Exploring Agency in the Mahabharata Ethical and Political Dimensions of Dharma [Hardcover]

The Mahabharata, one of the major epics of India, is a sourcebook complete by itself as well as an open text constantly under construction. This volume looks at transactions between its modern discourses and ancient vocabulary. Located amid conversations between these two conceptual worlds, the volume grapples with the epics problematisation of dharmaor righteousness, and consequently, of the ideal person and the good life through a cluster of issues surrounding the concept of agency and action. Drawing on several interdisciplinary approaches, the essays reflect on a range of issues in the Mahabharata, including those of duty, motivation, freedom, selfhood, choice, autonomy, and justice, both in the context of philosophical debates and their ethical and political ramifications for contemporary times.

This book will be of interest to scholars and researchers engaged with philosophy, literature, religion, history, politics, culture, gender, South Asian studies, and Indology. It will also appeal to the general reader interested in South Asian epics and the Mahabharata.

Introduction: To Do

Vrinda Dalmiya and GangeyaMukherji

1. Mahabharata. Itihasa. Agency

Sibesh Chandra Bhattacharya

2. In Search of Genuine Agency:

A Review of Action, Freedom and Karma in theMah
bh
rata

Amita Chatterjee

3. The Theory of Karmain the Mah
   bh
   rata

Christopher Framarin

4. Karmayogaand the Vexed Moral Agent

Arti Dhand

PART II: ACTOR

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