Mahabharata
The Mahabharata (Devanagari: महाभारत, phonetically Mahābhārata, sometimes just called Bharata, is one of the two major ancient Sanskrit epics of India, the other being the Ramayana It is the second longest literary epic poem in the world (after the Tibetan Epic of King Gesar). Besides being hailed as one of the greatest literary accomplishments of humanity, it is also of immense religious and philosophical importance in India; in particular, the Bhagavad Gita, which is one of the chapters (Bhishmaparva) in the Mahabharata, is a central sacred text of Hinduism.
The title may be translated as "Great India" or, more accurately, "the Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty" (bhārata means the progeny of Bharata, the king believed to have founded the Indian kingdom of Bhāratavarsha; "Bharat" has equal status as the official name of India in all Indian governments today and is still commonly used today). The work is part of the Hindu itihaas, literally "that which happened", along with the Puranas and Ramayana. The full version contains more than 100,000 verses, making it around four times longer than the Bible, and seven times longer than the Iliad and the Odyssey combined.
Primary purport
With its vast philosophical depth and sheer magnitude, a consummate embodiment of the ethos of not only grand India but of Hinduism and Vedic tradition, the Mahabharata's scope and grandeur is best summarized by one quotation from the beginning of its first parva (section): "What is found here, may be found elsewhere. What is not found here, will not be found elsewhere."
In its scope, the Mahabharata is more than simply a story of kings and princes, sages and wisemen, demons and gods; its author, Vyasa, says that one of its aims is elucidating the four goals of life: kama (pleasure), artha (wealth), dharma (duty) and moksha (liberation). The story culminates in moksha, believed by many Hindus to be the ultimate goal of human beings. Karma and dharma play an integral role in the Mahabharata.
Background and history
The epic is said to have been told by Vyasa, who places himself as one of the major dynastic characters within the epic. The first section of the Mahabharata states that it was Lord Ganesh (the elephant-headed god of the Hindus) who, at the behest of Vyasa, wrote the epic down on manuscript. Lord Ganesh is said to have agreed, but only on condition that Vyasa never pause in his recitation. Vyasa then put a counter-condition that Ganesh understand whatever he recited, before writing it down. In this way Vyasa could get some respite from continuously speaking by saying a verse which was difficult to understand. This situation also serves as a popular variation on the stories of how Ganesh's right tusk was broken (a traditional part of Ganesh imagery). This version attributes it to the fact that, in the rush of writing, the great elephant-headed divinity's pen failed, and he snapped off his tusk as a replacement in order that the transcription not be interrupted.
The Mahabharata is thought to have been derived from what was originally a much shorter work, called Jaya (Sanskrit for Victory). The dating of the events of this story is unclear. Very few people find the events to be reliably placed in Vedic India around 1400 BC. Scholars have studied the astronomical activities described in the Mahabharata (like eclipses) and have claimed to have dated it to around 1478 BC or alternatively 3100 BC. However, it is significant to realize that the debate about dating the 'events' of the Mahabharata are secondary to the importance of the text in Classical Sanskrit literature and culture.
Like much of other early Indian literature, it was often transmitted by oral means through the generations. This made it easier for additional episodes and stories to be interpolated within it. It also resulted in regional variations developing. However, the variation has in most cases been in the new additions, and not in the original story.
The Mahabharata, the epic story
The core story of the work is that of a dynastic struggle for the throne of Hastinapura, the kingdom ruled by the Kuru clan. The two collateral branches of the family that participate in the struggle are the Kauravas, the elder branch of the family, and the Pandavas, the younger branch.
The struggle culminates in the great battle at Kurukshetra, and the Pandavas are ultimately victorious. The Mahabharata itself ends with the death of Krishna, and the subsequent end of his dynasty, and ascent of the Pandava brothers to Heaven. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu age of Kali (Kali Yuga), through the steady breakdown of truths of which the eighteen-day war of Kurukshetra, the clash of hundreds of thousands of men, elephants and horses, consisted. This is the fourth and final age of mankind, where the great values and noble ideas that humanity represented have crumbled, and man is speedily heading toward the complete dissolution of right action, morality and virtue in general. (Note that four such yugas - Satya (Truth), Dwāpar (second), Treta (third) and Kāli (dark) - comprise one cycle of 4.32-million years and represent {1/1000} of Brahmā's (God's) day or kalp. After a full kalp, all material and celestial abodes are in a suspended state within Brahmā as Brahmā 'sleeps' in the kalp-pralaya ('night') of {1,000 * 4.32-million years} 4.32-billion years. For the next kalp, they are created again as they were at the end of the previous kalp. In this way, Brahmā lives for 50 years (each year being 360 kalp and 360 kalp-pralaya). In human terms, Brahmā's age is 155.521972 trillion years. References from the Bhāgwatam 12/4/2 to 12/4/6.)
