Mahabharata

    In the old old days, there was an illustrious king, Santanu by name, ruling at Hastinapura. He had a son, named Bhishma more renowned than his father. After Bhishma lost his mother, Santanu married Satyavati a fisherwoman. Before this marriage she had already become a mother. Her son is Vyasa, very famous as a sage and as a writer. It was he who collected and rearranged the Veda - chants and compiled them into 4-volume Vedas. He wrote the Puranas and the great epic, Mahabharata. 

    The greatness of Mahabharata lies in its quantity and quality. It contains one lakh of verses. It is an encyclopedia of all information - social, political, economic, moral, religious, historical, philosophical, legendary, etc. It is rightly said,  "What is found in Mahabharata, one may find elsewhere in other works, but what is not there will not be found in any book at all." Because it is such a mine of knowledge, and unlike the four Vedas this epic can be read by all without distinction of training (caste), faith (creed), or ability (sex) it is called the Fifth Veda.

    Dhritarashra and Pandu were born to Bhishma's brothers. Dhritarashtra was born blind and though the elder, he had to forfeit his claim to the throne due to this physical defect. Pandu became king. Of the two brothers Dhritarashtra married Gandhari, a princess, whereas Pandu, the younger had two wives, Kunti and Madri. Gandhari was so devoted and submissive to her lord that she bandaged her eyes, not to enjoy anything that she could not share with her royal husband, and remained thus voluntarily blind for life. What high ideals! She became the mother of Kouravas, 100 in number, whereas Kunti got three sons and Madri two. At the death of Pandu and Madri, the five Pandava princes were brought up and educated along with Kourava boys under the supervison of Bhishma and under the patronage of Dhritarashtra. Drona though a brahmin was a very skillful and efficient teacher, who taught them the art of archery and the various techniques of warfare.

    Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, was so righteous that he gained the name Dharmaputra. Bhima, as you have guessed already, was a giant in physical strength. Arjuna was the handsomest and the cleverest of all and most dear to the teacher. Dharmaputra was the beloved of the people and being the eldest among the 105 princes, was naturally, and by his right too, the heir to the throne. Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kouravas, however was jealous of the Pandavas and tried every means to destroy them. But in our mother-land we know virtue always triumphs. Good conquers Evil. "Satyameva Jayate". - Truth alone triumphs.

    When Yudhishtira was proclaimed king, Duryodhana could not sit quiet and watch. Dhritarashtra loved all the 105 princes alike, and there was no partiality in his mind between his own sons and the nephews, the Pandavas. But who can blame a father, if he loves a little more his eldest son. The great blind royal father, came under the influence of Duryodhana and though directly not an evil-doer, was in sympathy with his son's disappointments and sorrows.

    Duryodhana's plan to kill the Pandavas cunningly giving poison to Bhima, burning down the lac-house etc., failed miserably. Bhima was strong enough to digest the poison. The Pandavas were warned in time by their uncle Vidura and so in the darkness of the night the five brothers along with their mother escaped into the jungle from the burning lac-house. 

    After their miraculous escape from lac-house, they did not return to the palace. They roamed about in the guise of brahmins with their mother. Every one including the Kouravas believed them to be dead.

    During the time, they heard of the Swayamvara of Droupadi. The qualification to marry her lay in the extraordinary skill of archery in hitting a moving target. Arjuna easily won. Everybody congratulated the winnr, and discovered that it was Arjuna. Thus the Pandavas were found out. He took his bride to his hut and called to his mother to come outside and see what he had brought. Instead of doing so, she answered back "My dear children, whatever it be, you shar it among yourselves." Therefore, Droupadi became the common wife of all the five Pandavas. Krishna, who was also present at the marriage ceremony became a great friend of the Pandavas from then onwards.

    Pandavas were thus again victorious. On Bhishma's advice, the kindgom was divided into two parts. Naturally the better half was taken away by the Kouravas. Still, the others built a wonderful city in their own half and called it Indraprastha. 

