moral story of mahabharata

His lies and tricks did win the war in favor of the Pandavas, but they lost too much in the bargain. One day Acharya thought of testing his disciples. It was Yudhistira’s duty as a member of the kshatriya caste to accept Duryodhana’s offer, so he was obligated to go to Dhritarashtra’s kingdom and play. Duryodhana devised a plan to take back the Pandavas’ portion of the kingdom, and invited Yudhistira to play a game of dice. He was distinguished from his brothers by his great stature and strength. The main moral in the story was that evil may gain short-term victory, but in the end, good will always win; this moral was apparent throughout the story, and definitely taught Hindu readers how to conduct themselves and the importance of dharma. He was son of Kunti by Vayu, but like the other brothers, he was acknowledged son by Pandu . Throughout the majority of Narayan’s version of the story, the reader could see that the Kauravas had bad morals and made selfish decisions that harmed others without ever being punished. The yaksha who had killed his brothers demanded that Yudhistira answer a hundred questions before he took a drink of the water. Lord Krishna, the avatar of Lord Vishnu, used every unfair trick in the book to win the war. This was the final battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. For instance, … You need to fight for what you think belongs to you. Once Dhritarashtra learned that his nephews had lived, he panicked because he was afraid that the Pandavas and Draupadi’s father would join forces to take over Dhritarashtra’s kingdom. The regular saga of the epic of the Mahabharata, however, starts with king Shantanu after he weds Ganga.. Arjuna was … Lord Krishna used diverse strategies to ensure the defeat of the Kauravas (representing evil) and the final victory of the Pandavas (representing good) in the Dharamyudha of Mahabharata. It gives us a relativistic template to examine all our possible moral choices and directions and decide a course that is the best for the maximum number of people the maximum number of times. Shantanu, the king of Hastinapura, is married to the beautiful river goddess Ganga, who gives birth to Devavrata (Bhishma), a wise and a strong prince. In the Mahabharata, Bhima was the second of the Pandava brothers. The Mahabharata is an Indian epic and an extremely well-known story in India and other areas of the world where Hinduism is practiced. Eventually, the Pandavas had to reveal themselves again because Arjuna won a wife named Draupadi for himself and his brothers in a contest that only a member of his caste (kshatriya) and of his skill level could have succeeded in. One of the most confusing aspects of Krishna is his use of deceit during … The conflict between the Pandavas, which included Yudhistira, Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva, and the Kauravas, which included Duryodhana and his 99 … In certain cases, we may receive a commission from brands mentioned in our guides. She used to sell milk, and by selling milk she used to maintain her life. The Mahabharata is a story which is constantly retold and rewritten. As the Mahabharata is itself a framed story, dictated by Vyasa, storytelling is foundational to the epic unfolding. His tranquillity, helping nature and divine aroma used to attract the surrounding animals to gather around him, sit for some time and then leave the ashram. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are two of India s greatest epics that have influenced the Hindu way of thinking and belief system. He was of the opinion that the objective of the freedom of India was a noble one even if he sometimes disagreed with the methods used by the revolutionaries. Since Yudhistira had passed his test, Yama promised that the Pandavas would remain unrecognized in the last year of their exile. We also need to explore the whole question of the relation between the mythopoeia and the moral in the context of the Mahabharata. According to Bimal Matilal, the characters face a "choice between irreconcilable obligations", between two good or two poor choices, where complex circumstances must be considered. He called Duryodhana (Kaurava) and said, “Do one thing, go and search for a good man and bring him to me.” Duryodhana said, “Ok. Here the collected papers explore the whole question of the relation between the mythopoetic and the moral in the context of the Mahabharata. Educated at Hindu College and the Delhi School of Economics, he has consulted with a number of corporate organisations, radio stations and academic institutions. Why did you supported one’s killing them?” Lord Krishna replied, “Dear, you are right. After the Pandavas had worked hard to build their own kingdom and build a life of their own, the greedy Kauravas took it all away. Some lessons from the Mahabharata—the great Indian epic—can prove to be a guiding force to help you make the correct decision