Mahagatha

100 Tales from the Puranas

By: Satyarth Nayak

Narrated by: Ish Thakkar

Do you know the story where Brahma and Vishnu race against each other or where Shiva battles Krishna? Where Indra attempts foeticide or where Rama punishes a Shudra? Do you know about Maya Sita or Narada's monkey face? Or why Surya falls from the sky or why Chandra commits adultery?

The Puranas of Hinduism are a universe of wisdom, embodying a fundamental quest for answers that makes them forever relevant. Now, for the first time, 100 of the greatest mythological tales from these ancient texts have been handpicked and compiled into an epic edition. Besides popular legends of devas, asuras, sages and kings, Satyarth Nayak has dug up lesser-known stories, like the one where Vishnu is beheaded or where Saraswati curses Lakshmi or where Harishchandra tricks Varuna. Nayak also recounts these 100 tales in a unique chronological format, beginning with Creation in Satya Yuga and ending with the advent of Kali Yuga. Using Puranic markers, he constructs a narrative that travels through the four yugas, offering continuous and organic action. In such a telling, it is revealed that these stories are not isolated events but linked to each other in the grand scheme of things. That every occurrence has a past and a future. A cause and effect. An interconnected cycle of karma and karma-phal.

Delving into the minds of gods, demons and humans alike, Mahagatha seeks a deeper understanding of their motivations. The timelessness of their impulses speaks across the aeons to audiences of today. Written in lively prose, these 100 tales will entertain and enlighten, and make you connect the dots of Hindu mythology like never before.

©2022 Satyarth Nayak (P)2024 Audible Singapore Private Limited

I’m in awe

Excerpts from the scriptures are well presented. The chapters flow easily throughout. Yes, it would help if you knew the background information. But, many books are like that; either an expectation that the reader knows something about the materials or that they would venture to know more after reading.
I fully enjoyed this in the audiobook version. The narrator had me wanting to listen more.
Thank you for this.

Worth a Shot!

The impressive part of this book is that it covers a lot within 100 tales. Honestly, the Vishnu avatars are mostly covered & so many more tales are also narrated. However, the stories are abridged and sometimes conclude abruptly. There is also a slight presumption that the reader knows a lot about Indian Mythology.

The two shortcomings of the audiobook are the narration & extremely short stories. While the narrator does get a lot right, a few things need correction. Secondly, some stories are tiny; before the listeners register what is happening, the story is already concluded.

Given all of this, the book is worth a chance if the listeners are interested in Indian mythology.