Mahabharat, pronounced /maːhabʱaraːt/, is a famous epic from ancient India. The word is spelled with the use of Devanagari script, which uses symbols to represent sounds. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is broken into syllables as /maː/ + /ha/ + /bʱa/ + /raːt/. The first syllable "maa" sounds like "mah" in "mahogany" with an elongated "a" sound. The "bha" sound in the third syllable is a combination of "b" and "h" before the "a" and "ra" sounds.
Mahabharat, also known as the "Mahabharata," is a prominent ancient Indian epic that holds immense cultural and religious significance in Hindu mythology. It is widely regarded as one of the world's longest epic poems and consists of 18 books, or Parvas, with a total of approximately 200,000 verses.
The term "Mahabharat" can be translated from Sanskrit as "the great story of the Bharata dynasty." It narrates the legendary war between two factions of a royal family, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, which lasted for eighteen days and resulted in a massive loss of life. The epic delves into various complex themes, such as righteousness, duty, morality, and the intricate web of human relationships.
The Mahabharat is not merely a tale of war but an extensive compendium that encompasses multiple subplots, philosophical discussions, and moral teachings. It includes numerous dialogues between divine beings, powerful warriors, sages, and even animals, providing insights into various aspects of life and human nature.
Besides the grand scale of the war, the epic unfolds the profound teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a divine dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Considered as a philosophical masterpiece, the Bhagavad Gita provides guidance on duty, spirituality, and the path to self-realization.
The Mahabharat has infused itself within the fabric of Indian culture, literature, and religious practices. It continues to be a source of inspiration for countless individuals, offering timeless wisdom and lessons on morality and spirituality.
The word "Mahabharat" originates from Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language of India. "Maha" means "great" or "grand", and "bharat" refers to Bharata, a legendary emperor mentioned in Hindu scriptures and the eponymous ancestor of the Kuru dynasty, which is central to the Mahabharata epic. Therefore, "Mahabharat" can be translated as "the great story of the descendants of Bharata". The term is primarily associated with the epic Mahabharata, which is one of the two major Sanskrit epics from ancient Indian literature.