Uttara : The Book Of Answers

Jaya : An Illustrated Retelling Of The Mahabharata

High above the sky stands Swarga, paradise, abode of the gods. Still above is Vaikuntha, heaven, abode of God. The doorkeepers of Vaikuntha are the twins, Jaya and Vijaya, both whose names mean ???victory???. One keeps you in Swarga; the other raises you into Vaikuntha. In Vaikuntha there is bliss forever, in Swarga there is pleasure for only as long as you deserve. What is the difference between Jaya and Vijaya? Solve this puzzle and you will solve the mystery of the Mahabharata. In this enthralling retelling of India???s greatest epic, the Mahabharata, originally known as Jaya, Devdutt Pattanaik seamlessly weaves into a single narrative plots from the Sanskrit classic as well as its many folk and regional variants, including the Pandavani of Chattisgarh, Gondhal of Maharashtra, Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu, and Yakshagana of Karnataka. Richly illustrated with over 250 line drawings by the author, the 108 chapters abound with little-known details such as the names of the hundred Kauravas, the worship of Draupadi as a goddess in Tamil Nadu, the stories of Astika, Madhavi, Jaimini, Aravan and Barbareek, the Mahabharata version of the Shakuntalam and the Ramayana, and the dating of the war based on astronomical data. With clarity and simplicity, the tales in this elegant volume reveal the eternal relevance of the Mahabharata, the complex and disturbing meditation on the human condition that has shaped Indian thought for over 3000 years.

Pregnant King

???I am not sure that I am a man,??? said Yuvanashva. ???I have created life outside me as men do. But I have also created life inside me, as women do. What does that make me? Will a body such as mine fetter or free me???? Among the many hundreds of characters who inhabit the Mahabharata, perhaps the world???s greatest epic and certainly one of the oldest, is Yuvanashva, a childless king, who accidentally drinks a magic potion meant to make his queens pregnant and gives birth to a son. This extraordinary novel is his story. It is also the story of his mother Shilavati, who cannot be king because she is a woman; of young Somvat, who surrenders his genitals to become a wife; of Shikhandi, a daughter brought up as a son, who fathers a child with a borrowed penis; of Arjuna, the great warrior with many wives, who is forced to masquerade as a woman after being castrated by a nymph; of Ileshwara, a god on full-moon days and a goddess on new-moon nights; and of Adi-natha, the teacher of teachers, worshipped as a hermit by some and as an enchantress by others. Building on Hinduism???s rich and complex mythology???but driven by a very contemporary sensibility???Devdutt Pattanaik creates a lush and fecund work of fiction in which the lines are continually blurred between men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. Confronted with such fluidity the reader is drawn into Yuvanashva???s struggle to be fair to all???those here, those there and all those in between.

Sita : An Illustrated Retelling Of The Ramayana

It is significant that the only character in Hindu mythology, a king at that, to be given the title of ekam-patni-vrata, devoted to a single wife, is associated with the most unjust act of abandoning her in the forest to protect family reputation. This seems a deliberate souring of the narrative, made even more complex by Ram???s refusal to remarry despite the pressure on royalty to produce an heir. The intention seems to be to provoke thought on notions of fidelity, property and self-image. And so mythologist and illustrator Devdutt Pattanaik narrates the Ramayan, drawing attention to the many oral, visual and written retellings composed in different times by different poets, each one trying to solve the puzzle in their own unique way. This book approaches Ram by speculating on Sita???her childhood with her father, Janak, who hosted sages mentioned in the Upanishads; her stay in the forest with her husband who had to be a celibate ascetic while she was in the prime of her youth; her interactions with the women of Lanka, recipes she exchanged, emotions they shared; her connection with the earth, her mother; her role as the Goddess, the untamed Kali as well as the demure Gauri, in transforming the stoic prince of Ayodhya into God.

