The Mahabharat written by the great Sage Vedvyas is reckoned as one of the topmost epics of the world. This celebrated epic throws much light on the ancient Indian culture and civilization and the various aspects of its moral, social, political and religious life of that era. It is veritably encyclopedic in its form because it gives full details of the developments achieved by the mankind till that time. The epic itself claims to contain "everything which is anywhere and which is not here is not anywhere. "The Mahabharat contains 100,217 Shlokas divided in 18 cantoes. Its original name was 'Jai' which during the passage of time acquired the name of 'Bharat Puran' and now it is famous as Mahabharat, the epic.