"If there ever was an epic that has touched upon every conceivable human emotion and posed the most complex questions it has to be the Mahabharata, the story of a great war fought in the name of dharma. The rivalry between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, royal first cousins who fought for the throne at Hastinapura ended in the war at Kurukshetra. Was it the eldest Kaurava brother Duryodhana's resentment towards his cousins that sparked the flame? Or was it the eldest Pandava Yudhishtira's belief that he was the rightful heir to the throne? Or was it the force of the elements beyond their control that nudged them towards a pre-ordained path? The majestic Karna, abandoned by his mother Kunti and wronged by fate, makes his entry. Duryodhana gains an ally in Karna who ironically is the eldest Pandava. In the first of this three-part series, meet the many characters who played their parts big and small in escalating the tension between the sons of two royal brothers."
"Was there ever a man so perfect, a ruler so noble, a son so devoted? Outrageous expectations perhaps but they all came true in Lord Rama.Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu was born to reinstate dharma at a time when it was threatened. But the life of the heir to Ayodhya's throne was one of endurance. Banished to the forest by his own father, Lord Rama, his divinely beautiful wife Sita and faithful brother Lakshmana settle down in Panchavati. Life seems peaceful. But will it stay this way? Why does trouble follow them? How and when will Lord Rama encounter the demon king Ravana? Written in a lucid style that is easy for children to read and with illustrations that transcend boundaries, this timeless epic is brought to you in a refreshingly new format. The book is more than just retelling the classic epic. It also gives the background of a unique ancient culture that has survived through centuries. The fresh new format awakens the imagination in the young readers by giving them certain interesting questions and themes from the story to ponder over."
"In the second book in this three-part series, the roll of the dice reverses the fortunes of the Pandavas. The peaceful years following the division of the kingdom of Bharata were soon to end because of Duryodhana's jealousy. Along with his uncle, Sakuni, he plots to secure the entire kingdom. The twisted path of simmering tension between the royal cousins culminates in an unfair game of dice. The Pandavas accept Duryodhana's challenge to gamble fully aware that they can never win against the cunning Sakuni. Yudhishtira, the architect of his misfortune, gambles away his territory, his wealth, his brothers, himself and even his wife. Blinded by the lust for power, the blood ties melt away. What do they do now? Where do they go next?"
"The gods knew that the decisive moment that would end the royal rivalry had arrived. They watched in dismay as the inevitable end of a grand era fast approached, yet hopeful that in the end, dharma would stand triumphant. Would the stalwarts Bhishma and Drona survive to see the end? And what of Karna? Where would his loyalties lie? With his true friend, Duryodhana or with his true brothers, the Pandavas? Lord Krishna, the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu, descends on earth with the sole purpose of preserving dharma in his seemingly humble role as Arjuna's charioteer. On the day of the battle, a confused Arjuna questions the motives behind the war. Krishna counsels a distraught Arjuna and reveals the ultimate truth about karma, life, death and fate in this battlefield discussion – the Bhagavad Gita. The quintessence of Indian culture that has influenced the world! In the last of the three-part series, the great war in the battleground of Kurukshetra takes place."
"Perhaps Hindu mythology has not produced a hero more wronged than him, cursed from the moment he opened his eyes till the moment he closed them.Karna is born out of the curiosity of a young girl and is abandoned at birth by his father the sun god and his mother, Kunti, a princess. Being denied his lineage of divinity and royal blood, he is brought up by a childless charioteer and his wife. Thus the man who should have been king is reduced to a victim of taunts and ridicule, even from his own brothers.In Karna, his own brother Arjuna finds his only rival, and Duryodhana, his most loyal friend. When the war comes, who will he fight for? Will he find out the truth about himself before it is too late? Will he be forced to kill his own brothers? Will Kunti ever claim him as her own?From the epic Mahabharata, Mango Classics brings you the tragedy of Karna, a prince exiled by destiny."
"A love so intense, a curse so cruel, a fate so tragic. Can true love outlive the pain of separation? The meeting between the brave King Dushyanta and the sublime naive beauty Shakuntala has been pre-ordained. She would give him the long awaited heir to his throne, a son. But when the time of their parting beckons, little do the lovers know that their only means of being re-united lies in the royal ring that Dushyanta gives Shakuntala. Love’s journey is never simple. Misguided by destiny, Shakuntala is pursued by curses and abandonment as she leaves her hermitage home to be re-united with her husband and King. Is the King’s love so fickle that he forgets her so quickly? Or is he in the grip of some terrible curse? How long must Shakuntala wait for recognition? And will the King lose his only son? Reborn with Mango Classics’ subtle illustrations and poetic retelling, Shakuntalam is the great Indian poet Kalidasa’s epic play of love won and lost and finally regained."
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