A R Krishna Sastri

Arts Jan 02, 2026

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Prasanna-rāghava and Jānakī-pariṇaya

Prasanna-rāghava Jayadeva, the author of Candrāloka, has also penned a play called Prasanna-rāghava. The play in seven acts narrates the story of the Rāmāyaṇa...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Nov 21, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Āścarya-cūḍāmaṇi and Anargha-rāghava

Āścarya-cūḍāmaṇi Śakti-bhadra, who belongs to the Malabar region, is the author of Āścarya-cūḍāmaṇi. The play in seven acts contains the story of the Rāmāyaṇa,...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Nov 14, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Hanūmannāṭaka (Part 1)

The Hanūmannāṭaka, which is also called the Mahānāṭaka narrates the entire story of the Rāmāyaṇa. The play is famous more for its unique structure and less for...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 30, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kundamālā (Part 3)

From the Uttara-kāṇḍa of Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa, we learn that Rāma had made up his mind to perform the aśvamedha accompanied by the golden image of Sītā. He does n...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 24, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kundamālā (Part 2)

The Kundamālā is a play in six acts based on the Uttara-rāmāyaṇa. The following is the summary – Lakṣmaṇa, as per the command of Rāma, drops off a pregnant Sīt...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 10, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kundamālā (Part 1)

In 1923, Mānavalli Rāmakṛṇa-kavi and Rāmanātha-śāstrī compiled and published the play called Kundamālā authored by Diṅnāga. Later, they declared that the name i...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 02, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - The Later-day Rūpakas and Upa-rūpakas

By the beginning of the tenth Century CE and more so in the later years, Sanskrit literature had turned into a barren land. The history of Sanskrit drama that f...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Sep 25, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kṛṣṇamiśra (Part 2)

In sum, the subject matter of the play is Advaita-vedānta; the play also has passing references to the other darśanas as well; avaidika matas such as Jaina and...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Sep 18, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kṛṣṇamiśra (Part 1)

Kṛṣṇamiśra (11th Century CE) It is likely that Kṛṣṇamiśra, the author of Prabodhacandrodaya lived in the second half of the eleventh century CE. We can say s...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Sep 11, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kṣemīśvara (Part 2)

The story of Hariścandra is quite old, and it dates back to the Vedic times; as it won the hearts of the people at large, it gathered more substance with time;...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Sep 04, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kṣemīśvara (Part 1)

Kṣemīśvara, also called Kṣemendra, is the author of a play called Caṇḍa-kauśika. The introductory segments of his play reveal to us his place and period to some...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Aug 28, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Rājaśekhara (Part 4)

The king finally marries not one, but two women of his antaḥpura with the help of his queen. One of them, as narrated before, was in the disguise of a man and p...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Aug 22, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Rājaśekhara (Part 3)

We have been able to lay our hands only on two acts of his other play called Bāla-bhārata or Pracaṇḍa-pāṇḍava; it is hard to say if the poet only wrote so much....

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Aug 08, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Rājaśekhara (Part 2)

Just like Bhavabhūti, Rājaśekhara too begins his play on the Rāmayana by praying to the Vāg-devatā. In the ten acts of his play, he has covered the story of the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Aug 01, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Rājaśekhara (Part 1)

Bāla-rāmāyaṇa, Bāla-bhārata, Karpūra-mañjarī, Viddha-śāla-bhañjikā, and Kāvya-mīmāṃsā are the works of Rājaśekhara that are available to us today. We learn that...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jul 24, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhaṭṭa-nārāyaṇa (Part 2)

The Veṇī-sāṃhāra is, thus, a play that encompasses the story starting from Kṛṣṇa-sandhāna to Duryodhana-saṃhāra. The poet has displayed great skill in condensin...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jul 11, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhaṭṭa-nārāyaṇa (Part 1)

It is hard to determine the period and place in which Bhaṭṭa-nārāyaṇa, the author of Veṇī-sāṃhāra lived. Vāmana (4, 3-28), and other aestheticians quote example...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jul 04, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 10)

Bhavabhūti has not included a vidūṣaka in any of his plays – the exclusion maybe because Bhavabhūti felt that he is not endowed with lively and sweet emotions,...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jun 19, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 9)

Bhavabhūti appears to have been well-versed in various śāstras as well; he is likely to have read the poems and plays that were authored before his time and tho...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jun 05, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 8) - Mālatī-mādhava

The play Mālatīmādhava belongs to the genre of prakaraṇa; the theme and plot of a prakaraṇa is kalpita, i.e., freshly created by the poet-playwright. Thus, the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 29, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 7) - Mālatī-mādhava

The Mālatī-mādhava is a prakaraṇa in ten acts like the Mṛcchakaṭika. The following is the story – There lived a minister by name Bhūrivasu in the kingdom of Pa...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 22, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 6) - Uttara-rāma-carita

The playwright has displayed his special calibre in compressing the events of an epic into a play, just as he has done in the Mahāvīracarita; in merely a single...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 15, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 5) - Uttara-rāma-carita

Uttara-kāṇḍa of the Rāmāyaṇa does not mention anything about the battle involving Lava and Kuśa; the Pātāla-khaṇḍa (adhyāyas 1-68) of the Padma-purāṇa speaks ab...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 08, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 4) - Uttara-rāma-carita

We may safely say that the Uttara-rāma-carita was the final product of Bhavabhūti’s talent; however, we are discussing the play here because its story is a cont...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 01, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 3) - Mahāvīra-carita

Mālyavanta is distressed that his plans are failing. (The burning of Laṅkā; Akṣakumāra is slain; Hanūmān offers Rāma’s ring as a token of recognition to Sītā);...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Apr 17, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 2) - Mahāvīra-carita

One of the manuscripts of the Mālatī-mādhava states that the work was authored by Bhaṭta-kumārila’s student (prose at the end of Act 3); the colophon at the end...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Apr 10, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhavabhūti (Part 1) - Life and Works

Bhavabhūti is the author of three plays, namely – Mahāvīra-carita, Mālatī-mādhava, and Uttara-rāma-carita. It is quite probable Mahāvīra-carita was the first pl...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Apr 03, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Harṣavardhana (Part 8) - Nāgānanda

Moonrise किं पद्मस्य रुचिं न हन्ति नयनानन्दं विधत्ते न वा वृद्धिं वा झषकेतनस्य कुरुते नालोकमात्रेण किम् । वक्त्रेन्दौ तव सत्ययं यदपरः शीतांशुरभ्युद्गतो दर्प...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Mar 27, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Harṣavardhana (Part 7) - Nāgānanda

In this way, the poet has pictured dāna-vīra rooted in dayā; śṛṅgāra, hāsya, karuṇa, and adbhuta rasas are secondary in the play. In other words, they become th...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Mar 20, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Harṣavardhana (Part 6) - Nāgānanda

Some wonder why and how Harṣa was inspired to write a story connected with the bodhi-sattva; it is not difficult to surmise a possibility. Though there is some...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Mar 13, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Harṣavardhana (Part 5)

There is nothing special in the characterisation in the Ratnāvalī and Priyadarśikā; the characters are well known through the works of Bhāsa and Kālidāsa; their...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Mar 06, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Harṣavardhana (Part 4) - Priyadarśikā and Ratnāvalī

Kathā-sarit-sāgara was composed in the eleventh century CE (between 1063 and 1081 CE) based on the Bṛhatkathā, which was in paiśācī prākṛta; the Bṛhatkathā-mañj...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Feb 27, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Harṣavardhana (Part 3) - Priyadarśikā and Ratnāvalī

Sāṅkṛtyāyanī had designed a play that showcased the manner in which Vatsa-rāja, who taught music to Vāsavadattā fell in love with her. The play was planned to b...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Feb 20, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Harṣavardhana (Part 2)

Jayāpīḍa (around 800 CE) says that Ratnāvalī was authored by the king. Jayadeva (around 11th Century CE) also concurs with this opinion – he says that the play...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Feb 13, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Harṣavardhana (Part 1)

We know the biographical details of only a few kings who ruled ancient India.  Other than Candragupta Maurya and Aśoka, the most famous of them, we know ab...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Feb 06, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Viśākha-datta - Mudrārākṣasa (Part 5)

The nature of various characters in the play is clear. In the world of Sanskrit literature, it is rare to find such well-defined characters and sets of events t...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jan 30, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Viśākha-datta - Mudrārākṣasa (Part 4)

Because he was so smart, Cāṇakya always exercised caution in his actions; he was all eyes at all times; he was able to estimate the enemy’s strategy by merely l...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jan 23, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Viśākha-datta - Mudrārākṣasa (Part 3)

The Viṣṇu- and the Bhāgavata-purāṇas narrate the story of Candragupta Maurya in brief. However, as Dhanika says, it is quite likely that the seed story of the M...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jan 09, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Viśākha-datta - Mudrārākṣasa (Part 2)

The following is a summary of the story of the play Mudrārākṣasa – [Upon the elimination of the lineage of the Nandas, Amātya-rākṣasa joins hands with Malayake...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jan 02, 2025

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Viśākha-datta - Mudrārākṣasa (Part 1)

We can gather quite a few biographical details about Viśākhadatta from the prastāvanā of his play Mudrārākṣasa; he was the grandson of Vaṭeśvara-datta and the s...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Dec 28, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Abhijñāna-śākuntalam (Part 6)

From the discussion carried out so far, I hope the reader does not come to the conclusion that Kālidāsa is conservative or is always other-worldly in his though...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Dec 26, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Abhijñāna-śākuntalam (Part 5)

Unlike in the epic, Duṣyanta in the play, does not seek to marry Śakuntalā in a hurry. Kālidāsa introduces Śakuntalā to Duṣyanta little by little; the poet has...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Dec 19, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Abhijñāna-śākuntalam (Part 4)

The playwright has constructed the plot and stitched together incidents to align with the fundamental philosophy of the story and the nature of its characters....

