1 What is the meaning of Mahābhārata? (MB)
1 The title of this grand epic had two components: Mahā which means great in Sanskrit. One may compare the word to mega in Greek and magnum in Latin, both meaning great.
The second part bhārata refers to the prince Bharat who, incidentally, has given India her current name of Bhārat.
BK I .1
There was an enormous number of generations of Devas. The Kurus, Yadus and the family of Bharata which came from these. There were also the families of of Yayāti, Ikshvāku and all the Rājrishis.
Their histories and related discourses were arranged by Rishi Vyāsa, son of Parāshara. He titled his work as Bhārata.
At one time the four Vedas were placed on pan of a balance and the Bhāratha on the other. The Bhārata carried more weight. From then on the work came to be called Mahābhārata.
[It is reckoned by scholars that the work was composed sometime between 300 BCE and 200 CE. Since it was transmitted through the oral tradition there are different versions on the work here and there. What is remarkable if that the work consists of more than a hundred thousand verse, and is the longest epic every composed in humanity’s cultural history.
Spurts of Thought 