Shikhand i: And Other Tales They Dont Tell You

Patriarchy asserts men are superior to women Feminism clarifies women and men are equal Queerness questions what constitutes male and female Queerness isn???t only modern, Western or sexual, says mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik. Take a close look at the vast written and oral traditions in Hinduism, some over two thousand years old, and you will find tales of: Shikhandi, who became a man to satisfy her wife Mahadeva, who became a woman to deliver a devotee???s child Chudala, who became a man to enlighten her husband Samavan, who became the wife of his male friend and many more . . . Playful and touching???and sometimes disturbing???these stories when compared with tales of the Mesopotamian Gilgamesh, the Greek Ganymede, the biblical Sodom or the Chinese ???cut sleeve??? Emperor reveal the unique Indian way of making sense of queerness. Devdutt Pattanaik???s new book builds on profound ideas that our ancestors shared but which we have rarely inherited. This book has content for mature audiences. Discretion advised.

The Indian Epics Retold: The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, Gods Demons And Others

This book, The Indian Epics Retold: The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, Gods Demons and Others, contains three of R. K. Narayan's books in one volume. The Ramayana and The Mahabharata are an intrinsic part of the Indian minds. They form the foundation of the millennia old Hindu culture and tradition. R. K. Narayan based his version of Ramayana on the Tamil version of Poet Kamban. Narayan's love for Rama's character and his admiration for Kamban's beautiful poetry is conveyed through this work. He was proficient in the Tamil language and so could read the original version of Kamba Ramayanam in Tamil. For The Mahabharata and Gods, Demons and Others, Narayan referred to the original Sanskrit version of Mahabharata and other puranas. As he did not know Sanskrit, he had to learn the epics and puranas from a pundit. He did this diligently and then asked the pundit to go through his English version of the stories to verify that they followed the original versions as closely as possible. While R. K. Narayan had deep rooted beliefs in the Hindu culture and tradition, he also had the average person's questions and conflicts over some situations in the epics. This edition of The Indian Epics Retold: The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, Gods Demons and Others was published by Penguin India in 2000 and is available in paperback.

The Mahabharata

A modern retelling of an ancient tale of power, love, duty and revenge To Indians, the Mahabharata is not merely a story of the power struggle between princes divided on the issue of inheritance. It is representative of human nature and of life itself, for woven into the elaborate narrative of a heroic tale are writings on ethics, law, philosophy, history, geography, statecraft and religion. Meera Uberoi has retold this epic tale of love and hatred, joy and sorrow, pride and endurance, with great lucidity. Heroes and villains, kings and queens all come alive through her use of the modern idiom. Weaving the metaphors, similes and allegories of the original into the main narrative, Uberoi makes the lessons of the Mahabharata more relevant than ever to the modern reader. Well-paced...Uberoi s Mahabharata reads like English, yet retains some measure of nuance from the original Sanskrit Arshia Sattar, Indian Review of Books Meera Uberoi s language is simple and spare...the story moves at a fast pace without flagging Hindu

Red Earth & Pouring Rain

In Vikram Chandra's astonishing first novel, the gods Hanuman, Ganesha and Yama descend on a house in an Indian city to vie for the soul of a wounded monkey. A bargain is struck: the monkey must tell a story, and if he can keep his audience entertained, he shall live.The result is Red Earth and Pouring Rain, a tale of nineteenth century India: of Sanjay, a poet, and Sikander, a warrior; of hoofbeats thundering through the streets of Calcutta and the birth of a luminous child; of great wars and love affairs and a city gone 'mad with poetry'. And woven into this tapestry of stories is a second, totally modern narrative, the adventures of a young Indian criss-crossing America in a car with his friends and his eventual return to his homeland.

The Book Of Ram

He is Eka-vachani, a king who always keeps his word; Eka-bani, an archer who strikes his target with the first arrow; and Eka-patni, a husband who is eternally and absolutely devoted to a single wife. He is maryada purushottam Ram, the supreme upholder of social values, the scion of the Raghu clan, jewel of the solar dynasty, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, God who establishes order in worldly life. Hindus believe that in stressful and tumultuous times chanting Ram???s name and hearing his tale, the Ramayan, brings stability, hope, peace and prosperity. Reviled by feminists, appropriated by politicians, Ram remains serene in his majesty, the only Hindu deity to be worshipped as a king.