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Dec 13, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Abhijñāna-śākuntalam (Part 3)

Mālavikā is a princess who was born and brought up in a palace; she is well-versed in dance and music; she was always a part of the life of antaḥpura and looked...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Dec 06, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Abhijñāna-śākuntalam (Part 2)

The Śākuntalopākhyāna of the Mahābhārata has taken the form of an impressive nāṭaka in the skilled hands of Kālidāsa’s. The story in the epic is akin to gold or...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Nov 28, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Vikramorvaśīyam and Abhijñāna-śākuntalam (Part 1)

By the time of Kālidāsa, the role and characteristic features of the vidūṣaka had taken a concrete form. The vidūṣaka in the Vikramorvaśīyam is endowed with qui...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Nov 21, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Vikramorvaśīyam (Part 5)

The poet has clearly indicated the difference between the personalities of the queen on the one hand and Urvaśī on the other; their names are suggestive of the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Nov 07, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Vikramorvaśīyam (Part 4)

In the Vikramorvaśīyam, the poet has brought in several elements to amplify vipralambha-śṛṅgāra; as mentioned before, Purūrava gets separated thrice from Urvaśī...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 31, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Vikramorvaśīyam (Part 3)

There is quite a lot of difference between the story narrated above and the version that occurs in the Kathāsaritsāgara[1]. According to the Kathāsaritsāgara, P...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 24, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Vikramorvaśīyam (Part 2)

Once, when the precious gem was being brought upon a golden plate, an eagle mistook it for a piece of flesh and flew away with it. The king chased behind the bi...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 18, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Vikramorvaśīyam (Part 1)

The Vikramorvaśīyam, like the Mālavikāgnimitram consists of five acts. The following the summary of its plot King Purūrava, who was returning after having fini...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 12, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa (Part 6) - Mālavikāgnimitram

Pātra-prāśastya – Excellence of Character Pātra-viśeṣanyastaṃ guṇāntaraṃ vrajati śilpam-ādhātuḥ! Jalam-iva samudra-śuktau muktāphalatāṃ payodasya ॥ Act 1,...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Oct 03, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa (Part 5) - Mālavikāgnimitram

In the characters of Queen Dhāriṇī and Irāvatī, we can see the abhinaya of mature and experienced women; there is a difference of flavour in them. Dhāriṇī is th...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Sep 23, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa (Part 4) - Mālavikāgnimitram

The story so far is a tale of love that takes place in the king’s antaḥpura and the garden. Though there are incidents connected with the politics of the kingdo...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Sep 19, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa (Part 3) - Mālavikāgnimitram

Mālavikāgnimitram is a play in five acts. The following is the summary of the plot – The province of Vidiśā was ruled by a king named Agnimitra; he had two wiv...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Sep 12, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Introduction (Part 2)

Kālidāsa uses astrological terms such as uccha and jāmitra in his works; these are from Greek origin. From this, we can estimate that he did not live before 350...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Sep 05, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Kālidāsa - Introduction (Part 1)

It is difficult to tell when and where Kālidāsa lived, just as in the case of Bhāsa. Quite an amount of research has taken place on the subject and there have b...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Aug 29, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Śūdraka (Part 4) - The Mṛcchakaṭika

There is another unique feature in the theme of the play Mṛcchakaṭika – it is the story of a brāhmaṇa; Cārudatta is a brāhmaṇa by birth but a trader by professi...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Aug 22, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Śūdraka (Part 4)- The Mṛcchakaṭika

In these literary works, the life of  Cārudatta is the central theme; the story of Āryaka is of secondary importance and only serves to bolster the main pl...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Aug 15, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Śūdraka (Part 3)- The Story of Mṛcchakaṭika

... continued from the previous episode... Śarvilaka brings Vasantesenā’s ornaments to Madanikā; she gathers the reality from him and sends the ornaments to Va...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Epics Aug 08, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Śūdraka (Part 2) - The Playwright

Sten Knonow, however, opines that Śūdraka must have been another name for the king of ābhīras called Śiva-datta and this king is known to have lived in the thir...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Aug 01, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Śūdraka (Part 1) - The Playwright

It is hard to say when and where Śūdraka was born. The following verses that occur at the beginning of his play, the Mṛcchakaṭika, provide us with some details...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jul 26, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhāsa's Plays - Conclusion

Bhāsa’s plays contain quite a number of novel and fresh ideas and emotions. He also brings in proverbial statements through the dialogues of the characters; the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jul 18, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhāsa's Plays - An Overview (Part 12)

We don’t know if there are more plays written by Bhāsa. We have been able to find fourteen now. Many compendiums of poems quote quite a few verses that are supp...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jul 11, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Dūta-vākya - Bhāsa (Part 11)

The nature of Duryodhana in Ūru-bhaṅga is different from the manner in which he is portrayed in the plays Dūta-vākya and Dūta-ghaṭotkaca. In the segment of the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jul 04, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Dūta-vākya - Bhāsa (Part 10)

Dūta-vākya continued ... War was inevitable; Bhīṣma sleeps on a bed of arrows; the first ten days of the war was led by Bhīṣma. On the eleventh day, Droṇa was...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jun 27, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Madhyama-vyāyoga - Bhāsa (Part 9)

Madhyama-vyāyoga, Dūta-vākya, Dūta-ghaṭotkaca, Karṇa-bhāra, and Ūru-bhaṅga are the other plays authored by Bhāsa based on the Mahābhārata. It is hard to say if...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jun 20, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Pañca-rātra - Bhāsa (Part 8)

Continued from the previous part ... Virāṭa, Uttara, Pāṇḍavas and Abhimanyu constitute the third group of people. It is almost impossible to undertake an exclu...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jun 13, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Pañca-rātra - Bhāsa (Part 7)

The play Pañca-rātra does not contain some of the bitter episodes that are present in the original Mahābhārata; for instance, in Bhāsa’s version, Kīcaka does no...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Jun 06, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bāla-carita and Pañca-rātra - Bhāsa (Part 6)

The Bāla-carita is a play based on the childhood of Bhagavān Śrī-kṛṣṇa. The following is the summary of the plot: Vasudeva crosses the river Yamunā, reaches the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 30, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Daridra-Cārudatta - Bhāsa (Part 5)

  The play Cārudatta (also called Daridra-cārudatta) is based on stories popular in the folk tradition. The play has a significant place in the history of...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 24, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Avimāraka - Bhāsa (Part 4)

As Svapna-vāsava-dattā is the most famous among Bhāsa’s plays and Pratijñā-yaugandharāyaṇa forms its prequel, we took them up for analysis first. In fact, we sh...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 16, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhāsa (Part 3)

The story that began in Pratijñā-yaugandharāyaṇa continues in the play Svapna-vāsavadatta. Yaugandharāyaṇa and Vāsava-dattā work together in order to get Udayan...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 10, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhāsa (Part 2)

The original work of Bṛhatkathā is not available today. However, we can infer its structure and content based on the Kathā-saritsāgara. The main storyline relat...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts May 03, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Bhāsa (Part 1)

  In about 1910, when Mahāmahopādhyāya T. Ganapati Shastri was travelling to procure books in the southern regions of Travancore, he happened to lay his h...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Apr 26, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - The Upa-rūpakas (Part 2)

11. Saṃlāpaka – A saṃlāpaka has either three or four acts and the nāyaka is a pāṣaṇḍa[1], i.e., a heretic. The play evokes all rasas except for śṛṅgāra and karu...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Apr 22, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - The Upa-rūpakas (Part 1)

Upa-rūpakas The Sāhitya-darpaṇa defines eighteen uparūpakas namely, nāṭikā, troṭaka, goṣṭhī, saṭṭaka, nāṭya-rāsaka, prasthāna, ullāpya, kāvya, preṅkhaṇa, rāsak...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Apr 19, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - The Daśa-rūpakas (Part 2)

Ḍima – A ḍima is based on prakhyāta-vastu, i.e., a popular story. It is filled with supernatural and magical elements; eclipses and wars also come as a part of...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Apr 12, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - The Daśa-rūpakas

Nāṭaka, prakaraṇa, bhāṇa, prahasana, ḍima, vyāyoga, samavakāra, vīthi, aṅka, and īhāmṛga – these constitute the ten rūpakas, i.e., the ten different genres of S...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Apr 05, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Chandas; Theatre Design

Language The Sanskrit theatre employed several kinds of prākṛtas (Prakrits) in addition to saṃskṛta (Sanskrit); this is a special feature of the Sanskrit dram...

A R Krishna Sastri, Arjun Bharadwaj | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Mar 28, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Its Heroines; Verse and Prose

Nāyikā The main heroine of the play is called the nāyikā; she, along with the nāyaka, plays the most important role in the drama. The nāyikās are of three ki...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Mar 21, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - The Structual Aspects of a Play and its Heroes

Artha-prakṛtis Artha-prakṛtis capture the gradual development of the plot. The Nāṭyaśāstra identifies five stages of development, namely bīja (‘the seed’)...

A R Krishna Sastri, Arjun Bharadwaj | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Mar 14, 2024

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - Vastu, Arthopakṣepa, and Śrāvyāśrāvya

Vastu Vastu refers to the story or the plot of a play and is also referred to as itivṛtta. The vastu or itivṛtta is of two kinds – ādhikārika and prāsaṅgika....

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Nov 20, 2023

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - An Introduction - Part 2

The Nature of Sanskrit Drama The word nāṭya originates from the dhātu naṭ, which happens to be a prākṛt form of the dhātu nṛt. Both the root words mean to ‘dan...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Arts Nov 06, 2023

Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka - An Introduction - Part 1

Nāṭaka has a special place in the world of Sanskrit literature. Indian aestheticians have always held that nāṭaka occupies the highest rung in the hierarchy of...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj

Literature Mar 09, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 133 - The Story of the Bṛhatkathā-śloka-saṅgraha

Early next morning they heard a resounding thunder in the cloudless sky. When the sages turned to Divākaradeva questioningly, he said, ‘This is the sound made b...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 02, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 132 - The Story of the Bṛhatkathā-śloka-saṅgraha

Chapter 3 - Bṛhatkathā-śloka-saṅgraha While Avanti-vardhana ruled Avantī, not even a lowly insect had anything to complain about. One day, during his daily hor...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 23, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 131 - The Story of the Bṛhatkathā-śloka-saṅgraha

A few days later, he summoned a few brāhmaṇas and said ‘I had a dream in the early hours this morning. In it, I was out for my routine horse ride, when a wild e...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 16, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 130 - The Story of the Bṛhatkathā-śloka-saṅgraha

Then he thought, ‘Fie upon me – I brought this allegation upon myself! Or why should I blame myself? The king was happy for a long time. Which other prince achi...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 09, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 129 - The Story of the Bṛhatkathā-śloka-saṅgraha

Chapter 1 There is a great city named Ujjayinī. Its fortresses, moats and citadels resemble the colossal mountain peaks and unfathomable oceans surrounding the...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 02, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 128 - The Story of the Daśa-kumāra-carita

13. The story of Viśruta Viśruta was roaming the dense forests of the Vindhyas in search of Rājavāhana, when he saw an eight year old boy standing next to a we...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 26, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 127 - The Story of the Daśa-kumāra-carita

11. The Story of Nitambavatī Long ago, in the kingdom of Śūrasena, within the city of Madhurā, there lived a young man named Kalahakaṇṭaka. One day, he happene...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 19, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 126 - The Story of the Daśa-kumāra-carita

11. Story of Mitragupta Mitragupta reached the capital of Sumha called Dāmalipta while searching for Rājavāhana. In the royal garden Kandukāvatī, the daughter...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 12, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 125 - The Story of the Daśa-kumāra-carita

Apahāravarmā declared that the bag would fulfil people’s wishes only when everything that has been snatched away was returned to its owners.  He made sure...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 05, 2023

Kathāmṛta - 124 - The Story of the Daśa-kumāra-carita

Chapter 4. The story of Puṣpodbhava One day, when Puṣpodbhava was searching for prince Rājavāhana, he saw a man falling from the sky. He rushed and managed to...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 29, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 123 - The Story of the Daśa-kumāra-carita

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A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 22, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 122 - Viṣamaśīla-lambaka - The Story of Mūladeva

When my wife was fast asleep, I slowly transferred my ring onto her finger. Then, telling myself ‘Let me see how clever and refined she turns out to be,’ I left...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 15, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 121 - Viṣamaśīla-lambaka - The Stories of Devasvāmī, Agniśarmā, and Mūladeva

Once a brāhmaṇa came to him. His hair stood on their ends. The king asked him, ‘Why such hair?’ The brāhmaṇa then started narrating his story– The Story of Dev...

A R Krishna Sastri

Profiles Dec 14, 2022

The Late Sri. T S Venkannayya - Part 3

He had a reasonable awareness of astrology; he had belief too in it; so he examined his horoscope and used to say that the time was a cruel phase for him. But n...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Vedavyas M G

Literature Dec 08, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 120 - Viṣamaśīla-lambaka - The Stories of Candrasvāmī and Kṛṣṇaśakti

The Story of Candrasvāmī I am a brāhmaṇa named Candrasvāmī and belong to an agrahāra called Brahmasthala; I have a beautiful wife. Once, when I was away, a kāp...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 01, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 119 - Viṣamaśīla-lambaka - The Story of Kusumāyudha

The Story of Kusumāyudha A brāhmaṇa named Devasvāmī lived in Caṇḍapura. He had a beautiful daughter named Kamalalocanā. Kamalalocanā was in love with Kusumāyud...

