The Mahabharata - Vyasa
The Mahabharata is a Sanskrit epic allegedly composed by Vyasa, who appears in the narration as the man who fathers both Dhristarastra and Pandu, the progenators of the Kurus and Pandavas--the lines of men who battle the epic war that the Mahabharata relates. Of his own work, Vyasa states:
There is truth in his statement, for through the narration and the voices of its characters, the Mahabharata guides the audience in all spiritual and worldly concerns. The longest epic poem in the world, the Mahabharata has survived 2500 years as a religious and philosophical lodestone.
The power of asceticism is frequently revealed in the text. At the beginning of their exile, the Pandava brothers retreat to the woods with nothing but despair for the kingdom they've lost. The oldest, Yudhisthira--incarnation of the god of wisdom--engages in a lengthy discussion with a leader of brahmins (religious ascetics), Shaunaka, who explains that "the root of suffering is attachment to matter...One who has renounced attachment, even though living in the world, becomes free from evil passions and the suffering they produce." (224)
The brothers heed the brahmin's advice--they spend 12 years of exile concealed in the forest, fasting and praying. The rituals they perform lead to visions of and visits from several powerful gods. The sun god appears before Yudisthira and promises to provide sustenance for the brothers and their followers for their years of exile. Arjuna travels to heaven and receives powerful celestial weapons from the gods Shiva, Yamaraja, Varuna, and Indra himself, the greatest of the gods. These weapons will later secure victory for the Pandavas in the war against their cousins--though outnumbered, they will fight with the strength and power of the gods.
It is their ascetic rituals which purify the brothers enough to see, receive blessings from, and interact with the gods. By relinquishing the earth, they become godlike themselves, a constant theme in Hindu literature. At the end of the epic, the brothers approach heaven. They must travel a great distance across the unforgiving Himalayas, and the brothers are individually felled by the spiritual weaknesses they showed on earth. Sahadeva falls because he considered himself to be the wisest of men. Nakula dies because he thought he was the most physically attractive man. Arjuna falls because he was too proud of his skill as a warrior. Bhima dies because he was a glutton. The four brothers were guilty of self-love. Only Yudhisthira completes the journey, for he has devoted his life to selflessly serving his dharma.
Yudhisthira is taken by Indra to "heaven," where he sees many fallen warriors engaging in pleasures similar to those they sought on earth. This is not the final resting place for their souls, which still have a long road to travel before they reach oneness with god. Yudhisthira asks to join his brothers, and hell is revealed to him. He is shocked at first, but Indra explains that even the most noble humans perform a sin in their lives, and must therefore see a small part of hell before they join him paradise. Indra then takes all of the Pandavas to the highest level of heaven, where they are revealed in their god forms and return to their posts as eternal servants to Indra.
The epic concludes by explaining Indra's role as Krishna on earth:
"The Lord's only business was to bring all suffering souls back to their eternal positions as his loving servants. He only seemed to become involved in the affairs of the world, but in truth he was always aloof. Under illusion, men become bewildered and indulge in material pleasure, imagining themselves independent enjoyers. In reality, they were parts of the Supreme, dependent upon him for everything. Actual happiness could only be found when one once again gave up his desires to be independent of God." (908)
“In the realm of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha—ethics, economy, pleasure, and
liberation—whatever is found in this epic may be found elsewhere, but what is
not found here will be impossible to find anywhere else.”
There is truth in his statement, for through the narration and the voices of its characters, the Mahabharata guides the audience in all spiritual and worldly concerns. The longest epic poem in the world, the Mahabharata has survived 2500 years as a religious and philosophical lodestone.
A synopsis for the Mahabharata can be found at this link.
The power of asceticism is frequently revealed in the text. At the beginning of their exile, the Pandava brothers retreat to the woods with nothing but despair for the kingdom they've lost. The oldest, Yudhisthira--incarnation of the god of wisdom--engages in a lengthy discussion with a leader of brahmins (religious ascetics), Shaunaka, who explains that "the root of suffering is attachment to matter...One who has renounced attachment, even though living in the world, becomes free from evil passions and the suffering they produce." (224)
The brothers heed the brahmin's advice--they spend 12 years of exile concealed in the forest, fasting and praying. The rituals they perform lead to visions of and visits from several powerful gods. The sun god appears before Yudisthira and promises to provide sustenance for the brothers and their followers for their years of exile. Arjuna travels to heaven and receives powerful celestial weapons from the gods Shiva, Yamaraja, Varuna, and Indra himself, the greatest of the gods. These weapons will later secure victory for the Pandavas in the war against their cousins--though outnumbered, they will fight with the strength and power of the gods.
It is their ascetic rituals which purify the brothers enough to see, receive blessings from, and interact with the gods. By relinquishing the earth, they become godlike themselves, a constant theme in Hindu literature. At the end of the epic, the brothers approach heaven. They must travel a great distance across the unforgiving Himalayas, and the brothers are individually felled by the spiritual weaknesses they showed on earth. Sahadeva falls because he considered himself to be the wisest of men. Nakula dies because he thought he was the most physically attractive man. Arjuna falls because he was too proud of his skill as a warrior. Bhima dies because he was a glutton. The four brothers were guilty of self-love. Only Yudhisthira completes the journey, for he has devoted his life to selflessly serving his dharma.
Yudhisthira is taken by Indra to "heaven," where he sees many fallen warriors engaging in pleasures similar to those they sought on earth. This is not the final resting place for their souls, which still have a long road to travel before they reach oneness with god. Yudhisthira asks to join his brothers, and hell is revealed to him. He is shocked at first, but Indra explains that even the most noble humans perform a sin in their lives, and must therefore see a small part of hell before they join him paradise. Indra then takes all of the Pandavas to the highest level of heaven, where they are revealed in their god forms and return to their posts as eternal servants to Indra.
The epic concludes by explaining Indra's role as Krishna on earth:
"The Lord's only business was to bring all suffering souls back to their eternal positions as his loving servants. He only seemed to become involved in the affairs of the world, but in truth he was always aloof. Under illusion, men become bewildered and indulge in material pleasure, imagining themselves independent enjoyers. In reality, they were parts of the Supreme, dependent upon him for everything. Actual happiness could only be found when one once again gave up his desires to be independent of God." (908)
It is no wonder the epic poem is so central to the Hindu culture and religion. Its discussion of the intangible philosophies about justice, duty, and fate is enlightening and clarifying. Immersed in a world of gods and warriors, battling to their inevitable places in heaven, one begins to understand the role of man in God's plan.
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