The ‘Mahabharata,’ condensed

This condensed version of the world’s longest epic poem focuses on the core episodes of a story crucial to understanding contemporary India. Hindus the world over last week marked Janmashtami, a celebration of the birth of the god Krishna, a deity who plays a central role in the Mahabharata, one of the two central epics that define Hinduism. This condensed version — the original comprises 100,000 verses — by one of modern India’s most celebrated English-language writers intentionally eschews historical analysis of the tale. “The conclusions of cold, factual research seem like ‘catching the rainbow with one’s fingers,’” Narayan wrote. It instead focuses on the core episodes of a story crucial to understanding contemporary India. Buy R.K. Narayan’s version of The Mahabharata from your local bookstore.