A R Krishna Sastri

Profiles Nov 30, 2022

The Late Sri. T S Venkannayya - Part 2

One day, I quoted the following verse by poet Bhavabhūti to him. बहिः सर्वाकारप्रगुणरमणीयं व्यवहरन् पराभ्यूहस्थानान्यपि तनुतराणि स्थगयति जनं विद्वानेक...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Vedavyas M G

Literature Nov 24, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 118 - Viṣamaśīla-lambaka - The Stories of Kesaṭa and Kandarpa

The Story of Guṇavatī and Candravatī   A king called Guṇasāgara ruled Kaṭāhadvīpa. He begot a daughter named Guṇavatī Since siddhas had foretold that on...

A R Krishna Sastri

Profiles Nov 20, 2022

The Late Sri. T S Venkannayya - Part 1

सन्तोषं जनयेत् प्राज्ञः तदेवेश्वरपूजनम् [The eminent should create joy for others, that is the same as the worship of Īśvara] The ancestors of the Late...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Vedavyas M G

Literature Nov 17, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 117 - Viṣamaśīla-lambaka - The Story of Malayavatī

The Story of Malayavatī In the city of Ujjayinī lived an artist called Nagarasvāmī. Once every two days, he painted a beautiful portrait of a woman and offered...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 10, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 116 - Viṣamaśīla-lambaka - The Story of Vikramāditya

  चन्द्राननार्धदेहाय चन्द्रांशुसितभूतये। चन्द्रार्कनलनेत्राय चन्द्रार्धशिरसे नमः॥ करेण कुञ्चिताग्रेण लीलयोन्नमितेन यः। भाति सिद्धीरिव ददत् स पायाद्वो ग...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 03, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 115 - Padmāvatī-lambaka

Padmāvatī-lambaka देहार्धधृतकान्तोऽपि तपस्वी निर्गुणोऽपि यः। जगत्स्तुत्यो नमस्तस्मै चित्ररूपाय शंभवे॥ चलत्कर्णाग्रविक्षिप्तगण्डोड्डीनालिमण्डलम्। धुन्वानं वि...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 27, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 114 - Suratamañjarī-laṃbaka - The story of Tārāvaloka

7. Upon observing his conduct, Sage Kaśyapa expressed his appreciation. He said, “O noble one! There never was an emperor equal to you; when you are seated on t...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 20, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 113 - Suratamañjarī-laṃbaka - The story of Vāmadattā and the thief

In answer, a resounding voice boomed in the sky: ‘O king! Your daughter was this fisherman’s wife in her previous birth. Long ago, in a village called Nāgasthal...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 13, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 112 - Suratamañjarī-laṃbaka - The Story of Suratamañjarī - The Story of Agnikumāra and Kuraṅgī - The Story of Suprahāra and Māyāvatī

The king followed the boar inside and discovered a divine city; he, however, could not spot the boar. As he sat by a pond, he spotted a maiden, as beautiful as...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 06, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 111 - Suratamañjarī-laṃbaka - The Story of Śūrasena and Suṣeṇā - The end of Caṇḍa-mahāsena and Vatsa-rāja

पातु वस्ताण्डवोड्डीनगण्डसिन्दूरमण्डनः । वान्ताभिपीतप्रत्यूहप्रताप इव विघ्नजित् ॥ May Gaṇeśa, the destroyer of obstacles, protect you, the effusing vermi...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 29, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 110 - Mahābhiṣeka-laṃbaka - The Story of Naravāhanadatta and Mandaradeva

निशासु ताण्डवोद्दण्डशुण्डासीत्कारशीकरैः | ज्योतींषि पुष्णन्निव वस्तमो मुष्णातु विघ्नजित् || May Vighneśvara remove the darkness of ignorance that envel...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 22, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 109 - Pañca-lambaka - The Stories of Gomukha, Nāgasvāmin, Marubhūti and Hariśikha

The Story of Gomukha When the enemies flung me in different directions, a certain divine woman picked me up and dropped me in a forest. I was greatly distresse...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 15, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 108 - Pañca-lambaka - The Story of Naravāhanadatta and Mānasavega

One night sleep eluded him, he was thinking, “I’ve been deeply interested in her, I’ve neglected others, where are my other wives? Where are my ministers?” he h...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 08, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 107 - Pañca-lambaka - The Story of Naravāhanadatta and the Cunning Vidyādharī

तुष्टेन येन देहार्धमप्युमायै समर्पितम्। स वो ददात्वभिमतं वरदः पार्वतीपतिः॥ May Śiva, who has given half his body to Umā being pleased with her, grant yo...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 01, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 106 - Madirāvatī-laṃbaka - The Story of the young brāhmaṇas and Madirāvatī

स वो विघ्नेश्वरः पायात् नमितोन्नमितेव यम्। अनुनृत्यति नृत्यन्तं सन्ध्यासु भुवनावली॥ [May Vighneśvara, whose evening dance is imitated by the entire worl...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 25, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 105 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Mṛgāṅkadatta

Deva! Kaṇva narrated this story and said, “Whoever would face adversities with courage will get all the fruits later, not the people who would run away in front...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 18, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 104 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Stories of Vyāghrasena and Sundarasena-Mandāravatī

The minister Vikramakesarin finished narrating the story and said, “O king! The elderly brāhmaṇa narrated these stories and said, ‘Trivikramasena got everything...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 11, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 103 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Caṇḍasiṃha and Siṃhaparākrama

  Story 24 31. The king Trivikramasena carried he corpse for the twenty-fourth time on his shoulders and left. The vetāla started narrating another story...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 04, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 102 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Stories of Arthadatta and Viṣṇusvāmī

Story 21 28. Trivikramasena, for the twenty-first time, hauled the corpse on his shoulder and head out. The vetāla began narrating yet another story: There li...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 28, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 101 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Stories of Candraprabhā and Brahma-rākṣasa

Story 19 26. Trivikramasena, for the nineteenth time, picked up the corpse and heaved it onto his shoulder before setting out. The vetāla began narrating anoth...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 21, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 100 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Yaśodhana and the Story of Candrasvāmī

Story 17 24. Trivikramasena put the corpse on his shoulder for the seventeenth time and started to walk. The vetāla started to narrate another story:- Th...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 14, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 99 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Stories of Śaśiprabhā and Jīmūtavāhana

Story 15 22. Trivikramasena heaved the corpse onto his shoulder for the fifteenth time and began to walk. The vetāla began to narrate yet another story:- In t...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 07, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 98 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Stories of Mṛgāṅkavatī and Ratnavatī

Story 12 19. Trivikramasena took the corpse on his shoulder for the twelfth time and started to walk. The vetāla  began to narrate another story:- In the...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 30, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 97 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Anaṅgaratī and the Story of Mṛgāṅkavatī

Story 9 19. Vikramasena carried the vetāla for the ninth time on his back. The vetāla started narrating yet another story – There lived a king named Vīradeva...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 23, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 96 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of the Three Sensitive Men

Story 7 King Trivikramasena, for the seventh time, heaved the corpse onto his shoulder and set out. The vetāla started narrating another tale: On the shores o...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 16, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 95 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - Stories of Harisvāmī and Yaśaḥketu

Story 5 12. For the fifth time, king Trivikramasena took the corpse upon his shoulder and started to walk. The vetāla began to narrate another story:- Long ag...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 09, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 94 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The story of Vīra and the king Śūdraka

Trivikramasena carried the dead body on his shoulder for a fourth time. The vetāla started narrating another story. A valorous king called Śūdraka lived in a t...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 02, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 93 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Stories told by the two Parrots

Trivikramasena, for the third time, took the dead body, placed it on his shoulders and set out. The vetāla started narrating another story:- There lived a king...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 26, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 92 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Mandāravatī

After listening to these words, Padmāvatī thought for a while and said “It wasn’t right of you to tell me only now about your friend. I consider him now as my e...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 19, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 91 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Vikramakesarin and The Story of Trivikramasena and the Vetala

Mṛgāṅkadatta spent the night there and left for Ujjayini the following morning. On his way, he saw a terrible-looking person carrying away his minister Vikramak...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 12, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 90 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Akṣakṣapaṇa and The reunion of Pracaṇḍaśakti and Mṛgāṅkadatta

Akṣakṣapaṇa's Story There lived a wealthy brāhmaṇa by name Śivadatta in the city of Hastināpura. I am his son; my name is Vasudatta; even in my boyhood I learn...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 05, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 89 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Pracaṇḍaśakti and The Story of Śīladhara and Satyadhara

Thus after reuniting with his ministers, Mṛgāṅkadatta continued his journey through the jungles of the Vindhyās. When they reached a place which had ample shade...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 28, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 88 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Vicitrakatha and The Story of Śrīdarśana

There, he found a yakṣiṇī, who had a divine charm. She was in the company of her maidens. Śrīdarśana saw that they were carrying varieties of delicacies and dri...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 21, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 87 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Vicitrakatha, The Story of Yakṣa named Aṭṭahāsa and The story of Bhūnandana and Kumudinī

After he cured all of Guṇākara's wounds, Mṛgāṅkadatta continued on his voyage. One night, he was fast asleep under a tree in Vindhyāṭavi. When he was awakened f...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 14, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 86 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Devabhūti

Dhairyapāramitā - The pinnacle of courage Long ago lived a brāhmaṇa boy called Mālādhara. One day, he saw a siddha boy flying in the sky and developed an insat...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 07, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 85 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Varāha-jātaka, and The Story of Devabhūti

The Story of the Varāha-jātaka There lived a boar in a cave in the Vindhya mountains. It was endowed with buddhāṃśa. The boar lived with a monkey in harmony an...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 31, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 84 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Guṇākara, and The Story of Vinītamati

Now, we have to escape from here with great speed; else, fearing that his secret will be revealed, he will kill me. Since this room has been locked from outside...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 24, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 83 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Kamalākara and Haṃsāvalī, and Bhīmaparākrama's adventures

The prince rode with his army to the borders of Vidiśānagara and sent word through an emissary to king Meghamālin seeking the hand of princess Haṃsāvalī. An ela...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 17, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 82 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Māyāvaṭu, The Story of Bhīmaparākrama, and The Story of Kamalākara and Haṃsāvalī

Now, I will explain the meaning of the phenomenon you saw in the lake. The incidents there indicate what will befall Mṛgāṅkadatta in the future. He is the lion...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 10, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 81 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Śrutadhī and The Story of Vimalabuddhi

He was delighted to see Vinayavatī who was gathering flowers on the river bank while he was on the way to take bath. He bathed and by the time he came back, the...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 03, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 80 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of Bhadrabāhu and his minister, The Story of Puṣkarākṣa and Vinayavatī, and The Story of Lāvaṇyamañjarī

The story of Bhadrabāhu and his intelligent minster There lived a king named Bhadrabāhu in the Magadha kingdom. He had an intelligent minister named Mantragupt...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 24, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 79 - Śaśāṅkavatī-lambaka - The Story of the Elephants, The Story of Vāmadatta, and The Story of Mṛgāṅkadatta

अव्याद्वो विघ्नविध्वंसकीर्तिस्तम्भमिवोत्क्षिपन् । करं गणपतिः क्रीडालीनभृङ्गाक्षरावलिम् ॥ [Let the deity, Gaṇeśa protect you, he plants his trunk like a...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 17, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 78 - Velā-lambaka - The Story of Candrasāra and Velā

नमताशेषविघ्नौघवारणं वारणाननम् | कारणं सर्वसिद्धीनां दुरितार्णववारणम् || We pray to the elephant faced Ganeśa, who removes all traces of torrents of obst...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 10, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 77 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - The Story of the parivrājakas of Kaśmīra and Pāṭalīputra

The following night Gomukha narrated this story to entertain Naravāhanadatta– A great muni resided in Dhāreśvara. He addressed his disciples, ‘If any of you ha...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 03, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 76 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - The Stories of Unchaste Women and Fools

Early next morning, the three men began their journey. After travelling for several hours, they came by a pond and rested there until the sun went down. At nigh...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 27, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 75 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - The Stories of the Fools

A poor man once found a bag of gold coins. While he could have gone elsewhere, he foolishly sat down at the same place and started counting the coins. In the me...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 20, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 74 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - The Story of Yaśodhara and Lakṣmīdhara and the Story of the Fools

  A fool went to a lake to drink water; he saw the reflection of a bird called svarṇa-cūḍa and thought that there was gold fallen in the waters. He jumped...

