed at the news Duryodhana takes back to him. That is the pity with people like Shakuni: they are satisfied with the skin of the fruit. But in the end, it is Arjuna and his brothers who will taste the flesh. This is always the way of time: that the righteous shall have lasting victory, while evil only appears to win and for a short while. He spat some seeds through a window, from the grape he had just eaten. Anyway, I am thankful I did not have to turn Duryodhana down when he came to me. Now no one can say Krishna was not just. Though heaven knows what I would have done if I had not seen Arjuna standing at the foot of my bed when I awoke, while the Kaurava sat haughtily where I could not see him. I really wonder what I would have done. Satyaki said quietly, Shall I tell you what you would have done? You would have told Duryo-dhana that you had already decided to join the Pandavas. That is what you would have done. I know you, Krishna! Everyone seems to know me, these days, better than I do myself. Shall I tell you what my brother said? You are determined that Duryodhana and Karna must die and I will not fight against you. But I feel sorry for Duryodhana. Time will remember him as the man who sent the Pandavas into exile, the kshatriya who cheated at dice. But what about his other qualities, Krishna? His generosity, his charm, his intelligence, his courage: who will say Duryodhana was a respectful pupil, a softhearted and loyal friend? He will be remembered only for one folly and not for his kindness toward Karna, whom he treats like his own brother. I ask you, would any of the Pandavas have been so generous to a man who is not their own blood, but a sutaputra. Would anyone? He sighed. But that was not what you wanted, was it? I know you, Krishna. Only what you have decided will happen. Once Shakuni twirled loaded ivory dice; now you twirl the dice of fate in your hands, my brother. And they are loaded, too, with the deaths of Duryodhana and Karna, both of whom have never been given a fair chance in this life. Krishna sighed, "My brother is very unhappy, Satyaki. And should Yudhishtira, who is the noblest of men, suffer endlessly for no fault of his? Why should he? Because he is truthful and patient and because he never leaves the path of dharma? No, he has suffered enough for being righteous. The hour of reckoning has come, now Duryodhana must pay for his sins. Shall Bheema not keep his oath, which he swore when Dusasana tried to strip Draupadi in the sabha of Hastinapura? They shall! Or dharma has no meaning. If there was any way at all, I, as much as Yudhishtira, would prevent this war. But I do know Duryodhana. His hatred rules him and he will not relent. And I fear the war on the crack of the ages must be fought. Softly he added, As it was always meant to be. For a moment, he was plunged in some thought too deep to share. Then Krishna smiled brightly again at Arjuna and Satyaki. He put his hands on their shoulders and said, But now we must hurry to Upaplavya. As Balarama says, the die is cast and Yudhishtira waits anxiously for us. My lord Yudhishtira wants you to know there may be war between the Pandavas and the Kaura-vas. He sends word to ask you to fight for him. Shalya set out the next day with one aksauhini. It was some way from his kingdom to the Matsya city and the going was hard. He decided he wanted to win the powerful kshatriya to his side and strike the first blow off the field of battle. Wine flowed, the food was fit for kings, the music was sweet and the dancing-girls were seductive. Duryo-dhana even had his agents lead Shalya some way from his true route and feted him lavishly in mansions built within Kuru lands. Duryodhana had instructed his men not to reveal for whom they worked. He said to the servants, Call your masters who serve my nephew Yudhishtira. I want to thank them. A little puzzled, the servants bowed and withdrew. Duryodhana himself was waiting in that mansion. The servants came to him and told him what Shalya said. Shalya got up and embraced him. You have looked after me and my men with unforgettable affection. I must reward you! Ask me for anything and it shall be yours. Duryodhana knelt before Shalya, My lord, I want just one boon from you: that you fight the war for me. Having given his word, Shalya could hardly refuse. I will fight my nephews for you, Duryodhana. But I was on my way to meet Yudhishtira. You have my word. Duryodhana embraced Shalya. Then hurry to Upaplavya and meet your nephews. So you can join me quickly in Hastinapura. And Duryodhana was gone. He pushed the thought aside and gave orders for his army to march within the hour to Upaplavya. Shalya was quite sober when he arrived in that city. When he saw his nephews and they welcomed him so warmly, he regretted having agreed to fight for Duryodhana. He embraced each of them, crying, My poor children, what an ordeal you have been through. I am so pleased it is over now and you are back among us. Draupadi, my child, how good to see you again. And just as beautiful as you always were! The battlefield of Kurukshetra and the eventual victory of one of the warring factions leads to the end of a yuga and a new world order comes into existence. The epic is a treasure trove of human feelings and anguish while at the heart of it lies the Song of God, the Bhagavad Gita. At one level, all the restless action of the epic is a quest for the Gita and its sacred stillness. The Gita remains the holiest of all Hindu texts while The Mahabharata continues to enamour readers and scholars all over the world. This new rendering retells the Mahabharata to the contemporary reader in lyrical, modern prose. Without being too short or forbiddingly long, it brings alive all the epic's excitement, magic and grandeur to our times. Published in two Volumes the Book has Pags in Volume. Chapter 1. Chapter 2. Chapter 3.

