Relevance of the Mahabharata

Dr Narendra Kohli

T he Mahabharata speaks about eter­

nal truths and deals with India’s poetry,
history, sociology, religion, and spiritual
philosophy. It actually covers every aspect of
human life and is not limited to any specific
The Super Narrative
The Mahabharata narrates the saga of the Pan­
davas and is embedded with numerous compli­
mentary stories and philosophical texts. Through
them the epic establishes various personal, social,
time, place, or people. Therefore, this priceless political, and spiritual values and illustrates life
cultural and spiritual epic, which is the longest at many levels. The highest truths are put in a
and most sublime of India’s epics, now belongs poetic form of extreme elegance, beauty, depth,
to world culture. Since the journey of mahakala, and structure. The Mahabharata illustrates emo­
great time, is unbroken, it would be wrong to be­ tional ups and downs with astounding clarity
lieve that we have nothing to do with events that and sincerity; it does not leave aside any one
occurred in the past. Modern history may div­ of them: envy, hate, beauty, romance, love, ani­
ide humanity’s uninterrupted journey through mosity, desire, lust, anger, excitement, fear, re­
time into distinct ages and periods, but spirit­ pugnance, grief, and so on. All these emotions
ual literature does not. Like a sand dune, which are just as strong and relevant in individuals at
has a constantly changing crest and a base that present as they were then. Indian metaphys­
remains unchanged for thousands of years, ics believes that the entire creation is regulated
the changes in society and human psyche are by ritam, divine cosmic law. When considered
only superficial, while deep down the human within society and nature ritam is called dharma;
being remains constant. The Mahabharata re­ and this dharma, when spoken in the context of
cords the ancient and very present tale of the laws governing individuals, is called satya, truth.
incessant battle that an individual wages against Therefore, none of the basic laws change, and the
internal and external enemies. Greed, infatu­ narratives of the Mahabharata are as attractive
ation, power, and selfishness are forever con­ today as they must have been in their own time.
stant and active; and if anyone wants to evolve, In the epic’s entire documentation of events,
these negative trends have to be counteracted. customs, and values the clash of opposing
In fact, one has to fight these intangible forces thoughts is exhibited. Both sides of the coin
more within than outside oneself. And there is working on a single event or custom are pres­
only one way to accomplish this: by following ented. Many think that a number of social
dharma. After delineating the path of dharma, practices and values of that time are no longer
the Mahabharata assures us of its fruit: jivan- relevant today. But the customs of polygamy;
mukti, freedom while still living. It also states parivedana, the marriage of a younger brother
that the struggle against negative inner forces before the older; niyoga, employing the brother
is a sacred one and has to be undertaken reli­ or a close kinsman to raise children of a dead
giously and honestly. husband by marrying the widow; svayamvara,

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 had learning, culture, and freedom enough to
choose as they saw fit. King Dushyanta married
Shakuntala in a gandharva type marriage, a mu­
tual agreement between a woman and a man,
which was acceptable in certain cases in those
days. Today such marriages are commonplace
and legal, and we do not think that the couple
has violated dharma. The couple, however, may
go through the same emotional pangs their an­
cestors went through; therefore, the narratives of
the epic can be of help to modern society as well.
With regard to the cases discussed above
twelve types of issues were allowed by the old
Hindu laws, and whatever the circumstances
children were born in, they were fully accepted
by society, for life was held to be sacred. Of
them four are: aurasa, legitimate son or daugh­
ter; kanina, son born of an unmarried woman;
kshetraja, offspring of a wife by a kinsman or
person duly appointed to raise an issue to the
husband; and dattaka, adopted child. If kanina
Uttara and Abhimanyu as he goes off to and kshetraja would have not been considered
the battle in which he will be killed, c.1930 acceptable by dharma, then the tradition of ni-
yoga too would have been rejected. Present-day
a girl choosing her future husband by herself; research on stem cells, as also artificial insemin­
and harana-apaharana, abducting an unmar­ ation, test-tube babies, surrogate mothers, and
ried girl by one who wants to marry her, shown sperm donors are a reality and we do not think
in the Mahabharata are also found in present that all this is wrong.
day society with the same mental anguish or We see an amazing form of joint family sys­
joy attending them. Not that all these customs tem in the Mahabharata. There are no words like
were the current social practices, for monogamy uncle or aunt used in it. The Pandavas never refer
was the normal custom, as it is now. In the cases to Dhritarashtra or Vidura as uncles, they are
painting: artist unknown, baazar art

