BHAGAVAN TOSk AND MAHABHARATA

NARAYANAN NAKASKRITYA NARAMCHA.IVA NAROTTAMAM

DEVEEH SAKASWATEEM TOSAM TATG JAYAMUDEERAYET.
*#*

I. THE NATIONS MAGNUM OPUS.

Bhagavan Vynoa'a Maliabharata is the magnum opus of Indian

literature. There is no literary work in any language in the world
which 1s equal to the Mahabherata either in magnitude or
in variety of content* Hahabharata is eight times the Iliad
and the Odyssey put to-gether. It says all about human life
and though what ia .aid hero Might have been .aid el.evh.™, what
is not said here is not said anywhere. The encyclopaedic nature
of the work has not reduced its chan as a piece of poetic art.
Even as a piece of poetic art it has no parallel.o It is a master
Kavya. The best poets call it a Mahakavya?* The encyclopaedic
nature of its content and the unparalleled poetic beauty of the
great epic had Its captivating influence on the later great poets.

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BOOK ONE
2

There are many celebrated works In Sanskrit and other languages

based on Mahabharata. The subject matter of the great epic was
chosen either partly or wholly, and fine works of literary value
were created^ Even by the time of Panini (6th century B.C.) the

epic became very popular. Names like Krishna and Arjuna - the
. 7
characters of the epic are mentioned in Panini bSutras . A Nasik
inscription of the 1st century B.C, describes the valour of a local
x Cl
hero as equal to that of Rama, Kesava, Arjuna and Bheemasena. It
has been the subject of attraction to the poets in all the ages in
all the prominent languages of India. Islands like Java and Bali
in South East Asia were also attracted by the great epic. Accord­
ing to the inscription of Raja Dharma Vamsa (A.D.1000) the great
epic was translated into prose in the Javanese language in ancient
times? Of all the Sanskrit works Mahabharata attracted the Moghal
Emperor, Akbar so much that he got it translated into the Persian
language.
The epic enjoyed such popularity through the ages that it
became a model for great religious teachers in propagating their
religion. Even religions like Jainism and Buddhism began either
fabricating the epic stories on the lines of Mahabharata or recast­
ing the same epic to their advantagS?

Indian tradition respected the epic so much that it called

the Mahabharata the Fifth Ved23 Many later puranas have praised
the epic in high teraS? Almost all the celebrated works in

6.\ ■s. -

7. That he was the avatara of Nerayana was known to Panini who on

the antilogy of Nara and Narayana of the Mahabharata, recorded
in close association in the Sutra.
—"KARNATA HARIDASA SAHITXA" Page VII by Dr. R.S. Panchamukhi.
6. Ibid. r>. c\ ______ .... c\ r\ °
9. ^ oViAV M

10. Jain puranas like Mahapurana and Harivamsapurana •

11. Bharatham Panchamo Vedah.
12 . 32 ^-
BOOK om

Vedanta, Dharma, Rajaneethi and the other branches of Indian know*

ledge have profusely quoted lines from the great epic either to sup­
port their view or to popularise their own school of thought.

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BOOK ONE
4
A close study of the life history of many an Indian King
reveals the fact that they necessarily possessed the knowledge
of this great epic* The reason in all posdbility is that it
narrated in detail all about the political science essential for
a ruler* Further the sentiment of polity end valour are por­
trayed in their best colouri^Ln it,and it became a guide and a -
source of inspiration to the ruling class* Kumarila the 8th cen­
tury simamsin expresses the view that the descriptions of battle
were only used for the purpose of rousing the martial instinct of
the warrior cast}* Many Indian Kings got this epic translated
into their mother tongue and they found pleasure in hearing and
reading it* The inscriptions written after the 5th century A.D.
in and outside India refer to Mahabharata as an authoritative text
for rewarding the, dpnara and for punishing the wicked ^-From
Kambo^a an inapeSralea of 600 A«D* states that copies of^Mahabha-
rata ware planted to a temple there and arrangement, were mad*
for the daily recitation of the epidf

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13* A history of Sanskrit Literature by A*A* MaCdonsl Page 291*
14* - do - - do - Sriyaradachari Page 55*
15* - do - *d5* by A*A* MaCdonel Page 292*
BOOK ONE
- 5 -
*

The great epic was one of the most popular works in South In­
dia from very early times. In the early Sangam literature (150-300
A.D) many references to the epic are to be found. °The Poems of the
Sangam attest to the anxiety of all of them (the monarchs of the Chera
Chola and Pandya lines) to connect themselves with the events of the
great war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. The first Chera
monarch, we hear of Udiyanjeral (A.D. 130) is said to have fed sump­
tuously both the armies of Kurukahetra, and thereby earned for himself
the title Udiyanjeral of the great feeding. The same honour is also
claimed in other poems for the Fandyas and Chola^.
Even as early as the period of Sangam, Mahabharata enjoyed very
high regard in the minds of the South Indian monarchs. An inscription
of the 10th Century A.D., while recording the achievements of the
early Pandyas, speaks of the translation of Mahabharata into Tamil
and the establishing of a Sangam at Madurll How great a task it was

and what an amount of regard the task enjoyed can be understood by

this. What demanded the Pandya Kings to undertake this task „we do
not know, but history has recorded it on a par with the great achieve­
ment of establishing the Sangam at Madura.
In this manner the great epic enjoyed popularity through the
ages in and outside India. It became a model and a source-material
for many great literary works in different languages of India. In
Sanskrit alone there are more than forty celebrated works in differ­
ent forms based on Mahabharatl? Vernacular versions of the great

epic are also many in number. It is interesting to note the varia­

tions in form and treatment;though the theme remains the same.

2. THEOLOGICAL EPIC.

Before making a comparative study of the variations of certain

such versions, a brief review of the form and treatment of the origi­
nal work is appropriate.
Mahabharata of Bhagavan Vyasa is in the form of an 11 IIXHASA * •
It is a lbng narrative poem. The narration generally is simple an d

16. A history of South India K.A.N. Sastry P. 113.

17. ‘'Mahabharatam Tamil Paduttum Madurapuri Sangam Vaittum - Chinna-
manur copper plates.
1S. See Appendix A history of the Sanskrit literature by Dr.Varadachari.
BOOK ONE
- 6 -

lucid*, The Bhagavan though capable of chistling his poem more excel­
lently than any other poet, has not done so all along the epic* His
purpose is not to produce a piece of literary art. He wanted to edu­
cate his people in plain outspoken narrative medium; he wanted to
present before his reader (audience)a real-to-the-core life of a man
with its merits and demerits, virtues and follies. So the long human
story has a beginning(a middle and an end. It is a life size portrait
of human life* Here and there the reader may come across a close-up
show of a character or a microscopic vision of a sentiment. But the
author even in such places ceases to be a subjective lyricist. The
poet being a great sage could be impersonal from beginning to the end.
He has no sympathy for any character. He is an impartial spectator^
detached from the characters he created; he is an impressive story
teller. The great sage-poet, the son of the Vedic soil, is second to
none in rnas'&y over vedas. He had already done the greatest task of

editing the Vedas and earned for himself the name of VEBAVYASA. His
great epic thus composed in the dense atmosphere of Vedic culture is
later to be called the Fifth VEDA*
The mission of Indian ITHIHASA literature is to enlarge the
Vedic ideal!? If it Is the nature of an Itihasa;which else than

Mahabharata fulfills the mission better? So it is aptly called the

Fifth VEDA.
Rajasekhara in his KAVYA MEEMAMSA explains thelTHIHAJSA form
of Indian literature as follows s-
PARAKRIYA FURAKALPA ITHIHASARDWIDH&
SYADEKA NAYAKA FURVA DWITEEYA BAHUNAYAkS?