A R Krishna Sastri

Arts Jan 13, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 73 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - The Story of Crows and Owls

In Pāṭalīputra lived two brāhmaṇas - Yajñasoma and Kīrtisoma. Among the two, the younger one, Kīrtisoma, flourished through the business he set up with the weal...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 06, 2022

Kathāmṛta - 72 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - Stories of the Fools (Continues)

  There lived a man who had a beautiful wife; fearing that she might have an affair, he monitored her at all times. Once, he had to travel to another plac...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 30, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 71 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - Stories of the Fools

Narrating this story to Sañjīvaka, Damanaka said: ‘Thus a wise man remains steadfast when danger approaches. Now, this is what you must do. When Piṅgalaka rises...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 23, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 70 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - Stories of the Clever Hare, Stupid Tortoise and others

The Story of Śūryavarmā There lived a royal servant called Śūryavarmā. Once, when he came home, found that his wife was in the company of his friend. He withhe...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 16, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 69 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - Stories of Kumudikā, Candraśrī, Duśśīlā, Sumanarāja and the Parrot

2. Next Gomukha started narrating the story of Kumudikā:- The Story of Kumudikā In the city of Pratiṣṭhāna, there lived a king named Vikramasiṃha. His wife wa...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 09, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 68 - Śaktiyaśo-lambaka - The Story of Īśvaravarmā and Sundarī

10. Śaktiyaśo-lambaka   अवारणीयं रिपुभिर्-वारणीयं करं नुमः | हेरम्बस्य ससिन्दूरम्-असिन्दूरम्-अघच्छिदं ||   avāraṇīyaṃ ripubhir-vāraṇīyaṃ k...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 02, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 67 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Nala

As Nala was wandering through the forest wearing the cloth torn in half, he saw a forest fire. He heard a voice calling out for help from within it – “O Noble s...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 25, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 66 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Nala

Carrying with him the message of the deities, Nala entered the inner apartments of Damayantī and repeated the command of the deities. She heard those words and...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 18, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 65 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Stories of Dharmavyādha, Tribhuvana and Nala

The Story of Dharmavyādha In the past, when a certain sage who was wandering through a forest and sat down below a tree, a balāka bird’s droppings happened to...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 11, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 64 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Stories of Candrasvāmin, Prabhākara and Cakra

Candrasvāmin met Siṃhadaṃṣṭra, a śabara chief and asked him for a water source nearby, he called his men and said, ‘Show him water!’ They took him to their vill...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 04, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 63 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Stories of Ciradātṛ, Kanakavarṣa and Candrasvāmin

Ciradātṛ-rāja There lived a king named Ciradātā in a city called Cirapura. Though the king was a nice person by his nature, he was surrounded by evil men. Pras...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 28, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 62 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Camaravāla - The Story of Arthavarman and Bhogavarman

Another day, when Naravāhanadatta was in the court, a prince by name Samaratuṅga came to him and said, ‘O lord! My cousin Saṅgrāmavarṣa and his four sons are jo...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 21, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 61 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Samudraśūra

Vīravara’s son woke up and quickly understood the situation and said, “Father! I am indeed fortunate to be of service for our master’s wellbeing! We owe him our...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 14, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 60 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Vikramatuṅga and Vīravara

On yet another occasion, the king had to fight a war with a rival from the frontiers. The seeker went with him and defeated many enemy men with his staff. The k...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 07, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 59 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Anaṅgaprabhā - The Story of Lakṣadatta and Labdhadatta

He followed her instructions and performed intense tapas to propriate Vindhyavāsinī. She appeared before him and said, “O brāhmaṇa! All four of you were my gaṇa...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 30, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 58 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Anaṅgaratī

The story of Anaṅgaratī The city of Śūrapura was ruled by king Mahāvarāha. His queen was Padmaratī and their only daughter was Anaṅgaratī. When the princess at...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 23, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 57 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Pṛthvīrūpa, Stories of Aśokamālā and Sthūlabhuja

Won't you be able to tolerate it for a night? – Kāñcanaprabhā said. Soon after, she went away with her child. Naravāhanadatta came to Kauśāmbi. At night, as he...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 16, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 56 - Alaṅkāravatī-lambaka - The Story of Alaṅkāravatī and the Rāmāyaṇa

निशुम्भभरनम्रोर्वीखर्विताः पर्वता अपि | यं नमन्तीव नृत्यन्तं नमामस्तं विनायकम् || [Owing to the crushing weight capable of bending even the earth, the m...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 09, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 55 - Sūryaprabha-lambaka - The Story of Guṇaśarmā

One day, the king was having his meal. Guṇaśarmā, who sat in his proximity refused to eat a certain dish which was brought to him by the cook. When asked the re...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 02, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 54 - Sūryaprabha -lambaka - The Story of Sūryaprabha and Guṇaśarmā

  चलत्कर्णानिलोद्धूत सिन्धूरारुणिताम्बरः। जयत्यकालेऽपि सृजन् सन्धामिव गजाननः॥   Victory to Gajānana, who reddens the sky with sindhūra sca...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 26, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 53 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Story of Karpūrikā’s Past Life

Naravāhanadatta and Gomukha bathed in the garden well, partook their meals in the middle court of the palace, drank well, and ate tāmbūla. That night, besotted...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 19, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 52 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Story of Prāṇadhara and Rājyadhara

The Story of Indīvarasena and Anicchāsena In the town of Airāvati, there lived a king named Parityāgasena. He had two wives, of which one was his minister's da...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 12, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 51 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Story of King Ajara and the Story of Cirāyu and Nāgārjuna

The following day, when they all assembled in the court, Marubhūti hung his head down with shame. Looking at him, Ratnaprabhā said, “Ārya-putra! You are truly f...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 05, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 50 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Story of Tapodatta

The story continued from the previous episode... The next day the wedding took place with Agni as the witness. It was like a rājahaṃsa – a royal swan - uniting...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 29, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 49 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Story of Guṇavarā and Rūpaśikhā

Then Hariśikhā said “Yes, this is indeed so. Virtuous women don’t even think of any man other than their beloved husband!” and began to narrate this story- The...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 22, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 48 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Stories of Bhavaśarmā and Madanamālā

The Story of Bhavaśarmā ‘Dear friend, never get caught by women. Their minds are always hard to understand.’ A beautiful brāhmaṇa woman named Somadayā lived i...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 15, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 47 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Story of Niścayadatta and Anurāgaparā

Upon listening to this story Gomukha said, “Women are lustful by nature and a pativratā is rare to find. It is true that women are never to be trusted!” and nar...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 08, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 46 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Story of the King Ratnādhipati

The next day Gomukha and other friends of Naravāhanadatta came to see him. The door keeper made them wait till she obtained the permission and then allowed them...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 01, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 45 - Ratnaprabhā-lambaka - The Story of Ratnaprabhā - The Stories of Sattvaśīlā and Vikramatuṅga - The wedding of Naravāhanadatta and Ratnaprabhā

केलिकेशग्रहव्यग्रगौरीकरनखावृतम्| शिवायानेकचन्द्राढ्यमिव शार्वं शिरोऽस्तु वः|| [May that head of Śiva which looks as though it bears many moons, as the ha...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 24, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 44 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Story of Indradatta - The Story of Virūpākṣa - The wedding of Naravāhanadatta and Madanamañcukā

The Story of King Indradatta There lived a king named Indradatta in the country of Cedi. He had a grand temple constructed in a tīrtha-kṣetra called Pāpaśodhan...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 17, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 43 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Story of Mongoose, Rat, Owl, and Cat - The Story of Prasenajit

The Story of the Mongoose, Rat, Owl, and Cat[1] There was a large banyan tree just outside the town of Vidiśā. Taking shelter in the tree were four creatures:...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 10, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 42 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Story of Śrutasena - The Story of the Three Brāhmaṇa Brothers

7. Next day when Vatsarāja went to Vāsavadattā, he observed that she did not treat him any differently. He asked her cautiously, “Devi! Did you know that a prin...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 03, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 41 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Story of Viṣṇudatta and Seven Brāhmaṇa-putras - the story of Kadalīgarbhā

At his residence, Yaugandharāyaṇa invited a brahma-rākṣasa by name Yogeśvara. He instructed him, ‘Keep an eye on the activities of Kaliṅgasenā. Vidyādharas also...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 27, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 40 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Story of Uṣā - Kaliṅgasenā's travel to Kauśāmbi

5. The next day when Somaprabhā came back Kaliṅgasenā during her interaction with her said, ‘It is certain that my wedding with Prasenajit would happen; my moth...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 20, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 39 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Stories of Tejasvatī and Hariśarmā

4. As Kaliṅgasenā stood on her balcony watching Somaprabhā fly away, a vidyādhara called Madanavega saw her and was awestruck by her beauty. But he thought it w...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 13, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 38 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - Kīrtisenā’s Story

Kaliṅgasenā who was pleased looking at the dolls forgot her hunger. She refused to eat anything that was offered to her. Her worried mother thought that she mus...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 06, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 37 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Story of the Prince and the Sons of the Merchant, the Piśāca and the Brāhmaṇa

Kaliṅgasenā grew up. Once while she was playing on the terrace, Somaprabhā, the daughter of Mayāsura saw her and thought, ‘Who is this girl who is radiant like...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 29, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 36 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Stories of Vikramasimha, Impassioned Princesses, and Sulocanā

The story of Vikramasimha and two brāhmaṇas There lived a king by the name Vikramasimha in Ujjayinī. He had no equal on the battlefield and he was aching for s...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 22, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 35 - Madanamañcukā-lambaka - The Stories of Ratnadatta, Kaliṅgadatta and Tārādattā

तर्जयन्निव विघ्नौघान्नमितोन्नमितेन यः | मुहुर्विभाति शिरसा स पायाद्वो गजाननः || [May that elephant-faced deity, who by repeatedly raising and bowing his...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 15, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 34 - Caturdārikā-lambaka - The Story of Devadatta

The next morning Satyavrata saw him and said, “Sir! I have thought of a plan for you to accomplish your desired objective. It is as follows: There is an island...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 08, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 33 - Caturdārikā-lambaka - The Story of Aśokadatta and Kapālasphoṭaka

The Story of Aśokadatta and Kapālasphoṭaka Long ago, there lived a brāhmaṇa by name Govindasvāmī in an agrahāra on the banks of the river Kālindī. He had two s...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 01, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 32 - Caturdārikā-lambaka - The Story of Harasvāmī

The Story of Harasvāmī A mendicant named Harasvāmī lived in the town of Kusumapura. His abode was a humble hut on the shores of the Gaṅgā. He lived on alms and...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 25, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 31 - Caturdārikā-lambaka - Story of Fraudsters Śiva and Mādhava

Early next morning Śiva came to the maṭha. Mādhava hailed a messenger in the morning and ordered him – “Take this pair of clothes, hand it over to the rāja-puro...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 18, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 30 - Caturdārikā-lambaka - Story of Śaktivega

Caturdārikā-lambaka   मदघूर्णितवक्त्रोत्थैः सिन्दूरैश्छुरयन्महीम्। हेरम्बः पातु वो विघ्नान् स्वतेजोभिर्दहन्निव॥ (Kathā-sarit-sāgara 5.1.1) Gaṇeś...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 11, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 29 - Naravāhanadattalambaka - Stories of Śaṅkhacūḍa, Siṃhaparākrama, Birth of Naravāhanadatta

By then, Śaṅkhacūḍa spotted them from a distance and shouted – ‘O Garuḍa! Don’t, don’t! He is not a nāga, it is me! Why are you suddenly under an illusion?’ Hea...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Mar 04, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 28 - Naravāhanadattalambaka - Jīmūtavāhana's past life, Story of Śaṅkhacūḍa.