Some of the history's most noble and revered figures end up fighting on the side of the Kauravas, due to allegiances formed prior to the conflict.
Stories
A list of short descriptions of some of the characters and stories:
- Karna, one of the greatest heroes of Mahabharat, known for his loyalty and philanthropy, is one of the central characters of the struggle. Originally son of the Sun and Kunti, eldest of the Pandavas, was born when Kunti tries a magic spell given to her by Sage Dhurvasa. His origins were lost since his mother, then unmarried, abandoned him from birth and he was taken in by a charioteer and his wife instead. During a tournament he had a bitter clash with Arjuna, his brother unknown to him, to ascertain that he was the ace archer and not Arjuna and became sworn enemies; Karna, then known as a charioteer's son, was not allowed to challenge Arjuna which was when the eldest Kaurava Prince Duryodhan makes Karna King by conferring a part of his kingdom. It is as a tribute to this friendship with Duryodhan that he ends up fighting for the Kauravas. Before the great battle, his birth was revealed to him, yet he forfeited his right for the throne choosing instead to fight for his friend Duryodhan and end his feud with Arjuna. Originally nearly invincible, he was first tricked into giving up the divine armour he was born with, then using up his divine lance which never fails to kill, and finally forgets the secret phrase for evoking Pasupata, the ultimate weapon as he was cursed the day he got it from the sage, Parashurama. His defeat and death more or less ended the war as he was fated to do so. When the Pandavas see Kunti crying over Karna's corpse they understand who he is. Yudhishtira, upset with Kunti having kept his birth a secret all along, curses womanhood that no woman will ever be able to keep a secret again in her life.
- Bhishma, the grandsire who had renounced his kingdom and become celibate for the sake of his father, King Shantanu's love of a boatman's foster daughter. His father was so moved by this deed that he blessed Bhishma to be able to choose his time of death. Bhishma had sworn that he would not die until he knew that Hastinapur was secure and would serve all the kings of Hastinapur the same way he served his father. This oath was the only reason he was the commander of the Kaurava army inspite of his love for the Pandavas. He ended up dying on a bed of arrows laid by his most favorite Arjuna, the Pandava brother whose army had fought against Bhishma's side.
- Bhima is one of the five Pandava brothers whose strength, size, and loyalty is legendary.
- Yudishtira, the eldest Pandava, is known never to have told a single lie in his life, and was known as Dharmaputra, because he was born to Kunti by the grace of Yama, the God of Death, who is also known as Dharmaraja, or the God of Righteousness. Nearing the final days of the war, Drona, a general of fabulous power was wreaking havoc amongst the Pandava ranks. None could defeat him. Duryodhana repeatedly kept accusing his Commander-in-chief, Drona, that he was not fighting at his best because of his love for the Pandavas. Irked by these accusations, Drona, who had then been fighting within the rules of a Dharmayuddha or righteous war, using fair means, started using unfair means - he started using celestial/divine weapons on ordinary soldiers.
In desperation, a plan was hatched to inform Drona that his son Ashwatthama had been killed. Krishna, the author of the plan reasoned that Drona would lose the will to live on hearing this terrible news and would throw down his weapons. Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, brought his mace down on the head of a huge war elephant called Ashwatthama and it fell dead. Going near the division commanded by Drona, he roared, "I have killed Ashwatthama!"
Drona asked Yudhishtira if this was true, thinking that Yudhishtira would not utter an untruth even for the kingship of the three worlds. Yudhishtira stood trembling in horror of what he was about to do, but coaxed by Lord Krishna that there was no harm in doing such a deed to win the war between good and evil. "Let it be my sin", he said to himself and hardened his heart and said aloud: "Yes, it is true that Ashwatthama has been killed." But, as he was saying it, he felt again the disgrace of it and added in a low and tremulous voice, "Ashwatthama, the elephant" - words which were however drowned in the din and unheard by Drona.
