Questions tagged [mahabharata]
The epic by Veda Vyasa narrating the great war fought in India between the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
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Was Bhishma really not aware about the difference between Dharma and tradition?
In Star Plus Mahabharat, season 3 episode 2, when Karna was a teenager, he wins a little competition which involved bow and arrow. Karna won, but Bhishma only praised his chariot driver skills, and ...
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26 views
Is Parakaya Pravesha mentioned in Mahabharata? [duplicate]
I heard a story claiming form Mahabharata that a student of a person performs Parakaya Pravesha which is similar to that of well known Adi Shankaracharya which we generally hear.
Is Parakaya Pravesha ...
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33 views
Did Bhimasena laugh at Duryodhana infront of Vasudeva?
It is known that Bhimasena laughed at Duryodhana in Mayasabha due to the incident of Duryodhana falling down due to confusion.
Did it happen in front of Sri Krishna?
The following passage from Adi ...
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78 views
Prayer of Kunti to demi-gods
What are the prayers (verbatim in Sanskrit) offered by Kunti before begetting Pandava children ? Are boon manthras given to her by sage Doorvasa mentioned in Mahabharata or elsewhere?
Are they ...
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2answers
128 views
Does Valmiki Ramayana or Vyasa Mahabharata or Srimad Baghavatham contain the names of ten incarnations(dashavatharas only)?
Do any one of the following scriptures contain the ten incarnations (dashavathara only) of Vishnu?
Valmiki Ramayana
Vyasa Mahabharata
Srimad Baghavatham
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1answer
108 views
Timelines of Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vedas, and Upanishads
Can someone please give timelines of Ramayana, Mahabharta, Vedas, and Upanishads?
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26 views
Who compiled the 'Bharata-Savitri'?
According to the 'Ahnik-Kritaya' by Shyamacharan Kaviratna Vidyavaridhi, the 'Bharata-Savitri' is the essence of the Mahabharata. It has a Chatuhsloki version also, both being accepted by the famous ...
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1answer
49 views
What's the significance of the name Panchashikha?
Panchashikha is a character who appears in the Mahabharata. I found the name interesting. A shikha is the tuft of hair that remains after an upanayana ceremony. Why would someone be named Panchashikha ...
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137 views
Is the BORI Critical Edition of the Mahabharata the most authentic? [closed]
Is BORI Critical Edition translated by Bibek Debroy truly the most authentic version available on this planet right now?
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36 views
Clay Sanskrit Library and Mahabharata
I am not fully sure whether this is the most appropriate site to ask this question. If it is not, please suggest a more proper one.
I am currently learning sanskrit and have been meaning to acquire ...
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50 views
Is there any commentary available on Kutashlokas (VyasRahsya) of Mahabharata?
Ganesha agreed to scribe Mahabharata only if Vyasa speak shlokas in continuation. But, Vyasa needed time to think shlokas so he put one condition that Ganesha would write shloka only after ...
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49 views
Sahadev method of prediction
It is said that Sahadev used a specific chart for his prediction.
May I have a glimpse of same please if available.
Also, please share any instruction on how it works
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2answers
103 views
Request to identify swastika motif/yantra seen at temple in Hawalbagh, Almora
I have seen this picture at Hawalbagh, Hawalbagh is a Village and block in Almora District of Uttarakhand State, India. Local people told me that it is a Chakravyuha of Mahabharata where Abhimanyu ...
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What does the demon kali staying in gold mean?
Near the beginning of the kali yuga, Parikshit maharaja allowed the demon kali to stay in gold amongst other places. What are the consequences of this?
1) Does this mean we should not own any gold or ...
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85 views
Did Swami Vivekananda idealize Ekalavya for modern students?
Ekalavya learnt many things by just considering Drona as his teacher. But he is on the side of Adharma.
Many websites are claiming that Swami Vivekananda told the following lines
Ekalavya, an ...
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70 views
How old is the Bhagavad Gita?
I know it was spoken in the battlefield of Mahabharata by Lord Krishna. If Lord Krishna departed around 3102 B.C (the beginning of Kali), the events of the Mahabharata must have occurred before it. If ...
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4answers
199 views
Did Sanjaya and Barbarika see Krishna's universal form?
