Makes many scathing remarks with a vivid imagination of his own. Not a great authority of the epic. Makes many naive assertions like the Yadavas were influenced by Alexander (300 BC) and the Greeks in their 'democracy' like administration Whereas the epic is much older.
Associates Avial to Tamilnadu whereas it is a staple in Kerala.
Makes many compromising statements about many Rishis and Kings.
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Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata Hardcover – Illustrated, 16 August 2010
by
Devdutt Pattanaik
(Author)
Devdutt Pattanaik
(Author)
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Enhance your purchase
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Print length372 pages
-
LanguageEnglish
-
PublisherPenguin India
-
Publication date16 August 2010
-
Dimensions3.18 x 17.78 x 22.86 cm
-
ISBN-10014310425X
-
ISBN-13978-0143104254
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Product description
Review
The book is an easy read, captures the gist of the story, and takes interesting detours that not commonly seen in the standard canon. The book highlights and celebrates what we may find weird by modern mores. So far so good. --Arun Vasan Nov 3, 2012
I had always thought of reading and knowing the Mahabharata but somehow I just couldn't sit down and go through the traditional one. That is when I stumbled upon JAYA. And grateful as I am, this book is for all those who just want to know that little something about our culture and beliefs. The work put in by the author in gathering the facts will leave you absolutely stunned and once you are done with it you would feel like acting like an expert on hindu Mythology.....!!! Really it is that good...... So go ahead and grab your copy..... do not borrow it but Buy it..... it is one of the must ha… --Siddhartha Sharma Sep 28, 2011
This has to be one of the best books on Mahabharat. The best part of book is it is impartial and factual. Also every chapter end with few bullet points, trying to connect events and customs in story, with probable prevailing customes in reality around that period. It interprets Mahabharat not just as a stoy, but also from a rational point of view. A Must-Read ! --Parth Pooniwala Sep 22, 2013
I had always thought of reading and knowing the Mahabharata but somehow I just couldn't sit down and go through the traditional one. That is when I stumbled upon JAYA. And grateful as I am, this book is for all those who just want to know that little something about our culture and beliefs. The work put in by the author in gathering the facts will leave you absolutely stunned and once you are done with it you would feel like acting like an expert on hindu Mythology.....!!! Really it is that good...... So go ahead and grab your copy..... do not borrow it but Buy it..... it is one of the must ha… --Siddhartha Sharma Sep 28, 2011
This has to be one of the best books on Mahabharat. The best part of book is it is impartial and factual. Also every chapter end with few bullet points, trying to connect events and customs in story, with probable prevailing customes in reality around that period. It interprets Mahabharat not just as a stoy, but also from a rational point of view. A Must-Read ! --Parth Pooniwala Sep 22, 2013
About the Author
Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik is a medical doctor by training, a marketing manager by profession and a mythologist by passion. He lectures extensively on the relevance of sacred stories, symbols and rituals in modern times. His books include 7 Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art, Shiva: An Introduction, Vishnu: An Introduction, Devi: An Introduction, Hanuman: An Introduction, Lakshmi: An Introduction, Krishna: An Introduction, Shiva to Shankara: Decoding the Phallic Symbol, Goddesses in India, Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore and Indian Mythology: Stories, Symbols and Rituals from the Heart of the Subcontinent.
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Product details
- Publisher : Penguin India; 1st edition (16 August 2010)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 372 pages
- ISBN-10 : 014310425X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0143104254
- Item Weight : 450 g
- Dimensions : 3.18 x 17.78 x 22.86 cm
- Country of Origin : India
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #8 in Anthologies (Books)
- #20 in Myths, Legends & Sagas
- #31 in Indian Writing (Books)
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Not a good author. Not a book to read if this is your first reading of the great epic.
Reviewed in India on 25 December 2018Verified Purchase
142 people found this helpful
Helpful
Reviewed in India on 28 April 2019
Verified Purchase
THIS BOOK REVIEW IS ONLY BASED ON MY FEELINGS DURING READING THE BOOK. IT DOES NOT INTENT TO HURT ANYONE’S FEELINGS, AND DOES NOT MEANT TO COMPARE WITH ANY OTHER REVIEWER’S FEELINGS.