By then she had gotten off the lion and had collected flowers from the lake for the lord’s worship. Pulindaka bowed down to her solemnly. The surprised maiden a...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 25, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 27 - Naravāhanadattalambaka - The Stories of Piṅgalikā, Jīmūtavāhana and his past life.

Piṅgalikā’s Story “Lady! In the kingdom of Mālava lived a brahmana named Agnidatta. He had two sons named Śaṅkaradatta and Śāntikara. At a very young age Śānti...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 18, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 26 - Naravāhanadattalambaka - Nārada's visit, The Story of Devadatta

karṇa-tāla-balāghāta- sīmantita-kulācalaḥ| panthānam-iva siddhīnāṃ diśaṃ jayati vighnajit|| (Kathā-sarit-sāgara 4.1.1) Victory to that vanquishe...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 11, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 25 - Lāvaṇakalambaka - The Story of Phalabhūti

Vatsarāja called Yaugandharāyaṇa in secret and said, “My friend! Thanks to your political acumen all kings have been defeated. I don’t think anyone will betray...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Feb 04, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 24 - Lāvaṇakalambaka - The Story of the Merchant Devadāsa

Yaugandharāyaṇa then spoke to Vatsarāja. He said ‘O king, the divine is on your side and you have immense strength too. We are experts in the art of governance....

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 28, 2021

Kathāmṛta - 23 - Lāvaṇakalambaka - The Brave Vidūṣaka at Ujjayinī

...Continued from the Previous Part   ‘If that is the case, don’t feel sad; I’ll go there today; let your only son live; don’t worry about me; I’ve gaine...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 21, 2021

Lāvaṇakalambaka - 22 - The Story of the Brave Vidūṣaka

The Story of the Brave Vidūṣaka Once upon a time, there lived a king called Ādityasena, in Ujjayinī. He was an Ekacakravartī, i.e., he was like the Sun who has...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 14, 2021

Lāvaṇakalambaka - 21 - Ahalyā and Devendra; Story of the Cowherd King Devasena

The Story of Ahalyā and Devendra Once upon a time there lived a great seer named Gautama and he was sentient of things from times past, present, and future. He...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jan 07, 2021

Lāvaṇakalambaka - 20 - Ūrvaśī and Purūrava; Somaprabhā and Guhacandra

One of the days following this, Vatsarāja had a lavish party where he enjoyed drinking with Vāsavadattā and Padmāvatī. Later he called for Gopālaka, Rumaṇvanta,...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 31, 2020

Lāvaṇakalambaka - 19 - Vatsarāja Marries Padmāvatī; Reunites with Vāsavadattā

Back in the royal palace of Magadha, Vāsavadattā tried to contain her sorrow. She sought solace in gazing upon the paintings depicting Sītā’s woes in the period...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 24, 2020

Lāvaṇakalambaka - 18 - The Story of Illaka, The story of Puṇyasena, Yaugandharāyaṇa's plan

Once the king refused, the commander married her. Once when the king was roaming, he saw her standing in the balcony of the commander’s house. As soon as he saw...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 17, 2020

Lāvaṇakalambaka - 17 - The Story of Mahāsena, The story of Mendicant and the Ape

निर्विघ्नविश्वनिर्माणसिद्धये यदनुग्रहम्। मन्ये स वव्रे धातापि तस्मै विघ्नजिते नमः॥ [Salutation to that deity, the killer of obstacles, (Gaṇeśa), from wh...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 10, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 16 - The Story of Bālavinaṣṭaka, The story of Ruru and ḍuṇḍubha

The Story of Bālavinaṣṭaka Long ago there lived a brāhmaṇa named Rudraśarmā; he had two wives; of the two, one of them gave birth to a child and subsequently d...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Dec 03, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 15 - The Story of Śaktimatī, The Wedding of Vāsavadattā

The next morning, when he regained his senses, the man was ashamed looking at his state. He cleaned up and rushed to Parivrājikā's house. He tied his head with...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 26, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 14 - The Story of Devasmitā, cont.

Dhanadatta tried to convince him that his son is a suitable groom to his daughter. But Dharmagupta thought that Tāmraliptī was too far and did not agree to this...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 19, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 13 - The elopement of Vāsavadattā

As the days went by, Vāsavadattā’s love for the king of the Vatsas increased; her affection and respect towards her parents decreased; she was ready to defy the...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 12, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 12 - Rūpaṇikā's story, cont.

Lohajaṅgha kept composure even as he entered Lanka and met King Vibhīṣaṇa at his palace. The king treated him with respect and asked: ‘O great brāhmaṇa, what br...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Nov 05, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 11 - Yaugandharāyaṇa's plan - Rūpaṇikā's story

Learning of his capture, Caṇḍamahāsena came by himself to the main entrance to the city and escorted him [i.e. Udayana] with great respect into the city. The ci...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 29, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 10 - Vatsarāja captured

Udayana started reigning over the kingdom which he inherited from his father on a prosperous note. However, he gradually handed it over to Yaugandharāyaṇa and t...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 22, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 9 - The story of Śrīdatta, cont.

Śrīdatta went in search of water for her. As he looked for a source of water, it got dark. While he found water roaming around the forest, he had lost his way....

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 15, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 8 - The story of Śrīdatta

The story of Śrīdatta In the past, there lived a brāhmaṇa by name Yajñasoma in the Mālava kingdom. He had two sons by name Kālanemī and Vigatabhaya. After the...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 08, 2020

Kathāmukhalambaka - 7 - The birth of Udayana

गौरीनवपरिष्वङ्गे विभोः स्वेदाम्बु पातु वः | नेत्राग्निभीत्या कामेन वारुणास्त्रमिवाहितं || May the sweat beads adorning Shiva, brought about by his embra...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Oct 01, 2020

Kathāpīṭhalambaka - 6 - The Bṛhatkathā is Narrated

The next day, early in the morning, King Śātavāhana left the place. Deciding not to consume any food, he performed rigorous tapas to appease Kumāra-svamī.[1] [2...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 24, 2020

Kathāpīṭhalambaka - 5 - The Story of Cāṇakya and Guṇāḍhya

Disobeying the king’s order, Śakaṭālana secretly hid me in his house; he had someone else killed and informed the king that I had been executed. It would not ha...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 17, 2020

Kathāpīṭhalambaka - 4 - The Story of Pāṇini and Vararuci

Vararuci's narration continues... Once, when I had gone out to watch the Indradhvajotsava, I happened to spot Upavarṣa’s daughter Upakośā. We fell in love with...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 10, 2020

Kathāpīṭhalambaka - 3 - The Story of the City of Pāṭalīputra

There is a sacred tīrtha called Kanakhala near Gaṅgādvāra. In the past, a divine elephant called Kāñcanapāta broke open a mountain and let the Gaṅgā flow into t...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Sep 03, 2020

Kathāpīṭhalambaka - 2 - The Story of Vararuci

The Story of Vararuci In Kauśāmbi, there lived a brāhmaṇa named Somadatta; his wife was called Vasudattā; I am their son. Having lost my father when I was stil...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 27, 2020

Kathāpīṭhalambaka - 1- Śiva Starts Narrating a Story

इदं गुरु-गिरीन्द्रजा प्रणय-मन्दरान्दोलनात् पुरा किल कथामृतं हर-मुखाम्बुधेरुद्गतं | प्रसह्य रसयन्ति ये विगतविघ्नलब्धर्धयो धुरं दधति वैबुधीं भुवि भवप्...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 20, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 20 - Conclusion

Conclusion: Even as I wrote this work, my daughter Smt. Shanta and grand-daughter Smt. Leela went through different segments and expressed their delight. They...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 13, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 19 – Kathā-sarit-sāgara and the Society, cont.

Another noteworthy element visible in Kathā-sarit-sāgara is the amiability within society - even those days there were religions, castes, occupations, and good...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Aug 06, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 18 – Kathā-sarit-sāgara and the Society

Naravāhanadatta who comes as a part of the Bṛhatkathā is special because of the streams of ‘knowledge’ he specialises in. There are stories where vāmācāra is pr...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 30, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 17 – The place of Kathā-sarit-sāgara in literature

The place of Kathā-sarit-sāgara in literature Earlier, I had discussed a little about the poetic qualities of Kathā-sarit-sāgara. Here, I will write a few word...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 23, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta - Part 16 - Marriage and Life

If milk needs to get fermented into curd, both the milk and the curd should be of the right quality and quantity. Neither should cause imbalance – there will be...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 16, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 15 – Men and Women of the World, cont.

Some people, even as they utter words as hurting as the kick of a donkey, say thus with knit faces: ‘I don’t retain any filth within; I don’t say one thing and...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 09, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 14 – Men and Women of the World

“Lincoln who was the elected leader of America (1870) suffered because of the harsh words his wife spoke every minute, each day – it was as good as him dying. H...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jul 02, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 13 – What can we learn from the Kathā-sarit-sāgara? cont.

For people who have read ancient works like Mahābhārata it is quite evident that this book is all about worldly affairs; The independence, carefree attitude, vi...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 25, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 12 - What can we learn from the Kathā-sarit-sāgara?

Dhanika quotes a śloka from the Bṛhatkathā and two ślokas from the Brahat-kathā-mañjarī. It seems like he had named his work Kathā-sarit-sāgara by Somadeva’s ti...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 18, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 11 – The evolution of the Bṛhat-kathā

The evolution of the Bṛhat-kathā Overall a story means creation. There will be a canvas for a painting. But on that background which is considered as truth, th...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 11, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 10 – What is a 'Story'?

