[Rattan Gujadhur] Mahabharata Unraveled by Ami Ganatra - A review

Ami G’s book is a life savior for readers who are struggling and navigating the vast poem translated by able hands such as the Bore version or K Gangulis version. The poem is addictive, and to some amateurs like me, feels like a post modern work of literature. Stories enclaved into stories. Myths, travelogues, spiritual gems such as the Brahma sutras, the Upanishads and the Gita, all seem Interspersed all over this work of brilliance. Well this is the great Jaya and I am sure no one is surprised by my envoutement with it. 

Back to Ami ji. Her book rehashes key areas that we often just glide through and often confuse by reading redacted versions of M. Her style is scalpel-like and scientific, to say the least, focusing on key characters like Kunti, Draupadi, Karna, Arjuna, Bheeshma, Vidura, and repointing to us what made these giant beings etched in our subconscious minds ever since our grandmothers told us the snippets. Thanks to Ami ji, we now see how much of a sorry victim- like arriviste voir super talent was this man called Karna. How much pain Kunti went through in life, those dilemmas and conundrums, she traversed. The depth of Yudhistira’s soul, a flawed gambler with a heart of extreme compassion for all, to match any god. The intelligence of beautiful Draupadi. Her extreme self awareness and sans froid, whilst harassed in an open court surrounded by patriarchal misogynistic men. What a mind this Draupadi ! The list is endless. The book is a gem. My favorite section is the test by Dharma of his own son, so succinctly rewritten, and of course the author’s focus on Vidura’s great humanity. It is a book to be cherished for all ! 

My favorite take home message was as follows: Arjuna is endowed with so much talent being the talisman of the equally great Krishna, has to carry his own cross. Even him at the end loses his aura and luster. Even Krishna is incapable of saving his own tribe. This is the beauty of Vyas ji mind. Despite glory surrounding us and divinity being so close to those that are, the sustainers of Dharma, they do still need to use enterprise, cleverness and self-effort to raise their games and to liberate themselves. So much connection with the eightfold path of Buddhism. Dharma sustains those that ‘walk the right path’. No one clearly says what ‘right’ is, as that too is subject to change, but one can surmise that Vidura has the final answer. His humanity, his love for peace, is the answer of our world. A world in total chaos. 

Thank you to the great Ami G !

A propos de l'auteur : Rattan Gujadhur       left Mauritius for higher studies in the US in 1999. He has practiced in the Pharma and Biotech world for over 29 years and is a Dr in Chemistry. He remains deeply in love with Mauritius and has published reminiscences of Mauritius via a poetry collection and a novel.