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Mahabharata and Gita
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata composed by sage Vyasa tells the story
of two sets of paternal first cousins. It is the story of a blind King Drita-rastra
(mind),
whose eldest Son Duryo-dana, is the symbol of Ego. According to the
code of Indian law, the kingdom should not be ruled by a physically
handicapped King. Drita-rastra who is born blind had to give up the
ruling power of the kingdom to his younger brother Pandu. Pandu is the
symbolism of wisdom. To Pandu five sons are born (called
Pandavas) and to Drita-rastra 100 sons (called Kav-ravas). Pandu dies
soon after his sons were born and since his son being young, it was
decided by the ministers that the blind king Drita-rastra assumes the throne
until Pandu's son was old enough to be the king.
Through the above
story and the symbolism, we will understand that from our birth, the blind
mind cannot rule our life but the wisdom in us. Since the wisdom has to
strengthen through experience in life, we temporarily allow the blind mind
to rule us. But having tasted power the mind not only want to give up the
kingdom ,but tries to crown its own son, the Ego. This is what we see
in Mahabharata.
The power thirsty blind King Drit-rastra did not want to now give up
kingdom to his brother's Son. He wanted to crown his own Son Duryodana
as the king instead of giving back the kingdom to the most deserving
brother's son Yud-istra. These developments lead the two sets of paternal
cousins to became bitter rivals, and
opposed each other in war for possession of the ancestral kingdom. In
Mahabharatadays India was called as Bhaarat
with its capital Hastinapur. Hastinapur is
still current India's Capital with the new name Delhi.
Knowing the developing rivalry, the great grandfather ,Bhisma divides the
kingdom into two and allows one portion of it to be ruled by Pandavas.
Duryodhana however behaved
viciously and brutally toward the Pandavas in many ways. With the intention
of getting back the partitioned kingdom, he invited the eldest Pandava, Yud-istra in a game
of dice: Treacherously they win not only the kingdom but also
wins all the five brothers and their
common wife Draupadi. After they won the game of dice, the Kavravas (100
sons of Drita-rastra)
humiliated all the Pandavas and physically abused Draupadi and drove
the Pandava party into the wilderness for twelve years, and the twelve years
had to be followed by the Pandavas' living somewhere in society, in
disguise, without being discovered for one more year. If they are spotted
then they have to repeat the exile of 12years and one year of disguise
again.
The Pandavas fulfilled their part of that bargain, but the villainous leader
of the Drita-rashtra party, Duryodhana , was unwilling to restore the
Pandavas to their half of the kingdom when the thirteen years had expired.
Both sides then called upon their many allies and two large armies arrayed
themselves on the battle field.
The most dramatic figure of the entire Mahabharata, however, is
Krishna, who with great personality protects Law, performs Good
Deeds and Right conduct. Krishna is not only cousin to the Pandavas (sons of Pandu) but also the brother-in-law of Arjuna , the third Pandava, and
served as Arjuna's mentor and charioteer in the great war.
Much of the action in the Mahabharata is accompanied by discussion
and debate among various interested parties, and the most famous sermon of
all time, Krishna ethical lecture and demonstration of his divinity to
his charge Arjuna (the justly famous Bhagavad Gita occurred in
the Mahabharata just prior to the commencement of the hostilities of
the war. The war was fought 18 days and finally the Pandavas won killing
Duryodhana.
Please click here to continue to read symbolism of Mahabharata.
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