The Mahabharata is a classical tale of the battle of our higher vs. lower tendencies in the battlefield of our hearts. It is an ancient story and is the context in which the Bhagavad Gita is taught. It is older than The Iliad and Odyssey, and is over 6 times longer than both of those combined! More importantly, however, is its ongoing relevance in the daily life of modern Hindus, unlike Homer's stories here in the West.