Madhusudana*s VIVRITHi follows

FURANA VISESHAYEVA ITHXHASAH YEKAKUBANDHI KATHAVISESHAH
' PARAKRIYA ANEKAMBANDHI KATHA VISHESHAH FURAKALPA
DHARMARTHA KAKA MOKSHAMKUPADESA SAMAIWITHA
FURVA VRITTA KATHA YUKTAMITHIHASAM PRACHAKSHATE
ITHIHASA narrates the past (history) connected with one or more
(heroes). It is of two types. First it is of one hero and the later
of more than one hero, For the Itihasa of one hero the example is

19* n Itihasa Puranabhyam Vedara Samupa Brimhayet". This is from

Mahabharata Adi. 1. 267*
20. Sastrs. nirdesadhyaya•
(Ramayana and for the Itihasa of more than one hero the example is
Mahabharata.
) In the Indian soil the ITIHASA form of literature flourished to
enlighten the people "with the Vedic knowledge, which helps them in
tlieir march towards the goal of life. Man is bom on earth with a
purpose? it is not an accident, and he has no right to fritter away
his life in,vain. There is fourfold purposes He must live a righteous
life (Dharma) He must, earn (Artha) He must desire for,and experience
' V

the joys of life} and finally he must equip himself during his life
time to go up the ladder to the ultimate in the life after death.
ITIHASA must teach the man in all these branches of human knowledge*
With th|s^|Tgirit all the itihasas are composed. Especially Mahabha-
rata fykfuhka the purpose so well that it richly deserved to be called
the Fifth Veda.
Indian ITIHASA is a parallel to the English Epic. The Oxford
Dictionary defines the epic exactly as Rajasekhara does. “Poem nar­
rating continuously achievements of one or more heroes". C.M. Gayleyfs
definition of the epic in his"Principles of Poetry" contains all the
qualities attributed to an Indian epic, or the epic in general ancient
or modem, may be described as a dispassionate recital, in dignified
rythemic narrative of a momentous theme of action fulfilled by heroic
characters and supernatural agencies under the control of a sovereign
destiny. The theme involves the political or religious Interests of
a purpose or of mankind; it commands respect due to popular tradition
and to traditional ideals. The poem awakens the sense of the myste­
rious, the auful and the sublime. Through perilous crisis it uplifts
calms the strife of frail humanity.*’
A comparative study of the Greek epics and the Indian epics re­
veals one striking difference. There the art of epic poetry is con­
cerned with the great doings of human bein|3. It is purely anthropo­

centric valour that is glorified. Again the epic bard "tells the sto­
ries because men like to hear them. The poet wishes not to instruct
but to delight his audience." But in the Indian epics the poet's task

21. The invocation Muse in Homer*s Odyssey begins like this t"Tell
me Muse of that nan...
Th the Indian epic, Mahabharata, the audience ask the story teller
like this* "Tell us that PURAHA which was told by the great sage
Dwaipayana and which is respected by the Gods and BRAHMARISHIES
and which contains the meaning of the Vedas*
22. Heroic Poetry - C.M. Bowra Page 29.
BOOK ONE
-,8 -
is more to instruct his audience than to delight them* The anthropo­
centric valour, though glorified, in the Indian epics, is always sub­
missive to the divine power* The Indian epic bard,no doubt delights
his audience, but instructs them more*
though all the Indian epics are not the war poems as the Greek
epics, Kshabharata and Ramayana are war poems* Some critics of the
Western line of thinking are of the opinion that the Mahabharata was
originally a war poem^and the theological element crept into its fabric
as time passed on. One cannot summarily brush the opinion aside.
But the antiquity of the religion dominated composition of the epic
is so great that no version of that so called original war poem or any
nearby version of that kine( is found so far in any part of India or
outside India* Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute with its galaxy
of eminent scholars toiled for decades and prepared the critical edi­
tion of the great epic. They have collated a number of manuscript a
both Indian and foreign. Even among them no version is found to be
of that size and teapefant. So it is futile to bother about the
yet to be seen or irretrievably missing original of the epic. Record­
ed history knows the epic of a size many times bigger than the biggest
Greek Epics and theologically dominated*
In the vast sky of this epic body are strewn twinkling stars
of theological expositions* The head light of Indian theology Bhaga-
vad Geetha shines like the sun in the great epic.
\
All the vernacu-
lar versions and the others of the epic, however artistic and LAUKIKA
in treatment, could not ignore this particular element in the epic.
The Kannada Poet Pampa, when he said that he would present the epic
in the laukika spirit, perhaps forgot and through his pet characters
like Kama began exhorting a kind of philosophf^ Mahabharatha fny

ISQP might have originally been a war poem, but as it is available

to us from times immemorial, it is mainly an epic in which theological
element plays a dominant roll. Prominent religious scholars have
taken shelter under it to propound their line of thought. As has been
already said Jainism and Buddhism have either recast the epic to their
taste or constructed stories dn its lines. Its greatness as a theo­
logical expaeition is praised by many religious veachers.

23. Vikramarjuna Vijaya 12-142.

BOOK ONE
- 9 -
The dominating sentiment ’♦Rasa" in the epic is SANTA, the senti­
ment of Peace. The sentiment of peace is the outcome of the spirit
of Dharma. This Indian epic, though it glorifies the sentiment of
valour like any greek epic, the sentiment of valour is purely Dharmic.
It is DHARMAVEERA; it is not YUDDHAVSERA. In the six cantos of the
great war-story in KURUKSHETRA the YUDDHAVEERA Is well unveiled; but
ultimately it culminates in the Dharmaveera sentiment. The sentiment
of valour is subservient to the sentiment of peace. If the science
of poetry cans Dharmaraja ,the hero of the poem, his heroism is Dharmic
heroism - Dharmaveera,
G^vtoAtute
3. BHAGAVAN VYASA - THE 6«MSURE OF THE DAY.

The author of the epic was a sage, a great Vedic Scholar and
a great personality who had occupied a place of high respect in con­
temporary society. He had a number of disciples apart from Innumer­
able admirers. Apart from his incalcj^le abilities in the fields of

philosophy and literature^ his magnetic personality had attracted all

classes of people and it had earned him unparalleled support and ser­
vice from all sides. He urns the Cynosure of all eyes. He identified
himself with the task of propagating the finest ideals of the great
Vedic lore,When Kings,Sages and even common people got doubts or dis­
putes they were referred to him and his word was final. When there
was no Progeny and when a royal line was dying ^tie was to come and savem
it. When there was a doubt under the marriage pandal and the parties
of the bride and the bridegroom lost in disagreement,he was to come
and settle the dispute. When an old king who had lost everything
in life,still lingered on to the worldly life, he was to come and
advise him to retire to the forest to save his soull When the Royal
Queen suffered an abortion he was to come and artificially hatch the
premature progeny.
Bhagavan Vyasa was a sage, a royal adviser, a religious teacher,
a great educationist, a great philosopher and a great epic bard,
Unless one remembers these qualities of the author, one cannot mean­
ingfully estimate the treatment of the theme by the author. The con­
ception of Viswarupa, teachings of Bhagavat Geeta, detailed discre­
tions of the great war and the portrayal of the hundreds of characters
with different psychological backgrounds are all the wonders one sees
in the great epic. ?
BOOK ONE

- 10 -
The epic4o£ the western world are famous as great narratives.
But in them the religious and philosophical elements do not play a
role^ks important as human valour* G.M. Bowra gives the same reason
for not saying anything about the old Indian epics in his work,Heroic
Poetry. ” I have excluded any literature which is not strictly heroic
in the sense which I have given to the word. That is why nothing is
said about old Indian epics in which a truly heroic foundation is
over laid with much literary and theological matter “ says he.
This great Indian epic portrays not only life, but life after
death as well. So it will be useful and interesting bcrtkto the com­
mon mdn and to the man who wants more than the worldly things. The
epic poetry satisfies all strata of humanity by giving them what is
good and useful. Wherefrom did the poet get the inspiration to com­
pose such a marvelous epic?

4. BACKGROUND AND TREATMENT.

As has been already said he was in close touch, and was more
conversant; than any other, with every aspect of the vedic world.
The bare story of the epic is small; it is the theme of a feud
between cousins in a royal family with which the poet has close re­
lationship. The feud ended in a great war JLn which the entire na­
tion got involved* It was the most important incident in the his-
Xi-lU-
tory of the country. Not only at that time feet^for centuries to
come people remembered it.
Thus when the sage poet wanted to compose a great national epic
this great historical incident became the theme of it. The ancient
history of the royal lines of which the epic poet wanted to describe
in his poem was famous even by that time. The Vedas have sung in
praise of persons like Yayati and Puru, the forefathers of Pandavas
and Kauravas* The solar and lunar royal lines, which play a promi­
nent role in the epic, $£@33® are well known to the Vedas. The im­
portant incidents and the characters are very much historical* The
sage poet took advantage of the national incident and, the antiquity^
and the greatness of the royal line involved in it,and conceived an
epic par excellance. Thus the theme of the epic became the story
of the people of a nation of their political interests. But Bhaga-
van's aim does not end with this. His purpose was not merely to nar-
BOOK one
- 11 -
rate the war story with its earlier and later developments, Hia in­
tention was to hand over to the future generations a complete human
story and through it a message - .the message of the Vedas, The un-
paralled art of the author lies in the logical and harmonious blend­
ing of the didactic element and the realities of life*
Because the human character is not all-perfect, many codes of
conduct are ordered to regulate it* The literature makes the reader
realise the values of these codes of conduct. In this process of ma­
king the reader sympathetic to the message,the approach is two-pronged*
(1) The poet creates an ideal character for leaving lasting impressions
on the reader* The mind of the reader is tuned for the further res­
ponses# . The creation of almost all the characters in Ramayana by Val-
mlki 4i one such# (2) Another way is the humanistic approach* In
this process the characters look very real and near to the reader*
By the humanistic method of erring and correcting# the characters gra­
dually reach the goal of perfection*
k (a) HUMANISM :-
Bhagavan Vyaaa*s Mahabharata is of the second type* Yudhiahttra
is not as perfect as Rama. Rama# Lakshmana and Sita - each of these
characters in Ramayana has an ideal before it* Rama sacrifices hia
boundless love for Sita in his service to the people as a king. Lakah-
mana does not even think of Urmila, his wife# for fourteen yearajin hia
dedicated service to Rama,his elder brother* Sita neither hesitates
nor feels ashamed to undergo the ordeal of an AGNIPARIKSHA in obedience
to her husband* All these characters in Ramayana are so fast bound
by strong principles that they at times look mechanical.
In Bharata it is different* Yudhiahtira the ideal man, could
not but forget the tenets of Vedic ideaH, and play a game of dice and
lose himself in the vice* Bhimasena, in a fit of anger could not but
forget all his respect for Dharmaraja and ask Sahadeva to get fire to
burn his hands,which indulged in the game of dice* Arjuna though
aware of Krishna* s Godliness could not but forget all his devotion and
play with him. Why? Even Draupadi known for her PATIVRATYA (devo­
tion to her husband) could not but forget all her respect for Yudhish-
tira and call him a gambler in an open royal court* Dhritaraahtra ‘ s

