Do You Have the Patience to Read the
Mahābhārata?
If your attention span for poetry only extends to the length of time it takes to read a limerick, you may find yourself challenged if you try to read the Mahābhārata.
This ancient epic Indian poem earns a lasting place in history for a number of reasons, not the least of which is its size. With over 100,000 lines and 1.8 million words, the Mahābhārata holds the record as the longest poem ever written. The 6.5-hour reading of the Mahābhārata can be heard here:
An online version of the Mahābhārata can be read here.
The poem is roughly ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined. In terms of its value to literature and culture, it has been compared to the works of William Shakespeare.
Authorship of the epic piece is far from certain and it almost certainly was the combined efforts of more than one writer. Primary authorship is frequently attributed to Vyāsa. Some of the oldest parts of the piece are believed to date back to 800-900 B.C. It probably reached its completed form around A.D. 400.
For other examples of insanely-long national anthems, names, books, etc., grab a cup of coffee, make yourself comfortable, and keep reading.
You may also enjoy…
Sheesh! The Chinese Poem Where Everything Is Pronounced “Shi”
It is always dangerous to try to write an article about something in a language that the author knows nothing about. We at Commonplace Fun Facts laugh in the face of danger. At the very least, we laugh at a lot of different things, including languages we do not understand. For that reason, we present…
How to Write 100,000,000,000,000 Poems
A sonnet is a one-stanza, 14-line poem, written in iambic pentameter. William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, all of which are required reading for students of great literature. Shakespeare may be the most famous writer of sonnets, but he is by no means the most prolific. That distinction is held by the man who wrote 100,000,000,000,000…
The Poetic Passage of Plakkopytrixophylisperambulantiobatrix
G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Plakkopytrixophylisperambulantiobatrix,” found in The Coloured Lands, features a perplexing title whose origin remains unclear. The poem explores intriguing themes combining fear with fantastical elements like dragons and wisdom. The whimsical title serves as an amusing contrast to other lengthy names in literature, leaving its meaning open to speculation.
Leave a Reply