The Mahabharata (Box Set): A Set of 10 Contemporary Books with Mahabharata Stories | Gift the Greatest Story Ever Told this Festive Season | Penguin Classics [Paperback] Debroy, Bibek Paperback – Box set, 1 January 2015

There have been many translations of the Mahabharata, but this one by Debroy, published by Penguin India, stands out for its clarity and readability. It avoids the older Victorian style of English (in case of Ganguli's), which can be hard for modern readers, and it also leaves out Sanskrit transliteration, making the text more accessible to a wider audience.As someone who frequently buys books online, I’ve usually been happy with the quality of what I receive. However, I’ve had mixed experiences with Penguin India’s locally printed editions in the past—often finding the ink smudged and the paper quality lacking. On the other hand, Penguin’s imported editions from the UK or US have always impressed me with their excellent production standards.Because of this, I was hesitant to purchase this edition, especially considering the price (₹2500). But I’m glad I took the chance. While the paper quality could still be improved, it’s much better than what I’ve seen before. The book set came well-packaged in two layers—the outer box had some minor damage, but the inner box was in good condition, and the ten volumes inside were well-protected.Overall, I’m quite satisfied with this edition. The translation is reader-friendly, and the production quality is decent. A good choice for anyone looking to explore the Mahabharata in a modern and approachable form.

Some people are spreading misinformation about the authenticity of BORI critical edition of mahabharata and the quality of translation by Bibek debroy... Don't believe them.A board of scholars in Bhandarkar oriental research Institute (a government organization) studied over 1259 manuscripts of Mahabharata over 50 years (1916-1966) and published the critical edition of the epic. They eliminated all the interpolations, popular but fake stories, retellings etc. The final result became the closest thing to the actual epic composed by the great vyasdev.Bibek debroy's translation is very easy to understand and he has given footnotes at the bottom of each and every pages for the name of people, places, various incidents we are unfamiliar with. I have no complains regarding the translation he has done.Coming to the delivery of the books, that was absolutely terrible. They sent the box set inside of just a paper wrap, not even with a cardboard box, that they normally send. The box set of the books was damaged, during shipping I suppose. Thankfully, most of the books were alright, except 3 books were little bit bent. I hope Amazon will be more careful regarding the delivery of their products.

I've always wanted to read the Mahabharata instead of just watching it on TV. I grew up attending an English-medium school, so I've always had difficulty reading in any language other than English—like Hindi or Odia. I wanted to read the Mahabharata in English, and Bibek Debroy’s translation did the job perfectly. The packaging and everything else was also great.

The product received is so much good , the quality of the paper is very good, just the box came tampered as it is visible in the picture aboveBut no damage to the book , so I'm overall satisfied with the productGot at a deal of 2437

Very nice book

I might not be eligible for reviewing Mahabharat.BORI Critical Edition is Fruit of the efforts of Many Researchers. And Bibek Debroy Sir has made it very easy for us to go through the Journey of Mahabharata.Simple to Read. Just One Set of collection you need in your lifetime. It Would suffice all the knowledge

Product was delivered on time, well packed, and in good condition. At ~3.6k, this is a very good deal.The box could be designed to be slightly more spacious so putting books back in the box is not a struggle, caused corner-most books to be slightly crinkled. All the books needed a wipe due to some fine dust on all (despite being inside a box)For someone who wants to access the critical edition and do a deep dive into this epic, there is no better option. Highly recommend it. And unlike modern attempts like 'Jaya' (Patnaik), there are no illustrations, modifications or other attempts to make the material more accessible. This one is for the truly interested and discerning readers, casual readers or first time venture into Indian itihasa should begin elsewhere. From the little I have read, the aspects that stood out to me are the quality of English (not unnecessarily ornamental or sophistication-for-its-own-sake type), copious and helpful footnotes that do not distract from the main text, and shloka-esque structure (i.e. not converted to traditional paragraphs), and, of course, the many surprises that will update whatever stories you might have casually absorbed over the years (e.g. did you know 'Krishna providing the infinite robe to Droupadi' story is not part of the critical edition?)Kudos to Debroy for producing this excellent 'resource' for future generations, a great many - particularly in today's turbulent times - will benefit from going back to this original textLastly, cannot help but appreciate that Debroy managed to produce this translation as a 'part-time' endeavour(!) and, rightfully, credits his wife for making this possible.

People interested in Indian mythology must read this unabridged version. Totally unbiased version of Mahabharata where every character had grey side.