of Satyavati and Kunti, who were unable to ac­ addressed as father; Gandhari, Dhritarashtra’s
knowledge that their sons were born prior to wife, and Paransavi, Vidura’s wife, are con­
wedlock, they kept the identity of their children sidered mothers. Cousins are called and treated
undisclosed, as it is also done today. Satyavati as brothers. Family values were always held above
was Vyasa’s mother, and Kunti was Karna’s; even­ individual needs, and such joint families have
tually both the sons did learn about their real existed for centuries in India. It is only in this
mothers and the circumstances regarding their and the previous century that family values have
births. These examples clearly demonstrate that been weakened due to many factors, though
during the Mahabharata time men and women even now any occasion is an excuse for all the

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 Relevance of the Mahabharata 37

family members to congregate. This has a posi­ wishes were his birthright, immorality begins to
tive impact on nuclear families, which tend to breed. Sri Krishna did not want Jarasandha’s in­
break up easily and are prone to much tension fluence and excessive demands to grow to such
and distress in the absence of a support system. an extent that people had to suffer. He started
to control and restrict the forces of Jarasandha
Dharma at the Core from the Kaurava capital of Hastinapura itself.
The Mahabharata is primarily the saga of royal Sri Krishna had sent Akrura to Hastinapura to
heroes, of whom Sri Krishna is the central and find out if any injustice was being perpetrated
towering figure. And all the personalities that against Kunti and her sons as well as to verify if
appear in it are used to teach dharma in relation there was any infringement of dharma. Duryo­
to individuals, families, and society. In a number dhana had tried to kill Bhima by poisoning him.
of places the definition of dharma varies, but no­ Bhima was lucky to escape and survive. Kunti,
where in the epic is dharma defined as ‘religion’. disheartened, complained to Vidura about the
Dharma means that which holds things together, attempt to assassinate her son, but Vidura, who
and the epic shows how sometimes the clash be­ understood what state-inflicted terror was, asked
tween individual dharma and higher forms of her to remain quiet for a while; for if she would
dharma arise due to various circumstances. For have complained to the king, her other sons
instance, when Sri Krishna was returning from might have also become targets for assassination.
his mission in Hastinapura, which was his last at­ Sri Krishna realized that despite the presence
tempt to prevent the great Kurukshetra War, he of men like Bhishma, Drona, and Vidura, who
visits Kunti. She tells him something of great im­ understood dharma, the king of Hastinapura
portance, which was also a message for her son himself was at the root of adharma, and under
Yudhishthira: ‘Regardless of what age or period his rule not only was adharma gaining ground,
the calendar claims to be, when the king rules but tyrants like Duryodhana and Dushshasana
with righteousness, the Satya Yuga appears; but were rising. If this adharma was not curtailed
if the king becomes immoral, then the Kali Yuga immediately, it could spread like wildfire and
descends on earth.’ For it was the duty of a king cause terrible destruction. This explains why in
to protect dharma and not to be engaged only any age moral and righteous people suffer when
in his enjoyment. This high duty entailed great a ruler is an immoral tyrant. Only if the king is
trouble and called for intelligence, judgement, righteous can adharma, to a great extent, be con­
and personality. Present-day rulers need to learn tained. It was nothing but Sri Krishna’s efforts
from such lessons. and military might that enabled Yudhishthira,
Right from the beginning the Mahabharata the paragon of dharma, to be proclaimed heir to
emphasizes the struggle against injustice and the throne. In the meantime started the threat
immorality, highlighting that no one’s rights of a joint attack by Jarasandha, Kalayavana, and
should be deliberately snatched and that equal­ Bana­sura on Sri Krishna’s city Mathura. In spite
ity and justice were open to all. When a king like of Sri Krishna being one of the extraordinary
Jarasandha provides protection to the immoral, warriors of the time and knowing well that war is
numerous tyrants like Kamsa are born and tor­ required for self-defence, he decided to remove
ture people. When a powerful ruler intoxicated himself from the conflict instead of for­cing
with strength starts behaving as if his whimsical the innocent citizens of Mathura to ultimate

