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Mahabharata (World Literature in Translation) Paperback – May 7, 2019

by William Buck (Author), B.A. van Nooten (Introduction)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 125 ratings
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Few works in world literature have inspired so vast an audience in nations with radically different languages and cultures as the Mahabharata. Written some 2,000 years ago and probably the longest Indian epic ever composed, it is a story of dynastic struggle that culminates in a fatal clash between two branches of a single ruling family. It is a moral and philosophical tale as well as a historical one. In his introduction, Sanskritist B. A. van Nooten notes that apart from William Buck’s rendition no other English version has been able to capture the blend of religion and martial spirit that pervades the original epic.
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  1. Part of series
    World Literature in Translation
  2. Print length
    320 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    University of California Press
  5. Publication date
    May 7, 2019
  6. Dimensions
    5 x 0.9 x 7.75 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0520305582
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0520305588
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

“William Buck recaptures a spirit, a poetry of expression, an atmosphere of awe, a liveliness of appreciation. The book is a pleasure to read.”—Times Literary Supplement
 
"The volume is modern in feeling and masterly in its classical finish of form and expression. It is not only a translation but has been reworked and rewritten with such close similarity with the original that the task deserves to be applauded. The mellifluous muse of the original epic can be heard in this version throughout."—The Journal of Religious Studies

"An absorbing tale. Buck has retold the story so that the modern reader will not be discouraged from knowing and loving the stories as he did himself."—Focus on Asian Studies Newsletter
 

About the Author

William Buck (1933-1970) was a Sanskritist, devoting his life's work to modern retellings of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the unfinished Harivamsa.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of California Press; First Edition (May 7, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0520305582
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0520305588
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.9 x 7.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 125 ratings

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William Buck

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
125 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

V. Napper
5.0 out of 5 stars A real page turner
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2017
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I've read the longer version of this (about 10 volumes) and find this version to be accessible for the average reader who is not a scriptural scholar. It tells the story of two warring families in Ancient India in a way that makes it easy to understand the moral issues and the results of a war that shook the world at that time and place. This version adds life to the story of heros and villians. There are times when the reader will laugh and times when they will cry and times when they will become numb with silence and grief. Although the author took some liberty in the translation (without wildly varying from the primary story), the result is a honest and powerful story that will not be forgotten. Well worth the read.
11 people found this helpful
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Will Jerom
4.0 out of 5 stars A Well-Condensed Classic
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2009
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The Mahabharata is a classic Hindu tale of the struggle of the Pandavas and the Kauravas for the Kingdom of Hastinapura. Arjuna leads the Pandavas to champion the cause of Prince Yudhishthira against the corrupt Duryodhana. Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) and other gods make routine appearances, bestowing blessings or curses on the major heroes. The Mahabharata in full form contains the Bhagavad Gita, which is of course classic Hindu scripture. The Mahabharata as it is retold here is not a direct translation, but an abbreviated retelling and summary the immense Hindu epic. Those fascinated with the fantastic and wild tales of Hindu heroes and gods, or simply intrigued by Hindu religion and culture in general should read this book.
6 people found this helpful
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BrownFeather
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2018
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This is a bunch of humorous, epic stories! The author did a wonderful job wording it so it’s easier to understand and envision. The stories themselves are so rich, and it’s an absolute delight to talk with others with; there’s so many things to catch.
I totally recommend reading!
4 people found this helpful
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Tiffany Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars Explore Indian Literature! Great Story!
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2013
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Great read! Great story! Interesting Characters! Definitely a book worthy to read if you are tired of American or British Lit. This Indian Epic teaches you so much about Indian culture, religion, and values.
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Michael Gunther
3.0 out of 5 stars William Buck's Mahabharata
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2003
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The Great Bharata of Vyasa, comprising over 100,000 Sanskrit stanzas organized into eighteen volumes, contains within its vast length many stories - of gods and demigods, of kings and warriors, of legend, history, ethics, philosophy, law, politics, and religion. Within all its richness lies a core story of the great civil war between the Kurus and the Pandavas, two rival branches of the Bharata lunar clan, culminating in the terrible Battle of Kurukshetra, an Armageddon which wiped out both sides in the fighting and ushered in the degenerate Fourth Age of Mankind, in which we are all living today. It is this story, lying at the very heart of the Mahabharata, which most translators into English, including William Buck, choose to tell.
Buck created his version in the 1960's, resolving to tell the story in his own way, which would be accessible to readers in English but remain faithful to the spirit, if not the letter, of the original. He condensed, rewrote, and reinterpreted in order to make a work which he hoped would please and delight his readers while preserving the essential story. The result is very controversial, and the controversy continues to this day (Buck died in 1970).
Many readers, including me, appreciate the artistry and skill of Buck's writing. I am puzzled, however, by the changes that he made in the story. For example, Buck has Krishna kill Dushsasana prior to the battle (in Vyasa, Dushsasana is killed by Bhima at Kurukshetra). For another example, in Buck's version, it is Virata's son Uttara who breaks into the Kuru's Lotus formation during the battle (and is subsequently killed). In Vyasa, the protagonist is Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna. For a third example, Buck has Draupadi volunteer, after having been won by Arjuna, to become the wife of the other four Pandava brothers as well; in Vyasa she has no choice, since her mother-in-law, Kunti, commanded Arjuna to share "whatever he had brought" with his brothers.
These are major characters, and it seems arbitrary for Buck to change their stories in this way; it is like Paris, instead of Hector, being killed by Achilles!
It is also important, I feel, for a translator to bring across the beauty, grandeur, religious ecstasy, and sorrow of Vyasa's conception; the Battle of Kurukshetra is a Ragnarok, an Armageddon, a monumental epic, the end of an age, the banishing of gods and demigods from earth; I do not find such elevated emotions in Buck's version, although it must be admitted that I have not found it in other translations either, and probably only the original Sanskrit can do it justice. In my view, the Mahabharata is a tragedy, perhaps the greatest tragedy ever written, and the tragic viewpoint is what I find most lacking in Buck's version, in spite of its many felicities of incident and style.
For readers who are unfamiliar with the Mahabharata, it is easy to get lost in the multitude of characters and their complicated relationships. Buck makes a sincere effort, but he lapses at a few important points. For example, when Bhima cries to Drona that "Aswatthaman is slain", the reader may not realize that Aswatthaman is Drona's son, since there is no entry for Aswatthaman in the glossary.
The glossary, as in the example above, omits many crucial relationships and names. An index and a geneaology chart of the major characters would have been very helpful, but are not included in the book. There are only seven footnotes. The edition that I am reviewing (University of California paperback, 1981) was apparently typeset from the original plates, since it contains all of the original typographical errors.
Buck's version omits the Bhagavad Gita, the "Song of God" that is uttered by Krishna just before the climactic battle. The Gita, although now considered to be a relatively late interpolation to the basic story, is absolutely essential; its importance is analogous to the story of Job in the Old Testament, and any version of the Mahabharata is fundamentally incomplete without it.
In summary, I recommend that readers who are not that familiar with the Mahabharata should read first a modern version such as R. K. Narayan, which tells the basic story clearly and accurately; first-time readers should also obtain a contemporary translation of the Gita, and read it when they reach the appropriate point in the Mahabharata narrative. I do like Buck's version; the writing is very fine, and I feel a certain nostalgic connection to it (Buck and I are both children of the 60's); but I have to admit that on the whole, it really does not meet contemporary standards of scholarship or accuracy.
141 people found this helpful
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Michael F. Vadakin
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2012
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This book is truly bout to br looked upon as just "a book," as it pertains to historical times! Anyone could pick this book up and find it continually interesting and quite informative. Enjoy it for yourself!
One person found this helpful
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Radha Stern
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2015
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The adventures are wonderful!! A very entertaining read.
I am thankful there is a translation. Enjoy!!!
2 people found this helpful
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Kevin C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very readable version of this epic tale. The language ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2014
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Very readable version of this epic tale. The language is preserved though to keep intact the ancient quality of the text.
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Top reviews from other countries

