MAHABHARATA : THE EPIC AND THE NATION (HB)

A brilliant piece of writing, as only to be expected from a scholar like G.N.Devy. So much to think about in every line! Succinct, simple and compassionate in its language and tone, yet so full of erudition and sharp analysis that it pieces together the confusing timelines and interweavings of this literary wonder stretching over generations.A real gem!

One of the most revered epics in India is the Mahabharata. Even though it was set in the Dwapar Yuga, people still idolize the characters and never miss a chance to draw a parallel between their choices and their actions. G. N. Devy’s Mahabharata is an attempt to establish the relevance of this epic and bring out why this scripture is so important and impactful.Divided into just two chapters- The Epic Quest and The Wheel- the text explores the central theme/ purpose that makes Mahabharata one of the National epics of India. Mahabharata is an oral epic because of the uncertainty associated with its author. Hence, an oral epic can be interpreted by different scholars in very different ways. The same was done by Valmiki and Vyasa. Mr Devy delves deeper into the characterization and intention of a ridiculously long plot and deciphers how people, at large, interpret and apply the circumstances in their own lives.What’s a total turnoff in this book is the presentation of information. With no paragraphs or breaks that can give the readers some time to reflect, the verbosity of the text is unbearable. There is so much information about the epic but it’s so difficult to assimilate it all. However, it would be wrong to say that the information is not useful. One of the parts which piqued my interest immensely was where the author questions the execution of myths in the Mahabharata. ‘The willing suspension of disbelief’ is something that keeps the plot on the move, just how myths and disbeliefs help people remain hopeful and content to some extent. Other than this, honestly, I took a lot of time to go back and forth and associate and understand. Probably, the book is not for the likes of me!If one is interested in discovering every detail about the epic in question, this book should be their go-to guide as it is well-researched and well-articulated. Then, the presentation might not be discomforting.

G.N. Devy’s eruditeness doesn’t need an introduction, and his research in Indian languages, regional history and its linguistics is noteworthy, so naturally his commentary on the relevance of Mahabharata, which has been named ‘Mahabharata: the epic and the nation’ is scholarly and well enunciated. Reading the book calls for an understanding of India’s cultural past, mostly in terms of oral history, written scriptures and linguistic seepage. I’ll confess its difficult to summarize the book, or even precisely define the matters which are discussed. I wouldn’t comment on the coherence of the arguments that Devy mentions solely because it would require a substantial level of expertise, but I would straightaway put across my opinion that I often got lost in the trail of ideas that were getting professed in the book. Devy sometimes zoomed in much over the epic’s technical details, and then linking it to history and sociology in the next instance. The gradient of arguments was not seamless in most cases, and I kept feeling that the structure of the book needed to be worked upon. There are only two chapters in the book, each stretching for over fifty pages and it requires an impeccable amount of attention to keep track of what is being discussed at the instant. Naturally, I couldn’t be consistent in grasping the views, neither could I be involved in breezing though the pages rapidly because it was heavy to comprehend. I, however, did find quite a handful of intelligent observations in the book: they were majorly in terms of how Devy chooses to bridge the gap between the contexts of the Mahabharata and the modern-day scenario. The other thing which I liked was that Devy doesn’t try to assert the supremacy of the epic via religious machinery, neither does he try to present the contexts in terms of religious consciences. Rather, he approaches the epic like what it is—a long poem written thousands of years ago, the adulteration of which is a matter of debate, and the relevance of which even now is a topic of fruitful discussion. I had to admire this figurative approach to view the text, although it is to be noted that most historically accurate perspectives do possess this flavour, and so does the commentaries where the Sanskrit language takes a prime role. If a reader wants to adorn their knowledge more on the epic by picking and choosing passages of interest, this book can prove to be a gold mine—but if they are looking for a well-planned and well-bound commentary on the epic, I am certain there are better alleys to look in elsewhere. I wish that this review is perceived purely as a reader’s perspective, and not as an academic counter-opinion.