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 Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna confront Karna, c.1820

destruction. He emptied Mathura and left for We must remember that people were just as
Dwarka. One of Sri Krishna’s many names is greedy for wealth and infatuated with power
ranachor-ji, one who runs away from battle. Sri then as they are now. As soon as the Yadavas
Krishna accepted this dishonour, but refused and the citizens of Mathura left the city, Dhrita­
to be responsible for the deaths of countless in­ rashtra started to look for a way to steal power
nocent people. This is an example for armies from the Pandavas. His minister Kunika ad­
and governments today. There is a difference vised him to eliminate all others who claimed
between war and wanton destruction: unneces­ power—such are the requirements of pol­itics.
sary violence and barbaric behaviour should be Dhritarashtra accepted his advice and im­
avoided, no matter how great the cause for a mediately sent his sister-in-law Kunti and his
battle may be. No soldier from any side should brother’s sons—who considered him as their

painting: artist unknown / Phil adelphia Museum of Art

be subject to torture. During the Pandavas’ first father—to a house made of wax in Varanavata;
battle against Drupada, while Bhima was un­ his intention was to eventually set fire to that
leashing destruction on Drupada’s army, Arjuna house. It was Vidura’s attentiveness and skill,
told Bhima that their aim was to capture Dru­ along with the good fortune of the Pandavas
pada and not to kill indiscriminately. Even pris­ that prevented the assassination. All through
oners were treated with kindness and were not history we find numerous battles among
held for ransom or used to put pressure on the brothers or among fathers and sons for the sake
opponent. War is always inhumane, but civiliza­ of power. These incidents demonstrate how the
tions have always indulged in it, so much so that events narrated in the Mahabharata are not un­
it has become a truism that war is a necessary natural or out of the ordinary, nor have they
evil when societies form. Even if this is taken as lost relevance. A smaller version of the Maha­
true, the Mahabharata shows the proper con­ bharata is played out in today’s homes and fam­
duct in war and the way of humane treatment ilies. We live and breathe in the same world in
of the vanquished. which the epic’s characters lived. Political crimes

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 Relevance of the Mahabharata 39