Read The Mahabharata Online by Ramesh Menon | Books

Must Read. Delivery and condition perfect! The book was encased properly in a paper case and delivered properly! This is one amazing rendition of Mahabharat with smooth flow and poetry like description for each and every scenario. Anyone who wants an in-depth view of the Mahabharat should read it. Its an amazing book and the quality is also nice. Worthy of the price. However, i do believe that some of the instances in the book are not in harmony with the general perception of people of what really happened. I am only halfway through the book. Fingers crossed, Hoping for the best!!! Aastha Passi Certified Buyer , Amritsar. Simply no words to describe the book Rini Chakraborty Certified Buyer , Kolkata. I enjoyed this book a lot, more so as we have grown up around the stories and legends. I think it connects with the first time Mahabharat reader very well, it is thoroughly enjoyable if you want to read it as a fantasy novel too. The beginning can be a bit slow but once you get into it, it moves quick. Flipkart didn't send me both volumes at first but customer service was quiet good and the issue resolved soon. The second time I wanted to buy the set for a friend it was on sale but never did Sandeep Certified Buyer , Mumbai. Although there are many books available on this epic and having read few of them i can say this one truly stands out. Ramesh menon has portrayed the epic in a picturesque manner and its fascinating to see how the story unfolds. This book contains few additional stories and explanations which one might not find otherwise. Although of a sheer size this book can really keep you engrossed. Im in all praise for Ramesh menon after reading this book. For those who enjoy his writing style would recomme Sahadev Das Certified Buyer , Siliguri. Flipkart Customer Certified Buyer , Bareilly. Questions and Answers. Q: It's the same Mahabharat or something else. What is the significance of modern rendering.??? A: It is a novelization of the original epic. It is "modern" in the sense that it closely follows the style and syntax of English as used in contemporary English literature. Subhodeep Sarkar. Report Abuse. Q: I am confused about the description saying "Modern retelling". Does this mean that the caracters are different and the story setting is in modern day? Or is it original Mahabharata without any cuts? A: It is the original, it's just more readable. Highly recommended. Sanghamitra Ghosh. Q: Is this version better than the unabridged version of same author? A: It's more easily readable. It also tells what parts it skipped, the length of the skipped parts in the original text, and it basically cuts out the unimportant parts. Pratik Thakur. A: No illustrations, just the complete adbridged text. Q: Do these two volumes contain the entire story or are there other volumes as well? A: No these volumes contains an abridged version of the Mahabharata. It has been published by Rupa. Vinod Nayak. Didn't get the right answer you were looking for Post your question. Safe and Secure Payments. Easy returns. You might be interested in. Back to top. The greatest Indian epic, The Mahabharata, is the tale of life - its intrigues, its joys, its sorrows and about the elusive truth. First composed in verse, coming down the centuries through the ancient oral tradition, the epic has deeply influenced the history, culture, and arts of the subcontinent, as well as most of South-East Asia. The Mahabharata tells of a great war and the events that lead upto it. The battlefield of Kurukshetra and the eventual victory of one of the warring factions leads to the end of a yuga and a new world order comes into existence. The epic is a treasure trove of human feelings and anguish while at the heart of it lies the Song of God, the Bhagavad Gita. At one level, all the restless action of the epic is a quest for the Gita and its sacred stillness. The Gita remains the holiest of all Hindu texts while The Mahabharata continues to enamour readers and scholars all over the world. This new rendering retells the Mahabharata to the contemporary reader in lyrical, modern prose. Without being too short or forbiddingly long, it brings alive all the epic's excitement, magic and grandeur to our times. Published in two Volumes the Book has Pags in Volume. https://files8.webydo.com/9586579/UploadedFiles/52C61C20-B734-746F-A503-09115D211157.pdf https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/999dfaac-9118-492b-896e-2dec5a94ff34/florida-map-164.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9586752/UploadedFiles/57394FE2-EAA6-C2FA-3CAD-77220CE289F0.pdf https://static.s123-cdn-static.com/uploads/4643047/normal_601f69c3634d1.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9586421/UploadedFiles/C33E09B2-C866-6FBB-4DA7-38CCB1FEDCC7.pdf https://static.s123-cdn-static.com/uploads/4639763/normal_6020f5b369221.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9589185/UploadedFiles/67F9A473-3BA7-E74C-83F9-2DC25AB627A3.pdf