Mahabharata:::::: The greatest epic of all time. “It is an ancient Hindu epic where
A son renounces sex so that his old father can remarry
A Daughter is a prize in an archery contest
A teacher demands half a kingdom as his tuition fee
A student is turned away because of his caste
A mother asks her sons to share a wife
A father curses his son-in-law to be old and impotent
A husband lets another man make his wife pregnant………… D.Pattanaik”
When Mahabharata was first written it was known as Jaya. Then with the passage of time, it evolved through Vijaya, Bharata, and finally, Mahabharata, containing 100,000 verses. The length of the epic is so long that a total sum of verses of Greek Epic Illiad and Oddessey is less than it. Drama, Melodrama, Poem, Wisdom, Whitt, war, jealousy godly works everything is contained in the Mahabharata. Some historians even say that it is based on true events.
Not only this, the Mahabharata contains the greatest Hindu literature the Geeta, words from God. The whole story of the Mahabharata is based on DEEDs or KARMA. Whatever you do whether intentionally or unintentionally, you have to face the consequences. There is no getting away from this cycle. And when you win this cycle of victory and failure, you will win the Spiritual Freedom, Jaya.
As per the author, when one understands the true nature of Dharma, the idea of Jaya & Vijaya, then he will be finally able to understand the Mahabharata.
I’ve read the Mahabharata several times before & so did the Geeta. But reading this retelling gave me another idea of how to see the world. It’s not just a story. It’s a SEA of KNOWLEDGE and WISDOM.
But speaking of the cons, I personally didn’t like the illustrations. It looked like cartoonish to me.
And finally, My Rating is 4.0/5.0.
Mahabharata:::::: The greatest epic of all time. “It is an ancient Hindu epic where
A son renounces sex so that his old father can remarry
A Daughter is a prize in an archery contest
A teacher demands half a kingdom as his tuition fee
A student is turned away because of his caste
A mother asks her sons to share a wife
A father curses his son-in-law to be old and impotent
A husband lets another man make his wife pregnant………… D.Pattanaik”
When Mahabharata was first written it was known as Jaya. Then with the passage of time, it evolved through Vijaya, Bharata, and finally, Mahabharata, containing 100,000 verses. The length of the epic is so long that a total sum of verses of Greek Epic Illiad and Oddessey is less than it. Drama, Melodrama, Poem, Wisdom, Whitt, war, jealousy godly works everything is contained in the Mahabharata. Some historians even say that it is based on true events.
Not only this, the Mahabharata contains the greatest Hindu literature the Geeta, words from God. The whole story of the Mahabharata is based on DEEDs or KARMA. Whatever you do whether intentionally or unintentionally, you have to face the consequences. There is no getting away from this cycle. And when you win this cycle of victory and failure, you will win the Spiritual Freedom, Jaya.
As per the author, when one understands the true nature of Dharma, the idea of Jaya & Vijaya, then he will be finally able to understand the Mahabharata.
I’ve read the Mahabharata several times before & so did the Geeta. But reading this retelling gave me another idea of how to see the world. It’s not just a story. It’s a SEA of KNOWLEDGE and WISDOM.
But speaking of the cons, I personally didn’t like the illustrations. It looked like cartoonish to me.
And finally, My Rating is 4.0/5.0.
78 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in India on 18 March 2017
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I liked how the writer has not blindly sided with pandavas and has shown both the good and bad sides to their story. All in all, the book leaves you with a question or an answer about dharma. A must read!
42 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in India on 29 August 2019
So, let's start with some basic questions.
What is Mahabharata? Who was the author of this epic? Why he named his tale as Jaya, not Vijaya? Who were the Pandavas? Who were the Kauravas? And what we can learn from this great epic?
Mahabharata is the world's largest epic, in its present form it contains eighteen chapters and thousands of verses. It tells us about the story of the Pandavas, the Kauravas, and the other important kings who were once ruled the great land known as the bharata-varsha.
