Mahabharath
AUTHOR’S PREFACE
The great Mahabharata
War is supposed to have taken place in the year 3139 BC at Kurukshetra,
India, according to one set of research sholars. Another set placed
it between 950 BC and 1500 BC. It is the biggest classic ever
composed by humanity, several times more than the Illiad and the
Odyssey of the Poet Homer.
The Sage Veda Vyasa
wrote the original version in the Sanskrit language. It was written
in 18 volumes, containing more than 1 lakhs verses of four lines
each.
It is one of the great epic stories that stood the test of the
time over centuries like another great epic Ramayana.
Mahabharata tells about the two royal families,
Pandavas and Kauravas, and the bitter war fought by them for eighteen
days. It speaks volume about the truth and non-violence, justice
and fair play, good and evil and also of the evil effects of gambling.
It is more descriptive on the life style of men and women of those
ancient days.
|
 |
The Kauravas,
one hundred sons of King Dhritarashtra were jealous of the Pandavas,
five sons of King Pandu. The senior most head of the family, Bhisma
tried his best to bring a permanent peace between these two families.
Pandavas, who were cheated in a foul gambling dice game by Kauravas,
had to go in exile to the forest for 13 years, having lost all their
possessions in the gambling.
After completion of
13 years, they claimed their kingdom back, but it was refused by
Duryodhana, the eldest among the hundered sons of the King Dhiritarashtra.
A war broke out that was fought for 18 days at Kurukshetra, India.
Finally, Pandavas won with the help of Lord Krishna and Kauravas
miserably perished.
I have brought this
ancient Indian story in 120 episodes for the reading pleasure of
the Poetry Lovers. It was not an easy task for me to write this
in a condensed poetry form, but still I did it as a trial to see
its effect in form of English verses.
I am grateful to all
those well wishers, who helped me in making this work possible.
Readers are requested
to go through the original version that will give a full picture
of the story and to know more about the Indian civilization far
back 5000 years.
Rajaram
Ramachandran,
Dated: 22-8-2005
|