One end of Udayana’s story takes place in Kauśāmbi, and the other, in Ujjayinī. Furthermore, many of the sub-stories take place in and around Ujjayinī. One wond...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Jun 04, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 9 – Analysis of Guṇāḍhya's Story

An Examination of the Story[1] of Guṇāḍhya Now let us take a look at why and how might have Vararuci, Kāṇabhūti, and Śātavāhana appeared in the context of the...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 28, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 8 - The Sātavāhanas

Sātavāhana Paithan is a town on the banks of the Godavarī in the Aurangabad district of the Hyderabad province and is now in the state of Maharashtra. Thi...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 21, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 7 – Bhūta-bhāṣā or Paiśācī-bhāṣā

Bhūta-bhāṣā – Paiśācī-bhāṣā Guṇāḍhya did not compose the Bṛhat-kathā in the Sanskrit language and it is said that he wrote it in the Paiśācī-bhāṣā. (Daṇḍin and...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 14, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 6 – Guṇāḍhya in Nepāla-māhātmya

The Story of Guṇāḍhya in the Nepāla-māhātmya The Nepāla-māhātmya comprises four chapters—twenty-seven to thirty—in the Himavat-khaṇḍa of the Skanda-purāṇa....

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature May 07, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 5 – Sanskrit and English Translations, Guṇāḍhya

The Sanskrit Translation of Bṛhat-kathā by Durvinīta Till now the available Sanskrit works related to the Bṛhat-kathā are only three—composed by Kṣemendra, Som...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 30, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 4 – Bṛhat-kathā-śloka-saṃgraha and Pèruṅkadai

The Bṛhat-kathā-śloka-saṃgraha is peppered with light-hearted and sweet humour here and there. The work also delineates profound lives of the common men and is...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 23, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 3 – Bṛhat-kathā-śloka-saṃgraha

Bṛhat-kathā-śloka-saṃgraha Budha-svāmī’s Bṛhat-kathā-śloka-saṃgraha is probably older than both Kathā-sarit-sāgara and Bṛhat-kathā-mañjarī. It’s time is unknow...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 16, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 2 – Bṛhat-kathā-mañjarī

The word ‘Kathā-sarit-sāgara’ literally means an ocean that is formed as a result of the confluence of many rivers of stories. Though the name of the work is fa...

A R Krishna Sastri

Literature Apr 09, 2020

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 1 – Kathāmṛta and Kathā-sarit-sāgara

कवीन्द्रमानसाम्भोजनिवासभ्रमरीं नमः। देवीं सहृदयानन्दशब्दमूर्तिं सरस्वतीं॥ (सोमदेवः) श्रीरामायणभारतबृहत्कथानां कवीन्नमस्कुर्मः। त्रिस्रोता इव सरसा सरस्वती...

A R Krishna Sastri

Epics Apr 02, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 112 - Story of Yayāti

Yayāti was the tenth in the line of descendants from Dakṣa-prajāpati; his son was Pūru. Further in his lineage Duṣyanta was born. The preceptor of the Asuras,...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 27, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 111 - Śakuntalopākhyānam - Part 2

Duṣyanta – “Listening to the story you just narrated confirms that you indeed are a princess from a royal lineage. Please be my wife! Tell me what you desire to...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 19, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 110 - Śakuntalopākhyānam - Part 1

There lived a king named Duṣyanta who belonged to the lineage of Puru. He was valorous and was ruling over the earth in a dhārmic manner. There was no varṇa-saṅ...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 12, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 109 – The Ascent to Svarga

As Yudhiṣṭhira went ahead, he first saw Duryodhana. He was sitting amidst the Devatās, glimmering with the wealth of courage, seated on a throne that was resple...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 05, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 108 – The Final Journey

After Yudhiṣṭhira heard the tragic tale of the Yādavas from Arjuna, he felt like renouncing everything and setting out on a long voyage. He looked at Arjuna and...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 27, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 107 – The Death of Kṛṣṇa and the Yādavas

Thirty-six years after the Mahābhārata War transpired, yet another catastrophe struck. Once, the three mahaṛṣis – Viśvāmitra, Kaṇva, and Nārada – came to Dvārak...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 21, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 106 – The Passing Away of the Elders

Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Vidura and Gāndhārī to advise Kuntī to go back with her children. He said that she can perform tapas in the kingdom and she had served them ve...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 13, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 105 – Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Others head to the Forest

Upon hearing Dharmarāja's request, asking them to stay back in the kingdom, Dhṛtarāṣṭra replied – “Son, my heart has turned towards tapas. It has come down to u...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 06, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 104 – Dhṛtarāṣṭra Wishes to Retire to the Forests

The Pāṇḍavas after winning over their enemies, were ruling the vast kingdom under the guidance of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Sañjaya, Yuyutsu and Vidura were taking care of t...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 31, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 103 – Aśvamedha-yāga and the Mongoose Story

Dharmarāja went to the Himalayas with his younger bothers and gathered the ingredients required for the Aśvamedha-yāga. He also found large quantities of wealth...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 23, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 102 – Yudhiṣṭhira Laments and Kṛṣṇa Meets his Parents

Dharmarāja offered tarpaṇa to Bhīṣma and as he neared the shores of Ganga, he collapsed out of sorrow. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Kṛṣṇa, Vyāsa and everyone else present there...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 16, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 101 – The Death of Bhīṣma

Yudhiṣṭhira said, “However competent one might be, if destiny doesn’t smile on him, he will not earn any wealth. Even a helpless chap or a child, if favoured by...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 09, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 100 – Indomitable Karma

Although Bhīṣma spoke many such words of peace and solace, Dharmarāja’s heart would not find peace; he would not be consoled. He lamented with the words – “Havi...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 02, 2020

Mahābhārata – Episode 99 – King Janaka’s Message of Mokṣa

Yudhiṣṭhira – Are there any instances in the past when a king attained siddhi, the ultimate accomplishment, even as he was a householder? And if so, what is the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 26, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 98 – Sṛṣṭi, Sāṅkhya, and Yoga

Yudhiṣṭhira asked, “How did this universe, with animate and inanimate, get created? When it dissolves, where does it go?” Bhīṣma (Relating the discussion betwe...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 20, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 97 - The Fox and the Virtue in being a Human

In the past, Kāśyapa, the son of a certain riṣi was run over by a chariot that belonged to a vaiśya. The chariot hit him and Kāśyapa fell down. He was greatly p...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 12, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 96 – The Path to Peace and Joy

Yudhiṣṭhira: As time passes by and all creatures are taken to the abode of death, which is the conduct that leads to śreyas (goodness)? Bhīṣma: (What Mādhavī t...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 05, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 95 – The Eagle-Fox Conversation (Part 2)

The fox said, “A golden child! Listening to the words of this eagle, you’re on the verge of leaving this boy here and going away! Will love and sorrow go away j...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 28, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 94 – The Eagle-Fox Conversation (Part 1)

During times of adversity, if one doesn’t despair and stands firm with determination – and added to that if he received divine grace, the adversity soon passes...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 21, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 93 – Don't Trust Your Enemy

I will narrate another story to demonstrate how an enemy should never be trusted even if he appears to be soft and is gentle in his speech. There lived a king b...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 14, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 92 – Noble Characteristics Reign Supreme

It is good character that is more important than physical strength. Noble character leads to honesty, dhārmic outlook, strength and wealth. In the past, Prahlād...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 07, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 91 – The Story of the Ṛṣi and the Dog

In the activities related to the protection of his people, a king must only take help from people who are courageous, devoted, loyal, respected, hailing from a...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 31, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 90 – The Thirty-six Qualities of an Ideal King

Bhīṣma began his instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira on rāja-dharma (the art and science of governance). First of all, a king has to be devoted to the deities and to br...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 24, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 89 – Yudhiṣṭhira and Kṛṣṇa Visit Bhīṣma

On a chosen day, Dharmarāja sat on a new chariot drawn by sixteen white steeds. Bhīma was the charioteer; Arjuna held a white umbrella; Nakula and Sahadeva fann...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 17, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 88 – Yudhiṣṭhira is Engulfed by Sorrow

ŚĀNTI-PARVA After offering the jala-tarpaṇa and other funeral rites to their departed relatives, Dharmarāja, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and the rest of the Pāṇḍavas and Kaur...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 10, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 87 – Dhṛtarāṣṭra Tries to Kill Bhīma; Gāndhārī Curses Kṛṣṇa

Dharmarāja walked past all the women who were shouting at him, went to the old king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and bowed down to him. The others too called out their own name...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 03, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 86 – Hastinapura Engulfed in Sorrow

STRĪ-PARVA Starting from the first day of the war, Sañjaya went to the battlefield from the capital city every day and reported the day’s events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 26, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 85 - Uttarā's Womb is Saved

Duryodhana was alive catching on to his last few breaths. He had trouble breathing and was being eaten alive by foxes, wolves and other wild animals. He was try...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 19, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 84 - The Pāñcāla-s and Upapāṇḍava-s Killed

SAUPTIKA-PARVA Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpa and Kṛtavarma left Duryodhana and by sunset reached a forest in the vicinity. They fed their horses with water, gulped down sip...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 12, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 83 – Kṛṣṇa Consoles Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī

Everyone present there congratulated Bhīmasena. He bowed down before his elder brother and said, “Now the entire world is yours, free of all obstacles. The main...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 05, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 82 – Bhīma Defeats Duryodhana in Single Combat

Just like Yudhiṣṭhira, the other Pāṇḍavas too spoke provocative words. Listening to their humiliating words, Duryodhana decided to fight the battle and said, “Y...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 29, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 81 – Śalya Becomes the Commander; Duryodhana Escapes

ŚALYA-PARVA After Karṇa’s death, Kṛpācārya suggested to Duryodhana that they could enter a treaty of peace with the Pāṇḍavas. Duryodhana, however, refused to d...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 22, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 80 – The Death of Duśśāsana and Karṇa

On the way to the battleground, Arjuna was profusely sweating all over. He was anxious about the outcome of the day’s war. Looking at his perplexity, Kṛṣṇa said...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 15, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 79 – Karṇa Becomes Commander-in-Chief

KARṆA-PARVA After the death of Droṇa, on the fifteenth day of the Kurukṣetra war, Duryodhana retired to his camp and discussed the further course of action wit...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 08, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 78 – Arjuna Kills Jayadratha; Droṇa Falls

The fourteenth day of the war began with Droṇa arranging the Kaurava army in the śakaṭa-vyūha formation within which he arranged the army in the padma-vyūha and...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 01, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 77 – Abhimanyu’s Death; Arjuna’s Oath

The next morning Duryodhana told Droṇa, “Ācārya, although Yudhiṣṭhira came as close as the eyes could see, you failed to capture him. Therefore it appears like...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Literature Jul 27, 2019

Mahābhārata and its Place in Indian Culture – Part 4

Vyāsa is said to have presented to Brahmā the topics discussed in the Mahābhārata thus – “In this work there are several secrets of the Vedas; my definitive sid...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 25, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 76 – Droṇa becomes the Commander-in-Chief

DROṆA-PARVA नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरञ्चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ॥ Having saluted Nārāyaṇa, the human and the divine;...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Literature Jul 21, 2019

Mahābhārata and its Place in Indian Culture – Part 3

Just because the Mahābhārata was narrated in the period of King Janamejaya it doesn’t make it an ancient tale; it is fresh even today and it will forever be new...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 18, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 75 – The Fall of Bhīṣma

The next morning, i.e. on the tenth day of battle, the Pāṇḍavas had created a battle formation with Śikhaṇḍi leading it. To his left and right stood Bhīma and A...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Literature Jul 13, 2019

Mahābhārata and its Place in Indian Culture – Part 2

The story of the Mahābhārata is gigantic. It is thus divided into eighteen parvas. These divisions are called kāṇḍas in the Rāmāyaṇa. What is termed as ‘sandhi’...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Hari Ravikumar, Arjun Bharadwaj

