Script : Various Authors
ISBN: 81-7508-355-7
Vol. No: 1
The Mahabharata, which is the longest epic poem in the world, consists of nearly 1, 00,000 slokas or Sanskrit verses. And the longest ever comic version of this epic is in 42 volumes of Amar Chitra Katha, with lively and colourful images of the wars and the intrigues, the joys and tears. This special series is now available in three hardbound volumes containing 14 comics each. Veda Vyasa’s great epic on the race of the Bharatas was first recited in public by his disciple Vaishampayana at the Sarpa-satra, the 12-year-long yajna conducted by King Janamejaya, a great grandson of Vyasa. Veda Vyasa had witnessed all the events and hence wanted to have them all written down in the Mahabharata, for posterity. He approached Lord Ganesha who agreed to take down the verses on condition that the story would be dictated without a pause. Veda Vyasa agreed provided Lord Ganesha grasped the meaning of what was dictated before writing it down. Lord Ganesha accepted this condition and the Mahabharata was written. Subsequently, over the centuries, the original poem grew in size when many popular stories found their way into the text. A major portion of the Mahabharata consists of independent stories like the stories of Nala and Damayanti, Savitri, Shakuntala, and Kacha and Devayani. They are woven into the main story of the family feud and the final war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas who were cousins as well as rivals. The Kauravas are eventually annihilated in that historical war. An interesting claim made about the Mahabharata is that whatever is found here may be found elsewhere too, but what is not found here cannot be found anywhere.
Contents
Mahabharata - 1: Veda Vyasa
Mahabharata - 2: Bheeshma's Vow
Mahabharata - 3: The Advent Of The Kuru Princes
Mahabharata - 4: The Pandavas At Hastinapura
Mahabharata - 5: Enter Drona
Mahabharata - 6: Enter Karna
Mahabharata - 7: The Conspiracy
Mahabharata - 8: The Escape
Mahabharata - 9: The Birth Of Ghatotkacha
Mahabharata - 10: The Pandavas At Ekachakra
Mahabharata - 11: Enter Draupadi
Mahabharata - 12: Draupadi's Swayamvara
Mahabharata - 13: Pandavas Recalled
Mahabharata - 14: Arjuna's 12-Year-Long Exile
Mahabharata - 15: A Hall For Yudhishthira
Mahabharata - 16: The Pandavas Conquer The World
Mahabharata - 17: Yudhisthira's Rajsooya Yajna
Mahabharata - 18: Indraprastha Lost
Mahabharata - 19: The Pandavas In The Forest
Mahabharata - 20: Arjuna's Quest For Weapons
Mahabharata - 21: Arjuna In Indraloka
Mahabharata - 22: The Reunion
Mahabharata - 23: Duryodhana Humbled
Mahabharata - 24: The Twelfth Year
Mahabharata - 25: The Pandavas In The Virata's Place
Mahabharata - 26: Panic In The Kaurava Court
Mahabharata - 27: Sanjay's Mission
Mahabharata - 28: Duryodhana Refuses To Yield
Mahabharata - 29: Krishna's Peace Mission
Mahabharata - 30: The War Begins
Mahabharata - 31: Bheeshma In Command
Mahabharata - 32: The Fall of Bheeshma
Mahabharata - 33: Drona's Vow
Mahabharata - 34: The Slaying Of Abhimanyu
Mahabharata - 35: Arjuna's Fullfils His Vow
Mahabharata - 36: The Battle At Midnight
Mahabharata - 37: Karna In Command
Mahabharata - 38: The Kurus Routed
Mahabharata - 39: After The War
Mahabharata - 40: Yudhishthira's Coronation
Mahabharata - 41: The Ashwamedha Yajna
Mahabharata - 42: The Celestial Reunion
