Analyzing Statements about Mahabharata and its Critical Edition

Let's carefully examine each statement provided regarding the Mahabharata and its critical edition to determine their correctness.

Statement Analysis

• Statement (A): Mahabharata has over 1,00,000 verses.
  The Mahabharata is known to be one of the longest epic poems in the world. It is traditionally said to contain around $\mathrm{1,00,000}$ shlokas (verses), which is why it is also called 'Shatasahasri Samhita' (the compilation of $\mathrm{100,000}$ verses). Therefore, this statement is correct.
• Statement (B): Mahabharata was written by Valmiki.
  The great epic Mahabharata is traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa (also known as Krishna Dvaipayana). Valmiki is famously associated with writing the other major Indian epic, the Ramayana. Thus, this statement is incorrect.
• Statement (C): V.S. Sukthankar is associated with the critical edition of Mahabharata.
  The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune undertook the monumental task of creating the critical edition of the Mahabharata. Dr. Vishnu Sitaram Sukthankar was the first General Editor of this project and played a pivotal role in its initial phases and methodology. His association with the critical edition is well-established. Therefore, this statement is correct.
• Statement (D): The critical edition of Mahabharata took 47 years to complete.
  The project for the critical edition of the Mahabharata at BORI began in 1919 and was completed in 1966. The total duration was 1966 − 1919 = 47 years. This statement is correct.
• Statement (E): The critical edition of Mahabharata ran into over 13,000 pages.
  The critical edition of the Mahabharata published by BORI is a massive work, comprising $19$ volumes and a Harivamsa appendix. The total page count for this edition is indeed over $\mathrm{13,000}$ pages. This statement is correct.

Summary of Statement Correctness

Based on the analysis, statements (A), (C), (D), and (E) are correct.

Identifying the Correct Option

We need to find the option that lists only the correct statements (A), (C), (D), and (E).

• Option 1: (A) and (B) only - Incorrect (B is incorrect)
• Option 2: (B) and (E) only - Incorrect (B is incorrect)
• Option 3: (A), (C), (D) and (E) only - Correct (Matches our findings)
• Option 4: (B) and (C) only - Incorrect (B is incorrect)

Therefore, the correct option is (A), (C), (D) and (E) only.

Revision Table: Key Facts on Mahabharata

Additional Information on the Mahabharata Critical Edition

The critical edition of the Mahabharata is a landmark scholarly achievement. Its main objective was to establish a standardized, authentic text of the epic by comparing numerous manuscripts from different parts of India. The project involved collating thousands of manuscripts, identifying interpolations (later additions), and reconstructing the text based on the oldest and most reliable versions. V.S. Sukthankar developed the rigorous methodology used in this project. The completed critical edition provides researchers with a reliable base text for studying the Mahabharata, its history, and its vast cultural influence. It highlights the diverse regional variations of the epic that existed across the subcontinent.