“Based on a series of Mahabharata lectures, Quest for Justice is
a one‐of‐a‐kind book. The speaker, H.D. Goswami, is obviously
learned, and also possesses an uncanny knack for turning the
story into a very entertaining presentation, captivating the
reader by its “page‐turner” quality. All in all, it is definitely the
best “popular” version of the Mahabharata I've ever read. It is
very well told and the language of the text is exquisite. For
those interested in India, Indian literature, and/or Indian
religion, this is definitely a 5‐star introduction. It is beautifully
written, like a thrilling adventure story, with a cliff‐hanger at
the end of every chapter. Once you start reading you just can’t
stop – and that goes even for someone like me, who is basically
familiar with the text.”
Dr. Åke Sander
Professor of Psychology & Sociology of Religion
Department of Literature, History of Ideas and Religion (LIR)
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
“Quest for Justice is based on a collection of lectures on various
themes and episodes from the enormous Mahabharata Epic.
Paralleling the rhetorical style and delivery of the Epic itself, the
book’s tone is one of oral transmission, as it reworks ancient
narratives into an appealing, comprehensible contemporary
idiom. Delivered with frequent good humor, the talks are easy
and entertaining, even as they clearly confront the deepest
meanings of the text. In this, the speaker benefits from his
devoted, decades‐long engagement with the text in the original
Sanskrit. Indeed, H.D. Goswami skillfully and profoundly depicts
the psychological depth of the characters and the existential
dilemmas they face in a very vivid and immediate way. Put
differently, Quest for Justice is something of a continuation of the
Epic tradition – the perpetuation, contextualization and
rearticulation of ancient narratives and dharma teachings for a
contemporary audience. H.D. Goswami combines his trademark
wit, erudition and insightful analysis, breathing new life into the
most compelling episodes of this ancient literary masterpiece.”
Edwin Bryant
Professor of Hindu Religion and Philosophy
Rutgers University, USA
“Anyone familiar with the Mahabharata knows that following, much
less explaining, this complex tale of fraternal enmity and fratricidal
war is a daunting task. Yet, in H. D. Goswami's Quest for Justice, we are
treated to a deft and captivating retelling that practically places us
inside the drama as it ravels and unravels. At the risk of sounding
cliché, the millenia that separate us from these ancient events do seem
to fall away as we are invited to recognize the very real human
emotions that motivate the heroes and the villains of this celebrated
Indian epic. Reading Quest for Justice, it is easy to understand that we
are dealing with one of the great, enduring works of world literature,
not a period piece from some forgotten age.
Kenneth Valpey Ph.D., Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, UK