24. fr ter* - iTs.vroL-m

BOOK ONE
- 12 -
affection to Duryodhana, Kama’s gratitude to ills patron and Kuntl’s
childish desire to test the efficacy of the MANTHRA - these are scwae
of the many examples of this treatment.
In this humanistic treatment even a hero like Yudhiahtira locks
like a common man, when he loses all his restraint and falls a prey to
a common vice. By describing the power of certain such vices at leng­
th can idle poet be really effective as a didactic author? Yes I fhis
technique is such. It must be handled with devoted skill. Other­
wise it not only ceases to be didactic but like a wild fire it proves
suicidal. It is like integrating the cobra’s poison in preparing
certain life .saving drugs.. A skillful humanist-author is invariably
most successful than an idealist-author in reforming humanity for the
better. In Mahabharata Bhagavan Vyasa proves himself a matchless
humanist-author. The epic being different from the Veda in its fun­
ctions, its characters are also different in their nature. The e$ic
is a mass medium of instruction of Vedic knowledge. Bhagavan Vyasa
invented the new device to bring the fruits of the Veda home to even
the lower strata of humanity* In this new popular scheme of epic
art the devine vedic characters undeifanthropomorphic treatment.
They become men and women of a mark different from common people. Be­
cause the characters are humanized,the reader will have natural sym­
pathy for them. Because they are marked human beings, he will have
respect for them and he feels that he has *o learn from them. The
anthropomorphic treatment is one aspeet of the humanistic approach
that paves a smooth road for the reader to catch the line of instruc­
tive thought of a theologic or a didactic author. “lj »
m. bumamism in the Indian epic is not a modern ee^tieeaW
It is a new and effective medium through which the vedic poet wanted
to educate Ms people. , In those days, perhaps this must have been
a new and revolutionary technique that the powerful epic poet intro­
duced into the world of Indian literature. In the bu*lk of Vedic
authoritarian literature, we do come across fine episodes of natural
human touch. But this commanding tone of the authoritarian tenets
in Vedas eclipses such human lyrical narratives,and one has to gather
them with effort. Bhagavan Vyasa had caught the beautiful art in
these gentle, natural and attractive hide-outs,to be introduced into
Ms new epic in the making. It worked well with him. The new art
seems to have been universally welcomed because there are internal
evidences to say that the great epic became very popular within a
BOOK OHS
m #*

short period of its publicity* not oaly in the land of its birth hut
also in the other worldi?
4 (b) EPISODIC FOSfe s** (Upg&hyr*J3& Katya)
la this art for every authoritarian stricture (^Vur) or a taboo
Ctffeou) in the Vedas* an .episode of soft narration is song* Thus the
epic became an episodic poem of groat magnitude* there is no single
work anywhere in the world in which one can see so many episodes as
in Hahabharata* Some people, say that episodes are the later addi­
tions# It is dearly said in Hahabbarata that Bha&evan VyaaaU work
as published on earth contained 1*00,000 slekas#
*EKAft SATA SAHASiUKTO &USHS3E PBATISEOTTAft *

STSTSTem ?PH ft IjHl

STt wan^ ^TT-r^im_ 3-trfi _i-iOJ_
II the episodes are not taken into account the epic cannot be of that
magnitude# That Bhagavan Vyesa wrote the » TXc^ <T*
is said bath in the epic itself and In other works#
The episode (Upakhyana) is an Important instrument In the hands
of a theological anther to achievs his goal# There are different
types cl episodes like Didactic episodes, allegorical episodes* sa­
tirical episodes aid. comeatative episodes# Each has its own tech-
< Vbb*
nique and each has its charging influence on the leader to time his
mind to the dear understanding of the sain stream ©1 thought# 3oa»
episodes are directly connected with the main story and some are not*
But every episode is important in keeping the reader or the audience
alert to the purpose with which the poet is presenting the epic*
In the early chapters of KehAhharata we come across on episode
in which the obedience and devotion of a disciple to his teacher is
described at length# A teacher called Dhoumya wanted to test Ms
student Upanaaya* He asked bin to look after the cove# Looking
after the cows during the day he came to the teacher in the evening
and bowed to him# He asked Upeaanyu," you look quite strong# What
are you doing for food? He said that he was taking food by Hadhukara.
(elms)# Then he asked, him to give away to him(what)all he earned#
He obeyed* Still he was strong# Again the teacher asked hla how
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BOOK ONE
- 14 -
lie could Be so strong. He said that he was begging for the second
tine and eating, the teacher atoped his doing so saying that he
should not tease the people by begging again* Then he Hired on cow's
silk. When the teacher case to know of it he atoped it tee laying
that the calves wSSTbe deprived of their share. Then he lived on

licking the foam of the milk that was left on the neuths of the cal­
ves. The teacher asked him to stop even licking it. saying that
it would cause, pain to the calves. Finally the dAsciple resorted
to eating the leaves of a forest plant (1m -ST ). He loet his
€ye sight and fell in a deep well. Then the teacher along with other
students went in search of Ma loudly calling "Upaaanyu where are you"
In reply he heard a weak sound from the deep dried-up well* He sew
his* there and asked him to pray the ASW2KX DEVAS for getting the
sight* Then Upamanyu prayed the Aswins. They appeared before him*
They gave Ma a piece of bread and asked Mm to eat it* Be refused
tl eat without giving it to his teacher* Pleased by hie devotion to
Ms teacher they lifted him up and blessed Mm with eyesight and
golden teeth. In Rig Veda we come across many episodes in which
Aswins came to the rescue of the devotees in similar troubles*
Once the Rakshas&s bet a rishi called Rebha and threw him in
a well. The Aswins saved Rebha*

^ k1' i2_- <r

Another Rishi called Vandena was ones beaten by Rakshaaas and
hurried. The Aswins picked him up and saved him*
^ fTarr ^^ u<.- n
Once Rujaawa was bunded by his father for giving away hundred
and one sheep as food to his pet a jackal. When the jackal prayed
for Rujaswa* the Aswins blessed him with eyesight.
Tt'srr.a: sr-Si
vr -err ?r<?» ‘fe-trvr 34r^ W <Pir«r.ST=rvrS:t.
Ut - 14
Ve can understand by comparison how much influence the Vedas
have thrown on Bhagavan Vyssa* So many other episodes can be quoted
and similarities can be shown.
\
In an episodic poem generally the unity of plot is disturbed*
An epic poet or an epic audience is not much bothered about it. If
BOOK ONE
- 15 -
each episode is instructive and interesting It is eaough. without
that* episodes Kahabnarata would have been a small historical pet**
the encyclopaedic quality would have bum lacking; and Its dignity
as a took of theology and Morale would have been lowered* It la
mainly in these episodes the common mm sees hie Image and corrects
himself lor tee better living* Ilue epic owes much of its grautBee*
to the episode* In It*

