Review: Mahabharata: The Epic and the Nation by GN Devy

No other text has survived the many historical vicissitudes of Indian civilization as the Mahabharata has done. 142pp, ₹499; Aleph The epic is so crafted that actions by its many heroes, who are victims of their own fallible logic, help spectators identify with its characters as a means of their own catharsis. Known for his linguistic and literary scholarship, GN Devy’s meditation on the Mahabharata explores its presence amongst the world’s great literary works, the metaphysical and theological tussles it had to endure, and its political message on warfare and nation building. Listen: Books and Authors podcast - In conversation with GN Devy, author, Mahabharata; The Epic and the Nation It is arduous to pinpoint a predominant reason for why the epic has endured across millennia. Though somewhat convoluted for the uninitiated, Mahabharata; The Epic and the Nation offers a comprehensive reading of the saga, its evolution and its journey until the present.