Mahabharater Pratinayak by Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri [Hardcover]

The variety of themes in the Mahabharata is astounding, and its depiction of characters is unparalleled. The great war that took place in Kurukshetra, centered around the throne of Hastinapur, involved protagonists and antagonists who are all brilliant in their own qualities. This text focuses on the position of the antagonists. At the same time, the various reasons behind their opposition are discussed in an extraordinary and logical analysis.

The author uses examples from the Mahabharata to show that the nature of opposition is not always the same. Different social and personal interests also give rise to opposition, as seen in the case of Kritavarma. Even when opposition is not clearly visible, there are times when hidden emotions come to the surface, like the secret affection of Krishna’s elder brother, Balrama, for Duryodhana. In this book, along with other opposing heroes, Balrama is also given a place in the same line. However, he is referred to as indifferent.

The events of the Mahabharata are extensive, filled with political and psychological complexities. Among the characters mainly discussed in this book, the intricate threads of the Mahabharata become clearer, because there is no need to entangle schemes and strategies when it comes to righteous or dishonest claims over rights—this becomes necessary when an unauthorized individual seeks to establish their place, as the Kauravas did. However, in the end, the Kurukshetra war was not only a battle of right versus wrong. This is the timeless reality of the Mahabharata.