* jteUsasaigB^^
The art of Bjfeagaven Vyaea la importing the Vedie t*orld into hia
epic is iniaitoblo* Waning the directional world of Vedie expraa-
slon and transforming the unapproachable authoritarian commandment*
into reconcilable and friendly fame of advice through conversations
and episodes the epic author created a Popular world of Veda*
We see plurality of Gods in Vedas* There are three catege-
riee of Divinities in the Vedie world; (i) Gods of Earth, (li) Aerial
Gods and (ill) Heavenly Gods* A$nl, Pritbwi, Soaa, Nadi, Brlhaapati
are the disties of the barth* Xrsdra* Vayu, Anaanapat, nudra, J-iarut,
Vata md Apah are the dletica of the aerial region* Dyouh, Varuna,
Mitra, Surya, Savitru, Pushan, Ajsvtn* ifehas, Ratri, Adityah and
Vishnu are the die ties of Heaven*
Bhagavan Vyaea has imported almost all the gods of the Vedas
to play either a human part or a divine role in the great drama of
Ms national epic* The Vedie idea that there is an inevitable and
cordial relationship between tae divine beings and the human beings
dominates the epic* Nowhere do we find any disjointed construction
of the divine - human tale*
(i) Journey after death s- One finds a vivid description of
the life and life after death in the Vedas* The nan after death
goes to the PiTftULGXA* To reach this world several rites are pre­
scribed to be perforated after the death for the deceased man* In
Hig Veda AURDHVa DAXHIKA SUKTA (3-$ cf-% f|3yQcS) there is enough ac­
count of this world* About the long journey of the soul from this
world to PIXEULGKA and about the Lord of that world, YAhA, w^fcnow
many things in this part of the Veda* Bharata speaks of these things

\(a- l- $
26* -lo-
BOOK ONE
* 16 •

in many of its UPAKHYANAS* Tin's pets are two dogs an owl end a
dove* In Mahabharata a dog follows Dhanaaraja all along his Journey
to Swarga. There Dharmaraja begs admission to the dog into the -
Swarga* This is symbolic of the Vedic content*
(ii) HUMAN BIRTH s
She Vedas eaplhljt.se the view that human birth is the best
opportunity given to a being* It should be best Bade use of for
reaching the higher levelo/fcc attain the eternal hliea. The n»
view is nagnifled both in the fabric of the story and in the several
theological passages in Mahabharata*
(ill) IMMORTAL WORLD 8
There are two worlds according to Rigveda, One is the mor­
tal world and the other ionortal )* Being grateful
to the Almighty for having given the being the human birth one must
strive hard to reach the immortal world* The story is symbolic of
this Journey*
(iv) VEDIC VIRTUES s Vedic virtues have found respectable
place in the Mahabharata* Truth* Dharaa* Charity* Kindnese and not
27
harassing others and such other virtues are advocated by the Vedas*'
Bhagavan Vyasa creates characters and andedotes to magnify the great­
ness of these virtues
Self reliant and independent spirit of living is respected in
the Vedas?® Bheema's character represents this spirit*
(v) YAGNAS s
There are several types of'Yagnas^described in the Vedas*
Some of them are in honour of divinities and some others are for
invoking evil spirits* The 'YAGNIK* institution was well establish­
ed even by the time of Rigveda* In Mahabharata also we come across
several such types of "YAGNAS"* Drupeda's PUTRA KAMESHTZ* Dharma-
raja's RAJASUYA and ASWAMEDHA are a few among many such yagnas that

27 (a) 3-TOc.iu ' OTu 'Sc<-Ck

Sinful and untruthful people go to hell*
(b) a yirqrr mu ^ 4

Adityas plot the truthful to pain

28
■*n t ^ . TL 2_1 r VI
Let us not go to others express:
expressing our poverty and let us not
beg them for help*
BOOK ONE
m m
are described in Mahabharata* While these ere for fair purposes,
we cose across pet another type of yagnas like Jananejaya'a aarpayaga,
Farasara»* *%ksh&a& Satra and Chyavanas bona in which an evil spirit
Dana is invoked to attack Indra. The wain war-thene is depending
on the Ra^asuya, because after perfuming this yaga a great-ear and
a large destruction of population hajr to follow* Narafa clearly tells
this nature of the sacrifice Dharaaraja.
-ft XPrnr
(Vi) EFFICACT OF MANTRAS s
the efficacy of the MANTRAS is described in the Vedes* When
a deity is invited by devotionally chanting the MANTRA the deity would
cone even leaving his own important work on hand*^ the episode of
Kuntl inviting Surya in her childish desire to test the efficacy of
a aaotra and %yya appearing before her blessing her with a son and
again Kuntl inviting Shama, Indra, Vayuand Aewins to beget Pandoras
represents this aspect in the Vedic ayatea. Apart fren this episode
there are a nuaber of other episodes which carry this notion*
(vii) SWAYAMYAftA l
the Swayanvam style of carriage in the royal families is well*
known to the Vedic literature* %he bride chooses her husband fron
anong the people in the SWAYAMVARA STYLE*0 This style of aarriage
is stuch honoured in Mahabhsmta* Bhishna brings Kasl haia*s daughters
fron the Swayaovara-Pandal to scarry then to his brother Vichitraveerya •
Arguns wins the hand of Bxmtpadi In the sane Banner. Kama end Dur-
yodhana are said to have possessed their wives in the sane nanosr*
Daaayanti is aarried to Kale in the sane style*

39. -%?r ^ SJrfT flf^Tqr^TSi^-

■TTSn SOTTH--^
y[f5Z$ — *2_
Vasishta’a son by the power of chanting the mantra aade ladm, who was
at that tine drinking Sena in the Sonayaga of Pasadyuaaa, to com down
to Sudaeafa sacrificial pandal.
In Mahabharata* when Kuntl called Dharaa he cane imediately on
account of the power of the fMantra* ___ ^
cl. ^ u 6

30 , sr‘C sn*s
BOOK ONE
- 18 -
In the Vedic world the system of marriage and the married life
have very great importance. Meeting of the man and woman to make
the existence of human life meaningful is a moment of unparalleled
importance in the human society. Rigveda deals with this subject
at length in 85th Sukta of the 10th Mandala called Surya Sukta which
is called VIVAHA SUKTA. Almost all the marriages described in the
Mahabharata reflect the several aspects of this social custom des­
cribed in the Rigveda.
When the marriage of a bride is settled, the bride is mentally
wedded to the man arid she, from that time of settlement, usoa to
think that he is her man. While commenting on the 10th Mantra of
this $ukta Sri. N.S. Anantharangachar in his Vaidika Sahitya Charitre
says 3 e£>
<sj3TC3\.<7T‘<aJ5£> e.©esCfcCi ^^3* 8c3

Immediately after the marriage of Gandhari was settled,by her

parents, Gandhari took Dhritarastra a^ker hubband and she is said to
have tied a piece of cloth to her eyes to artificially blind herself,
as her proposed man was blind.
3Trv«rrft <5Ttrsfi£,
:i-rr c^u ft ^ 517 jrr -rff *>ii -7 rf
Ifni's:
^ ?n'5r^T ^ en
M (r( 5f fT M-<J <t
^ ^t
Besides?the father of the bride should give cows, horses and
many other presentations to the bridegroom (X-85-13) •
Drupada also gives all these things to Fandavas.
' ?r t~3^spqr ^
^Tcf 5T J\\<i?T<ff <T^ cT‘MT
— —------- - - <5^ -M

Performing the marriage in the presence of Agni (Fire) is

there both in the Vedas and the Mahabharata.
while receiving the bride, the elders use to shower their
best wishes on her. The text of the wishes goes like this s

TT^esrarfL
* You enrifih your husband’s home with children, being the
mistress of it. N
BOOK CMS

X 4-4
Let your looks on your husband be soft (with love)* You live
for his (-crtA.vt-jfc.-yy
welfare* Be kind
okaji Pa u
to animals* Be good at heart and bear a
bright ooicitinoneo* become a mother of valient sons* Bear devotion
to Gods and kindness to animals*11
Sase^uch wishes resound in Kuntl's welcoming speech to Drau-

P»di» _Q____
" ^K^li of Rigveda test appears verbatim in the Bharata text
(1-196-7) along, with, the other wishes*
the purpose of the marriage is to beget male children to keep
the race surviving and to Jointly (man and women) serve the society •
These ideals honoured in the Vedas are advocated all alkng the
epic story*
(Viii) DEVARA i
Vsdas •tattnut SYSTEM Of besetting children to ,.v. a
race from extinction* The Kura Fandava race flourished only in the
Devara System of progenition*
Kale progeny is preferred to a female one in the vedic world#
In Mahabharata also this preference is maintained*
(ix) WARS
In Vedas we cose across a number of wars between DEVAS and
ASURAS* The central theme of Mahabharata is also the same • Dur-
yodhana and his supporters are called the ASURAS end the Pandavas
and M» supporters are called the DEVAS. In the section named
"AMSAVATARA" it is clearly said who is born of whose AMSA regard-
ing the prominent personalities on both the sides*
(x) STEALING HERDS I
Stealing of herds,and«battles in that connection are also
dfaoribed in the Yedaa. The etrategy of ftayodtan. to pull out
Pandavas from incognito is one such similar anecdote in Mahabharata*
(xi) GAME OF DICE $
One section of Rigveda called *AKSHA SUKTA" dfkcribei at length
the game of dice and its evil effects« in the fora of a soliloquy
of a gambler* It is interesting to note one MANTRA which looks like

