Jaya. An illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata

Devdutt Pattanaik

Author – Devdutt Pattanaik

Publisher – Penguin Books

Rating – Highly recommended

Having read modern mythologies based on older mythologies and warped fiction on speculations, it was a breather to read a “simple” retelling. To keep it “simple” requires a MASTER and I salute Devdutt Pattanaik for this feat. The monumental task of keeping the fabric of the Mahabharata plot intact while also telling the numerous tales within the tale explaining the consequences of Karma, ancestry,  social hierarchies, practices and prejudices, relationship between vedic and non vedic tribes has been done beautifully.

Vyasa narrating the Mahabharata to Ganesha. An illustration from the book.

Of special mention is the Bhagavad Gita section. I’ve tried reading the Bhagavad Gita before but a literal translation is extremely difficult reading. Pattanaik’s  retelling of the “song of God” is in understandable English. Light readers beware though, despite the simple language, this is heavy stuff! The philosophical discourse has formed the basis of faith of millions of Indians. Though at times I couldn’t help but wonder at Krishna’s cleverness - this is the tongue of a clever statesman goading his best fighter to battle.  So many times in battle Krishna goads the Pandavas to break rules of war by offering a different point of view. Does this signify that to God there are no rights and wrongs? That there is only a flow of the universe and God’s work is to ensure this flow.

Krishna delivering the Bhagavad Gita to Arjun at the scene of battle. An illustration from the book.

This was a special time though and humans who manipulated nature and accomplished grand feats were worshipped. Balarama with his plough created canals from the river Yamuna to Gokul to water it’s orchards; Krishna argued that the mountains which stopped the rainclouds over their land and thus brought rain be worshipped rather than the rain; land was reclaimed from the sea to build Krishna’s Dwarka.

The footnotes explaining historical and philosophical significance even speculations are great especially as one tends to get lost in the fantastic tales in the maha tale.  The sketch illustrations are cool! J

As an animal lover a footnote struck me.  “Dogs represent attachment and bondage because they are territorial and possessive of their masters. They constantly seek attention and validation. They therefore become the symbol of neediness, insecurity, attraction and ego.” In this Kaliyug, we love our dogs. All characteristics mentioned above are why we love them.  Forced me to reflect – Is our times an embodiment of all that was abhorred in the Vedic times?

Small footnotes besides, the Mahabharata is a tale where there are no winners. Even though the Pandavas win in battle, all of them except Yudhishtir go to hell. While the Kauravas loose in battle, they enjoy heaven with the Gods. While Krishna is elevated to the stature of a God, he is cursed by a mother, looses all his family, clansmen, beloved Dwarka and dies alone by the arrow of a simple hunter.  The Mahabharata is not the tale of two families fighting for a piece of land. It is a moral tale to illustrate how the powers of Maya bind us. How what is right in one circumstance is wrong in another. While we think we are most attached to persons and possessions, it is to our judgements, prejudices and ego that we most tenaciously hang on to. The tale however, is a victorious tale. Not of victory in the materialistic plane – because there is no victory there but of victory over the self – “Jaya”. 

The only turnoff in the book is that the pages are scented! who does that! I love the smell of a book. To have some perfume waft out is distracting and irritaing.