Tag Archives: Epics

What stand apart from these Ramayana- and Mahabharata-oriented versions are the Jain and Buddhist oriented Tamil epics, Silappadikaram and Manimekalai. The other distinct feature about these two works is that they portray ordinary folk as the main characters, and the ebb and flow of their fortunes. The tragedy of Silappadikaram is overwhelming in its pathos and fearsomeness.

Pingala’s happiness is fulfilling. Does it matter that the Sanskrit word used is asha which literally translates as hope, but the mind finds the meaning to lie beyond hope or the more pedantic ‘expectation’? This reiterates another of Debroy’s contention that the Gitas

This novel shows us the coming of age of Parashurama in a coherent way in a beautiful narrative. Fans of fantasy books should be the first to grab a copy, because it has all the ingredients of a truly iconic mystical story. The mystery of ancient prophecies, the beauty of powerful weapons earned through dedicated meditation, the strength of pure family bonds, the satisfaction of finding one’s path through effort and self-realization, the aura of mythical kings and priests, and epic battles between good and evil bring out magical realism at its finest.

This is the fourth book in the Ram Chandra Series written by the well-known writer of mythology, Amish Tripathi. Although the thrilling saga of the great story of Rama has already been covered in other volumes of the series, this book, the final part of the series stands alone as captivating fiction. Once I started reading, it was unputdownable, crisp and riveting.

Here is a study of Abhimanyu by a young author, Anuja Chandramouli, from Tamil Nadu. She brings a burst of fresh energy to the understanding of the Mahabharata in modern India as initiated around late 19th century. Through around ten best-selling books as well as YouTube presentations, she is fulfilling this very essential task of connecting the youth of today to historical and mythological figures

Here is a book by Dipavali Sen that takes us on a long and wonderful journey, back to the times of the Mahabharata, as seen through the eyes of Subhadra who plays many pivotal roles—as the daughter of Vasudev and Rohini, sister of Krishna and Balarama, the wife of Arjuna, the mother of Abhimanyu…and right down to her deification as an idol at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
All this takes place within the framework of a modern setting in Gurgaon.

Hinduism as we call it today has been known as Sanatana Dharma to the ancients. It has shown people from time immemorial the right way of performing worldly duties that are sustained by value-based restraints and natural laws. To explain the how and wherefores of this, Vedic systems were born.

In January 2023 the world of Indology lost Alf Hiltebeitel, prolific Mahabharata scholar who hewed new pathways through that thorny thicket to reveal fresh vistas of understanding. Freud’s India explored personal experiences following his father’s death and his own divorce that recalled Freud’s life and Freud’s connection with India through Dr. Girindrasekhar Bose (‘an extraordinary professor who had founded a local psychoanalytic group in Calcutta’—Freud, 1922). Bose sent Freud an icon of Vishnu seated on Ananta which he kept on his desk. This features as the cover.