Mahabharata - Modern Mahabharata

Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra Gita

The Mahabharata symbolizes the Creation of the Universe, and the Creation of Man from Spirit or the Supreme Consciousness, into Matter. The discourse in the Gita is the process by which one could reverse this descent. In other words, it details the steps by which man can reascend from his limited consciousness as a mortal being, back to the immortal consciousness of his true Self, merging with the Infinite (Spirit), from whence he came. SHANTANU He is representative of God, the Para-Brahman, and the father of all creatio ...

See also:

Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Primary purport, Mahabharata - Background and history, Mahabharata - The Mahabharata the epic story, Mahabharata - Stories, Mahabharata - Structure, Mahabharata - Modern Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Another Viewpoint, Mahabharata - The Significance of Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Symbolism of Mahabharata

Read more here: » Mahabharata: Encyclopedia II - Mahabharata - Symbolism of Mahabharata

The epic is told by Vyasa, who is one of the major dynastic characters within the epic. The first section of the Mahabharata states that it was Lord Ganesh (the elephant-headed god of the Hindus) who, at the behest of Vyasa, wrote the epic down on manuscript. Lord Ganesh is said to have agreed, but only on condition that Vyasa never pause in his recitation. Vyasa then put a counter-condition that Ganesh understand whatever he recited, before writing it down. In this way Vyasa could get some respite from continuously speaking by saying a vers ...

See also:

Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Primary purport, Mahabharata - Background and history, Mahabharata - The Mahabharata the epic story, Mahabharata - Stories, Mahabharata - Structure, Mahabharata - Modern Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Another Viewpoint, Mahabharata - The Significance of Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Symbolism of Mahabharata

Read more here: » Mahabharata: Encyclopedia II - Mahabharata - Background and history

The core story of the work is that of a dynastic struggle for the throne of Hastinapura, the kingdom ruled by the Kuru clan. The two collateral branches of the family that participate in the struggle are the Kauravas, the elder branch of the family, and the Pandavas, the younger branch. The struggle culminates leading to the Great battle of Kurukshetra, and the Pandavas are ultimately victorious. The Mahabharata itself ends with the death of Krishna, and the subsequent end of his dynasty, and ascent of the Pandava brothers to Heaven. ...

See also:

Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Primary purport, Mahabharata - Background and history, Mahabharata - The Mahabharata the epic story, Mahabharata - Stories, Mahabharata - Structure, Mahabharata - Modern Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Another Viewpoint, Mahabharata - The Significance of Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Symbolism of Mahabharata

Read more here: » Mahabharata: Encyclopedia II - Mahabharata - The Mahabharata the epic story

Background - The story has its beginning at the time of King Shantanu, three generations before Krishna and Arjuna. King Shantanu’s first wife was named Ganga, who conceived 8 sons. The first seven sons were immersed in the sacred waters of the Ganges by their mother Ganga, immediately after birth. King Shantanu pleaded for his eighth son and Ganga conceded and allowed him to live, but she in turn immersed herself into the Ganges. This son was named Bhishma. After some time, Shantanu took a second queen named Satyavati, and t ...

See also:

Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Primary purport, Mahabharata - Background and history, Mahabharata - The Mahabharata the epic story, Mahabharata - Stories, Mahabharata - Structure, Mahabharata - Modern Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Another Viewpoint, Mahabharata - The Significance of Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Symbolism of Mahabharata

Read more here: » Mahabharata: Encyclopedia II - Mahabharata - The Significance of Mahabharata

The core story of the work is that of a dynastic struggle for the throne of Hastinapura, the kingdom ruled by the Kuru clan. The two collateral branches of the family that participate in the struggle are the Kauravas, the elder branch of the family, and the Pandavas, the younger branch. The struggle culminates leading to the Great battle of Kurukshetra, and the Pandavas are ultimately victorious. The Mahabharata itself ends with the death of Krishna, and the subsequent end of his dynasty, and ascent of the Pandava brothers to Heaven. ...

See also:

Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Primary purport, Mahabharata - Background and history, Mahabharata - The Mahabharata, the epic story, Mahabharata - Stories, Mahabharata - Structure, Mahabharata - Modern Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Another Viewpoint, Mahabharata - The Significance of Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Symbolism of Mahabharata

Read more here: » Mahabharata: Encyclopedia II - Mahabharata - The Mahabharata, the epic story

With its vast philosophical depth and sheer magnitude, a consummate embodiment of the ethos of not only grand India but of Hinduism and Vedic tradition, the Mahabharata's scope and grandeur is best summarized by one quotation from the beginning of its first parva (section): "What is found here, may be found elsewhere. What is not found here, will not be found elsewhere." Many scholars in recent history have viewed Ramayana as an ethnically-induced conflict between the indigenious conquered Dravidian peoples and the established ...

See also:

Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Primary purport, Mahabharata - Background and history, Mahabharata - The Mahabharata the epic story, Mahabharata - Stories, Mahabharata - Structure, Mahabharata - Modern Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Another Viewpoint, Mahabharata - The Significance of Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Symbolism of Mahabharata

Read more here: » Mahabharata: Encyclopedia II - Mahabharata - Primary purport