31.
BOOK ONE
• 20 —
the source of an important incident in Maiiabharata.

•3-^«%Wxfr q-f^ S&s <?PPi 3Jj^x% ^ (j5r^ro

TfTfu Sffi'?R~$T^nTi§‘S <^£'<^TR'_
'~h> 4 4
- -
"GambleA wife runs the risk of being manhandled by other gamblers
and all the relations of the gambler disown him"* In Mahabbarata
Dharmara^a1 s wife ( a gamblers wife ) is being manhandled by the other
gambler* Bhagavan Vyasavs epic story revolves on the pivot of this
6.C
social anecdotet which of course is almost a forgotten section in
the Vedas to-day* It is only remembered as a tenet of taboo ^
In the same SUKTA there is another MANTt\A in which the playing of
the game of dice is put under taboo."'hT*. "Bo not
play the game of dice". The hero of the epic indulges in an act,
put under taboo and, the lesson he learns is the rest of the story.
An anee&ote which is neither important nor popular in the vast world
of vedlc literature plays a pivotal role when it is transmigrated ior
to the world of Bhagavan Vyaaals epic conception. Bhagavan Vyaaa’s
a
marvelous ability to del&ofhte sequences and the characters from the
nook and corner of the vedic world bewilders even the sophisticated
critic* A thorough cooperative study of the Vedas and the Mahabha-
ratba, if it is done, will unlock the hidden treasures of the epic
poet’s revealing art.
(xii)l>IVXNE_INVi$IBhE s-
Tha Vedic thought that the invisible thread of divinity which
links up characters and incidents and enslaves all of them to toll
untiringly to evolve an uncommon finale dominates the epic* This
is the special contribution of the Indian epic bard to our experien­
ce* It is for this that any thoughtful reader reads the epic and
forgets himself in praise and devotion to the author. There are
many literary works based on tills epic; some are unparallaly a*~
tistlc; each one of them has some uniqueness of its own; but acme
of them could present this particular aspect of the author in its
entirity* The story of man and this supremely supernatural agency
is well woven into the fabric of this epic* The fundamental theory
that man’s destiny is ultimately decided by the Supreme Being, that
man is all at His mercy and that He is all kind to him if derived
from the Vedas* Hen must surrender himself to that Supreme Being
BOOK ONE
— 21 —
and sacrifice Bis self in His service* "This is a Kind cl Yagna.
(Rig* X 101*2)" The]&lementa of outer sacrifice in the Vedas are
used as symbols of inner sacrifice and self offering; ve give what
we are and what we have in order that the riches of the divine truth
and Light may descend into our life and become the elements of our
inner birth into the truth **••»•••*«•• our sacrifice is a journey
a pilgrimage and a battle * a travel towards Gods and we also make
-chat journey with Agni* the inner flame as our fapth finder and
leader."^ The philosophical introvert sees the supreme Being every­

where and in every thing and every act of his* he thinks* is in ser­
vice of that Supreme Being* He is not unaware of the invisible
thread that binds all and plays the universal drama in which every
one is a puppet* THE PURUSHA SUKTA in the Rigveda means the same
thing* In Hahabharata VISWARUPA DARSAMA visualises the same theory*
Whether one wants to do it or not it matters little* Every thing
is predestined and things take place inspite of anybody's likes or
dislikes* On account of ignorance* man's ego struts untlsately to
surrender* The more you fuel your ego with wealth* power etc**
bigger the devil you become* The war between the devil and the
divine in the man win always end in triumph of the divine* The
Supreme Being always takes the side of the divine and the human drama
is always a divine comedy* This symbolism is beautifully maintained
in the epic* In the process of maintaining the symbolism we find
the visible and the invisible He at work. The visible He is Krishna -
the Supreme Being of the VEQAS* Throughout the RIGVEBA His inscri­
ption follows the SAGUNA theory.
The exploits of VISHNU or FURUSI# in Rigveda and the exploits
of Krishna in Mahabharata are similar* This visible divinity plays
a prominent role and brings ruin on ADHARKA and Victory in DHAKKA*
His invisible Influences are more changing than the visible influences*
Gandhari understood Krishna's invincible second self which was the
sold case of war* Vldura* Bhlshma and Kama - all of them have under-

32* Vaidika Sahitya Chritre N*S* Anantharangachar Page 282*

33* Purusha is Narayana* Purusha Sukta is also called Harayaneeya
Sankara in his Geetha Bhashya questions and answers*
° ofi*
©
BOOK OHS

„ 22 -
stood Him veil* Kama know that he was being washed away In the
strong current of His influence* The visible divinity pleads peace
as a political diplomat, between the Kauravas and the Pandavas* But
the invisible divinity had already drown an irrevocable blue print
of the great war* The very existence of Sri* Krishna Is for the
purpose of bringing about the great war. But he himself openly goes
on a mission to the Kaxurovas to make peace between them and the Pam*
davas* A study of the two sides of Sri* Krishna’s character, the
invisible and tie visible, will reveal the theological and the huma­
nistic loveliness of that wonderful character and the heights of
Bhagavan Vyasa’s creative abilities?**

No version of the great epic, whether in Sanskrit or in any

other language could present the character in its fulness as in the
original, A critic of Mafcabbarota wHl experience great Joy when
he gets at the beautiful process of elucidating the supreme divine
personality of Sri*. Krishna from that of the human frame, For a
common reader, who is unaware of the background of this supreme -
character and the supernatural skill with which the epic poet shaped
it, it remains a paradox* A man who looks afraid of Jarasandha
brings victory to Pandavas against eleven • AKSHGH1NI 8 army; a
man who saved Arjuna several times from the fatal weapons of physi­
cal prowess and spiritual invisibility allows his own sisters son
Abhimanyu to die a death by any standards unjust and miserable! a
man who saved all Pandavas and the Pandava progency which had already
succumbed to BRAHMASTRA allows his xomn kith and kin - all the Yada-
vas to die fighting among themselves* What a Paradox 1 The more ve
understand Krishna’s character the better we appreciate the skill of
Bhagavan Vyasa*

34* The greatness of this Indian epic lies in this kind of subtle
treatment of the divine characters* Neither in the Eliad
nor in Odyssey sot do we com across Gods in this shape* They
look more like men* They have strong likes and dislikes*
More than a principle their personal likes and dislikes drive
them to act in favour of one character or the other* The
difference between Zeus in Homer’s epics and Krishna in Bha­
gavan Vyasa fe epics clearly shows how the theological concep­
tion of the Indian epic bard is far more evolved than the
theological conception of the Greek epic bard*
BOOK 02®
- Zi -
Cxiii) TOPIC DEITIES At® THEIR COUNTERPARTS 1 VISHHU - KRISHNA
Bhagavan Vyasas Krishna is non® else than the Vishuunf Rigveda*
In Rigveda Vishnu Is praised as the friend of India? Airing war

times He loins India* When they are together they only win; never
37
is there a defeat for them* The friendship and the exploits of VIA*
an end ladra in the Vedie literature are brought into play in Kaha-

bharata* Krishna and Arjuna and their exploits against the evil
forces are as important and as magnificent aa they are in the Vedas.
In fact it is Bheemaaena who Killed all the Kaurava brothers*
It mist have been a historical fact* Why then is Ar^una given more
prominence is the story? The relevant answer to this question is
that the Vedic influence at times eclipses the history in the epic*
rfjte &
11 Now show me that form of your/>M says Arjuna to Krishna in Mahabha-
rata* Its counterpart is there in the Rigveda* tiff
lta counterpart ia «T £ *• “s?eda-

o c, vu ioo- &)
0 Do not remove this form of yours from us* You were with us in
the war in another form (helping)" •
In Rigveda Vishnu is praised for his three paces (Brf^FR)
which occupy the whole universe?8 2his aspect of Vishnu is deli­

cately symbolised in Sri Krishna’s role* This god of heaven (Vish­

nu) when descended to earth has retained his characteristic namely
XQ
occupation* In Vedas it is said that He with one foot occupied the
earth* The dispute between the cousins is concerned with the land*
With the help of Krishna the Pendavas occupied their land* Becoming
a charioteer symbolises occupation as the chariot is an instrument
of forward motion* Krama denotes forward motion* AKRAMANA IS THE
character of a Charioteeer* 1’he nature of Veidic TRIVJKRAKA is
symbolically maintained in the Mahabharata*
Xhis visible Supreme Being of Mahabharata is the here of the
epic* It is called Rarayanak&tha and Krishnavedai!8 In the charac-

