Mahabharata: Designs of Dharma

From Academy Award-nominated Pixar animator and director, founder of Ghee Happy Studio, and acclaimed author/illustrator Sanjay Patel comes a bold, modern retelling of the Mahabharata, India's greatest epic.

Adapted and illustrated with both humor and heart for a contemporary audience, this stunning visual retelling of the Indian epic the Mahabharata features more than 400 pages of illustrated text in Academy Award-nominated animator Sanjay Patel's iconic style.

Ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined, the Mahabharata is astonishingly vast in both scope and size, a library of ancient Indian culture and knowledge. In this thrilling modern adaptation, Patel has condensed over 200,000 lines of the original Sanskrit verse into a single volume that is easy to understand for those new to the story. Patel's engaging artwork imparts multiple layers of meaning in a groundbreaking visual presentation that allows readers to fully immerse themselves in the Mahabharata and all its wonders.

ACADEMY AWARD-NOMINATED AUTHOR: Sanjay Patel is an animator and illustrator who worked at Pixar for 20 years, contributing to many of their most beloved films. In 2015, he wrote and directed the short film Sanjay's Super Team, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Short Film. In 2018, he launched Ghee Happy Studio, which produces the animated children's show Ghee Happy, about the Hindu pantheon.

UNIVERSAL APPEAL: While written to be accessible to a young adult audience, Sanjay's adaptation of the Mahabharata will appeal to readers of all ages and faiths.

ACCESSIBLE TO ALL: This adaptation of the Mahabharata will entrance both those familiar with and new to the story. A dramatis personae, genealogy chart, and map of key locations are included for the uninitiated reader.

PROCESS PAGES: Includes behind-the-scenes images of Sanjay's sketch books, story boards, color palettes, and more, with commentary illuminating how he built the stunning world of the Mahabharata.

Author: Sanjay Patel
Publisher: Mandala Publishing
Published: 10/28/2025
Pages: 432
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 6.30lbs
Size: 10.90h x 11.90w x 1.80d
ISBN: 9798887621555

About the Author
Sanjay Patel is an animator and illustrator who worked at Pixar for 20 years, contributing to many of their most beloved films. In 2015, he wrote and directed the short film Sanjay's Super Team, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Short Film. In 2018, he launched Ghee Happy Studio and began producing the Netflix animated preschool series Ghee Happy, which won Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children at the 51st Annie Awards. He is also the author of Ramayana: Divine Loophole, The Little Book of Hindu Deities, Ganesha's Sweet Tooth, and many other books for children and adults.