Epics Jul 11, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 74 – The Invincible Bhīṣma

On the fourth day of the war, Bhīmasena totally destroyed Duryodhana’s elephant division and killed eight of the Kaurava brothers including Jalasandha and Suṣeṇ...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Literature Jul 06, 2019

Mahābhārata and its Place in Indian Culture - Part 1

The culture of Greater India has its roots in śruti, smṛti, itihāsa, and purāṇa. Śruti means ‘Vedas.’ The Upaniṣads, which form a part of the Vedas, are the bas...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Hari Ravikumar, Arjun Bharadwaj

Epics Jul 04, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 73 – The Great War Begins

Yudhiṣṭhira made his way into the enemy ranks and walked straight to Bhīṣma. He bowed down to the grandsire, touched his feet, and said with great humility, “Gr...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jun 27, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 72 – Preparations for the War; Bhagavad-Gītā Counsel

BHĪṢMA-PARVA नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरञ्चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ॥ Having saluted Nārāyaṇa, the human and the divine;...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jun 20, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 71 – Failure of the Peace Talks; Preparation for War

Kṛṣṇa reached Upaplavya, met the Pāṇḍavas and narrated everything that transpired in Hastināpura. He finished by saying these words – “Though Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Vid...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jun 13, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 70 – Kuntī and Kṛṣṇa Plead with Karṇa

Kṛṣṇa paid his salutations to Kuntī and informed her of everything that transpired in the Kuru court. “I’ll take leave of you, dear aunt. I need to get back to...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jun 06, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 69 – Duryodhana Walks out of the Court; Kṛṣṇa's Viśvarūpadarśana

As he heard Kṛṣṇa’s words, Duryodhana turned towards him and snapped. “Kṛṣṇa! You should think about this once more thoroughly and then speak to us. You have cr...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 30, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 68 – Kṛṣṇa Speaks in the Kuru Court

The next morning, Kṛṣṇa woke up and got ready to leave. Duryodhana and Śakuni came to Vidura’s house and informed Kṛṣṇa that Dhṛtarāṣṭra had arrived at the roya...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 23, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 67 – The Night Before Kṛṣṇasandhāna

The next day, Kṛṣṇa left from Vṛkasthaḻa and headed towards Hastināpura. Bhīṣma, Droṇa and other older Kauravas received him on the way. The entire city was dec...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 16, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 66 – Draupadī speaks to Kṛṣṇa; Kauravas Prepare for Kṛṣṇa's Arrival

Draupadī was pained listening to the coward speech of Dharmarāja, to which he had given a dhārmic garb. She was also annoyed looking at Bhīma who seemed to have...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 09, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 65 – Pāṇḍavas Talk to Kṛṣṇa About his Peace Mission

Bhīmasena said, “I suggest you speak to the Kauravas and try to ensure peace between us. Don’t scare them with the prospect of a war even as you start speaking!...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 02, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 64 - Kṛṣṇa speaks to the Pāṇḍavas

The night was spent in their conversation. The next morning the Kauravas and their nobles assembled in the king’s court, curious to hear the message Sañjaya had...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Apr 25, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 63 - Vidura-Nīti

Vidura first elucidated upon the qualities of a scholar and the differences between the wise and the foolish. A wise man always does what is good for himself...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Apr 18, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 62 - Sañjaya Goes for Peace Talks

Accordingly, Sañjaya went to Upaplavya to meet the Pāṇḍavas. He was welcomed with great respect and was treated with dignity. He inquired about their well-being...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Apr 11, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 61 – Winning Over Śalya, Talks for Peace

In another part of the country, Śalya, the king of Madra, was on his way along with army and his sons, who were both mahārathas. He was acting as per the wishes...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Apr 04, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 60 - Arjuna and Duryodhana seek Kṛṣṇa's help

UDYOGA-PARVA After Abhimanyu’s wedding, the kings who were on the side of the Pāṇḍavas assembled in Virāṭa’s court. Among those who had gathered were the Pāṇḍa...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 28, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 59 – Thirteenth Year Ends; Uttarā Marries Abhimanyu

Three days after these happenings, the five Pāṇḍavas had their bath, wore fine white-coloured clothes, adorned themselves, proceeded to Virāṭa’s sabhā with Yudh...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 21, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 58 – Uttara Returns to the Capital

Prince Uttara, adorned with garlands and fragrant perfumes, came in a procession on the royal path; he greeted the citizens of the city and the married woman, r...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 14, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 57 – Victorious Uttara, Enraged Virāṭa

With great delight Arjuna looked at the Kaurava heroes retreating; he bowed his head down and offered his greetings to Grandfather Bhīṣma and Ācārya Droṇa and r...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 07, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 56 –Arjuna Single-handedly Destroys the Kauravas

After this Arjuna told Uttara to take his chariot to where Droṇa was standing; offering his salutations to Droṇa, he said in a serene voice, “Ācārya, we took up...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 28, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 55 – The Kaurava Army Faces Arjuna

Aśvatthāma said, “O Karṇa! We have not yet won the cows that we’ve captured, we’ve not crossed the borders, we haven’t returned to Hastināpura; and you’ve alrea...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 14, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 54 – The Kauravas in Panic

Upon hearing these despondent words of Droṇa, Duryodhana addressed Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Kṛpa: “Karṇa and I have said this several times in the past; yet I repeat...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 07, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 53 – Arjuna Imbues Courage in Uttara

Arjuna ran behind Uttara for less than a hundred steps before he caught the young man’s tuft of hair, bringing him to a halt. Uttara began whining like a person...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 31, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 52 – Uttara on the Battlefield

While at one end, Virāṭa was in the process of releasing the cows captured by Suśarma, at the other end of the kingdom, Duryodhana—accompanied by Bhīṣma, Droṇa,...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 24, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 51 – Trigartas Attack the Matsya Kingdom

Back at Hastināpura, the spies that Duryodhana had set out in search of the Pāṇḍavas returned to the capital and reported to their king. “We thoroughly searched...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 17, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 50 – The Killing of Kīcaka

Draupadī told Bhīma, “I cried out loud, pouring out my miseries, for I could not control my sorrow; not with a desire to criticize the Mahārāja. Let bygones be...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 10, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 49 – Draupadī’s Lament to Bhīmasena

Draupadī told Bhīma, “What is that which ails the wife of Yudhiṣṭhira? Knowing only too well all my sorrows, why do you ask me again? That Prātikāmi addressed m...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 03, 2019

Mahābhārata – Episode 48 – Kīcaka Assaults Draupadī

Kīcaka’s joy knew no bounds when he saw Sairandhrī. He felt like a person who had found a boat just by chance when he badly wanted to cross a lake. He said, “Sa...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 27, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 47 – Pāṇḍavas in the Kingdom of Virāṭa

Sahadeva entered Virāṭa’s court in the guise of a cowherd. “O king! I tended the cows of the Pāṇḍavas. I don’t know where they are now. I’ve come looking for em...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 20, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 46 – The Thirteenth Year Begins

VIRĀṬA-PARVA The Pāṇḍavas spent twelve years in the forest in this manner. One day, Dharmarāja called his brothers and said, “It has been twelve years since we...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 13, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 45 – Answering the Yakṣa’s Questions

Yudhiṣṭhira told the Yakṣa, “O revered one! I do not desire that which belongs to you; the noble ones do not appreciate such behaviour. I shouldn’t indulge in s...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 06, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 44 – The Enchanted Lake

Upon listening to the story of Sāvitrī, Yudhiṣṭhira experienced a great deal of relief; he did not allow any more worries to plague his heart, and after spendin...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 29, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 43 – The Story of Sāvitrī (Part 3)

After Yama left, Sāvitrī returned to the place where her husband’s lifeless body lay. She placed his head on her lap once again and Satyavān slowly came back to...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 22, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 42 – The Story of Sāvitrī (Part 2)

The couple gathered fruits and put them together in a bundle. As Satyavān was working on the logs, his body began sweating all over. He had a tremendous headach...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 15, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 41 – The Story of Sāvitrī (Part 1)

In the kingdom of Madra, there lived a king named Aśvapati who always abided by dharma and truth and was loved by everyone. He did not have any children even th...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 08, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 40 – Rāmopākhyāna (Part 3)

Just as Śani approaches Rohiṇī for pleasure, Rāvaṇa decked himself up in expensive clothes and ornaments and went to Sītā. He described his achievements and wea...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 01, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 39 – Rāmopākhyāna (Part 2)

Worried that the citizens of Ayodhya may yet again come to the forest, Rāma left the great forest, went to the banks of the beautiful Godāvarī river, and began...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 25, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 38 – Rāmopākhyāna (Part 1)

There was a great king named Aja in the Ikṣvāku dynasty. Daśaratha was his son. He had four sons who were all experts in dharma – Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, and Ś...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 18, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 37 – Duryodhana Performs the Vaiṣṇava-mahāyajña; Pāṇḍavas Return to Kāmyaka

Sometime after this episode[1], Duryodhana felt that he too should perform a grand yajña like Dharmarāja. Upon learning of this, Karṇa said, “Indeed! This can t...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 11, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 36 – Pāṇḍavas Save the Kauravas from the Gandharvas

The entourage[1] that left from Hastināpura to Dvaitavana camped at a place near the villages of the cowherds. They set their tents up making sure that there wa...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 04, 2018

Mahābhārata - Episode 35 - Story of Dharma-vyādha and the Goṣa-yātra Idea

The sage Mārkaṇḍeya narrated several traditional stories to the Pāṇḍavas during their stay in Dvaitavana. The story of Dharma-vyādha is one among those. There...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 27, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 34 – Bhīma gets the Saugandhika Flowers; Yudhiṣṭhira-Ajagara Conversation

One day, the northeast winds brought along with a divine Saugandhika flower.[1] Deeming this to be an auspicious omen, Draupadī picked up the flower, went to Bh...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 20, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 33 – Pāṇḍavas set out on a Pilgrimage

The Pāṇḍavas longed for the company of Arjuna and were getting bored without him[1]; they set out on a tīrthayātra (pilgrimage) with the intention of acquiring...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 13, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 32 – Naḻopākhyāna: Naḻa and Damayantī reunite

Keśinī met Bāhuka and asked him when they had started for Vidarbha, how long they had travelled and what the purpose of their visit was. He told her that they h...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 06, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 31 – Naḻopākhyāna – Naḻa comes to Vidarbha

The brāhmaṇas left in search of Naḻa, as per the words of Damayantī. Several days later, a brāhmaṇa named Parṇāda came back and said to Damayantī, “Mother! As p...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 31, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 30 – Naḻopākhyāna – Parallel Lives of Naḻa and Damayantī

Thereafter Damayantī continued walking in the dense forest. After crossing several hills, mountains, and rivers she finally came across a walking trail. She beg...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 23, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 29 – Naḻopākhyāna – Naḻa Loses the Gamble, Forsakes Damayantī

Kali had to wait for a whole twelve years until he could find a flaw in Naḻa. He went to Naḻa’s friend Puṣkara, instigated him to invite Naḻa to play a game of...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Hari Ravikumar, Arjun Bharadwaj

Epics Aug 16, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 28 – Naḻopākhyāna - Naḻa Marries Damayantī

There lived a king named Naḻa in the province of Niṣadha. He was strong, virtuous, handsome, and was considered foremost among the kings. The province of Vidarb...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 09, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 27 – Arjuna’s Encounter with Śiva, Sojourn in Indraloka