35* 5 - 2.2. - IS
yj io-1
37. Tfenrcr^ §r ?£Tl_
2-1 *vwsl «•
39
t - 3 2- , 2-9 -f-
BOOK ONE
— 24 —
ter of Sri* Krishna ve find certain lrriconcllable movements* While
Killing Bhishma* Drona and Kama, Krishna instigates the Pandavas to
resort to ways which are not fair by any ethical standards* One
cannot see pure heroism in these cases* It is the approach of Prag­
matist* It can even be called the oppurtinism* Here Krishna looks
completely deviating from the path of heroism* One has to go in
search of heroie idealism in this character* Homeric heroes live
and die for their personal glory* Krishna is not at all a hero ac­
cording to the Homeric measure* Scrupulously following the norms
prescribed by the Vedas or SASTBAS adds to the glorification of a men*
In all these instances where Krishna violates the human code of heroic
conduct Bhagavsn Vyasa hints to the reader who might have forgotten
that* Krishna is the Supreme Being* to realise that truth* She read­
er is alerted to think of that Supreme Being who commands the emergence;
existence and extinction of the entire universe* One should not Judge
JL
the Justification of any movement of this Almighty Omnicent character
confining it to any given context* Its vision should not be limited
to any fraction of place and time (earth and its history). It is the
vision of the character high above* It is the cosmic vision* the
whole view* So the Judgment is also of the cosmic nature* Shdn
we are very near a aaaobth object we can get only a glimpse of it
and our Judgment will also be destined to be partial* Whenever it
looks as though Krishna is violating the earthly ethic* - the sage
poet is presenting the valuable other side of the coin*
In the seme way as Vishnu of the Vedas is transmigrated* many
other Vedle divinities also are transmigrated into the epic*
Next to Krishna come the Pandavas* In fact Mahabharata la the
story of Vasudeva and the Pandavas* Vasudeva*s greatness* the truth­
fulness of the Pandavas and the evil nature of the sons of Dhritarai-
41
tra are said in Mahabharata by Bhagavan Vyasa* The five brothers
are historical figures* The Jain version of the Bharata-Harlvamsa
Purana of Jalnasena does not admit the divine origin of these characters*
According to this epic the five brothers were not bora as the counter­
parts of Tana* Vayu* Indra and Aswins* Historical loyalty of the
Jain author is appreciated by the modern critics* But Bhegaven Vyasa
as has been already said* has anthroponorphi sed the vedle divinities

41 <=ri^ orrcrgsTTPh
*v ~.2~o»
BOOK cm
•* 25 —
who occupy very important places in the Vedic world* Yama or Dharma
appears as Yudhishtira; Vayu or Vata appears as Bhimasena* Indra ap­
pears as Ar^una* and the divine doctors* the Twins* Aawins* appear
as Nakula and Sahadeva*
If in the thetheological scheme* Sri* Krishna is the hero of
the epic* in the scheme ofshunan story* Yudhietira become the hero*
Yema-ludhiatlra 3 Yudhishtira is Yama of iUgveda. In the
Swargarohana Parva the story of a dog following Yudhishtira is there*
Among the pets of Yama two dogs are mentioned to be protecting the
patbef Pitruloka in AUBDHWADAIHIKA SUKTA. Thus Higvedic concept sym­
bolised in the episode of Yama and the dog in SwargarOhana Farva of
Mahabharata, Yudhishtira*3 character is highly symbolic in the epic*
Bhagavan Vyasa wants to present the character of an ideal man in him*
Though the epic generally calls him by the name Yudhishtira, on seve­
ral occasions he uses the names like Oharmara^a* Dharnarat, Dharma*
prabhava and many such names with the prefix * Dharma ”• This sym­
bolic expression not only suggests the origin of the character but
also sounds the ethical heights of the character* The word "Dharma*
has a wide meaning* It is difficult to find a parallel single word
in English* The word has a wide connotation* One doing one's pres-
eribe<jButies is Dharma* There should mot be any sort of impropriety
in doing one's duties the way of doing* time of doing* place of doing
etc* AH sorts of proprieties must be maintained* If there is any
short coming anywhere there will be a fan and the man has to pay a
heavy price for it* This is the complete sense of Dbazm*
It is said that Mahabharate story is maintained on one pivotal
incident - the hero of the epic Yudhistira playing the game of dice*
The great war took place in the concluding years of DWAFAKA
YUGA* After Dumpers KALIYUGA begins* It is the period of trenai-
tionfrom Dwapara to Kan* In the declining years of Dwepara the
DHARMA loses its stability and suffers in Kali* Kali growing street*
«r at the cost of Dharma is the symbolism in ths story of Dharmeraja
playing the game of dice and losing to Duryodhana* Dharma and Kali
are anthropoaorphised into Dharmara^a and D/uryodhena respectively*2

42* j £ ifl-ct, ^rvcrTTcT ifft/lo'C.

A"1 -Ufe
BOOK ONE
• 26 »
la the game of dice Sakuni acted as a catalytic agent* Dwapara
is anthropomorphised into Saktinl*^
Rousing the instinctual desire to indlulge in the acts put
under taboo by the Vedas is the main nature of Kali* The proceeding
Dwapara, assists the succeeding Kali in his endeavours*
Ve come across a secondary episode which is parallel to this
main episode of Dhanaaraja and the game of dice* It is the episode
of Mala which occurs in Vanaparva* Nala the great king, of Nlshada
possessed allthe vedic virtues*
ofTuT sn^rfr* iTT .

TOfV«OTg^\<\ M^ffTuU
^rnx|r^ <^->frr °0
£OFm d^nr%
H w1 c\M °0?K 5^° 50? %
*S31'5^* oZTTdJ* cti7a* 3h^t 2^0(0

In the Swayaavara style of marriage Damayantl the princess of

Vidharbha chooses to be her husband* Indra and other "DikpelAs" are
returning from the Swayamvara. Kali on his way to Vidharbha with
the desire of winning her had in the Swayamvara meets Indra and others*
When he knows that the Swayanvara is over and 10 ended with the mar­
riage of Mala and Damayantl he gets very angry. He wants to trouble
Mala* He expresses the iirtention of cursing Malm. Than Indra says :
<ArX^2XT3S^ c»iU.irl ^ rU_ JjUM
\ c<Wl<f\ 5>T5T^r53^y^l ^T«^d^TrP\Ti\ <)n V f)Ao"i I ^^ *b> ?? '— ) <2=

"Look here Kali! Whoever wants to curse such a virtuous man as Nala
will be cursing himself and the fool will be killing himself.n
Then Kali wants to bring the fall of Nala by a different device.
He wants to induce him to the game of dice and bring about his ruin.
Kali asks Dwapera to help him* (-) (\/\ ^
sy^ i U ^ In £ UA ^
"You please get into the dice and help me*H Both of them come to an
agreement and proceed* Kali himself in the fora of a brahmin invites
Mala for a game of dice with Puahkara*
Then the game fetgins* How Mala is lost in the game of dice
is beautifully described by the author^. He loses everything inclu-

43 M 3.-o=h J[ AU»T\ F\Z\iM0o

m^TK. ZTZaTEL
* °< * <\ Jk V9
BOOK ONE
- 27 -
ding Ms kingdom* Along with Daoayanti he lives in the forests*
As fate would have it, he loses even Damayantl* He suffers incogni­
to* Finally the episode ends with reunion of the pair and regaining
of the lost status*
This episode is narrated to Dharaaraja to console him by sage
Romasa* This secondary episode with a~l its similarities with the
main episode throws light on the symbolism maintained in the main
episode*
In both the episodes the heroes are tempted to indulge in the
game of dice* Both of them forget all sense of propriety and brin g
ruin to themselves* Both of them are driven to the forests* Both
of them suffer incognito* In both the eases Kali and Dsmpara Join
to humiliate the heroes of Vedic Virtues* In narrating this episode
to Dfaaroaraja Hooasa*s aim is not only to console him but also to
bring to his knowledge the bad effects of the indulgence in the vedl-
cally prohibited acts*
We face a problem here* Haying the game of dice is sanction­
ed to Kshtriyas in the section dealing with Somaya&a in the Vedas*
Dharmaraja might have played the game under that sanction* How is it
tarong? Somayaga or any other yaga is performed to attain Swarga*
MBwargakamayaJetaflaone who wants to go to Swarga must perform yaga11*
The desire for attaining Swarga (the land of pleasures which will not
accommodate the man after exhaustion of his "Punya* is a base desire*
Han’s aim should be to attain the eternal bliss and not the momentary
happiness* This eternal bliss can be attained only by *
•desireless acts’* It is the theological quintessence of Hahabharata*
So the specific taboo In the Rigveda "Do not play the game of dlce%
(3jr^$^^VoXT ) is honoured and symbollshed in his work by the author*

