Be Specific About Books Supposing Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (The Great Indian Epics Retold)
| Original Title: | Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata |
| ISBN: | 014310425X (ISBN13: 9780143104254) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | The Great Indian Epics Retold |
Devdutt Pattanaik
Paperback | Pages: 372 pages Rating: 4.22 | 14612 Users | 1159 Reviews
Describe Out Of Books Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (The Great Indian Epics Retold)
| Title | : | Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (The Great Indian Epics Retold) |
| Author | : | Devdutt Pattanaik |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 372 pages |
| Published | : | October 5th 2011 by Penguin Global (first published August 14th 2010) |
| Categories | : | Fantasy. Mythology. Fiction. Cultural. India. Asian Literature. Indian Literature. Religion |
Interpretation In Favor Of Books Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (The Great Indian Epics Retold)
High above the sky stands Swarga, paradise, abode of the gods. Still above is Vaikuntha, heaven, abode of God. The doorkeepers of Vaikuntha are the twins, Jaya and Vijaya, both whose names mean 'victory'. One keeps you in Swarga; the other raises you into Vaikuntha. In Vaikuntha there is bliss forever, in Swarga there is pleasure for only as long as you deserve. What is the difference between Jaya and Vijaya? Solve this puzzle and you will solve the mystery of the Mahabharata. In this enthralling retelling of India's greatest epic, the Mahabharata originally known as Jaya, Devdutt Pattanaik seamlessly weaves into a single narrative plots from the Sanskrit classic as well as its many folk and regional variants, including the Pandavani of Chhattisgarh, Gondhal of Maharashtra, Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu and Yakshagana of Karnataka. Richly illustrated with over 250 line drawings by the author, the 108 chapters abound with little-known details such as the names of the hundred Kauravas, the worship of Draupadi as a goddess in Tamil Nadu, the stories of Astika, Madhavi, Jaimini, Aravan and Barbareek, the Mahabharata version of the Shakuntalam and the Ramayana, and the dating of the war based on astronomical data. With clarity and simplicity, the tales in this elegant volume reveal the eternal relevance of the Mahabharata, the complex and disturbing meditation on the human condition that has shaped Indian thought for over 3000 years.Rating Out Of Books Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (The Great Indian Epics Retold)
Ratings: 4.22 From 14612 Users | 1159 ReviewsNotice Out Of Books Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (The Great Indian Epics Retold)
This book is full of revelation that surprised me a lot, so many unknown stories, characters. Even very tiny details are captured in this book. The kudos to the author, for his effort to understand all the version and related stories of Mahabharata in this world. Yes this book is a page-turner though we knew the ending and plot. By reading this book I learnt 55 new words. This is not spiritual or philosophical book, its about way of life. * For the efforts** For narration*** For keeping meEDIT: I am stripping a star and retracting the positive aspects of this review (well, at least in statement) in light of later readings. Pattanaik's myths are not to be read to 'know' the myths but only for fun. Think of them as a modern variant of the Amar Chitra Kathas for the modern professional who has no time for unabridged epics!Original Review:The book started well as it provided a fresh and clear take on Mahabharata without rationalizations and without apology. Devdutt adopts a very
Reading mahabharata was a sudden and unexpected choice on my part. I have never been much interested in mythology but I remembered some of Mahabharata from B.R Chopra's epic TV adaptation and I thought to give it a try. I didn't realize reading this would be such an epiphany. Whether Mahabharata is a myth or history maybe a matter of perspective, but the one thing it is for sure is an epic, in all sense of the word. The numerous characters, their inner conflicts, their complex relations, their
In my teens in India, I used to be fascinated by the retelling of the Mahabharata by Rajaji in Tamil. I read it repeatedly over the years and was well conversant with the myths, the war and its aftermath. One thing that always stood out as an anamoly was the repeated conduct of 'adharmic' actions by the Pandavas during the war and Krishna's collusion in most of them. However, Rajaji, being a devotee of Krishna himself, always glossed over these acts of adharma and presented mostly a sanitised
While I know a bit about Greek and Roman Mythologies, being the most popular, I knew next to nothing about Hindu Mythology, neither their gods nor their epics. So this book was both entertaining to read and an overwhelmingly horizon-broadening experience. If I were to compare the complexity of Greek and Hindu morality, the Hindu would win every time. This book has sorely exposed how ignorant I have been until now, but at least I can try to learn and find out more. There will be spoilers next, so
Do not read this book seeking answers, for it leaves you with more questions to contemplate than answers.I enjoyed Devdutt's retelling of the Mahabharata by including the folk tales and local variations of the stories. The language is simple and accessible -- unlike the original epic which as painful and dense to read as Iliad. It's easy to get lost in the twists and turns of the story, so it was particularly helpful to have the author's chapter end notes highlighting the values within the plot
I consider myself more well-versed with the Mahabharata than the average person, because of my interest in Hindu mythology and the amount of reading I've done on the subject. But I'm really glad I read this, not just because of the small details I learned about (I counted 6 things I hadn't known about - Sahadeva's precognition gained by eating Pandu's flesh, Draupadi cursing dogs to copulate in public for stealing Yudhishtira's slippers, Vibhishana being present at Draupadi's swayamwar, a couple
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