Mahabharat

If there be a word for the most incredible tale ever told – then it is the story of the Mahabharat. There is a great debate about whether there is any historical accuracy in the story of Mahabharata. This narrative is so remarkable that it has made numerous people speculate - ‘Did it really happen? Let’s find some proofs that indicate mahabharat is our itihas.



It has been written in the epic from time to time that Mahabharat is a "itihas" which exclusively means "thus occured". The words "Puraan" and "Itihas" were specifically coined by the ancient people to categorize the "ancient" and "recent" events. Both the words denote history that has occurred at different times. If the intentions of the writer were to write a poem or a work of fiction, he would have stated it to be a "mahakavya" or "katha".



All places mentioned in Mahabharata are real places, all are identified as real places. For instance, Hastinapur is in UP. Indraprastha is the present day Delhi. Dwarka is located in Gujarat coast. Moreover, Mahabharata cities are not limited to present day India because Mahabharata referred Indian subcontinent as Bharata. For example, Gandhar could be present day Kandhar. The country is named Bhaarat after the king Bharat (son of Dushyant & Shakuntala). What country would be named after the hero of a novel!



Among the extensive and deep underwater discoveries were the massive Dwarka city wall, a large door socket and a bastion from the fort wall, natural harbour, two rock-cut slipways of different width and sizes extending from the beach to the intertidal zone and numerous old stone ship anchors were excavated.



Read the description of Kaliyuga as mentioned in Mahabharata. Whatever Shree Krishna said tallies with creepy, mysterious accurateness with modern life as it exists today. And remember - this was written thousands of years ago! Fiction? Unlikely because there are way too many corroborations and tallying circumstances for it to be fiction.



Citing Oppenheimer

The architect of modern atomic bomb who was in charge of the Manhattan project was asked by a student after the manhattan explosion, “How do you feel after having exploded the first atomic bomb on earth”. Oppenheimer’s reply for the question was, “not first atomic bomb, but first atomic bomb in modern times”. He strongly believed that nukes were used in ancient India.

learned Sanskrit in 1933 and read the Bhagavad Gitain the original form, citing it later as one of the most influential books to shape his philosophy of life. Oppenheimer later recalled that, while witnessing the explosion of the Trinity nuclear test, he thought of verses from the Bhagavad Gita (XI,12):

कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः। ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः॥११- ३२॥

If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one ...

Years later he would explain that another verse had also entered his head at that time:

We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and, to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.



The Indian Epics, especially the MAHABHARATA, pick up the thread of the tale of devastation and destruction. Sanskrit scholars could not comprehend what was being described in the Epics until the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Japan.

There are Authentic Verses from Mahabharata: “Gurkha, flying a swift and powerful vimana (fast aircraft) hurled a single projectile (rocket) charged with the power of the Universe (nuclear device). An incandescent column of smoke and flame, as bright as ten thousand suns, rose with all its splendour.”



If you write a story, then the main character of your story will be shown as superior to everyone and glorified. He will not suffer. Just like movies, The villain dies in the end not hero. Arjuna forgets his dhanur vidya and can not lift his Gaandeev. Shree Krishna leaves his body and his entire dynasty ends.



Indeed Mahabharat is the greatest epic ever covering all aspects of life, written so long ago – this cannot just be a story, it has to be Hi-Story.

Also there is another school of thought:
*MAHABHARAT*
_Imagination or Reality_

It is said in the texts that 80% of the fighting male population of the civilization was wiped out in the eighteen days Mahabharata war.

Sanjay, at the end of the war went to the spot where the greatest war took place; Kurukshetra.

He looked around and wondered if the war really happened, if the ground beneath him had soaked all that blood, if the great Pandavas and Krishna stood where he stood.

“You will never know the truth about that!” said an aging soft voice.

Sanjay turned around to find an Old man in saffron robes appearing out of a column of dust.

“I know you are here to find out about the Kurukshetra war, but *you cannot know about that war till you know what the real war is about*.” the Old man said enigmatically.

“What do you mean?”

*The Mahabharata is an Epic, a ballad, perhaps a reality, but definitely a philosophy*.

The Old man smiled luring Sanjay into more questions.

“Can you tell me what the philosophy is then?”
Sanjay requested.

Sure, began the Old man.

*The Pandavas are nothing but your five senses*,
sight,
smell,
taste,
touch
and sound...,

and do you know what the *Kauravas* are?
he asked narrowing his eyes.

*The Kauravas are the hundred vices that attack your senses everyday but you can fight them*... and do you know how?

Sanjay shook his head again.

“When Krishna rides your chariot!”

The Old man smiled brighter and Sanjay gasped at that gem of insight.

*Krishna is your inner voice, your soul, your guiding light and if you let your life in his hands you have nothing to worry*.

Sanjay was stupefied but came around quickly with another question.

“Then *why are Dronacharya and Bhishma fighting for the Kauravas, if they are vices*?”

The Old man nodded, sadder for the question.

It just means that as you grow up, your perception of your elders change. *The elders who you thought were perfect in your growing up years are not all that perfect. They have faults. And one day you will have to decide if they are for your good or your bad. Then you may also realize that you may have to fight them for the good. It is the hardest part of growing up and that is why the Geeta is important*.

Sanjay slumped down on the ground, not because he was tired but because he could understand and was struck by the enormity of it all.

*What about Karna*? he whispered.

“Ah!” said the Old man. “You have saved the best for last. *Karna is the brother to your senses, he is desire, he is a part of you but stands with the vices. He feels wronged and makes excuses for being with the vices as your desire does all the time.*

*Does your desire not give you excuses to embrace vices*?”

Sanjay nodded silently. He looked at the ground, consumed with a million thoughts, trying to put everything together and then when he looked up the Old man was gone....
disappeared in the column of dust.........leaving behind the great philosophy of Life!