The MAHABHARATA is one of the great Sanskrit epics of ancient India, attributed to the sage Vyasa. It tells the story of the rivalry between two royal families - the Pandavas and the Kauravas - culminating in the epic Battle of Kurushetra. The narrative is rich with themes of duty (dharma), morality, and the consequences of human choices. The decks are based on the lead characters of this battle, such as Arjuna, Draupadi, Duryodhana and Dronacharya.
There deck features two luxurious editions. This is the MOKSHA Edition, based on the higher philosophy of the epic, which posits that there is no good and evil, only souls entrapped in different states of consciousness.
Features of the Mahabharata Playing Cards:
- The tuck box feature die-cut windows to correlate with the illustrations
- Embossed, special foiled, die cut and printed double box tuck design
- Premium black core linen finish poker-sized 56 playing cards
- Side gilded Number Editions
- Custom illustrated and beautifully designed by Bivas Bhattarcharjee of Old Gravity
- All cards are special foil printed to give deep colours and sheen
- Printed and produced by Kingstar Playing Cards (KSPCC)
The tuck is a special two-part tuck where the outer sleeve is die-cut, foiled, printed and then embossed. The inner sleeve, housing the playing cards, is produced using the same method. The Sudarshana Chakra, the central element of the tuck's two-part front design, is a divine discus wielded by Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. It is depicted as a spinning, serrated weapon with sharp edges, symbolising divine protection, righteousness, and cosmic order. The surrounding text is "ओम् तत् सत्" or "Om Tat Sat", which represents the unmanifest and absolute reality. This key concept is expounded in great detail in the Bhagavad Gita (a part of the Mahabharata). The inner sleeve (as well as the outer sleeve) features a grand foil-textured design with the most famous passages from the Bhagavad Gita. The sides hold the title Mahabharata (महाभारत) in Sanskrit, and the seven chakras, which, as per yogic teachings, are energy centres in the human body that influence physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The beautiful tuck-back is ornate, featuring a foiled painting in the traditional Indian miniature style, which portrays Lord Krishna expounding the Bhagavad Gita (one of the holiest texts of the Hindus and part of the Mahabharata) to Arjuna, his greatest devotee and friend, amidst the Battle of Kurukshetra.
The Pandavas are depicted in the red suits, and the Kauravas are represented in the black suits - the Courts are illustrated as full-length figure, depicting characters mentioned in the Indian epic. The Numbers are laid in the pattern of the Pasha board, which was the game the Pandavas and Kauravas played for the control of Hastinapur, their ancestral kingdom. The Back Design features full-bleed two-way graphical illustration of circular pattern featuring the Mahabharata text with accent foils as well as symbols - a contrast between the foil and matte printing brings out another dimension; excellent for magic and cardistry.
In the Mahabharata, Moksha refers to liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara) and the attainment of spiritual enlightenment. It is the ultimate goal of human life, where the soul transcends worldly attachments and merges with the divine. Thus, the color scheme has more nostalgic, serene tones. Emphasizing purity, the tuck box is marble-like colour, with silver foiling accentuating the matte texture - the painting of Lord Krishna and Arjuna features a pearl finish, with gold hues turned to silver. The cards are desaturated, with a sepia tone inspired by ancient manuscripts, in line with the theme of Moksha or transcendence. Substituting the vibrant red, this Edition has taken on the saffron hues of the aesthetics, and the reddish tint in the blacks of old school manuscripts.
The Gilded Edition is numbered and features a subtle, platinum shade complementing the hues of this Variant. Only 400 decks are made!