Yuganta The End Of An Epoch

Myth : A Very Short Introduction

The Ramayana : A Shortened Modern Prose Version Of The Indian Epic

Sita : Warrior Of Mithila (Ram Chandra Series Book 2)

Immerse yourself in book 2 of the Ram Chandra series, based on the Ramayana, the story of Lady Sita, written by the multi-million bestselling Indian Author Amish; the author who has transformed Indian Fiction with his unique combination of mystery, mythology, religious symbolism and philosophy. In this book, you will follow Lady Sita's journey from an Adopted Child to the Prime Minister to finding her true calling. You will find all the familiar characters you have heard of, like Lord Ram and Lord Lakshman and see more of Lord Hanuman and many others from Mithila. You will also start discovering the true purpose of the Vayuputras and Malayaputras and their conflicting ideologies that leads to plot twists, politics and intrigue as they try to influence outcomes from behind the scenes. She is the warrior we need. The Goddess we await. She will defend Dharma. She will protect us. India, 3400 BCE. India is beset with divisions, resentment and poverty. The people hate their rulers. They despise their corrupt and selfish elite. Chaos is just one spark away. Outsiders exploit these divisions. Raavan, the demon king of Lanka, grows increasingly powerful, sinking his fangs deeper into the hapless Sapt Sindhu. Two powerful tribes, the protectors of the divine land of India, decide that enough is enough. A saviour is needed. They begin their search. An abandoned baby is found in a field. Protected by a vulture from a pack of murderous wolves. She is adopted by the ruler of Mithila, a powerless kingdom, ignored by all. Nobody believes this child will amount to much. But they are wrong. For she is no ordinary girl. She is Sita. Continue the epic journey with Amish’s latest: A thrilling adventure that chronicles the rise of an adopted child, who became the prime minister. And then, a Goddess.

The Secret Of The Nagas (Shiva Trilogy 2)

Mightier Than The Sword (Clifton Chronicles Book 5)

When Harry Clifton visits his publisher in New York, he learns that he has been elected as the new president of English PEN, and immediately launches a campaign for the release of a fellow author, Anatoly Babakov, who's imprisoned in Siberia. Babakov's crime? Writing a book called Uncle Joe, a devastating insight into what it was like to work for Stalin. So determined is Harry to see Babakov released and the book published, that he puts his own life in danger. His wife Emma, chairman of Barrington Shipping, is facing the repercussions of the IRA attack on the Buckingham. Some board members feel she should resign, and Lady Virginia Fenwick will stop at nothing to cause Emma's downfall. Sir Giles Barrington is now a minister of the Crown, and looks set for even higher office, until an official trip to Berlin does not end as a diplomatic success. Once again, Giles's political career is thrown off balance by none other than his old adversary, Major Alex Fisher, who once again stands against him at the election. But who wins this time? In London, Harry and Emma's son, Sebastian, is quickly making a name for himself at Farthing's Bank in London, and has proposed to the beautiful young American, Samantha. But the despicable Adrian Sloane, a man interested only in his own advancement and the ruin of Sebastian, will stop at nothing to remove his rival.

Arjuna : Saga Of A Pandava Warrior-Prince

Arjuna Saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince: 1 is the story of an epic warrior prince from the Mahabharata. Arjuna, the archer genius of the Pandavas, whose adventures, conquests and follies are well known even till today, is one of the famed Pandava princes. Arjuna known as the son who was gifted to Kunti-the mother of the Pandavas-by the grace of the Wind God Vayu, was said to be a man capable of great things right from his birth. The auspicious omen that surrounded his birth and the foretold future that destined for a greatness and heroism, all of these is told beautifully in this book. The story starts with the birth of Arjuna, a boon from the Wind God to Kunti and tells us about the childhood of Arjuna, his escapades as a talented marksmen and the adventures that ensues amongst the Pandava brothers. Arjuna's training as a Warrior Prince and the enmity that starts between the Pandavas and Kauravas, the little fights of dominance between them are all described vividly. As the book goes on, we learn more about Arjuna's love interests, his follies, heroic deeds of unselfishness and his innermost thoughts on the various aspects of life that he comes across in the Mahabharata

