Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s3.t6.1

v2.c10.s3.t6.1

Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic, and its literal meaning is 'The Great Bharata Family' or 'The Story of Great Bharata Family'. Together with another epic Ramayana, they are called two major Indian epics. Ramayana is “the original epic”, while Mahabharata is the historical legend. The latter includes ancient historical legends since 1400 BCE. It is not only a supreme classic on ancient Indian society but also an important work to know early human culture.