THE scene of the Epic is the ancient kingdom of the Kurus which flourished along the upper course of the Ganges; and the historical fact on which the Epic is based is a great war which took place between the Kurus and a neighbouring tribe, the Panchalas, in the thirteenth or fourteenth century before Christ. According to the Epic, Pandu and Dhrita-rashtra, who was born blind, were brothers. Pandu died early, and Dhrita-rashtra became king of the Kurus, and brought up the five sons of Pandu...

"Ramayana": The Ramayana is an ancient Indian epic attributed to the sage Valmiki. It narrates the story of Prince Rama and his quest to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana. The epic explores themes of dharma (righteousness), devotion, loyalty, and the battle between good and evil. Romesh Chunder Dutt's translation of the Ramayana aimed to convey the essence of this epic to English-speaking readers, allowing them to appreciate its cultural and spiritual significance."Mahabharat...

The Mahābhārata ; Sanskrit: महाभारतम्, Mahābhāratam, is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Rāmāyaṇa.It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kurukshetra Warand the fates of the Kaurava and the Pāṇḍava princes and their succession. Along with the epic Rāmāyaṇa, it forms the Hindu Itihasa.It also contains philosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four "goals of life" or puruṣārtha (12.161). Among the...

An Abridged EditionThe Ramayana tells the story of Rama, hero, prince and incarnation of the god Vishnu. It’s an epic work whose influence and popularity spreads across cultures and continents. Originally written in Sanskrit by the poet Valmiki, this is an abridged version translated into English by Romesh C Dutt with an introduction by translator and writer, Arshia Sattar.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library;...

An Abridged EditionThe Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic masterpiece that weaves together the vivid tapestry of war, human struggle and divine discourse. Two families, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, are entangled in a devastating conflict over inheritance and honour on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, pocket-sized classics bound in real cloth with g...

Like ancient Greece, India claims two great epics: the Ramayana, recounting the adventures of a banished prince who wanders for years in the wilderness of southern India, bears a resemblance to the Odyssey; the Mahabharata, based on the legends surrounding a war in which all the warlike races of Northern India took part, is the country's Iliad. Together, the two represent the epic literature of the ancient Hindus, offering latter-day readers the most rea...

Ancient India, like ancient Greece boasts of two great Epics. One of them, the Maha-bharata, relates to a great war in which all the warlike races of Northern India took a share, and may therefore be compared to the Iliad.The great war which is the subject of this Epic is believed to have been fought in the thirteenth or fourteenth century before Christ. The war thus became the centre of a cycle of legends, songs, and poems in ancient India, the vast mass of legends and poetry, accumulated du...

The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. Traditionally, the authorship of the Mahabharata is attributed to Vyasa. With more than 74,000 verses, Mahabharata is said to be the longest poem. Mahabharata tells the story of the epic Kurukshetra War and the fates of the cousin brothers Kauravas and the Pandavas. But more than that the Mahabharata contains much philosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four "goals of life" or 'purusharthas'...

The Bhagavad Gita "Song of God", also more simply known as Gita, is a sacred Hindu scripture, considered among the most important texts in the history of literature and philosophy.

The Liberation Through Hearing During the Intermediate State, sometimes translated as Liberation Through Hearing or transliterated as Bardo Thodol, is a funerary text. The Tibetan text describes, and is intended to guide one through, the experiences that the consciousness has after death, during the interval between death and the next rebirth. This interval is known in Tibetan as the bardo. The text also includes chapters on the signs of death, and rituals to undertake when death is closin...

The Bhagavad Gita ("Song of God") is an important Sanskrit Hindu scripture. It is revered as a sacred scripture of Hinduism, and considered as one of the most important religious classics of the world. The Bhagavad Gita comprising 700 verses, is a part of the Mahabharata. The teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Krishna, who is regarded by the Hindus as the supreme manifestation of the Lord Himself, and is referred to within as Bhagavan the divine one. The Bhagavad Gita is commonly referred to ...

This is the annotated edition including * an extensive annotation of more than 10.000 words about the history and basics of Buddhism, written by Thomas William Rhys Davids The Lotus Sktra is one of the most popular and influential Mahyna sktras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren schools of Buddhism were established. This sutra is known for its extensive instruction on the concept and usage of skillful means - the seventh paramita or perfection of a Bodhisattva - mostly in the...