महाप्रस्थानम्
Mahāprasthānam – A Sanskrit Translation of a Celebrated Malayalam Novel
 
Mahāprasthānam is the Sanskrit translation of an acclaimed Malayalam novel by the renowned writer, screenwriter, and actor Mādamp Śaṅkaran Nambūtiri, popularly known as Mādamp Kuññukuttan. The original novel received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Best Novel in 1983.
 
This translation has been masterfully rendered into Sanskrit by Śrī Ashokan Puranattukara, a distinguished Sanskrit scholar, translator, orator, journalist, teacher, and environmental activist. Without compromising the depth and essence of the original, he has successfully brought the work into the expressive and powerful realm of Sanskrit.
The novel narrates the inner journey of Yaśodharā, the wife of the Buddha, as she reflects upon her husband's renunciation and life from a deeply personal and emotional perspective. The story offers a unique and poignant reimagining of a well-known spiritual legacy through the eyes of a woman left behind.
The translator has employed remarkably simple yet elegant Sanskrit, showcasing the language’s potential to convey profound human emotions with clarity and grace. Mahāprasthānam stands as a fine example of how classical languages can be vessels for modern literary sensibilities