<div><div><P>Within its 200,000 verse lines in Sanskrit the <I>Mahabharata </I>takes on many roles: epic poem, foundational text of Hinduism, and, more broadly, the engaging story of a dynastic struggle and the passing of an age when man and gods intermingled. David R. Slavitt’s sparkling new edition condenses the epic for the general reader.</P><P>At its core, the <I>Mahabharata </I>is the story of the rivalry between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, two related noble families who are struggling for control of a kingdom in ancient northern India. Slavitt’s readable, plot-driven, single-volume account describes an arc from the conception and birth of Bhishma to that hero's death, while also introducing the four goals of life at the center of Hinduism: <I>dharma </I>(righteousness, morality, duty), <I>artha </I>(purpose), <I>kama </I>(pleasure), and <I>moksa </I>(spiritual liberation). The <I>Mahabharata </I>is engaging, thrilling, funny, charming, and finally awesome, with a range in timbre from the impish naivete of fairy tales to the solemnity of our greatest epics, and this single-volume edition is the best introduction available.</div></div></P>