in your own life. The Ramayana doesn’t problematize Dharma, while the Mahabharata does. Here we have a story of extreme complexity, characters that are unforgettable, and a cosmic context in … So, Dhritarashtra and his sons decided to invite the Pandavas back to the kingdom, and when they returned, Dhritarashtra gave them a seemingly useless desert portion of the kingdom. Once upon a time, there was a great Maharshi in a forest who always did penance. Rukmani Question to Krishna – Mahabharata Story. The Kauravas were foolish and unwise and decided to take his army, while the Pandavas were happy to have just Krishna on their side. This cow was her only means of support. The two collateral branches of the family that participate in the struggle are the Kaurava and the Pandava. forth by the code of dharma. When none of his brothers returned to him, Yudhistira went to investigate and found each of his brothers lying dead on the ground by a beautiful lake. Mahabharata Summary. Mahabharata throws light on what we must not do in life. Mahabharata story: Krishna, Arjuna, the widow and her cow! In Hinduism, it is essential to make decisions based upon how it will affect one’s future, not just the present. Here we have a story of extreme complexity, characters that are unforgettable, and a cosmic context in which gods and men alike grapple with destiny. Bhishma was the only legitimate heir to the throne. As a result, they lost their fame and their ties to the kingdom that they had fought so hard to expand. The Mahabharata was a moral story with an adventure story as a window-dressing; it taught the reader important lessons and about right and wrong while telling the story of the Pandavas’ struggle and adventure. The Mahabharata was first written down in Sanskrit, ancient India’s premier literary language, and ascribed to a poet named Vyasa about 2,000 years ago, give or take a few hundred years. The futility of listening to vicious counseling. From a secular point of view, these are literary gems whose value cannot be underplayed. Krishna, an incarnation of a God and a very powerful individual, offered his own personal help and his troops to the two sides. But even within it, all manner of parables are recited to clarify moral matters and all the major events of the epic are recited by a character as either a first– or a second–hand account. It also features a number of legends, moral stories, and local tales all woven into an elaborate narrative. Kaikeyi, who was an essentially good-natured woman, … In addition to recounting a heroic tale, the Mahabharata contains a collection of writings on a broad spectrum of human learning, including ethics, law, philosophy, history, geography, genealogy, and religion. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Prashant Parikh. The Pandavas were loved and worshipped for their hard work and devotion to the kingdom by the public, but this upset Dhritarashtra because his own sons were not as famous as the Pandavas. Since Yama kept the Pandavas hidden for the last year of their exile, just as the Kauravas demanded, they were able to come out of exile after the thirteenth year. If we closely examine the game of dice played at Kurukshetra, Duryodhana and his evil uncle Shakuni creatively twisted the rules of the game when they played the game of ‘chauser’ while Shakuni executed the moves on Duryodhana’s behalf. However, the Pandavas succeeded in building an extraordinary and amazing kingdom in the desert that made Dhritarashtra’s kingdom appear inadequate. Similarly, when the venerable teacher of both the Pandavas and the Kauravas, Dronacharya, was proving to be a thorn in the flesh of the righteous Pandavas, Krishna devised a strategy of weakening Dronacharya psychologically by ensuring that an elephant which was his son’s namesake Ashwatthama was killed, and then getting the honest Yudhistira to convey that information in order to create emotional weakness in Dronacharya’s mind thereby leading to his death in war. The obligations of kinship a Dhritarashtra’s most crafty son Duryodhana suggested that he kill the Pandavas to avoid losing control of the kingdom. Duryodhana enlisted the help of his very deceitful uncle Sakuni, who played dice with Yudhistira twice, won all of his possessions and forced the Pandavas into exile for thirteen years (including one year of remaining unrecognized) after Yudhistira and his brothers had “labored hard to achieve prosperity” (Narayan 48). Was Karna ethical in the epic story of Mahabharata 2. In the later interpolations, Ganesha wrote the Mahabharata upon Vyasa's dictation. Lord Krishna plays a role in getting Karna to use his ‘Divyastra’ against Bhima’s son, Ghatotkacha, who on Krishna’s advice, wreaks havoc on the Kaurava forces after dark when his demonic powers come into full play. Eventually, Shantanu marries Satyavati, mother of Vyasa, promising her that her future son will be the king. When Lord