It also suggests that the 'KARFA HARGA* is only a means to an

end and the means ere always perilous when one identifies himself
with it* "Fighting a battle is perilous and grievous* But these
perils and the grief win not harm the main when he does it without
desire end self identification*8 This is the teaching of Krishna
in Bhagavatgeeta* Here Bharmaraja indulged in the game of dice with
desire and self identification* Taken for granted that it is san­
ctioned as YAGA - it should not become an indulgence* When it be­
comes an Indulgence the result will be suffering* This is the les­
son taught by the author through these moral episodes* The philo-
BOOK ONE
- 28 -
sophy of the ”KARMA” and ”GNANA" paths advocated in the Vedas is sug­
gested here* To support this theory we have an anecdote in the Vana-
parva itself* Whan the Bandavag are in the forest, Krishna, for the
first time, meets them there* While consoling ^raupadi he says ”at
the time when Dharmaraja played the game of dice I was not in Dwaraka.
Bo these sufferings came to you all”* The reader will be baffled
at the statement. Had he said that he wasnot in Haatinavati it would
have been meaningful* In what way his presence in Dwaraka would help
the Pandavas who were in Hastina? Here Neelakantha presents Me coa*
mentary like this : 0 <jS 7* Vfl^ ” I waB not in
Dwaraka, the city with nine gates (the body of Dharmara^a). This
means that Dharmaraja forgot the Supreme Being and identified himself
with the act of gambling and brought ruin. This says that one shoftld
remember Him always, whether he is playing a game or performing a Yaga*
All such teachings portrayed in several episodes are put together in
one section Bhagavatgeeta*
Dharmaraja plays a game of dice for the second time. It is
unpardonable on the part of Dharmara^a to indulge again in the vice
which had once brought insult and ruin on him* Traditional commenta­
tors give an explanation to it which alone looks apt* In Rigvcda
God is called by a name YEBHAMANABWIT• It means "enemy to those
who grow great” • This attribute apparently looks silly* How can
he be called God if he is such* The commentators make a j&ne read­
ing in between the lines of this vedic text* The text means, ac­
cording to them, that God is an enemy to those who grow great beyond
their capacities* Growing great beyond one’s own capacities is sui­
cidal* To such, God is harsh in their own interest*
The spotless hero Dharmar&da worthy of Ms name had performed
Rajasuya in a manner that was beyond Ms abilities* His charities
too were more magnanimous. By being scrupulously truthful and vir­
tuous he had earned PUNYA more than what he could bear* There, the
divine agency makes its interruption to cut it short in Ms own wel­
fare. For such a fall of the virtuous hero of Dharmaraj&’s stature
no other interpretation stands meaningful. The reader will be taken
by surprise, to see such uncommon behaviour of the faithful vedic hero
if he is unconscious of the divine scheme in wMch the characters and
the incidents independently of the human reason move to a preordained
end.
BOOK ONE
• 29 -
Though the divine agency mobilises everytiling, in a human
drama, a balance of crime and punishment is inevitable. Dharmara^a
though rendered helpless by the divine agency could not escape the
punishment. That man is governed not only by his omuelf but also
by some supernatural power is established in the story of ludhishtira.
We see humanism in his deviation from the righteous path, We see the
interference of the invisible divine agency in his struggles; and
support of the Supreme Being in his victory. The later two are evol­
ved in the vedic world and the former from the revolutionary poetic
art of the great epic bard.
INDRA - ARJUMH t
Indra of Rlgveda is Ar^una of Mahabharata. Indra Is one of
the highly praised gods in the Vedas. He appears In Mahabharata as
Ar^una. He is @ prominent in Mahabharata as Indra is in the Vedas.
Though as a hero he does not hill any of the Kaurava brothers, the
real culprits, his place is not leas important in the epic as an equa­
lly important and unparallelly valiant hero Kama had to be fought by
him. As has been already observed, in shaping his character Vedic
\

influence seems to have eclipsed the historicity and we see the Vedic
Indra in this character, more than the historic Ar^una. The impor­
tance of Indra is mo much in the Vedic world that one fourth of the
Rlgveda is dedicated to praising him. Two hundred and fifty Suktaa
of Rlgveda go in praise of bSa/P In Mahabharata his birth story is
narrated with special importance. All the gods came down to earth,
they sang, danced and showered Honors on the infant. This pompous
celebration and setting is not to be seen in the birth story of any
of the other Pandavas. Going to Swarga with the corporal body,
sharing the throne of Indra and returning to earth is an unique honour
bestowed on this character.
Ar^una's rival Kama is not an evil soul like Buryodhana and
Sakunl* He la the Ban-God of the Vedas. In the scheme of the
Supreme Divinity one cannot understand how the course of one's life
evolves* Such a bright and divine character as the Sun to stand in
support of evil forces and to fight Krishna and Ar^una is inexplica­
ble. This paradoxical situation is being explained by the traditional
******** ****** *» **> «r* *m *»

4b* Vaiaika Sahitya Charitre Bag# 257 of Sri.N.S. Anantharangach&r.

46* Bee later half of the Adhyaya 122 of Adi*
BOOK ONE
- 30 •
commentators taking shelter under the tenet of Rigveda * K

(He is enemy to those who are growing great)* He has been made a
tool in the divine scheme* Sri* Madhwaebarya the famous Dwaita
Philospher says : V|
<TdI ^bFTrt <ff<r

Bharatha i'atparya Niznaya 2-47

■Here the principle of reducing the excesses ia resorted to regarding
the characters like Kama* Also the theory of two souls (onegood
and the other evil) working in one person is also there*® Surya as
Sugrecva in XRE1AYUGA had done a great service in the mission of God
to bring down the evil forces and earned,’FUNYA9 beyond his abilities*
So the YEDHAMANADWIT• God balances it here in Dwapara by putting
him in the camp of the evil forces*
After the successful encounter with Siva#Arjuna was taken to
Swarga. A pompous reception was given to him* He was given the
honour of sharing the throne of India the Lord of the Paradise. Ur~
vasi the celestial courtisan was specially ordered to entertain Arjune
Second to none in beauty, Urvasi, all amorous to him arrived tn his
lodge* To her surprise she saw a different man in Arjuna* Pas­
sionately she invited him to share her bed* Her offer was rejected
by him* He said that she was his mother and referred to her rela­
tions with Pururava in the past* She argued that it was a different
world, and explained to him the amoral nature of the land* Her
arguments are strong and convincing Arjuna’s past history also says
that he was not less anourous ia such circumstances* ¥hy then
should Arjuna refuse? Here the reader misses the beauty of Bha-
gavan Vy*uaa*s depth of the art* if he does not understand the deli­
cate suggestion made therein* For a proper understanding one must
have studied the story of Pururava discribed in the SAHVALA SliKTk
of Rigveda* Urvaei the divine lady lived for four years with Puru­
rava a King on the earth* She bore children to him also* Cue
days she disappeared causing sorrow to the King* Pururava went
in search of her* He found her bathing in & pond with other divine
ladies* He spoke to her ofthe days when they were together* He
explained to her how love sick he was* lie requested her to come
heck* She could understand how ardently he was in love viva her*
BOOK CHE
- 31 -
But she could not once again go to Mm* She advised hio to realise
hia responsibility to fight the enemies (%sytta). Merely for the
sake of woman one should not give up the duties and responsibilities
said she, In the light of this Vedic episode to which ikrjuna makes
a reference let us understand Arpuna’s character*
The love of Urvaai might intoxicate Mm (Ar^una) to surrender
himself to her for ever* Then it was Pururava; now it might be he i
He is shouldering a great responsibility of winning a war against a
mighty foe for which he is equipping himself with divine weapons*
The very thought of love sick Pururava had taught Mm - what he should
do now* The propriety of Ms refusal will be more meaningful in
this background*
Indra is praised as the most valiant of the Gods in tne Vaaas.
So is Arjuna portrayed in Mahabharata* Foes fear Mm much. He is
the destroyer of the A suras* Such statements are many in number in
the Vedas* All these qualities are attributed to arjuna in Kahabka-
rata* Ar^una destroys* even in the human form* the invincible demons
Kalakeya and Hivatakavacha.
•‘here is an anecdote in ftigveda wMch says that Indra got back
the cows stolen by Partis* A similar incident is there in Axjunars
life in Mahabharata* When the Kaurevas took away the cowe of Virata
Ar^una got them beck defeating the Kauravas* A mention is made of
the close frieadeMp of Vishnu and Indra* Particularly in war time
they £oin together and win the war* When they are together they
only win and never be won* All these remarks about Vishnu and In­
dra in the Vedas are true of their counterparts Krishna and Ar^una
in Mahabharata*

Vayu or Vata of the Vedas appears as Bhlmssena in Mahabharata.

