Mahabharata
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
The great epic of the Kuru dynasty and the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas, traditionally said to have about 100,000 verses, one of the longest poems ever composed.
| Tradition | Hindu |
|---|---|
| Type | Epic (Itihasa) |
| Language | Sanskrit |
| Period | c. 4th century BCE – 4th century CE, composed in stages (scholarly estimate) |
| Composed or compiled by | Traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana); by tradition written down by Ganesha |
What it contains
- 18 books (parvas), with the Harivamsha as an appendix.
- The rivalry between the five Pandava brothers and their cousins, the Kauravas, ending in the war at Kurukshetra.
- The Bhagavad Gita, in the Bhishma Parva.
- Many embedded stories: Nala and Damayanti, Savitri and Satyavan, Shakuntala, and the Yaksha Prashna.
- Long teachings on dharma and statecraft by Bhishma in the Shanti and Anushasana Parvas.
Significance
The Mahabharata says of itself that what is found in it may be found elsewhere, but what is not in it is nowhere. A critical edition was prepared at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, between 1919 and 1966.