When the words of untruth came out of Yudhishtira's mouth, the wheels of his chariot, which until then always stood and moved four inches above the ground, came down and touched the common road of mankind. Yudishtira is commonly known in India as the paragon of integrity, fallen for his one lapse.
Drona on hearing that his son had been slain sat on the floor of his chariot in yogic meditation. At this moment, Dhrishtadyumna (Brother-in-law of the Pandavas) climbed into the chariot with drawn sword and heedless of the cries of horror and deprecation from all around, fulfilled his destiny as the slayer of Drona by sweeping off the old warrior's head. And the soul of the son of Bharadwaja issued out in a visible blaze of light and mounted heavenwards. - Paraphrased from C Rajagopalachari's translation of the Mahabharata
Structure
The Mahabharata is written in eighteen parvas (chapters or books) which are:
- Adiparva - Introduction, birth and upbringing of the princes. (Adi = first).
- Sabhaparva - Life at the court, the game of dice, and the exile of the Pandavas. Maya Danava erects the palace and court (sabha), at Indraprastha.
- Aranyakaparva (also Vanaparva, Aranyaparva) - The twelve years in exile in the forest (aranya).
- Virataparva - The year in exile spent at the court of Virata.
- Udyogaparva - Preparations for war.
- Bhishmaparva - The first part of the great battle, with Bhishma as commander for the Kauravas.
- Dronaparva - The battle continues, with Drona as commander.
- Karnaparva - The battle again, with Karna as commander.
- Shalyaparva - The last part of the battle, with Shalya as commander.
- Sauptikaparva - How Ashvattama and the remaining Kauravas killed the Pandava army in their sleep (Sauptika).
- Striparva - Gandhari and the other women lament the dead (stri = woman).
- Shantiparva - The crowning of Yudhisthira, and his instructions from Bhishma (shanti = peace).
- Anushasanaparva - The final instructions of Bhishma (anushasana = instruction).
- Ashvamedhikaparva - The royal ceremony or ashvameda conducted by Yudhisthira.
- Ashramavasikaparva - Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti leave for an ashram, and eventual death in the forest.
- Mausalaparva - The infighting between the Yadavas with maces (mausala).
- Mahaprasthanikaparva - The first part of the path to death of Yudhisthira and his brothers (mahaprasthana, the great journey = death).
- Svargarohanaparva - The Pandavas return to the spiritual world (svarga = heaven).
There also exists an appendix of 16,375 verses, the Harivamsaparva, which focuses specifically on the life of Lord Krishna.
Among the principal works and stories that are a part of the Mahabharata are the following. They are often isolated and presented as works complete in and of themselves.
- Bhagavad Gita (Krishna instructs and teaches Arjuna. Bhishmaparva.)
- Damayanti (or Nala and Damayanti, a love story. Aranyakaparva.)
- Krishnavatara (the story of Krishna, the Krishna Leela, which is woven through many chapters of the story)
- Rama (an abbreviated version of the Ramayana. Aranyakaparva.)
- Rishyasringa (also written as Rshyashrnga, the horned boy and rishi. Aranyakaparva.)
- Vishnu sahasranama (the most famous hymn to Vishnu, which describes His 1000 names; Anushasanaparva.)
During the 20th century, scholars have used the earliest existing copies of the work in their regional variations, to develop a composite reference work known as the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata. This project was completed in 1966 at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune.
Modern Mahabharata
The Mahabharata claims to contain the essence and sum of all the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures. It does include large amounts of interpolated Hindu mythology, cosmological stories of the gods and goddesses, and philosophical parables aimed at students of Hindu philosophy. The stories are commonly told to children, at religious functions, or around the house. The Mahabharata claims that those who do not read it shall find their spiritual and yogic quests remain unfulfilled.
In the late 1980s, the Mahabharata was televised and shown on India's national TV (Doordarshan). It was immensely popular, so much so that streets were deserted when it was telecast and even Cabinet meetings were re-scheduled so that Ministers could watch it. The Mahabarata is arguably familiar to the vast majority of Hindus living in the Indian subcontinent, if not abroad.
The epic was also the basis for the 1989 film, The Mahabharata, directed by Peter Brook.
See also
External links
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