Mahabharata – The Epic of Kurukshetra War

Mahabharata is one of the two major epics of ancient Indian literature, the other being Ramayana. It is a vast and complex text that narrates the story of the Bharata dynasty and the Kurukshetra War. The Mahabharata is composed of over 100,000 couplets and is believed to have been written by the sage Vyasa. It is considered one of the longest epic poems in the world.

The Mahabharata tells the story of a feud between two branches of the Bharata royal family that culminates in the Kurukshetra War. The Pandavas, the five virtuous and heroic brothers, are pitted against their cousins, the Kauravas, who are consumed by greed and ambition. The epic is known for its rich cast of characters, including the god Krishna, who serves as a mentor and charioteer to the Pandava prince Arjuna.

The Mahabharata also contains the Bhagavad Gita, a famous philosophical discourse that Krishna delivers to Arjuna on the eve of the Kurukshetra War. The Gita is considered one of the most important texts in Hinduism and expounds on themes such as dharma, karma, and the nature of the self.

The Mahabharata has had a profound impact on Indian culture and literature, and continues to be celebrated and performed in various forms to this day.