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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Udyoga Parva - Mahabharata BORI edition with the footnotes
I am looking for the BORI critical edition of the Mahabharata in Sanskrit, with footnotes, so that I can see the different variations available for a text. I saw archive.org has a few of those pdfs. I ...
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36 views
Why did Ekalavya become Lord Krshn's arch rival? Was he punished because he was a Shudra?
While debating on quora on how the Bhagavat Gita does not advocate the present day birth based casteisism, a user pointed out that the Vishnu Puran Chapter 84 says
"Krishna with his Yadavas built a ...
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110 views
Would justice, punishment accomplishment and dharma establishment take place irrespective of which side Krishna fought for and which side won? [on hold]
If you see some of my old questions, you might find that I just can't admit why Krishna should support Pandavas in Mahabharata.
It's a very big dilemma for me, for last 1 month.
So to clarify it, I ...
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91 views
Did Arjuna, Drona, Bhishma and Ashvatthama kill any foot soldiers during the Mahabharata war thereby breaking one of the rules? [duplicate]
In both BR Chopra's and Star Plus' Mahabharat TV shows, before the main Mahabharata war, both sides agree on some rules on how the war should be fought. This answer lists all those rules and I'm ...
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Why Bheeshma being an Avatara of Ashtavasu and pious with his karma had to die in a tragic way? [duplicate]
Bheeshma being an Avatara died in a tragic way. He had to sleep on an arrow bed till death.
Why this happened? What karma succumbed him to death in such a horrific way?
Is there any reason provided ...
3
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1answer
137 views
Were Krishna and Vyasa able to see (not imagine) future?
According to some scenes in Star Plus Mahabharata and BR Chopra's Mahabharata (a TV series), it looks like both of them (Krishna and Vyasa) could see future. Did it actually happen in Vyasa Mahbharat?
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1answer
93 views
How did Satyavati die and how old was she at the time?
I read somewhere on this site that Bhishma's age was around 140 years when he died. But Satyavati was his mother, so, she must have been ~160 years old if she was alive when Bhishma died (I could be ...
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60 views
Are there any dedicated Scriptures, that explain these various weapons, vyuhs and war tactics in details?
As I am reading through the Mahabharata (currently on the Drona Parva), I am truly amazed by the amount of details of war that are mentioned.
The types and varieties of weapons are mind-blowing, ...
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1answer
103 views
Did Nakula and Sahadeva really treat Karna after donating his armour?
Star Plus Mahabharat (S20 E7) shows that when Karna is in a lot of pain after cutting off his armour and ear-rings and donating them to Indra, Nakula and Sahadeva cure him of his wounds. Karna then ...
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1answer
85 views
Who was mother of Subhadra? Rohini or Yashoda?
In Star Plus serial, it is shown that Krishna is exchanged with daughter of Nand and Yashoda. When Kans tried to kill the exchanged daughter, she transforms into some other character and disappears. ...
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3answers
242 views
Is it adharma for a daasi to be stripped by her swami?
Yes, you got it right, in Star Plus Mahabharata, it's said by Duryodhana, that since Draupadi is now his daasi ('female servant or slave') she has to accept his orders and he can strip her since he's ...
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2answers
190 views
Why Krishna wanted to support Pandavas even when both Pandavas and Karuavas were wrong in dice game?
I watched in Star Plus Mahabharata that:
Balarama says it was more adharma of Yuddhisthir than Duryodhana. And says, "why did he bet his wives and brothers, when he could simply quit". He was the ...
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2answers
147 views
Did Pandavas really complete their ajnatavasa?
Did the Pandavas really complete the terms of their ajnatavasa (living in concealment)? Or were their hidden identities revealed before its completion and hence it was adharma to fight against the ...
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0answers
50 views
The strongest warrior of all time in the time of Mahabharatha [duplicate]
I just watched this video today and got mesmerised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Qw1HAVMtI&t=71s what sadhguru has stated.
A man from south India with just 3 arrows came to fight war, When ...
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2answers
127 views
Did Shri Krishna point out wrong actions of Yudhisthira to Pandavas at any point of time in Mahabharata?
Yudhisthira was known for his dharma but he seemed to have had addiction to dice game and his wife Draupadi was also staked for it. And none of Pandavas opposed it! Did Shri Krishna ever pointed out ...
