Practicing Success
During which time period did the composition of the Mahabharata expand significantly from its original size? |
Between 100 BCE and 100 CE Between 200 and 400 CE Between 500 and 800 CE Between 1,000 and 1,200 CE |
Between 200 and 400 CE |
The authorship of the text raises an intriguing question with multiple answers. The original story is believed to have been composed by charioteer-bards known as sutas, who accompanied Kshatriya warriors to battlefields and orally recited poems celebrating their victories and achievements. From the fifth century BCE, Brahmanas took charge of the story and began to transcribe it into writing. This period coincided with the transformation of chiefdoms, such as the Kurus and Panchalas, into kingdoms. It is plausible that the new kings desired a systematic recording and preservation of their itihasa. Additionally, the upheavals during the establishment of these states, where old social values gave way to new norms, might be reflected in certain parts of the epic's narrative. |