Published Paper Details:

The present research offers a detailed psychological study of the anti-heroic characters of the Mahabharata, one of the great epics of the ancient Indian tradition. As traditional scholarship has always been interested in the heroic heroes, this study turns the limelight around to study the psychological depth of great anti-heroes such as Duryodhana, Karna, Shakuni, Drona, Dhritarashtra, Dussasana, and Ashwatthama. With a qualitative research methodology using descriptive and comparative analysis, the study interweaves current psychological theories to understand the motivation, inner conflict, and moral nuances of these characters. The study describes how traits such as ambition, jealousy, loyalty, manipulation, revenge, and ethical crises not only propel individual destinies but also illuminate the epic's greater thematic concerns of dharma, justice, and human frailty. Placing these old characters within a larger literary and psychological context, the book highlights the universality of their conflicts and the ongoing relevance of the Mahabharata to human nature. The cross-disciplinary enterprise links classical Sanskrit literature and modern psychological theory to newly derived understanding in order to enrich both literary study and psychological inquiry. The findings encourage continued exploration of anti-heroism within ancient literature, highlighting the value of psychological analyses in unscrambling complex characterizations and ethical dilemmas in world literature.