The Epic of Mahabharatha

 

The Mahabharata is one of the two great Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana. It is not just a mythological story but a complex narrative that blends history, philosophy, spirituality, politics, and ethics. It was traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa and is believed to have been written between 400 BCE and 400 CE, though the events it describes are set much earlier, in an ancient age known as the "Dvapara Yuga."

The Mahabharata is a monumental epic of ancient India, written in Sanskrit and attributed to the sage Vyasa. With more than 100,000 verses, it is one of the longest epic poems in world literature. The epic weaves together myth, history, philosophy, spirituality, and moral dilemmas into a single narrative that has deeply influenced Indian culture and continues to be read, studied, and adapted.

 

Historical and Mythological Context

The Mahabharata is set during a time known as the Dvapara Yuga, one of the four ages in the cyclical Hindu understanding of time. While the story may have roots in historical conflicts among North Indian tribes, it takes place in a world populated by gods, demi-gods, sages, and supernatural events. The central story revolves around the dynastic struggle for power between two branches of the Kuru dynasty—the Pandavas and the Kauravas—but the Mahabharata also serves as a complex meditation on dharma (righteous duty), karma (action and its consequences), and the human condition.

 

 Central Storyline:

The core of the Mahabharata revolves around the great Kurukshetra War, a dynastic conflict between two branches of a royal family—the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The epic explores the causes, events, and aftermath of this war, touching on themes like duty (dharma), righteousness, morality, and the complexities of human life.

 

Key Characters

Pandavas:

• Yudhishthira: The eldest, known for his commitment to truth and righteousness.
• Bhima: Known for his immense physical strength.
• Arjuna: The greatest warrior, recipient of the Bhagavad Gita from Krishna.
• Nakula and Sahadeva: The twin sons of Madri, skilled in warfare and medicine.
• Duryodhana: The eldest of the Kauravas and the main antagonist, driven by jealousy and ambition.
• Dushasana: Duryodhana’s brother, notorious for attempting to disrobe Draupadi.
• Karna: The tragic hero, loyal to Duryodhana, and secret half-brother to the Pandavas.

Kauravas:

Krishna: The god incarnate, friend, and guide of the Pandavas, especially Arjuna. He is the voice of wisdom and delivers the Bhagavad Gita.

Draupadi: The shared wife of the five Pandavas, Draupadi’s humiliation during the dice game is one of the central provocations for the war.

Bhishma: The grandsire of both the Pandavas and Kauravas, bound by a vow of celibacy and loyalty to the throne of Hastinapura.

Drona: The royal teacher of both the Pandavas and Kauravas, later a commander in the Kaurava army.

 

The Birth of the Pandavas and Kauravas

The Mahabharata begins with the lineage of the Kuru dynasty. The blind King Dhritarashtra and his younger brother, Pandu, are born to the Kuru family. Due to a curse, Pandu cannot have children, but his wives—Kunti and Madri—invoke divine blessings to bear five sons (the Pandavas) from various gods. Dhritarashtra, meanwhile, has 100 sons (the Kauravas), led by Duryodhana.

Duryodhana’s Jealousy

Duryodhana becomes envious of the Pandavas, particularly Yudhishthira, who is the rightful heir to the throne of Hastinapura. This jealousy becomes a driving force behind many of the conflicts in the epic.

 The Game of Dice

Duryodhana conspires to get rid of the Pandavas. He invites Yudhishthira to a rigged game of dice, in which Yudhishthira loses everything, including his kingdom, wealth, and Draupadi. Draupadi is humiliated in the Kaurava court, and the Pandavas are forced into exile for 13 years, including one year of living incognito.

Exile and Return

During their exile, the Pandavas undertake many adventures and grow spiritually and militarily. After completing their 13-year exile, they seek the return of their kingdom, but Duryodhana refuses, leading to the great war of Kurukshetra.

 The Kurukshetra War

The war lasts for 18 days and sees some of the most devastating battles in Indian mythology. The war is full of heroism, treachery, and moral dilemmas. Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and many others fall in the war. Arjuna, guided by Krishna, plays a central role in winning the war for the Pandavas. The Bhagavad Gita, which Krishna delivers to Arjuna on the battlefield, is a profound philosophical text that addresses Arjuna’s hesitation to fight and explains the nature of duty, life, and the soul.

 Aftermath of the War

The war leaves the Kauravas destroyed, but the Pandavas are also deeply affected by the loss of life, especially of their kin and teachers. Yudhishthira ascends the throne, but the cost of the victory weighs heavily on him. The Stri Parva (Book of the Women) recounts the grief and sorrow of the widows left behind after the war.

 Yudhishthira’s Reign and Final Journey

Yudhishthira rules for many years but eventually grows weary of worldly life. Along with his brothers and Draupadi, he embarks on a final pilgrimage to the Himalayas in search of salvation. Along the way, all but Yudhishthira fall. At the end of the journey, he reaches the gates of heaven, where he is tested one last time before being granted entry to the realm of the gods.

Main story

The Mahabharata tells the story of a great dynastic struggle between two branches of the Kuru family—the Pandavas and the Kauravas—for the throne of Hastinapura. The Pandavas, led by the eldest brother Yudhishthira, and the Kauravas, led by their eldest sibling Duryodhana, were cousins. After the death of their fathers, King Pandu and King Dhritarashtra, both sets of brothers grew up in the same court under the guidance of their elders, including Bhishma, the grand patriarch of the family, and Drona, their teacher in warfare.