The author of this great epic was Krishna Dwaipayana aka Veda Vyasa.
Veda Vyasa named his tale as 'Jaya', because there are two kinds of victories. One is Vijaya, the material victory, other is Jaya, the spiritual victory. In the former there is a loser. And in the latter there are no losers. That's why he named his composition as Jaya, also known as the Mahabharata.
The Pandavas were the son of Pandu, kunti and madri. The name of the five Pandavas are as follows - Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev.
The Pandavas were born by using the ancient Indian concept of 'Niyog'.
The sons of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, were called the Kauravas. They had in total hundred sons and one daughter named as Dusshala.
We can learn lots of things from the Mahabharata. The latter is also known as the complete epic. In this epic, Veda Vyasa covered all the four aspects of human existence, Dharma (social conduct), Artha (economic activities), Kama (Pleasurable pursuits) and moksha (Spiritual activities). And by covering all these aspects of life, Veda Vyasa told us about our limitations and as well as how we can triumph over those limitations which stops us from being able to achieve our full potential.
Before reading this book I suggest you to read, The Ramayana and afterwards read The Mahabharata.
I will end with these lines :-
Jaya and Vijaya are the twins and the doorkeepers of vaikuntha, the abode of God. The meaning of their name is 'victory'. Find the difference between Jaya and Vijaya, and you will unravel the mystery of the world's greatest epic, The Mahabharata.
My Ratings : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
I hope you like this, Thanks for reading, Jai Hind.
Verified Purchase
Jaya, An illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata is written in a candid way by the author. In fact within few hundred pages the writer unravelled the mystery of the world's greatest epic, The Mahabharata.
So, let's start with some basic questions.
What is Mahabharata? Who was the author of this epic? Why he named his tale as Jaya, not Vijaya? Who were the Pandavas? Who were the Kauravas? And what we can learn from this great epic?
Mahabharata is the world's largest epic, in its present form it contains eighteen chapters and thousands of verses. It tells us about the story of the Pandavas, the Kauravas, and the other important kings who were once ruled the great land known as the bharata-varsha.
The author of this great epic was Krishna Dwaipayana aka Veda Vyasa.
Veda Vyasa named his tale as 'Jaya', because there are two kinds of victories. One is Vijaya, the material victory, other is Jaya, the spiritual victory. In the former there is a loser. And in the latter there are no losers. That's why he named his composition as Jaya, also known as the Mahabharata.
The Pandavas were the son of Pandu, kunti and madri. The name of the five Pandavas are as follows - Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev.
The Pandavas were born by using the ancient Indian concept of 'Niyog'.
The sons of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, were called the Kauravas. They had in total hundred sons and one daughter named as Dusshala.
We can learn lots of things from the Mahabharata. The latter is also known as the complete epic. In this epic, Veda Vyasa covered all the four aspects of human existence, Dharma (social conduct), Artha (economic activities), Kama (Pleasurable pursuits) and moksha (Spiritual activities). And by covering all these aspects of life, Veda Vyasa told us about our limitations and as well as how we can triumph over those limitations which stops us from being able to achieve our full potential.
Before reading this book I suggest you to read, The Ramayana and afterwards read The Mahabharata.
I will end with these lines :-
Jaya and Vijaya are the twins and the doorkeepers of vaikuntha, the abode of God. The meaning of their name is 'victory'. Find the difference between Jaya and Vijaya, and you will unravel the mystery of the world's greatest epic, The Mahabharata.
My Ratings : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
I hope you like this, Thanks for reading, Jai Hind.
So, let's start with some basic questions.
What is Mahabharata? Who was the author of this epic? Why he named his tale as Jaya, not Vijaya? Who were the Pandavas? Who were the Kauravas? And what we can learn from this great epic?
Mahabharata is the world's largest epic, in its present form it contains eighteen chapters and thousands of verses. It tells us about the story of the Pandavas, the Kauravas, and the other important kings who were once ruled the great land known as the bharata-varsha.
