The Sauptikaparvan of the Mahabharata: The Massacre at Night (Oxford World's Classics)

Rating:
Summary: THE FOLLOW UP TO THE BHAGAVAD GITA
Review: This is clearly one of the most important sections of the Mahabharata, where everything comes tumbling down, but Krishna, the Vedic God, seems far removed from the situation, as far as feeling sympathy towards all those that will die. In this part of the Mahabharata, we get a taste of Krishna the impersonal god as opposed to the personal god shown in the Bhagavad Gita, because all though he is within the context of the story, he also seems aloof. It really brings to light Krishna's perpetuation of all the characters' actions. The scary thing is that everyone seems to know it, but is resigned to the fact. They all choose to follow their "dharma", whether they turn into sinners or breakers of ritualistic rules, because in the end, they don't mind paying for the consequences and see it as eerily being part of a grand design. Really fatalistic, but in an odd spiritual sense.
I hope Mr. Johnson translates more chapters of the Mahabharata, because it is truly well done. The beginning has insight on the characters, and my only complaint would be that there should be further analysis (this book could of have been much longer given the subject). Ancient Indian culture is arguably one of the most complex cultures to have existed, and they had contact with the other dominant cultures of the time. It has even been argued that there was exchange between the Indians and Greeks of their religion, not to mention Dionysus, who in Greek mythology is raised in India, being the Indian god Balarama (Krishna's older brother).