Ritual of Battle: Krishna in the "Mahabharata"

Book Details:

• Author: Alf Hiltebeitel

• Publisher: State University of New York Press, Albany

• Language: English

• Edition: 1990

• ISBN: 9788170302797

• Pages: 372

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 21.5 cm x 15 cm

• Weight: 600 gm

About the Book:
This landmark study by Alf Hiltebeitel explores the Mahabharata—India's great epic—through the lens of Indo-European myth, ritual, and epic traditions. Drawing on the pioneering frameworks of scholars like Georges Dumezil and Stig Wikander, the book reinterprets the epic not merely as a religious or mythical text but as a sophisticated Indo-European epic reconfigured within the framework of bhakti or devotional Hinduism.

The author constructs a typology of epic narratives and argues for a fresh understanding of Krishna as both an incarnation of Vishnu and a central theological figure within the Mahabharata. Far from being a later interpolation, Krishna’s presence is shown to be integral to the epic’s narrative structure and spiritual message. Hiltebeitel interprets the Kurukshetra war as a sacrificial event, placing Krishna at the epicenter of a cosmic "sacrifice of battle," reflecting both Vedic ritualism and bhakti ideology.

The book also critically engages with the Mahabharata’s textual history. While many scholars dismiss large portions of the epic as interpolations, Hiltebeitel embraces the richness of variant traditions, including Northern recensions and so-called interpolated episodes. He uses these to construct a coherent and compelling vision of the epic that includes divine interventions, eschatological motifs, and deep mythological continuities.

Hiltebeitel’s work is not just a scholarly synthesis but a groundbreaking reinterpretation that questions the assumptions of the Critical Edition and champions a more inclusive reading of epic material. It is especially notable for its discussions on Draupadi, Krishna's multifaceted presence, and Indo-European death rituals, as well as its challenge to earlier notions that downplay the role of divine agency in the Mahabharata.

About the Author:
Alf Hiltebeitel is Professor in the Department of Religion at George Washington University. He is known for his extensive scholarship on Indian epic traditions and popular Hinduism. His notable works include Criminal Gods and Demon Devotees and The Cult of Draupadi, Vol. 1, both of which underscore his deep engagement with epic mythology, ritual, and theological thought in South Asia.