We all know that Arjuna saw vishwaroop of Krishna in the mahabharata war but could Barbarika,(the grandson of Bheema, who watched the entire war from the mountain) and Sanjay see the vishwaroop?
...
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2answers
153 views
Did Bhishma attain Swarga or Vaikuntha?
In the Mahabharata, when Yudhisthira enters Swarga-loka, he finds Bhishma there:
"Behold Dhritarashtra, the king of the Gandharvas, possessed of great wisdom. Know that this one was the eldest ...
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3answers
124 views
In Mahabharata, were people aware of Krishna's Reality?
I have following question
Krishna wielded the Sudarshan Chakra. In many instances he has used it in front of several people. So, wasn't it clear to everyone that Krishna is indeed Vishnu because, as ...
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42 views
Previous births of Indrajit and Meghavāhana
Just then a muni, named Aprameyabala, who had four kinds of knowledge, came to the garden Kusumāyudha. In that same place at night his brilliant omniscience appeared and the gods held an omniscience-...
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1answer
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Can a brahmin eat meat according to shastras
I had posted the following in an answer but was urged to post it as a question.
I thought brahmins were not supposed to eat meat but I was reading MahAbhArata when I came across the following in ...
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2answers
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Why did Drona and Kripa, who were Brahmanas, fight in the Mahabharata war? [duplicate]
Dronacharya and Kripacharya were powerful warriors who fought in the Mahabharata war. However, they were Brahmanas and not Kshatriyas.
Why did they decide to fight?
Apastamba says:
A Brāhmaṇa ...
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2answers
162 views
Why Urvashi has given Arjuna the curse of being impotent?
Why Urvashi has given Arjuna the curse of being impotent? is it true? If yes then what is the reason behind the curse?
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1answer
125 views
Where in the Mahabharata does Krishna discuss Archa forms of Vishnu?
The Tattva Matrika is a work by the Sri Vaishnava Acharya Vedanta Desikan about the Sri Vaishnava philosophy of Visistadvaita. Among the topics discussed are the five types of manifestations of ...
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69 views
How many times solar eclipse have occured during mahabharata war?
I heard from the scriptures that solar eclipse happened 3 times during the same paksha (sukla quarter) it signifies total destruction and Yuga change. Wants to know the scriptural reference for the ...
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232 views
Which Sri Vaishnava Acharya drew this world map based on the Mahabharata?
This picture, showing a world map based on the Mahabharata, is often circulated on the Internet:
It’s based on this chapter and subsequent chapters of the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. But my ...
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0answers
35 views
Which words are used by Pandavas to address Dhritarashtra and Gandhari?
Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva are the names of Pandavas.
Pandu is the father of Pandavas. Kunti is mother of Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna. Madri is mother of Nakula and Sahadeva....
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1answer
83 views
Did Duryodhana plan Rajasuya to establish Dharma?
After the Rajasuya by Yudhistira, Duryodhana also tries to perform it with the help of Karna.
What is the intention of Duryodhana in performing Rajasuya? Is it mentioned anywhere in Mahabharata?
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What does it mean by Vidura entering Yudhishthira’ body?
As explained in this answer, Vidura left his mortal body and entered Yudhishthira’s
Possessed of great intelligence, he then (by his Yoga-power) entered
the body of Yudhishthira, limb by limb. ...
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57 views
Was Drishtadyumna invincible and not slayable until he had killed Drona?
Since he had the boon that he was going to kill Drona - he was basically invincible until he had accomplished that. Does the Mahabharata talk about this?
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What stanzas in Vyasa Mahabharata convey that Sri Krishna held Bhishma as adharmic or protecting adharma?
In Gita, he already tells Arjuna that bheeshma, drona & karna were already slain by him, so Arjuna shouldnt worry and just kill his enemies. That is a very indirect message. But are there other ...
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51 views
How pure were the castes at the time Manu-Smriti was written?
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b012.htm
Mahabharata seems to suggest caste-mixing was already happening:
"Bhishma said, 'The Brahmana, the Kshatriya, and the Vaisya are regarded as the ...
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1answer
95 views
What is the basis for Vaishampayana's claim that the Saraswati became invisible because of her contempt for Sudras and Abhiras?
