Dialoguing with Timeless Text: Revisiting the MAHĀBHĀRATA

DescriptionThe book offers a contemporary scholarly analysis of the Mahabharata and Bhagavadgītā, exploring their enduring relevance and connecting the readers with rich Indian tradition. This work stems from the SPARC project, “Yoga Consciousness in Mahābhārata and Bhagavadgītā: The Ethical Value for Societal/ Political Well Being”, a collaborative initiative between the University of Delhi’s Department of Philosophy and Kamala Nehru College, as coordinated by IIT Kharagpur, under Ministry of Education, Govt of India. The project, which successfully adapted to a digital format during the COVID-19 pandemic, gathered global participation, demonstrating the international relevance of the subject, and has culminated in this comprehensive volume. Presenting analytical, critical and hermeneutical reflections on ancient texts while examining their applications to contemporary issues through the lens of Yoga Consciousness and allied topics, the compilation encompasses within it the integrated awareness of personal and collective responsibilities. Distinguished scholars from various disciplines, including philosophy, history, religion, political science and environmental ethics have made contributions that examine a wide array of contemporary concerns, including ethical decision-making, leadership, justice, love, war, violence and environmentalism. The volume addresses critical themes, including epistemology, feminism and governance, while offering nuanced interpretations that bridge theoretical and practical perspectives, tradition and modernity. It contributes significantly to interdisciplinary discourses and the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) through thoughtful re-appropriation of classical Indian texts and projecting their universal and humanitarian insights, demonstrating how classical texts serve as tools to navigate through complex contemporary challenges and moral issues of the modern world. This anthology of short academic writings is a valuable resource for academics, students and anyone interested in Mahābhārata, Indian tradition, philosophy and the intersections of ethics, politics, justice and spirituality.