Back to Mahabharata Resources Page Mahabharata Related Works in Sanskrit

Mahabharata Related Works in Sanskrit


Commentaries

  • Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya , Acharya Madhva ,(1197-1276), (commentary)

  • Bharata Bhava Dipa, Nilakantha ,(commentary)


    Poetics

  • Dhvanyaloka, Anandavardhana , (poetics)(9th century)

  • Locana, Abhinavagupta, (poetics)

    See Patrick Colm Hogan, Toward a cognitive science of poetics: Anandavardhana, Abhinavagupta, and the theory of literature


    Bhasa's Plays
    The great sanskrit dramatist Bhasa who lived before Kalidasa (c. 3rd century AD) wrote many plays based on Mahabharata. Following is a list of those plays. Note that this is not a complete list of Bhasa's plays.

    1. Madhyamavyayogam (Bhima reunited with Hidimba and son)
    2. Dutavakyam (Krishna as emissary to Kauravas court)
    3. Karnabharam (Indra begging the gift of Karna's armour and earrings)
    4. Pancaratram (Raid on Virata)
    5. Dutaghatolkacam (Ghatotkacha's message to Kauravas celebrating death of Abhimanyu that Arjuna would avenge)
    6. Urubhangam (Bhima-Duryodhana duel)
    These were first published by T. Ganapati Sastrikal in 1921.

    Kalidasa's Plays:

    1. Abijnana Sakuntala,
      Dushyanta Shakuntala story.

    2. Kumarasambhava,
      Marriage of Shiva and Parvati.



    Sources:
    The Cultural Heritage of India, Vol. 2,
    published by The Ramakrishna Mission, Institute of Culture, Calcutta, India.

    Source for further reference:
    Epic Sources of Sanskrit Literature, Juthika Ghosh, Calcutta Sanskrit College Research Series XXIII (Calcutta 1963)


    Compiled by Pradip Bhattacharya and A. Harindranath
    Last updated September 28, 2005.