Mahabharat e Nimnabarga by Debidas Acharya [Hardcover]

"The definition of an ancient epic generally does not include the continuous depiction of the lives of common people, or more specifically, the lower classes. However, the Mahabharata is somewhat of an exception in this regard. Since the composition or compilation of the Mahabharata spanned approximately eight to nine hundred years, it provides a broader picture of social evolution and insights into the position of the lower classes. The Mahabharata mentions several hundred tribes, most of whom eventually merged into the larger Shudra society. Instead of providing their ethnographic history, this text attempts to highlight the contemporary status of the lower classes. Much of this information comes in the form of religious prescriptions. In this context, a rule or prohibition in religious texts represents a fragment of life. It should not be forgotten that the Mahabharata is also known as a religious text. Among popular Kshatriya stories, relevant or irrelevant religious rules and regulations are intertwined. Naturally, not everyone in that society was subject to the same moral standards, as the interests of different castes were strong. Alarmingly, even today, the majority of people in this country remain below a small number of privileged individuals by virtue of birth alone. Although anti-discrimination laws have been enacted, caste-, religion-, and social status-based discrimination is still prevalent—just as it was in the time of the Mahabharata."