The Mahabharat Of Krsna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Set of 14 Vols.

Description

The Mahabharat Of Krsna Dwaipayana Vyasa Set of 14 Vols. The Mahabharata is regarded as the fifth Veda since it presents the strong Dharma of the Veda only. A perfect study of the epics and the purana texts is mandatory for an impeccable understanding of the Veda. The Veda is scared of such person who is untrained in the epics and puranas yet attempts to explain or interpret the meaning of the Veda. Therefore, the study of the Mahabharata has been considered as very essential for a clear understanding of our ancient culture and civilization. In the context of world civilization, the Mahābhārata, according to W. J. Johnson, is as important as the Bible and the Quran. It is an akhyana, as it is found in the text itself (1.2.235, 236, 238 etc.). Anandavardhana, of the 9 century AC, discussed and established that the sentiment of this epic is Shanta (tranquility).

The copper-plate inscription of the Maharaja Sharvanatha (533-534 CE) from Khoh (Satna District, Madhya Pradesh) describes the Mahābhārata as a “collection of 100,000 verses” (śata-sahasri samhita). According to the Hindu tradition, it was Jaya samhita of about 8800 verses that transformed into Bharata of 24,000 verses that ultimately settled as Mahabharata of one lakh verses.

Thus the Mahabharata reached to a stage gradually as described below:
1. The version of Sage Vyasa, the original author;
2. A revised recension in the form of the Bharata text by Vaisampayana giving it the extent of 23,282 verses reaching to the round figure of 24,000;
3. The Mahabharata version, of not one lakh verses and not even 78,675, but less than that; and,
4. The Mbh. version comprising several additions including the Harivamsa as its Khila parvan, which is purely a puranic text.

Nīlakantha Caturdhara (A Brahmin scholar of Mahārāştra of the 17-18 centuries), who wrote a magnanimous commentary called Bharatabhāvadīpa on the Mahabharata, may be regarded as the first scholar who had taken up the herculean task of considering a critical edition of the Mahabharata for the first time. The credit of preparing a complete critical edition that created la new history in the annals of textual criticism goes to Prof. V.S. Sukthankar, However, he acknowledges the name of Prof, Soren as the first person who had started such work.

Between 1919 and 1966, scholars of the BORI, Pune had prepared the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata on 13,000 pages in 19 volumes, over the span of 47 years. The first fascicule of the Adiparva (i,c., first of the eighteen Books of the Mahabharata) was published in 1927, followed by the entire Adiparva parva in 1933, It was followed by the Harivamsha in another two volumes and six index volumes. This critical edition was based on the collation of about 60 partial manuscripts of the Mahabharata in about eight different scripts belonging to two major recensions (Northern and Southern- 5 scripts in Northern Recension and 3 scripts in Southern Recension). According to Shri. Shastree Ji, who prepared the Jayasamhita, not only the Bhagavadgita but also the Anugita and some portions like Vidur-niti, Sanat-sujatiya, Shanti, Anutshana parvans parvi and such portions are of later dates, Khila parvan, which is purely a puranic text, is also of a later date.

First complete English translation
The first English Translation of the epic Mahabharata, by a single author, was made by Shri. Kisari Mohan Gangull, of Calcutta. He used the Bengali edition and the Bombay edition for his translation. It was published between 1883-1896 by Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers and by M. N. Dutt, Motilal Banarsidas Publishers. Shri. K.M. Ganguly gives valuable critical notes wherever necessary, thus enhancing the value of the translation. His translation has been appreciated by many scholars as faithful to the original text. This English translation of the Mahabharata is the only complete edition in public domain to date. The present publication of the Mahabharata, with the first complete translation of Shri. Kisari Mohan Ganguly, bears much significance especially when the Indian Knowledge Systems are getting pivotal in Indian Education System.