The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1
1889
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1
1889
Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
The Vana Parva, or Forest Book, opens with the Pandavas expelled from their kingdom, humiliated and driven into wilderness by the aftermath of a rigged dice game. Yudhishthira, the eldest brother, walks willingly into exile with his brothers and their shared wife Draupadi, their path leading deep into ancient forests where sages dwell and spirits wander. This is not merely a story of loss, however. It is a book within a book, a labyrinth of nested narratives where travelers recount the tales of Rama and Sita, of Savitri and Satyavan, of the god Dharma himself. The Pandavas endure trials that test not their strength but their understanding of duty, and the text asks the reader to sit with questions that have no clean answers: What do we owe to those who have wronged us? When does loyalty become complicity? Why must the righteous suffer? Fourteen years before the great war at Kurukshetra, in the silence of the forest, the epic poses its deepest riddles. This translation renders the Sanskrit into clear, accessible English prose that preserves the strange, hypnotic rhythm of the original, making this foundational work of world literature available to readers who have waited centuries for a voice they can follow.
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“Without beginning and without end, the wheel of existence rolls on eternally in this world, causing creation and destruction, without beginning and without end.””
— Unknown
“There are many different versions or recensions of the Mahabharata. However, between 1919 and 1966, the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune produced what has come to be known as the critical edition.””
— Unknown
“You should not sorrow for that which was bound to happen. Those who are wise do not feel sorry over fate. Even with the greatest wisdom, that which is ordained will happen. No one can transgress the path that has been laid down. Time brings existence and non-existence, pleasure and pain. Time creates all elements and time destroys all beings. Time burns all subjects and it is time that extinguishes the fire. Time alone is awake when everything is asleep. Time cannot be conquered. Time walks in all elements, pervasive and impartial. Knowing that everything, past, present and future, is created by time, it is not appropriate that you should be consumed by grief.””
— Unknown
“Vaishampayana said, “I shall recount the entire history, that which was composed by the great-souled maharshi Vyasa, whose powers are infinite and who is worshipped in all the worlds. This contains 100,000 sacred shlokas, composed by Satyavati’s son, Vyasa, of infinite powers. The learned man who recites it to others and also those who hear its recital attain the world of Brahma and become the equals of the gods. This is equal to the Vedas. It is sacred and supreme. It is the best of all that can be heard. It is a purana worshipped by the rishis. It contains all the useful instructions on artha and kama. This immensely sacred history makes the mind desire to attain salvation. The learned man who recites Krishna’s33 Veda to those who are noble, generous, truthful and faithful, will attain great fortune. Even sins like the killing of embryos in wombs are destroyed. On hearing it, the most evil is freed from the most evil of sins. This history, called jaya, should be heard by those who wish to attain victory. On hearing it, a king can bring the entire world under his subjugation and defeat all his enemies. This is the best way to obtain a son and the great path to ensure welfare. It should be heard several times by heirs apparent and their wives.””
— Unknown
“And also those who are free, through the powers of meditation and yoga, percieve established in themselves like reflections in a mirror.””
— Unknown
“Pity is a poison.-Kunti””
— Unknown
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Unknown. The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1. Lex, lex-books.com/book/the-mahabharata-of-krishna-dwaipayana-vyasa-translated-into-english-prose-vana-p-24b1beb7-6cfe-42d3-88d1-9dd1ea0432cb.Unknown (1889). The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-mahabharata-of-krishna-dwaipayana-vyasa-translated-into-english-prose-vana-p-24b1beb7-6cfe-42d3-88d1-9dd1ea0432cbUnknown. The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-mahabharata-of-krishna-dwaipayana-vyasa-translated-into-english-prose-vana-p-24b1beb7-6cfe-42d3-88d1-9dd1ea0432cb.
