The Mahabharata is one of the two main Sanskrit epics of ancient India (the other being the Ramayana). As the story was preserved through word-of-mouth, the original story in its entirety cannot be known. The contents of the story were enriched over time and evolved into a massive 18 volume work with nearly 100,000 verses in around 1.8 million words, and is considered the longest epic in the world.