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Book – Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata by Devdutt Pattanaik

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‘Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata’ by Devdutt Pattanaik attempts to retell the rural stories in India that were inspired the Mahabharata. The highlight of the book is the over 200 illustrations and the regional variations to the subplots in Mahabharata. Apart from the numerous stories, there is also a chapter dedicated to the dating of the eighteen-day war based on astronomical data.

From the flyer of the book

High above the sky stands Swarga, paradise,
abode of the gods. Still above is Vaikuntha,
heaven, abode of God.
The doorkeepers of Vaikuntha are the twins,
Jaya and Vijaya, both whose names
mean ‘victory’. One keeps you in Swarga;
the other raises you into Vaikuntha.
In Vaikuntha there is bliss forever, in Swarga there is pleasure for only as long as you deserve.
What is the difference between Jaya and Vijaya?
Solve this puzzle and you will
solve the mystery of the Mahabharata.

Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata
Published by Penguin Books India
Price – Rupess 499/-