Mahabharata as a Document of Literary Art

The dateless and deathless epic the Mahabharata occupies prime position among the valuable relics
of old-world literature of India. It is loved with untiring love by the Hindus for it has kept alive through
many centuries the sweet memories of the ancient heroes of the land. The Mahabharata is regarded as the
store-house of political wisdom, the repository of philosophical doctrines and cosmogonic anecdotes, the
container of religion, mythology, mysticism, ritualism, conduct of daily life, compendium of fairy tales
and fables and at the same time a good specimen of literary art like its counterpart the Ramayana. It
exercises tremendous influence in different forms and patterns of Sanskrit. Discussion of this literary work
would help us to appreciate the supreme genius of the creative artist. Here we are required to recognize
and analyses the component parts of the poetic art such as kavyas, natakas, riddles, lyrics, prose romances,
fairy tales and fables and to see how far Vyasa has been successful in the attainment of poetical
experience on such fields and evaluate the Mahabharata as a document of literary art.
Keywords-
Mahabharata, literary art, epic poetry, Vyasa, narrative structure, character development, Indian
literature, Sanskrit epics, aesthetics, Fairy tales.