are still a common facet of our world. One per­ Panchalas and Yadavas. Once again the blind
son’s greed is responsible not just for the mur­ King Dhritarashtra dismissed the Pandavas’ re­
der of enemies, but also of his or her near ones. quest for their rights and, in order to get rid of
Wars start first in the minds and in families and them, gave them sovereignty over a wild do­
then spill on to the battlefields. The wars that minion called Khandavaprastha. Sri Krishna
are being waged today under different labels are funded the construction of the Pandava king­
comparable to the wars that caused the deeds dom with his own wealth, but advised them
of Jarasandha, Kalayavana, and Banasura, and to keep god Indra pleased and on their side,
the misbehaviour of Dhritarashtra and Duryo­ as theirs was a nascent kingdom. Khandava­
dhana. If one reads the Mahabharata carefully, prastha was renamed Indraprastha. Despite
one discovers that it reflects also our own era. these efforts Indra nurtured Pandava enemies in
Sri Krishna could not sit idle and watch the their own kingdom. The tradition to maintain
destructive nature of Dhritarashtra’s greed. He spies and agents even inside friendly countries
could have punished Dhritarashtra outright for has still not faded away. When the Khandava
his evil actions, but that would have not solved forest was set ablaze, Takshaka and his family,
all the problems and established dharma. Sri who were Indra’s agents, were discovered. Tak­
Krishna wanted a person who could replace shaka was a naga, considered a snake, and later
Dhritarashtra and not stray from dharma under in the Mahabharata the same Takshaka am­
any circumstance. And Yudhishthira, the son of bushed Arjuna’s grandson Parikshit. When Sri
dharma, was that person. It is worth noting that Krishna and Arjuna were close to Takshaka in
Sri Krishna never attempted to seat his kinsmen an attempt to eradicate him, Indra intervened
on a throne, as there was a great possibility of directly and rescued Takshaka and his family.
civil war amongst the Yadavas if such a devel­ Many governments and societies still indulge
opment would have taken place. After Dhrita­ in such behaviour.
rashtra’s attempt to burn alive the Pandavas in
Varanavata, Sri Krishna gathered them to start The Great Yajnas
the process of establishing dharma by installing The episode of the rajasuya yajna in the Maha­
Yudhishthira as emperor. Vidura and Vyasa as­ bharata is very significant. Most people do not
sisted Sri Krishna directly and indirectly in this hesitate to describe the rajasuya and ashva­
effort. This was essentially the front of dharma. medha as long lost and forgotten incidents of
He understood that the Pandavas would not an ancient royal culture. It appears that the
survive if they continued to live under the au­ rishis started the practice of these two yajnas
thority of Dhritarashtra. It was essential for the in the light of problems faced by various small
Pandavas not only to live away from Dhrita­ kingdoms and democracies. In these yajnas the
rashtra and build their own military might, but emperor does not take away the land or the rule
also to have some powerful a­ llies. Sri Krishna’s of any king. Only allegiance to the emperor and
strategy led to consolidating family ties be­ taxes are accepted from the local ruler. The aim
tween the Pandavas and the Panchalas, trad­ was to enable common citizens, ­traders, and
itional enemies of the Kauravas. travellers to go from one part of the country to
Sri Krishna managed to make the Pan­ another without obstacles and without being
dava forces strong with the assistance of the inconvenienced due to established boundaries

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 40 Prabuddha Bharata

of small states and kingdoms. Besides, kings death was required for protecting dharma. He
would not start warring against each other for could have become uncooperative towards
selfish and petty interests. Small kingdoms the Pandavas, opposed them, and eventually
could also seek help from the emperor in case even become their enemy; there was, how­
of external threat. As an example of this trad­ ever, a higher reason: the first sign of the es­
ition there was the Maurya dynasty, which is tablishment of a moral administration is the
considered to have been established to defend protection of the life and dignity of the weak,
India from Alexander’s armies. In the mod­ the helpless, and women. In this gathering of
ern age also many governments have their own kings Shishupala had been behaving impolitely
protectorates. The European Union is a new right from the beginning with regard to the
form of the same idea, in which all states within agrapuja, the one to be worshipped first. The
the union experience the convenience of easy grandsire Bhishma recommended Sri Krishna’s
travel, trade, and security by declaring a feder­ name for agrapuja, and this was not acceptable
ation of sovereign states. to Shishupala, who started swearing and curs­
Sri Krishna prepared the Pandavas for a ing. He said inappropriate things not only to
raja­suya yajna not just for strengthening their Sri Krishna but to Bhishma as well. Yudhish­
kingdom, but also with the intention to end thira and the other brothers took no effective
the power of various immoral rulers. However, steps to quiet him, and Bhishma also remained
it is worth noting that Sri Krishna did not de­ silent. Sri Krishna let Shishupala rant, but as
clare a large-scale war. He had already killed soon as Shishupala swore against Rukmini, Sri
Kamsa, now it was necessary to eliminate the Krishna flung his discus and beheaded him.
corrupt Jarasandha and Shishupala. Jarasandha Numerous incidents from Sri Krishna’s life can
had captured ninety-nine smaller kings and was be mentioned to show how he offered protec­
getting ready to capture the hundredth, so that tion and safety to all women. The protection of
he could kill them all and declare himself an a woman’s honour and dignity is more relevant
emperor. His death was necessary to free those today than it was in the past.
ninety-nine kings, but a war with Jarasandha With Sri Krishna on their side, the Pan­
would have meant huge death and destruction davas were satisfied with their rapid progress
for uncountable lives. Instead of attacking him and prosperity. Even after all the continuous
directly Sri Krishna manoeuvres Jarasandha to family feuds Yudhishthira and his brothers did
agree to fight with Bhima. Bhima kills him. Sri not differentiate between the Kauravas and the
Krishna then crowned Jarasandha’s son Saha­ Pandavas and still considered all of them to be
deva as the ruler of Magadha and released the part of one family. Bhishma was their grand­
ninety-nine kings held in captivity. In this way, father and they considered Dhritarashtra to be
even before the rajasuya yajna took place, all their common father. Perhaps this is the rea­
these small and relatively weak kings started to son why the Pandava forces did not proceed to­
care for their people. wards Hastinapura prior to the rajasuya yajna.
Sri Krishna killed Shishupala, a friend and There is no point in conquering or collecting
ally of Jarasandha, with his sudarshana chakra, taxes from one’s own kingdom! All digni­taries
divine discus, before all the assembled kings on from Hastinapura were invited to the yajna
the occasion of the rajasuya yajna. Shishupala’s and important responsibilities were given to