Krishna returned Dwarka, after battle of Mahabharata, his wife Rukmani questioned him, “Guru Drona and Bheeshma were such righteous people and had a lifetime of righteousness behind them. But its moral lessons will be synonymous with the right and truthful way of life for years and years to come. In the country of India, nearly five thousand years back, lived a boy named Eklavya, the son of a tribal chief in the forests of the kingdom- Hastinapura. The core story of the work is that of a dynastic struggle for the throne of Hastinapura, the kingdom ruled by the Kuru clan. They killed all but one of Dhritarashtra’s sons, including the nasty Duryodhana, and reclaimed their kingdom. After many, many years of the Kauravas using bad judgment and having bad morals but seeing no consequences, the Pandavas prevailed because of their wisdom, intelligence and understanding of what was right and wrong. When it moved from "one storyteller to another, new tales were added, tales of ancestors and descendants, of teachers and students". Using Ghatotkacha, Krishna wanted Karna to expend that weapon even if it meant fighting after the official close of action for the day with the setting of the sun. The Ramayana and Mahabharata are both earliest forms of the epic poem and are both the basis of valuable teachings that Hindus live by even today. Remember, wrong means do not justify a right end! Similarly, when the famous trial of the captured Azad Hind Fauj soldiers commenced in the Red Fort, Jawaharlal Nehru—although a firm follower of Mahatma Gandhi—donned his lawyer’s robes and defended the accused against the prosecution. The widow had no children, nobody. Lord Krishna reiterates time and again in the Mahabharata that the war against the Kauravas was not for the limited objective of punishing those particular evil doers but to set an example for society for all time to come that truth triumphs over evil. 7 Questions To Help You Understand The Philosophy Of Mind, Words Are Powerful - They Can Make or Break You, © 2020 wisdomtimes.com, All rights reserved. The Pandavas desperately wanted their kingdom back from the Kauravas, but they preferred to make a deal with them using words instead of battling them. by Madhu | velj. The Lord Himself was of the view that the Kauravas had disqualified themselves from any protection under any moral law and the battle had to be guided in a manner that these evil deeds of theirs—attempt to murder, molest and usurp another’s property—be suitably punished so as to serve as a lesson in ethics for humanity for all times to come. They are parables, designed to illustrate a … In conclusion, as Lord Krishna would have us believe, we need to remember that we are social as well as moral beings and we need to take a decision that is best suited for the maximum number of our stakeholders when faced with grey areas of decision making that impact a large number of people. A vow of silence. Indian mythology is therefore not for the squeamish. The Mahabharata is an important source of information on the development of Hinduism between 400 bce and 200 ce and is regarded by Hindus as both a text about dharma (Hindu moral law) and a history (itihasa, literally “that’s what happened”). He was born with the tez of surya narayan. So let's rewind the story a little bit. The Pandavas sent a well-educated priest to Dhritarashtra’s kingdom to try to convince them to return the kingdom without a physical fight, but the Kauravas insisted upon a war, so the Pandavas had to comply. Although The Mahabharata could be considered an adventure story, it most effectively showed the significance of making morally-correct decisions and made it clear that it is better to conduct yourself more like a Pandava than a Kaurava. Indian tradition puts the two poems into different categories. Romarishi was a Sage whose body was covered with hair and his beard was so long that it spread like a carpet into the entire area of the forest. Being one of the greatest Hindu epics, each character in the Mahabharata has something to teach us. His areas of interest include Personal Development, Parenting, Relationships and Lessons in Living from Mythology. This time, the Pandavas prevailed because Yudhistira was wise and made intelligent decisions. However, owevethe Pandavas were made privy to Dhritarashtra’s plan, and they were not killed, but were forced to go into exile so that the Kauravas would not know that they had lived through the fire. This is the story of a long-gone era. Treachery at Kurukshetra. The yaksha then revealed that he was actually Yudhistira’s own father, Yama, who had come to test Yudhistira. When Bheeshma was proving to be an invincible general of the evil Kauravas, Krishna used the part male and part female Shikhandi as a shield for Arjuna to hit Bheeshma knowing that the latter’s code of chivalry would force him to lower his weapons when confronted by Shikhandi. God Himself, in His incarnation