As mentioned in the Mahabharata:
Vaishampayana said, "Then Valadeva, O king, proceeded to Vinasana where the Sarasvati hath become invisible in consequence of her contempt for Sudras and Abhiras. ...
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103 views
Who committed more acts of Adharma in the Mahabharata war? [closed]
The killing of Abhimanyu was purely Dharmic - but even accepting Krishna's word for it as he addressed the defeated Duryodhana -
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m09/m09061.htm
"'Vasudeva said, "...
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How and when did Karna came to know that he was a kshatriya?
I have read in many questions related to this on stackexchange (like Mahabharat Parshuram's curse) that Karna knew that he was a Kshatriya. But who told Karna about his original caste and when?
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1answer
123 views
Does the Mahabharata give reasons why Duryodhana went to heaven?
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m10/m10009.htm
Ashwatthama is reporting his night-slaughter to the dying Duryodhana:
Going from this world, O monarch, and meeting with those mighty car-warriors (...
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1answer
372 views
Is there any instance of Shiva showing his vishwaroopa in the Mahabharata?
In Mahabharata, Krishna/Vishnu shows his viswaroopa 4 times. Is there a similar instance of Shiva showing his viswaroopa? Question is specific to Mahabharata.
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How do the Sanskrit epics mark a turning point to Hinduism?
How do events in the epics relate to a gradual change in Hinduism, eg the game of dice, Yalsha's riddles, the war etc?
Does it mark the introduction of buddhism at all?
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1answer
91 views
Did Bhima drink the blood of Duhsasana in the Mahabharata war?
It is said that Bhima drank the blood of Duhsasana in the Mahabharata war.
Please post the relevant verses from the Mahabharata about this.
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1answer
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How did Vidura die in the Mahabharata?
As per my knowledge, Vidura was the Prime Minister of the Hastinapur and resigned from the post as war was decided. After the end of war, Yudhishthira appointed him as Prime Minister. But I've never ...
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1answer
67 views
What are the meaning of the names: Rudra, Maruth, Vasu?
I'm trying to translate the "Legend of the Virtuous Crane" from this video: Vanvasa Parv By Sadhguru | Mahabharat into my own language. But however, I have a hard time understanding 3 words that ...
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3answers
529 views
How exactly did the killing of Abhimanyu violate the agreed-upon rules of war?
Many on one - Abhimanyu was a Maharathi or something - I believe they can be attacked by many at the same time.
He fought till the end and never surrendered.
The Kauravas didn't come looking for him - ...
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42 views
Gopis' views on Sri Krishna stealing their cloths [duplicate]
I see some atheists saying Sri Krishna possessed bad behavior since he stole the clothes of the gopis while they were bathing. (I DO NOT AGREE WITH THEM) They also say the gopies may not have liked ...
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1answer
64 views
Why did Dronacharya not become a guru of Ekalavya?
I am eager to know the reason why did Dronacharya not become a guru of Ekalavya whereas he become a guru of Kauravas and Paandavas".
What is the reason he rejected Ekalavya?
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In saptha vyasanalu, “speaking rudely” is also there or not
In saptha vyasanalu, is speaking rudely is also there?
That means man is not by nature rude, only addicted to that character.
Please any body explain.
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198 views
Are there instances in Hinduism where Dharma is cited to both support and oppose an act?
For example - the killing of Duryodhana is condemned by Baladeva and celestial beings showered flowers on the fatally wounded Duryodhana when he chastised Krishna for his acts of treachery throughout ...
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How many times was Dwaraka invaded in the absence of Krishna as narrated in the Mahabharata or other puranas?
How many times was Dwaraka invaded in the absence of Krishna as narrated in the Mahabharata or other puranas? One is known to me when king Shalva attacked Dwaraka to avenge the killing of his friend ...
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2answers
155 views
Did Bhima have the strength of 10000 elephants?
I remember a story to that effect - is it in the Mahabharata?
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1answer
151 views
Was Duryodhana a better mace-fighter than Bhima?
Does Mahabharata say somewhere that Duryodhana was a better mace fighter than Bhima? If so, was that why Bhima used unfair tactics in their climactic fight?
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1answer
122 views
What are the differences between the Jaya version and the main Mahabharata?
And also, is the Jaya version available online in English?