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2answers
143 views
Did arjuna violate the celibacy clause in his 12 year exile?
I read the following thing in the accepted answer to Where was Arjuna for 12 years when he was exiled?.
So the five brothers made a rule that they would spend time with Draupadi in turn and no one ...
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0answers
97 views
Did Karna think that it was adharma to not appoint Duryodhana as king of Hastinapura? [duplicate]
In Star Plus Mahabharata (e.g., S11 E7), it is shown again and again that Karna believed that it was adharma to not appoint Duryodhana as King/Yuvaraja (crown prince) of Hastinapura.
Did Karna really ...
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0answers
41 views
Size of the Battlefield of Kurukshetra
Are there any descriptions regarding the size of the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where the War of Mahabharata took place.
This size will be in 3 parts:
The size of the ground where actual battle ...
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1answer
101 views
Did Dhritarashtra really give death punishment to Arjuna?
StarPlus Mahabharat (S11 E6) has a scene that shows that after their first exile when the Pandavas return to Hastinapura with Draupadi, Duryodhana insults Draupadi saying how can a woman that can have ...
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1answer
80 views
Arrangement of Horses in Arjuna's chariot
Arjuna's chariot had 4 horses, or we can say all the important warriors had chariots with four horses.
I want to know how these four horses were arranged, were they placed parallel to each other or ...
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1answer
54 views
Actual meaning of विद्युद in Mahabharata shloka
Consider the following Shloka from Mahabharata
तत्र चासीद अमेयात्मा विद्युद अग्निसमप्रभः
भौवनः सुमहावीर्यः सॊमस्य परिरक्षिता (Adi Parva chapter 28)
tatra cāsīd ameyātmā vidyud ...
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1answer
60 views
What is the 'prAchinAgra Kusha' ? Does it loosely indicate the ice age?
Maharshi Vaishampayana says to King Janmejaya,
O Janamejaya! As long as Prachinabarhi remained on earth, prachinagra kusha covered the surface of the earth.
Source: Hari Vamsha Chapter 2, BORI ...
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1answer
152 views
Did Karna really used inappropriate words for Draupadi in dice game?
In serials, it is always shown that Karna called Draupadi a whore (Veshya) when dice thing happened and Pandavas lost everything. If yes, why they say he knew Dharma?
Also, if yes, was he right to ...
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1answer
144 views
Did Karna fail in Draupadi swayamvar? [duplicate]
Did Karna fail in Draupadi swayamvar while hitting target or Draupadi simply denied marrying him even if he would hit target?
And if she denied, how moral/right was it? What was the reason her ...
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1answer
145 views
What is the reason behind the demand of only 5 villages?
Krishna says to Duryodhana if you don't give Indraprastha then give only 5 villages to Pandavas
Kusasthala,
Vrikasthala,
Makandi,
Varanavata,
fifth any other.
My question is, what is the reason ...
2
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1answer
105 views
Was Lord Shiva/Rudra compared with a tiger or a lion in both the Vedas and the puranas?
I have read in the Mahabharata that during the tripura dahana incident lord Shiva was described as a tiger among gods and as per Shiva purana parvati also compared him to a tiger. I want to know that ...
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1answer
123 views
Did even wisest persons, who followed Dharma in Mahabharata had false beliefs about castes?
I have seen these things so many times. In TV serials, in my high school brief Mahabharata book and at many online resources:
Dronacharya didn't accept Karna as his disciple, as he was soot-putra. At ...
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0answers
104 views
What scriptures describe Vaishampayana making Janamejaya interested with a single verse?
The second poem of Nammalwar’s Thiruvaimozhi describes Vishnu without actually naming him until the last verse, where it calls him Narayana. Page 13 of this book, summarizing one of the Sri Vaishnava ...
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0answers
62 views
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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27 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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34 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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120 views
What are the prayers of Kunti to demi-gods for begetting children?
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
140 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
121 views
Timelines of Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vedas, and Upanishads
Can someone please give timelines of Ramayana, Mahabharta, Vedas, and Upanishads?
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30 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
58 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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140 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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0answers
38 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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0answers
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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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55 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
129 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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0answers
59 views
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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0answers
92 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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0answers
74 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
219 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
161 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
131 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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0answers
53 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
252 views
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
102 views
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 ...
