A critical study of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, in conjunction with other works bearing on the subject, has suggested to me several new ideas about them which I propose to place before the public in three instalments. The present volume contains my views on the Mahabharata, considered from the literary and historical stand-points. If the views published in this volume impress the public favourably, I may be encouraged to publish a second volume giving my views on the Ramayana from the same stand-points. In a third volume I intend to take a survey of the social, religious and intellectual conditions of the Aryans of India between 3000 and 300 B. C. as evidenced by these venerable epics. "Sanksipta Mahabharata" or "Mahabharata Abridged", a book recently published by me; if read along with this book, will be found to contain most of the original Slokas of the Mahabharata on which this criticism is based. Owing to the haste with which this book was carried through the press, some errors of spelling have crept in especially with regard to Sanskrit words the spellings of which do not often conform to the now generally adopted rules of writing Sanskrit words in English characters. I hope the indulgent reader will overlook such inaccuracies.