NEW DELHI: Economist and author Bibek Debroy has come out with English translations of two Hindu mythological texts -- the "Markandeya Purana" and the "Bhagavad Gita" -- publishers Penguin announced.
Both the books, translated from Sanskrit, draw out the subtleties of the ancient texts and enable a new generation of readers to savour its timeless riches, they said.
While the "Markandeya Purana" is a marvellous amalgam of mythology and metaphysics that unfolds a series of conversations in which sage Markandeya is asked to answer some deeper questions raised by the events in the "Mahabharata", the "Bhagavad Gita" is an account of the debate between right and wrong, and the bond between action and consequence.
"Bibek Debroy's deep familiarity with the text (Bhagavad Gita) yields a treasure trove of insights that will delight the scholar and the lay reader alike, making this essential reading for anyone with an abiding interest in Indian scriptures," Penguin said.
The book is a special bilingual edition of the foundational text on "dharma" and the Hindu philosophy.
It features a "verse-for-verse translation, providing the original Sanskrit verses alongside the English rendition".
According to the publishers, the "Markandeya Purana" celebrates the complex mythological universe populated with gods and mortals, and contains within its depths many nested tales like that of Queen Madalasa and her famous song.
As a translator, Debroy is best known for his renditions of the "Mahabharata" in ten volumes, the "Bhagavad Gita", the "Harivamsha" and the "Valmiki Ramayana" in three volumes.
He is also the author of "Sarama and her Children", which combines his interest in Hinduism with his love for dogs.