 

The rivalry between the Pandavas and Kauravas began early, with Duryodhana's jealousy toward the Pandavas due to their superior skills and virtues. This jealousy intensified when Yudhishthira was declared the heir to the throne, despite being younger than Duryodhana. Duryodhana, fueled by his ambition to rule, began plotting against the Pandavas. He even attempted to kill them by setting fire to a house they were staying in, but they managed to escape. Afterward, the Pandavas lived in exile for some time before returning to Hastinapura, where Yudhishthira was crowned king of a part of the kingdom.

 

The Pandavas, after establishing their kingdom, performed the Rajasuya Yagna, a royal ritual to declare their sovereignty, which further enraged Duryodhana. He conspired with his uncle Shakuni to invite Yudhishthira to a game of dice, a pivotal moment in the epic. Yudhishthira, known for his adherence to dharma (righteousness), accepted the invitation despite knowing the risks. The dice game was rigged by Shakuni, and Yudhishthira lost everything—his kingdom, wealth, brothers, and even his wife, Draupadi. The most infamous moment came when Draupadi was humiliated in the Kaurava court, with Dushasana, Duryodhana’s brother, attempting to disrobe her, only to be saved by divine intervention from Lord Krishna.

 

After losing the game, the Pandavas were forced into exile for 13 years, with the last year spent in disguise to avoid detection. During this time, they prepared themselves mentally and physically for the eventual confrontation with the Kauravas. After fulfilling the conditions of their exile, the Pandavas sought the peaceful return of their kingdom, but Duryodhana refused, leading to the outbreak of the Kurukshetra War, the central event of the Mahabharata.

 

The Kurukshetra War lasted for 18 days and involved all the great kings and warriors of the time. The Pandavas had Lord Krishna on their side, who became the charioteer of Arjuna, the greatest archer and warrior among the Pandavas. Before the war, Arjuna was overcome with sorrow and moral confusion at the thought of fighting and killing his own family. It was then that Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita, a discourse on duty, righteousness, and the nature of the soul, which became one of the most important spiritual texts in Hindu philosophy.

 

During the war, the Pandavas faced great challenges, as warriors like Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and others fought on the side of the Kauravas. The war saw many tragic moments, including the deaths of Bhishma, who could only be felled by trickery, and Karna, who fought valiantly despite being the Pandavas’ half-brother, a fact unknown to them during the war. The Kauravas' downfall was inevitable, but it came at a high cost, with many of the key figures on both sides perishing.

 

After the war, Yudhishthira was crowned king, but the victory felt hollow due to the immense loss of life, including the deaths of his own sons and the many great warriors who had perished. The Pandavas were deeply affected by the devastation, and Yudhishthira, burdened by guilt, sought to renounce the throne. However, through the guidance of sages and Krishna, he reluctantly took on the role of ruler and worked to restore peace and order in the kingdom.

 

As time passed, the Pandavas grew weary of worldly life. After ruling for many years, they decided to undertake a final pilgrimage to the Himalayas in search of moksha (spiritual liberation). As they journeyed toward the heavens, one by one, each of the Pandavas and Draupadi fell, their deaths symbolizing the relinquishing of worldly attachments. In the end, only Yudhishthira reached the gates of heaven, where he was tested on his virtues before being granted entrance to the divine realm.

 

The Mahabharata, while centered on the Kurukshetra War, explores many aspects of life, duty, morality, and spirituality. The epic's characters are complex, embodying both virtues and flaws, and their struggles reflect the larger human dilemmas of right and wrong. The Mahabharata remains a profound exploration of the moral and ethical challenges faced by individuals, making it one of the most enduring and significant epics in world literature.

The Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most famous section of the Mahabharata. In it, Arjuna is paralyzed by moral doubt about fighting in the war and turns to Krishna for guidance. Krishna reveals his divine nature and teaches Arjuna about the eternal soul, the importance of performing one’s duty (dharma), and the paths of knowledge (jnana), devotion (bhakti), and selfless action (karma). The Gita remains a central text in Hindu philosophy and is widely studied around the world for its spiritual insights.

Major Themes

Dharma (Righteous Duty): One of the core themes is the difficulty of adhering to dharma in a world of conflicting responsibilities. Characters like Yudhishthira, Bhishma, and Karna struggle with their duties to family, kingdom, and personal codes of conduct.

Karma (Action and its Consequences): The epic constantly emphasizes the consequences of actions and how one’s past karma shapes future events.

The Cycle of Life and Death: The Mahabharata discusses the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth, and the importance of attaining moksha (liberation from this cycle).

The Nature of Power and Ambition: The Mahabharata explores the destructive nature of unchecked ambition, seen in characters like Duryodhana, as well as the responsibilities and burdens of leadership.

Conclusion

The Mahabharata is not just a tale of war but a vast and complex work that explores the full range of human emotions, relationships, and ethical dilemmas. Its characters are neither wholly good nor wholly evil but are often presented as deeply flawed, struggling with their circumstances. This timeless epic continues to resonate with people around the world, offering insights into life, duty, and spirituality.