The author of this great epic was Krishna Dwaipayana aka Veda Vyasa.
Veda Vyasa named his tale as 'Jaya', because there are two kinds of victories. One is Vijaya, the material victory, other is Jaya, the spiritual victory. In the former there is a loser. And in the latter there are no losers. That's why he named his composition as Jaya, also known as the Mahabharata.
The Pandavas were the son of Pandu, kunti and madri. The name of the five Pandavas are as follows - Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev.
The Pandavas were born by using the ancient Indian concept of 'Niyog'.
The sons of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, were called the Kauravas. They had in total hundred sons and one daughter named as Dusshala.
We can learn lots of things from the Mahabharata. The latter is also known as the complete epic. In this epic, Veda Vyasa covered all the four aspects of human existence, Dharma (social conduct), Artha (economic activities), Kama (Pleasurable pursuits) and moksha (Spiritual activities). And by covering all these aspects of life, Veda Vyasa told us about our limitations and as well as how we can triumph over those limitations which stops us from being able to achieve our full potential.
Before reading this book I suggest you to read, The Ramayana and afterwards read The Mahabharata.
I will end with these lines :-
Jaya and Vijaya are the twins and the doorkeepers of vaikuntha, the abode of God. The meaning of their name is 'victory'. Find the difference between Jaya and Vijaya, and you will unravel the mystery of the world's greatest epic, The Mahabharata.
My Ratings : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
I hope you like this, Thanks for reading, Jai Hind.

4.0 out of 5 stars
Mahabharata : The world's greatest epic
By Don't be ignorant on 29 August 2019
Jaya, An illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata is written in a candid way by the author. In fact within few hundred pages the writer unravelled the mystery of the world's greatest epic, The Mahabharata.By Don't be ignorant on 29 August 2019
So, let's start with some basic questions.
What is Mahabharata? Who was the author of this epic? Why he named his tale as Jaya, not Vijaya? Who were the Pandavas? Who were the Kauravas? And what we can learn from this great epic?
Mahabharata is the world's largest epic, in its present form it contains eighteen chapters and thousands of verses. It tells us about the story of the Pandavas, the Kauravas, and the other important kings who were once ruled the great land known as the bharata-varsha.
The author of this great epic was Krishna Dwaipayana aka Veda Vyasa.
Veda Vyasa named his tale as 'Jaya', because there are two kinds of victories. One is Vijaya, the material victory, other is Jaya, the spiritual victory. In the former there is a loser. And in the latter there are no losers. That's why he named his composition as Jaya, also known as the Mahabharata.
The Pandavas were the son of Pandu, kunti and madri. The name of the five Pandavas are as follows - Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev.
The Pandavas were born by using the ancient Indian concept of 'Niyog'.
The sons of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, were called the Kauravas. They had in total hundred sons and one daughter named as Dusshala.
We can learn lots of things from the Mahabharata. The latter is also known as the complete epic. In this epic, Veda Vyasa covered all the four aspects of human existence, Dharma (social conduct), Artha (economic activities), Kama (Pleasurable pursuits) and moksha (Spiritual activities). And by covering all these aspects of life, Veda Vyasa told us about our limitations and as well as how we can triumph over those limitations which stops us from being able to achieve our full potential.
Before reading this book I suggest you to read, The Ramayana and afterwards read The Mahabharata.
I will end with these lines :-
Jaya and Vijaya are the twins and the doorkeepers of vaikuntha, the abode of God. The meaning of their name is 'victory'. Find the difference between Jaya and Vijaya, and you will unravel the mystery of the world's greatest epic, The Mahabharata.
My Ratings : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
I hope you like this, Thanks for reading, Jai Hind.
Images in this review

9 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in India on 4 April 2019
Verified Purchase
Devdutt Pattanaik is a renowned mythologist from India, whose books have allowed us to rediscover our immensely rich culture with its wonderful variety of myths.
Of his best books, JAYA stands at the very top. It is, as the sub title hints at, a retelling of the great Indian epic The Mahabharata.