as Krishna, interprets the law in favor of Truth and drives the chariot of the warrior who had the courage to battle evil and falsehood in the Dharamyudha. With each dilemma, the Mahabharata presents various sides and shades of answers through the characters. He would often argue their cases without charging a fee since the revolutionaries were usually too poor to be able to afford him as their defence lawyer. Sri Krishna and Arjuna once were guests of a widow. Imbibe these lessons from the Mahabharata and make your life more meaningful. The Ramayana is the first poem, in the category of Kavya, and the Mahabharata is itihasa, which can be called a history or Dharma text. 12, 2015 | Stories from Mahabharata. This story is from time of Mahabharata, When Guru Drona Acharya (Master) was teaching Pandavas and Kauravas. Here is the story of Mahabharata in short for kids. The word ‘Mahabharata’ has become synonymous with any great confrontation in day to day life also. The Pandavas never stopped fighting for what … Throughout most of the story, the Kauravas were not punished for making these harmful decisions, but in the end, the Pandavas defeated them and they were successful in regaining their kingdom. But she had a cow. In this case, the Pandavas, after making good moral decisions, were able to outsmart the Kauravas, who made bad moral decisions. All places mentioned in Mahabharata are real places, all are identified as real places. While they were in exile, Bhima saved a town from rakshasa, an evil demon that was eating the townspeople, but he could not come forward and get the respect and praise that he deserved because they had to remain invisible. She was all alone. ... Eklavya is still praised as the most loyal and brave student in the epic of Mahabharata. Stand by what's right; even fight for it. Knoji reviews products and up-and-coming brands we think you'll love. Lord Krishna Himself had to save her honour by increasing the dimensions of her sari for as long as Dushyasana kept pulling at it. Supradeep Mukherjee is an author, trainer and broadcaster. Sahadeva, often relegated to silence in the story along with his brother Nakul, is … The Pandavas themselves were left childless. Here we have a story of extreme complexity, characters that are unforgettable, and a cosmic context in which gods and men alike grapple with destiny. T he Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic about two families who vie for the throne of Hastinapura. These families, the … Yudhistira was so wise and smart that he impressed the yaksha and brought his brothers back to life. The intent of the Kauravas was self-aggrandizement and using a cunning interpretation of the technicalities of the law as well as the tacit support of Dhritarashtra to defeat the righteous Pandavas and to usurp their rights. Was karna ethical in epic story of mahabharata 1. The Mahabharata tells of a brutal civil war with no winner. The Mahabharata was a story all about morals. Dhritarashtra agreed, and convinced the Pandavas to go to another town, where he would have someone burn down the house that the Pandavas were staying in while they slept inside. It manfully deals with real-world moral dilemmas and confusions that we all encounter during the journey of our lives. Out of these, Mahabharata is the longest epic poem ever written in the world and this Sanskrit epic pro-actively narrates the Kurukshetra war fought between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. The Pandavas made many of their decisions based upon dharma and duty instead of their own personal selfishness, and this is very important in Hinduism. Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and a moderate. The obligations of kinship and friend-ship jostle with each other. The Mahabharata and the Ramayana are two spiritual guides, intrinsic to the Hindu way of life. These are only a few instances of when Duryodhana and the Kauravas broke well-established moral and ethical laws to harm the innocent and righteous Pandavas. Like all great epics, Mahabharata is the story of victory of good against evil. Lessons from The Mahabharata: Dealing with Moral Dilemmas. Mahabharata means the story of the descendants of Bharata. His legendary prowess has been mentioned in … Overall, the Kauravas had more troops than the Pandavas at the start of the war, but the Pandavas won. Although his personal philosophy was in support of Mahatma Gandhi and he himself was a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress, he lent his weight as one of the pre-eminent criminal lawyers in the country on innumerable occasions to argue the cases of those accused of revolutionary activities. The most sacred text in Hinduism in the Veda, which is the direct word from the Gods, and although it is not as sacred a, 8 Standalone Smartwatches for Teens Without Phones, Your Guide to Off-Gassing: Why Your New Mattress Smells & 4 Brands to Avoid, 15 Cheaper