New Delhi, Dec. 8 -- The Mahabharata is not merely a book, it is a tradition. To call it scripture shrinks its spirit; to call it literature underestimates its sweep. It is a living reservoir of India's civilizational experience, enriched by centuries of oral memory, cultural dialogue, and philosophical reflection. Unlike many doctrinal texts that demand unquestioning belief, the Mahabharata demands something far more difficult-reflection. It probes, questions, unsettles, and exposes the contradictions and moral ambiguities that define political power and human behaviour. Its genius lies in its refusal to offer easy answers. It does not preach; it holds a mirror.

A Neglected Civilizational Chronicle

Yet, in post-Independence India, we g...