Junglezen Sheru

When the forest loses its royal family, the inhabitants elect Kapi, a monkey, as their leader. Sheru, the orphaned lion cub, is adopted by Muktak, the elephant, who strives to convince him that he is the rightful ruler of the forest. But Sheru refuses to believe this. When Kapi declares that everyone in the forest is equal and all creatures will be known as Junglezen henceforth, Sheru laps up the idea with enthusiasm and gets down to being a committed commoner. What follows is a hilarious account of the downward journey of the strong. The situation becomes catastrophic when the forest faces the danger of destruction by the marauding wolves. Junglezen Sheru is a delightful fable centring on individuality, leadership and perfection. This thought provoking story also makes one pause to think about oneself and one's relation to society.

The Thirteenth Day : A Story Of The Kurukshetra War

There can be no peace with the Pandavas now. No hope of conciliation. We're doomed to kill over cousins or die in the attempt.' It is the tenth night of the great war between the Pandavas and the Kaurvas. Bhishma, the venerable patriarch of the families, lies fatally wounded on the plains of Kurukshetra. On his deathbed he offers Radheya, his nemesis, a chance to rule the Kuru kingdom by capturing Yudhisthira. in the Pandava camp, Yudhisthira, a reluctant warrior, tries desperately to hold his allies together and escape capture without appearing to be a coward.

Meanwhile, his young and impulsive nephew, Abhimanyu, a warrior prince, dreams of glory and yearns for a chance to save the Pandavas cause and when the lives of these three warriors-Yudhisthira, Radheya a Abhimanyu-collide brutally on the thirteenth day, history is irrivocable changed. Reimagining India's greatest epic like never before, The Thirteenth Day reveals how stories are created, how fact becomes fiction, how history becomes mythology and how men become legends.

Dharmayoddha Kalki Book 1 : Avatar Of Vishnu

Born in the quiet village of Shambala, Kalki Hari, son of Vishnuyath and Sumati, has no idea about his heritage until he is pitted against tragedies and battles. Whisked into the province of Keekatpur, which is under the fist of Lord Kali, Kalki sees the ignominy of death trumping life all around him. He learns that he has been born to cleanse the world he lives in, for which he must journey to the North and learn the ways of Lord Vishnu???s Avatar; from an immortal who wields an axe. But trapped in the midst of betrayals, political intrigue and forces that seek to decimate him, will he be able to follow his destiny before the Kaliyug begins?

Sita Mithilar Yoddha (Ram Chandra Series 2)

She is the warrior we need. The Goddess we await. She will defend Dharma. She will protect us. INDIA, 3400 BCE. India is beset with divisions, resentment and poverty. The people hate their rulers. They despise their corrupt and selfish elite. Chaos is just one spark away. Outsiders exploit these divisions. Raavan, the demon king of Lanka, grows increasingly powerful, sinking his fangs deeper into the hapless Sapt Sindhu. Two powerful tribes, the protectors of the divine land of India, decide that enough is enough. A saviour is needed. They begin their search. An abandoned baby is found in a field. Protected by a vulture from a pack of murderous wolves. She is adopted by the ruler of Mithila, a powerless kingdom, ignored by all. Nobody believes this child will amount to much. But they are wrong. For she is no ordinary girl. She is Sita. Continue the epic journey with Amish’s latest: A thrilling adventure that chronicles the rise of an adopted child, who became the prime minister. And then, a Goddess. This is the second book in the Ram Chandra Series. A sequel that takes you back. Back before the beginning.