Kumar Patil
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good English version of Mahabharata
Reviewed in India on December 6, 2022
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Very well written by W Buck. The book is engaging, holds the reader’s mind into it. Language is excellent, while it is simple to read and understood, at the same time you won’t feel like you’re reading a simple story book. Just gotten started with it, will update the review once I complete it
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Kumar Patil
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good English version of Mahabharata
Reviewed in India on December 6, 2022
Very well written by W Buck. The book is engaging, holds the reader’s mind into it. Language is excellent, while it is simple to read and understood, at the same time you won’t feel like you’re reading a simple story book. Just gotten started with it, will update the review once I complete it
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A. J. M. CC
5.0 out of 5 stars Indian Classic easy to read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2009
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This version of the Indian classic tale, the Mahabharata is beautifully and clearly written. There are many characters in the tale and it sometimes gets a little confusing but that is not the fault of the author. William Buck has made every effort to be true to the original but make this story very readable for westerners. The momentum of the piece and the essence of the characters come through the text. I would heartily recommend this prose version of this epic poem.
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priyanka
4.0 out of 5 stars An introductory book for beginners.
Reviewed in India on July 30, 2021
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The unabridged version of mahabharat consists of more than 10000 pages where as this book by William buck has around 380 pages. So its very clear that this book can be used as an over all summary for the main plot.
The language is quite easy to read yet it does manage to capture the essence of mahabharat to some extent.
People who are new to mahabharat can use this book as an itroductory book
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anon
4.0 out of 5 stars Love the book
Reviewed in India on July 5, 2022
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Book is excellent and so glad to get another copy. Purchased original copy in UK and the quality of the paper is not so great on this one.
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Vinay Raj
3.0 out of 5 stars Not very well described!
Reviewed in India on February 25, 2021
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While the author had tried his best with great research and details, this book is not a great read for Mahabharata!
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