Pros ~ 1. It is NOT a biased retelling, unlike many of its kind. It brings to you almost all the prevailing narratives of the same story which helps you to form a better understanding of the characters as well as events.
2. Episodes are narrated in small chunks which make the reading process an enjoyable one.
3. Every chapter has a box at the end explaining various aspects of the things just discussed in that very chapter.
4. Lively illustratrations are a bonus.
Cons ~ I haven't found one.
Do yourself a favour and READ this book. It will be worth your time. 🙂
Of his best books, JAYA stands at the very top. It is, as the sub title hints at, a retelling of the great Indian epic The Mahabharata.
Pros ~ 1. It is NOT a biased retelling, unlike many of its kind. It brings to you almost all the prevailing narratives of the same story which helps you to form a better understanding of the characters as well as events.
2. Episodes are narrated in small chunks which make the reading process an enjoyable one.
3. Every chapter has a box at the end explaining various aspects of the things just discussed in that very chapter.
4. Lively illustratrations are a bonus.
Cons ~ I haven't found one.
Do yourself a favour and READ this book. It will be worth your time. 🙂
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

N. A. Kanianthara
5.0 out of 5 stars
The most beautiful book I have ever read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 May 2017Verified Purchase
The most beautiful book I have ever read. It took me on an emotional roller coaster, and had the most brilliant ending and numerous life lessons.
This is one book I plan to read every year, for the rest of my life.
This is one book I plan to read every year, for the rest of my life.
One person found this helpful
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AB
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 August 2017Verified Purchase
Fabulous read! Recommended!!!

Alexandra
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 March 2018Verified Purchase
Loved it! A very nice and easier approach to the epic Mahabharata. For everybody!

Prajesh Joshi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for South Asians who grew up abroad
Reviewed in Canada on 21 August 2018Verified Purchase
So for me personally, I grew up in North America without much religious upbringing about Hinduism or Hindu culture. I just knew I was born a Hindu, and my parents are originally from the Indian subcontinent.
This book was truly a great introduction about the Hindu mythology for me. The book is divided into 18 parts, and the whole first part is used to outline certain laws and ancestral stories that play a contextual role later on into the story.
I loved this book! It's not heavy on Hindi jargon, and if there is no English translation/substitution for the word, it provides a nice, simple explanation of what they are. The notes at the end of each chapter also help to make sense of the story, and how they have different versions of that same story in certain parts of India, Nepal, Indonesia, etc. And they also provide cool cultural, social, or historical details about the story which was really cool!
So, if you're a white-washed south asian growing up in the US/UK/Canada, and want to learn more about Hindu mythology without much Hindi jargon, I would 100% recommend this book!
This book was truly a great introduction about the Hindu mythology for me. The book is divided into 18 parts, and the whole first part is used to outline certain laws and ancestral stories that play a contextual role later on into the story.
I loved this book! It's not heavy on Hindi jargon, and if there is no English translation/substitution for the word, it provides a nice, simple explanation of what they are. The notes at the end of each chapter also help to make sense of the story, and how they have different versions of that same story in certain parts of India, Nepal, Indonesia, etc. And they also provide cool cultural, social, or historical details about the story which was really cool!
So, if you're a white-washed south asian growing up in the US/UK/Canada, and want to learn more about Hindu mythology without much Hindi jargon, I would 100% recommend this book!
One person found this helpful
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Pierre A. Beauchamp
5.0 out of 5 stars
IT'S BETTER ON PAPER!
Reviewed in Canada on 4 July 2015Verified Purchase
Just a quick footnote -- unlike the Kindle version, the paperback version has a front flap that states "Richly illustrated... by the author". I liked the book so much on Kindle that I bought the paper version to reread it one day. So it was only recently that I discovered just how talented Dr. Pattanaik really is! And the pictures are larger on paper, therefore more detailed. What a joy! I am wondering now just how much I have missed on Kindle by not viewing the paper versions. That's all!
One person found this helpful
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