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 them. Not a single rep­
resentative of the Pan­
chalas, their traditional
enemies, was visible in
Indraprastha, despite
the Panchala kingdom
being Draupadi’s maiden
home. This was all ar­
ranged perhaps to please
Bhishma, Drona, and
Dhritarashtra. The Pan­
davas’ attempt to main­
tain family unity appears
to be at play here instead
of politics. Duryodhana,
despite being heir to the ‘Arjuna’s Penance’, c.1825-40
affluent state of Hasti­
napura, could not bear to see the prosperity of circumstances that can trigger a war. Defeated
the Pandavas. Envy, malice, and greed are pres­ in the dice game the Pandavas accepted the loss
ent in all ages and societies, but when they be­ of their empire and the tremendous insult to
come part of politics, they give rise to terrible themselves and to Draupadi. They were ban­
wars. The world has seen how major historical ished to the forests for twelve years, followed
wars have been waged because of a few individ­ by a year of living incognito. They suffered all its
uals who were spiteful, jealous, and proud. inconveniences; they underwent all hardships
Because of his polluted psyche and greed, and fulfilled dutifully all conditions. Despite
Duryodhana uses all sorts of excuses and tricks being capable of waging a war, as by then they
to force his father Dhritarashtra to command already had many powerful allies, they never
Yudhishthira to play a game of dice. Dhrita­ entertained that idea. If the Pandavas were not
rashtra does just that. Yudhishthira joins the restrained, there would have been violence dur­
game even, though he is completely against ing the gambling itself—Yudhishthira kept him­
painting: artist unknown / Brooklyn Museum

gambling and also ignorant of how the game self and his brothers under control. He tried to
is played. And all this he did because Yudhish­ maintain peace even as he accepted the pain of
thira wanted to honour Dhritarashtra’s com­ indignity and suffering. Many societies and cul­
mand, who he considered his father and king. tures at present have to tolerate disrespect from
Yudhishthira loses his kingdom, brothers, him­ not only big but also smaller powers; Yudhish­
self, and eventually, forced by Shakuni who plays thira’s example is worth emulating.
with loaded dice, wagers and loses Draupadi The Mahabharata, apart from its literary and
as well. If one examines the dice game episode spiritual value, brings home to everyone in the
illustrated in the Mahabharata in its entirety, world the role and the need for dharma, follow­
one can understand how greed gives birth to ing which elevates lives and nations and leads
injustice, and injustice and oppression lead to one to the goal of human life: mukti. P

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