Tracing its origins to oral traditions, the sprawling, epic poem known as the Mahabharata is one of the foundational works of literature in Hinduism, containing such important texts as the Bhagavad Gita. The longest epic poem known, it consists of nearly 2 million words and, as such, is often a little imposing in its full form. 

Fortunately, R. K. Narayan has made this centuries-old poem new again while also making it “readily accessible to the general reader.” In this abridged and condensed version of this epic of folklore, history, and mythology, Narayan “captures the spirit of the narrative” while producing a readable and approachable work that will resonate with modern audiences (Library Journal).