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[[File:Krishna and Arjuna 1.jpg|right|320px|thumb|Krishna and Arjuna in chariot]]
The '''Mahābhārata''' (Sanskrit: महाभारतम्) is one of two major Sanskrit epics and foundation texts of ancient India.  Modern scholars agree that it was composed in the fifth or fourth century BCE.   It was originally rather short but over time grew through oral tradition to the modern version, now 1.8 million words, in length nearly seven times longer than Homer’s combined epics, the Iliad and Odyssey.  

It is an epic depicting the battle between one’s mixed higher spirituality against one’s baser inclinations.

The epic tells of two branches of one family, cousins who vied against each other for power, the Pandavas and their cousins the Kauravas, sons of two brothers, Dhritarashtra and Pandu. War for control of the kingdom eventually became unavoidable. [[Kṛṣṇa|Sri Krishna]], by that time the eighth incarnation of [[Viṣṇu|Vishnu]], one of the Hindu Trinity, became the war charioteer of the Pandava brother [[Arjuna]].

It was Arjuna’s reluctance to engage in bloody battle against the other branch of his own family that gave rise to the dialog between himself and his divine charioteer Sri Krishna, the book known as the [[Bhagavadgītā|Bhagavadgita]], concerning human nature, ignorance of body and soul, worldly [[Māyā|illusion]], noble duty, [[karma]], and spiritual growth towards [[Mokṣa|moksha]] - ultimate release from [[Samsara]], the cycle of death and rebirth. 

== Digital Versions ==

Numerous translations and editions are available on the Internet, including:

* [http://www.gita-society.com/pdf2011/mahabharata.pdf Chakravarti Rajagopalachari] from Gita Society - Retelling of the story in a single searchable PDF file.
* [http://www.indiadivine.org/content/files/file/470-mahabharata-by-c-rajagopalachari-pdf/ Chakravarti Rajagopalachari] from India Divine - in PDF format.
* [http://www.allaboutbharat.org/post/Mahabharat-Story-Summary Mahabharat Story Summary and Complete Book] - in English and Hindi, PDF format.
* [http://www.mahabharata-resources.org Mahabharata Resources] - the study of Mahabharata in all its avataras (incarnations).

Translations by Theosophists:

* [https://archive.org/details/storygreatwarso00besagoog ''Mahabharata: The Epic Story of the Great War''] by [[Annie Besant]] - an edition for students of Indian schools, published in 1919.

== Additional resources ==

=== Theosophy Wiki articles ===

* [[Bhagavadgītā (book)|Bhagavadgītā]]
* [[Hinduism]]

=== Articles and pamphlets ===

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Characters_in_Mahabharata Category: Characters in Mahabharata] in Wikipedia. 
* [http://www.angindia.com/angika_biography_mahabharata.html Biography of Characters from Mahabharata] from Angindia.com website. 
* [http://ww.geocities.com/profvk/VK2/Sanatsujatiyam.html?200721 Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought, Vision & Practice]. 
* [https://www.britannica.com/topic/MahabharataBooks Mahabharata: Hindu literature].
* [https://www.theosophyforward.com/articles/theosophical-encyclopedia/532-mahabharata-the The Mahabharata] in [[Theosophy Forward (periodical)|''Theosophy Forward'']]

=== Books ===

* Nikhilananda, Swami. ''The Bhagavad Gita: translated from the Sanskrit''. New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, 1944. Fifth printing, 1987.
* Thirlwall, M. A. C. "Hindu Morality as outlined in the 'Mahabhartata.'" ''The Theosophist'' 22 (May, 1901), 472-480 and (June, 1901), 533-539. See  [https://books.google.com/books?id=8jUNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA473&lpg=PA473&dq=theosophy+books+about+mahabharat&source=bl&ots=_w2gpCOtL6&sig=t0-VPMDakli-z-YG3GGpPW8HzYE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwidioy-u4bTAhUj5IMKHS93CJAQ6AEIKDAD#v=onepage&q=theosophy%20books%20about%20mahabharat&f=false Google Books].

=== Video ===

Numerous documentaries, films, and television series have been based on The Mahabharata. Here are examples in English or with English subtitles:

* '''''Mahabharat''''' was an Indian television series aired 1988-1990. It was so popular that the country virtually shut down during broadcasts, and the actor who played Sri Krishna was elected to the Indian Parliament. The series was issued in a set of 16 3-hour DVDs. Episodes have been posted to YouTube, but are no longer available on that platform.
* '''''The Mahabharata''''' was a 1989 miniseries and film by Peter Brooks. 
* '''''Myths of Mankind: Mahabharata''''' is a documentary available on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13KdR1pVsdc YouTube].
* '''''Real Proof of Mahabharat War''''' on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff64Chylqvg YouTube].

In addition, there are many fan-fiction or amateur videos:
* '''''Top 10 warriors of Mahabharata''''' on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OH0Qeo3OZE YouTube].
* '''''Unfair Deaths in Mahabharatha''''' on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVXYW_8XDJE YouTube].

=== Audio ===

Several recordings of the entire epic are available in English and other languages: 

* '''''The Mahabharata: the Epic of Ancient India''''', in English on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWWeeqJKEM YouTube].

== Notes  ==
<references/>

[[Category:Hinduism|Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Books|Mahabharata]]