    Duryodhana watching the increasing prosperity of the Pandavas could contain himself no longer. He openly challenged Dharmaputra for a game of dice. Sakuni, deceit in human form , was the uncle of the Kouravas. He played for them. Inevitably Dharmaputra lost everything - his kingdom, his brothers and also his wife. 

    Not satisfied with this gain, Duryodhana tried to insult Droupadi in public. By Krishna's Grace, nothing disastrous happened. Dhritarashtra, fearing that this might bring unforeseen calamaties beggd Droupadi to take whatever she wanted. She asked for the freedom of her husbands. It was granted.

    Dhritarashtra due to his excessive love for the eldest son was blind to what is right and what is wrong. So again Duryodhana invited Dharmaputra for another game of dice, and the bet was that the losers would live in the forest for 13 years,  without any claim to the kindgom, the last year however to be spent incognito.  they were detected again a round of 13 years' exile; and this would go on for ever.

    Dharmaputra again lost. During the twelve years sojourn in the forests, the Pandavas visited may holy places. They had many interesting adventures at this time. One of them lead to Hanuman's friendship and grace. Arjuna is called Kapidhvaja as he keeps on his flag the emblem of Hanuman. Krishna visited them now and then. Arjuna, at the advice of Vyasa, practised penance, propitiated Siva and got from Him the mighty weapon, the Pasupatastra. He prpitiated also the other gods, Indra, Agni, Varuna and others and got from all of them very powerful weapons. This the twelve years were not wasted but spent in securing the divine weapons, which would come useful later on.

    In the 13th year, hiding all their weapons in the hollow of a tree in a burial ground, all the Pandavas with Droupadi went to the palace of the king of the Viratas and stayed there as servants. Duryodhana was making frantic efforts to discover them. When he heard about the strange murder of Kichaka, the brother-in-law of the king, he concluded that the Pandavas must be in the Virata country. So the Kouravas attached the Viratas, with apparent purpose of carrying away its cattle-wealth. Of course the Pandavas took part in the battle, but when they were recognized as Pandavas the time limit of Thirteen years had already passed. 

    Dharmaputra was fond of peace, and was ever against any quarrel, much less war. So he sent Krishna as a messenger to Hastinapura to claim his kingdom back from Duryodhana. But would Duryodhana give? No. He had by this time come to regard Indraprastha as his own. He not only refused to give their kingdom back, but refused to give even 5 houses for the five brothers to live! Nay, he swore, he would not give even a pin-point of ground to them. 

    War had to be declared. This is the great war fought at Kurukshetra to decide the right of claim. The hundred Kouravas, Bhishma, Drona, Asvathama, etc. were on one side and the Pandavas, Krishna, Drupada, etc. were on the other. Krishna did not actually fight. He was the Charioteer of Arjuna and hence he is called Parthasarathy. Krishna was very impartial. He gave his army to the Kouravas and himself offered to serve the Pandavas. 

    The Kouravas and the Pandava armies arrayed themselves for the war. The Kouravas planned their attacks under the supervision of Bhishma, and under Bhima's management the Pandava army marched into formation. Arjuna asked Krishna to drive his chariot right into the heart of the battlefield, into the no-man's-land between the two opposing forces, so that he could get a clear view of all. he was bubbling over with the war-spirit. He faced his enemy forces ....but there he saw not his enemies but his revered grand-sire Bhishma, his beloved teacher Drona, and his dear and near kinsmen and friends. He felt a growing weakness in his heart. He lost his enthusiasm to fight. He turned to Krishna and told him clearly that he did not wish to fight against his seniors, friends and cousins to win a paltry kingdom. how can he enjoy the luxuries and the glories of a kingdom won by spilling the blood of so many of his relatives and friends!

    When he refused to fight, Krishna gave him good advice, enlightening him upon where his duty lay. Its essence was active conquest of evil and not passive resistance to it. Arjuna was a different person altogether after he had tasted this spiritual Elixir. It cured not only his weakness but revived his spirits. This marvellous advice is the Bhagavad Geeta, which gives in a nut shell, the essence of the vast and deep learning enshrined in the scriptures.

    More on Bhagavad Geeta and the events after in the next post. May this be the 37th of 2021.