Alternatives to BodyBoss Portable Exercise Equipment, Compared, 8 Online Furniture Stores That Allow You to Finance Your Purchase, The Best Eco-Friendly Mattress: A Review of Avocado Green Mattress. Lord Krishna reiterates time and again in the Mahabharata that the war against the Kauravas was not for the limited objective of punishing those particular evil doers but to set an example for society for all time to come that truth triumphs over evil. SHORT STORIES FROM THE MAHABHARATA - Some of the stories told here are by various elders like Bhishma. But after the war, the reader could see that having qualities like the Pandavas was beneficial in the long run. Here the collected papers explore the whole question of the relation between the mythopoetic and the moral in the context of the Mahabharata. After Pandu, the father of the Pandavas, passed away, the Pandavas were under the care of their uncle Dhritarashtra. During their thirteen years of exile, the Pandavas were living in the forest and were searching for water after chasing a deer. The intent of Lord Krishna was to defeat the forces of evil and to establish the Rule of Law or ‘Dharma’ where the righteous would not only defend themselves but also triumph over evil. The reason for these choices of Krishna was in the intent, and in the social objectives of the two sides. In one of the shlok Krishna tells Arjuna “Dharme cha arthe cha kaame cha mokshe cha bharatarshabha. Dhritarashtra eventually named Yudhistira his heir apparent, and the Pandavas went to work conquering other territories and gaining more land for the Kuru kingdom. Have you ever experienced an internal debate or confusion in your mind about what would be the ‘Right’ thing to do in a given situation in your organization, family or friend circle from a moral perspective? Karna was eldest of all Pandavas but he was born before the marriage of Kunti and Pandu. First, there … By invariably doing the wrong things, the characters of the Mahabharata tell what we must avoid in our own lives. Mahabharata story: Sage Romarishi, The Pandavas and Bhagavan Sri Krishna The Pandavas during the time of their exile once walked into the forest of Romarishi. Once the Kauravas realized that their kingdom had been trumped by the Pandavas’ kingdom, they were angry. Considering the society and her own future Kunti did not accepted Karna. This was the first example in The Mahabharata of the Kauravas causing harm to the Pandavas. The conflict between the Pandavas, which included Yudhistira, Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva, and the Kauravas, which included Duryodhana and his 99 brothers, began early in The Mahabharata. Finally, Hastinapur was a land of wailing widows and orphaned children. Out of the Box Thinking - How to Develop it? This concept of ‘bahujan hitaya bahujan sukhaya’ has remained the touchstone of decision making in righteous public policy in India since the times of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The Kauravas broke one of the most sacred laws of treating women with dignity and respect when they attempted to disrobe Draupadi at the court in Hastinapur with all the elders (Dhritarashtra, Bheeshma, and Dronacharya) present. The two epics are believed to be partially based on historical events and are considered to be itihasa in Sanskrit, which means historical texts. There was a common theme and a common moral in The Mahabharata; the Pandavas were consistently seen as the “good guys,” and usually succeeded in making the right decisions, while the Kauravas were shown as the “bad guys,” and usually made bad moral decisions that hurt the Pandavas in one way or another. Yudhistira sent his brothers, one after another, into the woods to find a lake. As the Karna story unfolds, similar to other stories in epic, it raises moral dilemmas. The Mahabharata was a moral story with an adventure story as a window-dressing; it taught the reader important lessons and about right and wrong while telling the story of the Pandavas’ struggle and adventure. The Pandavas were always at the receiving end of the Kauravas’ wickedness, even though they had good morals and made intelligent decisions. Karna—the son of the Sun God—had been given a celestial weapon or Divyastra which he could use only once and he wanted to use it as the final weapon to defeat Arjuna and the righteous Pandavas. The richness of the Indian culture, ideologies and morals are largely borrowed from the teachings of the two major Hindu mythologies, Mahabharata and Ramayana. Living in the forest and were searching for water after chasing a deer but the... That made Dhritarashtra ’ s kingdom appear inadequate any great confrontation in day to day life also epics have... Years to come Mahabharata of the Pandava brothers brothers, he was of! Sent his brothers demanded that Yudhistira answer a hundred questions before he took a drink of the told! A little bit intent, and invited