Arjuna stood there and undertook a terrible penance, subsisting entirely on fruits and leaves. Aggrieved by this, all the great seers in that region went to mee...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 02, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 26 – Pāṇḍavas in the Dvaita Forest

Draupadī said, “I am not denigrating dharma nor am I criticizing the Supreme; I'm just lamenting about my difficulties. The fruit of the action manifests itself...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 26, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 25 – Vāsudeva meets the Pāṇḍavas in the Kāmyaka Forest

Kirmīra was an asura endowed with magical powers who inhabited the Kāmyaka forest. He was a brother of Bakāsura and a friend of Hiḍimba; Bhīma killed him. When...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 19, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 24 – Pāṇḍavas Reach the Kāmyaka Forest; Maitreya Curses Duryodhana

ARAṆYA-PARVA After the Pāṇḍavas lost the game of dice, they took their weapons and set out along with Draupadī in a northern direction, leaving Hastinagara beh...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 12, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 23 – Pāṇḍavas Lose Again; Twelve-year Exile Begins

Śakuni said, “King Yudhiṣṭhira! Dhṛtarāṣṭra has arranged for the return of all your wealth; what he’s done is right. I’ve now suggested a condition that’s great...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 05, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 22: Pāṇḍavas are Released; Second Game of Dice Begins

Duryodhana began taunting Dharmarāja who had remained silent all this while. He said, “O great king! Bhīma, Arjuna, and the twins are your followers. They liste...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jun 28, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 21 – Draupadī’s Infinite Saree; Bhīma Vows to Kill Duśśāsana

Duśśāsana pulled Draupadī’s garment and taunted her in vulgar language, even as she lamented, looking helplessly at the pale faces of her husbands. Her garment...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jun 21, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 20 – Yudhiṣṭhira Loses the Gamble, Draupadī Laments

Vidura’s advice fell on deaf ears. Śakuni said to Dharmarāja, “Yudhiṣṭhira, you’ve lost a lot of wealth. Tell us if there is something you haven’t yet lost!” Y...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jun 14, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 19 – The Gamble Begins; Vidura’s Advice

Yudhiṣṭhira welcomed Vidura with great joy at Khāṇḍavaprastha.  He enquired after the wellbeing of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons. Observing that Vidura’s face l...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jun 07, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 18 – Duryodhana’s Grief; Plans for the Game of Dice

Thus, all the impediments that had come in the way of performing the Rājasūya-yāga were removed; Yudhiṣṭhira completed the yāga successfully under the protectio...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 31, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 17 – The Killing of Śiśupāla

With the killing of Jarāsandha, the greatest obstacle for the Rājāsūyayāga was removed. But Yudhiṣṭhira still needed to subdue the other kings or have a treaty...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 24, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 16 – The Killing of Jarāsandha

SABHĀ-PARVA Maya was a sculptor of the rākṣasas. He was one of the few who remained alive without getting charred to death when the Khāṇḍava forest burned; out...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 17, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 15 – Arjuna’s Exile; the Khāṇḍava Forest-fire

In the north, Arjuna went to Gaṅgādvāra, the Agastyavaṭa in the Himalayan region, Vasiṣṭha mountain, Hiraṇyabindu, and other pilgrimage centres; in the east, he...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 10, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 14 – Building Indraprastha

Vidura said, “Dear king! Friends must indeed say only that which brings welfare; words that are disagreeable don’t fall on your ears; Bhīṣma and Droṇa have spok...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics May 03, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 13 – Duryodhana’s Evil Plans

Duryodhana’s spies brought news that Draupadī was married off to the Pāṇḍavas; the archer who bent the bow, strung it, and shot the target was none other than A...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Apr 26, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 12 – Draupadī’s Wedding

Drupada heard the words of Dharmarāja sent through the purohita and was yet unable to determine the clan and the family lineage of the groom; so he thought of a...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Apr 19, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 11 – Draupadī’s Svayaṃvara

As the celebration of the svayaṃvara started, the crowd at the venue kept growing; actors and dancers entertained them and were rewarded with precious...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Apr 12, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 10 – The Birth of King Kuru, Meeting Sage Dhaumya

[The following sub-stories appear in the Ādi Parva of the Mahābhārata, Adhyāyas 158–74] The brave Pāṇḍavas travelled day and night and arrived at a holy place c...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Apr 05, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 9 – Bhīma and Bakāsura, Pāṇḍavas in Pāñcāla

In the meantime, the other Pāṇḍavas returned home after their daily round of seeking alms. Looking at Bhīma’s face, Yudhiṣṭhira guessed that there must be somet...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 22, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 8 – The Pāṇḍavas in Ekacakranagara

The Pāṇḍavas wandered from one forest to another for several days.[1] [Starting from Vāraṇāvata, they travelled through the provinces of Matsya, Trigarta, Pāñc...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Mar 08, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 7 - Bhīma and Hiḍimbā

After their escape from Vāraṇāvata, the Pāṇḍavas went southward, moving quickly in the light of the stars, and reached a dense forest. By this time, all of them...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 22, 2018

Mahābhārata - Episode 6 - Pāṇḍavas in Vāraṇāvata

After Dhṛtarāṣṭra spoke to Yudhiṣṭhira [regarding the trip to Vāraṇāvata], Duryodhana was delighted and summoned Purocana to meet him in private. Duryodhana hel...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Feb 08, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 5 – Enter Karṇa

At the fag-end of the tournament, when they heard the tumultuous sound at the gates, filled with wonder the spectators asked, “Have the mountains crumbled?” “Ha...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 25, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 4 – Test of Skill of the Kuru Princes

There lived a teacher by name Kṛpācārya[1] who taught archery to the kings of the Vṛṣṇi clan and other kṣatriya clans. The Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas were his discip...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jan 11, 2018

Mahābhārata – Episode 3 – Birth of the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas, Death of Pāṇḍu

Back at Hastināpura, Gāndhārī too was pregnant; even as she was carrying, she heard that Kuntī had given birth to Yudhiṣṭhira. She hadn’t given birth even after...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 28, 2017

Mahābhārata – Episode 2 – Birth of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura

The two children who were born to Satyavatī passed away at a young age. Satyavatī was saddened, thinking about her responsibility towards the lineage of her par...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Dec 14, 2017

Mahābhārata – Episode 1 – Birth of Bhīṣma

ĀDI-PARVA नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरञ्चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ॥ Having saluted Nārāyaṇa, the human and the divine; Sarasvatī...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 28, 2017

The Literary Approach in the Composition of Vacanabhārata

With this part, we conclude the translation series of the preface to Vacanabhārata. The current article describes the literary approach of AR Krishna Sastri in...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 21, 2017

Mahābhārata’s Message for Today’s World

The primary characteristics of the modern world are material wealth and individual freedom [c. 1950]. Today, an individual desires to be independent as much as...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 14, 2017

Mahābhārata and the Aspects of 'Karma'

The word ‘karma’ means ‘activity.’ In a narrower sense, it can also mean the Vedic rituals of yajña and yāga, building of socially useful amenities such as lake...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 07, 2017

Mahābhārata - Difficulties

There are times when we face difficulties as a result of our own ignorance, indiscretion, dullness of intellect, stupidity, etc., but at other times, we face di...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 31, 2017

Mahābhārata - The Vagaries of Comforts and Discomforts

The Vagaries of Comforts and Discomforts Why are there difficulties, troubles, sorrows, and atrocities on earth? Nobody desires for these. Everyone wants to be...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 24, 2017

Mahābhārata - Ahiṃsā

Mahābhārata - Ahiṃsā The trait of sattva does not mean non-activity or lack of valour. The same can be said of ahiṃsā too. We have seen earlier that ahiṃsā is...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 17, 2017

Mahābhārata: - Saṃnyāsa, Yajña-dāna-tapas

  Saṃnyāsa, Yajña-dāna-tapas By the time of the Mahābhārata, it seems that several people had given up worldly life and had taken up saṃnyāsa; they pract...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 10, 2017

Mahābhārata: Deities, Temples, Rituals

Bhīṣma, Yudhiṣṭhira, and Kṛṣṇa have been portrayed as the noble characters in the Mahābhārata. Among these, Yudhiṣṭhira looks upon Kṛṣṇa as an elder brother and...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 03, 2017

Mahābhārata: Worship of the Deities

According to the Gītā, dedicating every activity to the all-pervading brahman or working with divine inspiration is called ‘arcana’ (roughly translated as ‘wors...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 26, 2017

Philosophy in the Mahābhārata: A Discussion on the Supreme

We have seen earlier that prakṛti undergoes metamorphosis due to the loss of equilibrium of the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, and tamas) and this instability is i...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 19, 2017

Philosophy in the Mahābhārata: Yoga

The word ‘yoga’ has several meanings. In the Bhagavad-Gītā (2.48,50; 5.1,5,7), yoga is used in the sense of karma (activity) or karma-yoga (activity without sel...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 12, 2017

Philosophy in the Mahābhārata : Sāṅkhya

Philosophy in the Mahābhārata : Sāṅkhya A few things must be mentioned before entering into this discussion. As stated earlier, the extant Mahābhārata was comp...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 05, 2017

Poetry in the Mahābhārata

Half of the extant Mahābhārata is dedicated to dharma and ethics. In the other half, the main story and the upākhyānas are present. Even if we consider the latt...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 29, 2017

Dharma and Nīti in the Mahābhārata

Dharma and Nīti (ethics) in the Mahābhārata Dharma is that which sustains and supports the world; that which upholds; that which nourishes and protects from de...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 22, 2017

The Timeline and the Composer of Mahabharata

The Timeline of the Composition of Mahābhārata For over a century, scholars from Germany, France, England, and India have extensively studied the Mahābhārata a...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 15, 2017

Ādi-parva continued; A Note on Mahābhārata’s Origin and Development

  Adhyāyas 62-88 – Śakuntalopākhyānam, Vaṃśanukrama, Yayātyupākhyānam (Śakuntalā’s story, details of the lineage and Yayāti’s story)   In these adh...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 08, 2017

Ādivaṃśāvataraṇa Parva: The Birth of Veda Vyasa

The fifty-seventh adhyāya of the Ādi-parva starts with the story of King Uparicara. Some scholars opine that this is the real beginning of the Bhārata epic...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Aug 01, 2017

Ādivaṃśāvataraṇa-parva and a Note on the Name 'Jaya'

Adhyāyas 54-61 : Ādivaṃśāvataraṇa -parva The ādivaṃśāvataraṇa-(upa-) parva spans eight adhyāyas – from the fifty fourth to the sixty first. In the beginning of...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 25, 2017

Mahābhārata – Pauloma and Āstīka-upaparvas

Adhyāyas 4-12. Pauloma-parva The adhyāyas from 4 to 12 form the Pauloma-parva. Just like the anukramaṇikā (prologue), this section starts with a prose passage....

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 18, 2017

Mahābhārata – The Pauṣya-upaparva

The third adhyāya of the Ādi-parva contains the ‘Pauṣya’(upa)parva. The Sūta, Ugraśrava tells the story of Uttaṅka. After completing his studies, Uttaṅka sets o...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 11, 2017

Mahābhārata – Organization of the Parvas

Adhyāya 2. Parvasaṅgraha-parva The second adhyāya contains the Parvasaṅgraha section.  This contains information such as the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 08, 2017

Vacana-bhārata – Introduction

This Vyāsa-pūrṇimā, Prekshaa is delighted to present a translation of the masterly introductory essay of A R Krishna Sastri to his magnum opus, the Vacana-...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar