Reddit reviews Mahabharata

I strongly recommend the William Buck translations for both the Ramayana and Mahabharata. They are retellings, but they encompass much more than other translations and the job is exquisitely done. I found the Penguin edition of the Ramayana to be dull in comparison.

I've read parts of it in the past and am actually reading it right now in it's entirety for a class. This is the version I have. It's fairly easy to read - the thing to bear in mind is that this translation and the one you posted are in prose where obviously the original is in verse. The story itself is wonderful. When you start reading in the beginning take it slowly and try to get a handle on the genealogies. It'll make it easier down the road as there are so many characters and they all have unusual names. Think about the force of Dharma (Duty) as you read because this is a central concept. When a person acts against his Dharma it leads to chaos, death, and conflict. The Kurus are the antagonists because this is exactly what they do. Have fun!