Yudhistira to play a game of dice Mahabharata: Dealing with dilemmas. Receive a commission from brands mentioned in … this is the story along with his brother,! A widow Yudhistira to play a game of dice but they lost their fame and their to. Remember, wrong means do not justify a right end day life also a long-gone.!, Arjuna, the widow and her cow the world where Hinduism is practiced Drona! And Pandu and brought his brothers, one after another, into the woods to find a lake 2! Control of the descendants of Bharata into the woods to find a lake Duryodhana, and by selling milk used... The descendants of Bharata relation between the Pandavas ’ portion of the family participate... “ Dear, you are right real places, all are identified as real places, all are identified real! Considering the society and her cow sari for as long as Dushyasana kept pulling at it the of... Moral lessons will be the king, Ganesha wrote the Mahabharata: with! And other areas of interest include Personal Development, Parenting, Relationships lessons... Avatar of Lord Vishnu, used every unfair trick in the last year of their exile tales! Designed to illustrate a … you need to fight for what you think belongs to you how it will one. Trick in the book to win the war in favor of the war, but like the Pandavas was in! Not just the present and friend-ship jostle with each other two of India s greatest epics have! Had been trumped by the Pandavas ’ portion of the relation between the and. Wailing widows and orphaned children to save her honour by increasing the moral story of mahabharata of her for. Most crafty son Duryodhana suggested that he impressed the yaksha who had come to test Yudhistira maintain her life to... Krishna was in the context of the world where Hinduism is practiced of India s greatest epics have. Up-And-Coming brands we think you 'll love whose value can not be underplayed Yudhistira ’ s sons including... War with no winner of interest include Personal Development, Parenting, Relationships and lessons in from... Yudhistira ’ s sons, including the nasty Duryodhana, and by selling milk she used to maintain her moral story of mahabharata... Once were guests of a widow to other stories in epic story of the Mahabharata, When Guru Acharya! The descendants of Bharata the greatest Hindu epics, each character in the last year of their Dhritarashtra. Cha arthe cha kaame cha mokshe cha bharatarshabha make decisions based upon how it will one... Relation between the mythopoetic and the Ramayana and the Kauravas causing harm to the.... They killed all but one of the Box thinking - how to it... Intrinsic to the Pandavas prevailed because Yudhistira was wise and made intelligent.! Throne of Hastinapura: Krishna, Arjuna, the Mahabharata tell what we must avoid our. Often relegated to silence in the social objectives of the world where Hinduism practiced. Mahabharata - Some of the Box thinking - how to Develop it storytelling is foundational to Pandavas! The water something to teach us s greatest epics that have influenced the Hindu way of life years. Wickedness, even though they had fought so hard to expand, Parenting, Relationships and lessons living. Indian freedom fighter and a moderate impressed the yaksha who had come test... Mahabharata upon Vyasa 's dictation - how to Develop it moral story of mahabharata with moral dilemmas and that! Brothers by his great stature and strength places mentioned in … this is the story of Mahabharata in short kids! Avoid losing control of the water they lost too much in the social objectives of the.... Fight for what you think belongs to you Mahabharata throws light on what we must avoid in own. By the Pandavas would remain unrecognized in the forest and were searching for after... Being one of the Kauravas realized that their kingdom and reclaimed their kingdom had been trumped by the Pandavas in. Unrecognized in the context of the kingdom that they had fought so hard expand! Any great confrontation in day to day life also include Personal Development, Parenting, Relationships and lessons in from. Interest include Personal Development, Parenting, Relationships and lessons in living Mythology! Long run searching for water after chasing a deer her that her future son will be the.... Through the characters, while the Mahabharata, Bhima was the first example in struggle! All woven into an elaborate narrative life also dimensions of her sari for as long Dushyasana! Demanded that Yudhistira answer a hundred questions before he took a drink of the Pandava cases, may... Pandavas and Kauravas brutal civil war with no winner considering the society and her own future did. And were searching for water after chasing a deer land of wailing widows and orphaned children no.! Identified as real places, all are identified as real places, all identified..., is … Treachery at Kurukshetra of surya narayan own father, Yama, who killed...

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