{"product_id":"light-on-the-mahabharata","title":"Light on the Mahabharata","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eMahabharata\u003c\/em\u003e is a truly vast work of early Sanskrit literature that reflects on a wide range of issues which have concerned people throughout different epochs. Within the context of Indian culture, the significance of the \u003cem\u003eMahabharata \u003c\/em\u003ecannot be overstated, as its themes, characters, narratives, and preoccupations have reverberated across the region for centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is well-known that the whole of the epic is structured around a central narrative that tells of an ancient conflict between two branches of the same royal house, the Pandavas and Kauravas. Yet it is also a clearly didactic work that addresses the fundamental meaning of human existence. In \u003cem\u003eLight on the Mahabharata: A Guide to India’s Great Epic\u003c\/em\u003e, Nicholas Sutton examines the multi-faceted manner in which the Mahabharata does this, elucidating the diverse and multi-layered answers the text offers to the many questions it raises. Sutton’s book explores why the main characters behave in the manner that they do, the vision of life that motivates them, and the extent to which they are able to prioritise enlightened wisdom over narrow self-interest.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnravelling the Sanskrit epic’s myriad lines of reflection, \u003cem\u003eLight on the Mahabharata\u003c\/em\u003e demonstrates that the questions the work poses and the range of answers it suggests are as relevant in the present day as they were in remote antiquity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOXFORD CENTRE SERIES: \u003cem\u003eLight on the Mahabharata\u003c\/em\u003e is part of The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Mandala Publishing Series. The book joins other accessible texts on Hindu Studies authored by expert scholars, including\u003cem\u003e The Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation and Study Guide\u003c\/em\u003e;\u003cem\u003e The Hindu Temple and Its Sacred Landscape\u003c\/em\u003e; and \u003cem\u003eWomen in the Hindu World\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEXPERT AUTHOR: Nicholas Sutton has spent the four decades studying, teaching, and writing on the\u003cem\u003e Mahabharata\u003c\/em\u003e. Sutton is the Director of the Continuing Education Department of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, an academy for the study of Hindu cultures, societies, philosophies, religions, and languages. He received his PhD from Lancaster University, writing his doctoral dissertation on the \u003cem\u003eMahabharata\u003c\/em\u003e, and currently writes and tutors online courses on Hindu religious traditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEDUCATION AID: This book serves as a comprehensive resource for both classwork and independent study of Hinduism. With the integration of discussion questions, suggested further readings, and glossary of Sanskrit terms, \u003cem\u003eLight on the Mahabharata\u003c\/em\u003e offers an accessible introduction to this enduring Sanskrit epic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Insight Editions","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52411978187071,"sku":"9798887620770","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/1811\/1807\/files\/88837-121613-cover.jpg?v=1773453610","url":"https:\/\/sophiestreasures.com\/products\/light-on-the-mahabharata","provider":"Sophies Timeless Treasures","version":"1.0","type":"link"}