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Podcast: New Books in South Asian Studies
Episode: On "The MahÄbhÄrata"
Description: When it comes to epic poetry, thereās a strong case to be made that the Ancient Indian story the MahÄbhÄrata is the most epic. Clocking in at around 100,000 verses, the MahÄbhÄrata is roughly seven times The Iliad and The Odyssey combined. This foundational Hindu text tells the story of a war between two sets of cousins who are fighting over who gets to rule their kingdom. The text is said to contain the universe, but it is best to leave it unfinished. Bad things are said to befall those who read it from beginning to end...