The Mahabharata (Box Set)

There have been many translations of the Mahabharata, but this one by Debroy, published by Penguin India, stands out for its clarity and readability. It avoids the older Victorian style of English (in case of Ganguli's), which can be hard for modern readers, and it also leaves out Sanskrit transliteration, making the text more accessible to a wider audience. As someone who frequently buys books online, I’ve usually been happy with the quality of what I receive. However, I’ve had mixed experiences with Penguin India’s locally printed editions in the past—often finding the ink smudged and the paper quality lacking. On the other hand, Penguin’s imported editions from the UK or US have always impressed me with their excellent production standards. Because of this, I was hesitant to purchase this edition, especially considering the price (₹2500). But I’m glad I took the chance. While the paper quality could still be improved, it’s much better than what I’ve seen before. The book set came well-packaged in two layers—the outer box had some minor damage, but the inner box was in good condition, and the ten volumes inside were well-protected. Overall, I’m quite satisfied with this edition. The translation is reader-friendly, and the production quality is decent. A good choice for anyone looking to explore the Mahabharata in a modern and approachable form.

I just got my hands on this amazing collection 😍 It's my long awaited set, and I finally have it with me, although got it at a higher price of 3.2k, but from the past reviews, I feel it's going to be worth it.

I've always wanted to read the Mahabharata instead of just watching it on TV. I grew up attending an English-medium school, so I've always had difficulty reading in any language other than English—like Hindi or Odia. I wanted to read the Mahabharata in English, and Bibek Debroy’s translation did the job perfectly. The packaging and everything else was also great.

The product received is so much good , the quality of the paper is very good, just the box came tampered as it is visible in the picture above But no damage to the book , so I'm overall satisfied with the product Got at a deal of 2437

Very detailed & brings the many critical things forward, which we never knew as we grew up watching the tv version of the Mahabharata. Recommended to readers

Excellent

Some people are spreading misinformation about the authenticity of BORI critical edition of mahabharata and the quality of translation by Bibek debroy... Don't believe them. A board of scholars in Bhandarkar oriental research Institute (a government organization) studied over 1259 manuscripts of Mahabharata over 50 years (1916-1966) and published the critical edition of the epic. They eliminated all the interpolations, popular but fake stories, retellings etc. The final result became the closest thing to the actual epic composed by the great vyasdev. Bibek debroy's translation is very easy to understand and he has given footnotes at the bottom of each and every pages for the name of people, places, various incidents we are unfamiliar with. I have no complains regarding the translation he has done. Coming to the delivery of the books, that was absolutely terrible. They sent the box set inside of just a paper wrap, not even with a cardboard box, that they normally send. The box set of the books was damaged, during shipping I suppose. Thankfully, most of the books were alright, except 3 books were little bit bent. I hope Amazon will be more careful regarding the delivery of their products.