Oral renditions of the Mahabharata were so popular among people that even the Jains chose to tell its story. The Jaina version however varies significantly from the Vyasa version we are familiar with. For example, unlike in Vyasa’s epic, the Kurukshetra battle takes place between Krishna and Jarasandha, who was Krishna’s arch enemy. And that’s just one of the several small and big differences between the Jaina and Vyasa’s versions of the epic. Curious to know more? Click the video to listen in ..read more

The Mahabharata says that Draupadi was Sri incarnate. Sri, the goddess we know today as Lakshmi. This raises an issue. If Draupadi was Sri, her consort should have been Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu. But she wasn’t! And, she could not have been the wife of the Pandavas. But she was! Confused?! Watch the video to know the story behind how Sri became the exclusive consort of Vishnu ..read more

A popular tale about Raksha Bandhan traces its origins to the relationship between Krishna and Draupadi. The Mahabharata, however, makes no mention of it. On the contrary, the epic introduces Krishna to us when he is attending Draupadi’s Swayamavara/ What exactly was the nature of Krishna’s relationship with Draupadi? If his relationship with her was fraternal, why then was he present at Drauapadi’s Swayamvara? The answers are but a click away ..read more

A Pongal Special! 4 festivals: Bhogi, Indra Vizha, Indra Dhwaja Maha, Indra Jatra 3 epics: Mahabharata, Silapadhigaram, Manimekalai 2 nations: India, Nepal 1 God: Indra, of course! And 3 stories that connect the dots ..read more

Did Draupadi secretly love Karna? That is what popular imagination would have us believe. But was it Vyasa’s truth? Or a secret wish of the people? Watch the video to find out more about where the video comes from ..read more

Several hundred books have been written about the Mahabharata. Why one more? Is there place for another sensible read? These are questions that often plague me when people ask me to write a book. Any book. Do I have anything new to say, anything worth saying, anything that has not been said before? But with the Mahabharata, there is no place for such doubts. The epic is as evergreen as it is eternal.  And it reveals newer and newer layers to the seeker. In this book, professor Ganesh N. Devy, an ardent seeker himself, sets out on a quest to answer questions about the epic that have plague ..read more

The Mahabharata refers to Arjuna using 14 different names. One of which is Savyasachi. Do you know what the name means? Watch the YouTube video for the answer and to know what makes Arjuna the iconic hero of the epic ..read more

The story of Rama had such universal appeal that it is even found in the Mahabharata. But what is interesting is that Ramopakhyana, as it is called, is very different from the Valmiki version familiar to us. How? Listen in to find out ..read more

All wars are the same. They are seeded by the egos, jealousies and insecurities of individuals. Neither the ancient Kurukshetra war nor the ongoing Ukraine war is an exception. Listen in to the story of how vendetta between two individuals, who were once friends, set off an uncontrollable chain of events that proved to be catastrophic to all of humanity ..read more

Why did Drona refuse to teach Ekalavya? Was it because Ekalavya was not a Kshatriya? Because Ekalavya was supposedly a low-born compared to his other students? Why did he extract a bloody sacrifice from Ekalavya? Check the video on one of the most debated issues from the Mahabharata ..read more