INDIAN POLITICAL

THOUGHT
RESEARCH PAPER

The Image of Women in

Persian and Sanskrit Epic
Literature: Shahnameh and
Mahabharata

Presented By -
Name: Isha M Khobragade
Class: 3A
Roll No.: 488
Abstract

Regarding the subject of women and their representations in early epic literature, the research
examines two epics, one is Persian epic and another one is Sanskrit epic.  The epics were
chosen from two cultures' literature, both of which gave rise to the most developed
civilizations of their eras during distinct historical eras. The Shahnameh (the book of Kings),
a Persian epic with roughly 60,000 couplets that was rewritten in the tenth century A.D. in its
final form and passed down to us today, was tooted in both ancient Indo-Iranian paganism
and Zoroastrianism. Some of Persian mythology, tradition, and history's most well-known
tales are told in this book. The poet Daqiqi (l. c. 935-977 CE) began it, but he passed away
before finishing it. Mansur I of the Samanid Dynasty (819-999 CE), who encouraged the
growth of Persian literature, originally commissioned it. Under the Ghaznavid Dynasty (977–
1186 CE), which was less passionate but still showed interest in the topic, Ferdowsi finished
it. The Pandavas and Kauravas are two branches of a dynasty that fight for control of
Hastinapura during the Kurukshetra War in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata.
Numerous shorter stories about real or imagined persons, as well as philosophical
discussions, are weaved throughout this narrative. It was written by Krishna-Dwaipayan
Vyasa, who is himself a character in the epic; according to mythology, he spoke the lyrics as
Ganesha recorded them. It is the longest epic poem ever written with 100,000 verses, and it is
generally accepted that it was penned in the 4th century BCE or earlier. The themes of
dynamism, the uniqueness of characters and their struggles in the epic world, the
resourcefulness of the human mind ascribed to them, the subject of human crises, and irony
were present in both the Shahnameh and the Mahabharata epics. These themes are all deeply
ingrained elements defining the core literary qualities of these epics. In the Mahabharata,
women are portrayed as being utilised as commodities, chattel, and slaves for the amusement
of men. Women are viewed as having a strong sense of subordination, repression, obedience,
and silence. They serve as the male ego's tools. In the Mahabharata, women are portrayed as
being utilised as commodities, chattel, and slaves for the amusement of men. Women are
viewed as having a strong sense of subordination, repression, obedience, and silence. They
serve as the male ego's tools. The book Shahnameh is not anti-women. In Shahnameh, most
of the women are admirable. They are feminine and passionate, as well as gorgeous, wise,
high-minded, and fearless. This portrayal of women is not found in other Persian works and
might not be found in other outstanding ancient works from other nations.