Mahabharata | Critical Overview

Although not exclusively a religious work, the Mahabharata is considered by many to be the fifth of the Vedas—the other four are sacred texts of Hinduism designed to teach proper moral and ethical conduct. It has a prominent position in Indian literature and enjoys great religious and cultural significance for many Hindus. Critical interpretations of the work, particularly from European and American commentators, have varied. Philo M. Buck, in The Golden Thread (1931), called it "chiefly a celebration of war ... its ideal, the princely warrior, and emperor." Other...

[The entire page is 1007 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass

Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...