Vedio Vayu bears a handsome personality* Bfceema is also very hand­
some*, TMs is portrayed In the episode of iUdiabe* lildimba does
not even mind the death of her own brother in love with BMma# She
praises Ms handsomeness* In Furusha Sukta Vayu is said to have
been bom of the life of the Supreme Being* * o
Tms Vedic symbolism is maintained in BM«afa Character* Viafcuu
Ae— »«»**«»**'**i*<»

47
43 <44^d \-x-v
BOOK ONE
- 32 -
la the killer of the demons (Kakshasas). Bhima bom of Ms life ia
also a killer of demons. He kills %ka* Kimmeera, Jata, Maniman
and Keechaka* He is the killer of all the hundred Kaurava brothera -
all ASURAS. Bhirna?* going to PAIALA And drinking the Kunda ahtakarasa
and he going to Kubera*s world and getting the Saugandhika flowers
represent his counterpart * s ( V'ayu’s) w in the Vedas.
DIVINE TWINS ASWZHS Nakula and Sahadeva.
Divine twins Aswins of the Vedas appear as Nekula and Sahadeva
in Haiiabhara'ca. Here also they are bora twins. vedas ‘they
are said to be youngest of the gods. In Mahabharata also they are
the youngest of the Pandavas. They are praised for their handsome­
ness in the Vedas* In Mahabarata also they are very handsome.
AQ1CL * DHRISHIADYOMNA
Another important Vedic God is Agni. He appears as Dhrista«
dyusna in Kaliabharata. 11 Agni” is etymologically explained as one
who stands in the forefront. So he is praised in the Vedas. He
is called the Devamukha Agni*s prominence is discribed in several
places in llahabh&rata. In Annaeaeanika Parva the sacrifice done
in Agni is vividly described. Only through Api tine Devas receive
the offerings in the sacrifice. The Mahabharata war is compared
td a Great Yaga (Sacrifice). Being the Chief Commander of the Pan-
dava Amy his D£VA KUKHATWA is maintained.
BEIE4SPAII * PROKA.-
Brihaspati the divine teacher in the Vedas appears as Droaa
in M&hafcharata* again as a teacher. He is not only a teacher but
also a great archer.
ftrtifal
c^^vCcy cC|Tur
frar
2,4.-8

*vrith mantras he wins every one. The power of Ms bow can withstand
anything. His arrows destroy the enemies • He releases the arrows
all around, (at a time). His arrows are bom from Ms ears.” Tlie
last Sine has two meanings. First meaning is while releasing the
arrow from the bow it touches his ears* Second meaning is the arrows
are divine and they are released with the mantras secretly taught
in the ears. It means that he is a great archer and a great teacher.
BOOK om
- 33 -
of divine weapons* Ail these qualities are there in Drone in Malm-
bharata*
Other important Vedic Gods are Maruts* They appear as Dru-
pada and Virata* The Maruts are said to bring victory to those
who praise them* Sane such part is played by them in Mahabharata.
Charactersp episodes* Idealsf and even the social images are
imported from vedas by softening the hard ideals and humanising the
L ' '

supernatural characters* In popularising the theological concept

Bhagavan Vyasa succeded through his new work which is to be rightly
called the Fifth Veda*
A - D MECHANICS OF NARRATION S-
Comentative style* The epic bard has his own way of narra­
ting the story* Forst he narrates the story or the episode in
brief* This brief narration kindles the interest of the audience*
Then the audience who would like to hear the story in its full length
makes a request to the narrator to present it in detail* Then the
real detailed epic narration begins*
author himself explains his method of narration in the
early lines of the first chapter.
o 4 iJuxoSTv
% V\ *V ^ l rd ^7^2X534 rrTg'CuTH^

Neelakantha’s commentary is like this s-

^44 i % f o^A W.o'lAS
o*A\*.oU\ iy f2Jy c^T^T ’eT^a-^X'® J!!j^iXVajfo^ ©
O
dU' zrsXrqf$^ ^ 5%
5m c4 §T^4 Hd«rd |icf Hrpr% 1 ^
fuXTup~ jp"XT*r%td , 9X 3T3rrfq ^
d\ (^pq- o2JiXo2Xr<3T7ydT
A\ S<rt> oUT^5X\i tX "

►
SAVAIKHYA is a work written with the backing of the commentary*
Mahabharata is a work with many episodes in the shape cf commentary*
Keelakantha further says that Bhagavan Vyasa evolved this method cf
narration from the Vedas and gives the example as well* ^ven re­
garding the mechanics of narration BhagavanVyasa has much to do with
the Vedic world*
BOOK <m
- 34 -
For a man who does not know the Vedic tradition it looks odd
to come across repetitions* First a “Sutra* is given; then a conen-
tary on the sutra; after that a caaehtary to the eoarentary. The
reader will be thorough with what is said there* Here in Mahabhara-
ta also the method that is applied in the philosophical discourses is
implemented* So the story in brief is given at the outset, then the
episodes to explain the main story* Ihis ie the step by step narra­
tion to make even the most common audience understand the epic cl its
spirit* Keeping in view a common man the epic poet £riea to be as
easily inteULgible as possible* In this process we come across ex­
planatory repeitioas which in reality are not repetitions. PAKVAlib-
KRMANIKA lists out the hundred parvas and the *£&rvasangrahav presents
the brief details of the contents in each parva* Ihen the detailed
narration begins* Even while narrating the detailed story, before
commencing & new episode, a brief account of the episode in one or
two sentences will be stated and at the request of the audience the
story in detail will be narrated* Ihe audience, now, will hive a
clear memory of the contents of the big work*
As the Indian epic poet’s aim is to instruct the audience, he
does not much care for the art* He is unostentatious, simple,
familiar and acceptable*
Either short statements or long passages of ethical content
are the common reped&icns* Some-times the same idee is presented
in & different expressions and sometimes the same expression is re­
peated*
In voicing these ethical sentiments the epic poet is not mind­
ful of the place, person, or context. Both men and women, young end
old, king and the servant and even animals end the birds - all speak
of ethics and Pharma. Swkunthale enters the court kali of Dushyonta
and with great eloquence and emotion teaches the King the lessons of
truth and Pharma* Certainly a royal poet like Halidas cannot afford
to allow his heroineto enter a court hall* The idea of c lady being
eloquent and reminding a king of Pharma right in the midst of the
Royal Court is ghastly to him. But in Bhagavan Yyasa’c Eakuatla ve
see more of Bbarmic identity then the delicate feminine excellence*
More than the propriety of time place and tae character,epic poet’s
aim is at the all pervasive influence of the permanently valuable
BOOK ONE
- 35 -
thought - a message for all times to mankind. So, lines, passages
and episodes are often repeated to enlighten the intellectually back-
ward audience ( in those days generally women, sudras and the fallen
brahmins).
The epic being a mass medium of instruction, contains detailed
discriptions of various branches of knowledge like Geology, astronomy
war science, political science etc. The epic poet accommodates all
these detailed accounts which a literary artist cannot afford to.
Thus the epic becomes encyclopaedic in its content. The text itself
affirms this fact, AQ Nannayya rightly assesses it in the following
lines ;

^ ofci-3,

s^iuej 3 $hs forioCris* 5P c9 t

oi-
-rioo^Lit^ Y3 ^o20°

G&' I* 3 |

Systematised to the best possible extent the epic narration

aims at enlightening the audience by successive stages. The audi­
ence is introduced into the world of xhe epic story in full aware­
ness and under the least possible psychological disagreement. We
do not come across suspense, flippancy, or taking the audience by
surprise, in the epic narration.
The epic bard does not strain his audience with emotional ebbs
and tides in the narration. In the tranquil flow he sets the ves­
sel and in fair weather he unfurls the sails-. The man on hoarrl
BOOK ONE

- 3 6 -
does not come across violent winds or treacherous whirl pools. The
vast clear blue sky the eternal sheet of water, land and heaven -
the whole universe of its panormlc beauty and meaning shows itself
off to the man on board. Before the voyage is completed he finds
himself metamorphosised and he is landed in a world of peace and
satisfaction - a step up in the ladder to the entemal bliss. This
is the contribution of the great epic poet Bhagavan Vyasa to our
experience and for this we must go to him.