The Mahabharata, Volume 7: Book 11: The Book of the Women Book 12: The Book of Peace, Part 1Johannes Adrianus Bernardus Buitenen, James L. Fitzgerald What is found in this epic may be elsewhere; What is not in this epic is nowhere else. —from The Mahabharata The second longest poem in world literature, The Mahabharata is an epic tale, replete with legends, romances, theology, and metaphysical doctrine written in Sanskrit. One of the foundational elements in Hindu culture, this great work consists of nearly 75,000 stanzas in eighteen books, and this volume marks the much anticipated resumption of its first complete modern English translation. With the first three volumes, the late J. A. B. van Buitenen had taken his translation up to the threshold of the great war that is central to the epic. Now James Fitzgerald resumes this work with translations of the books that chronicle the wars aftermath: The Book of Women and part one of The Book of Peace. These books constitute volume 7 of the projected ten-volume edition. Volumes 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 of the series will be published over the next several years. In his introductions to these books, Fitzgerald examines the rhetoric of The Mahabharatas representations of the wars aftermath. Indeed, the theme of The Book of Women is the grief of the women left by warriors slain in battle. The book details the keening of palace ladies as they see their dead husbands and sons, and it culminates in a mass cremation where the womens tears turn into soothing libations that help wash the deaths away. Fitzgerald shows that the portrayal of the womens grief is much more than a sympathetic portrait of the sufferings of war. The scenes of mourning in The Book of Women lead into a crisis of conscience that is central to The Book of Peace and, Fitzgerald argues, the entire Mahabharata. In this book, the man who has won power in the great war is torn between his own sense of guilt and remorse and the obligation to rule which ultimately he is persuaded to embrace. The Mahabharata is a powerful work that has inspired awe and wonder for centuries. With a penetrating glimpse into the trauma of war, this volume offers two of its most timely and unforgettable chapters. |
Contents
The Book of Peace Part One | 77 |
Contents | 165 |
Appendixes | 603 |
Notes to the Translations of Books 11 and 12 | 659 |
Glossary of Sanskrit Words | 781 |
Concordance of Critical Edition and Bombay | 791 |
Index of Proper Names | 805 |
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Common terms and phrases
according action ancient Arjuna army ascetic asks basic battle become Bha¯rata Bhı¯s.ma bird body Book born brahmins brother chapter completely death deeds describes desire dharma Duryodhana earth enemies everything evil excellent father fire first follow force forest four gain give given Gods grief hand heaven honor idea important Indra Karn.a killed kind king king’s kingdom ks.atriyas learned leave live looked lord Maha¯bha¯rata means mind never observant occurs offering one’s Orders Pa¯n.d.avas particular passage perform person praise present protect punishment reading recite refers regard riches rites ritual royal rule sacrifice seems seers sense someone sons stanza story subjects Teachings tell term things tradition translation tree understanding various Vedas verse warriors wealth whole wife wise wish women worship Yudhis.t.hira