Questions tagged [mahabharata]
The epic by Veda Vyasa narrating the great war fought in India between the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
1
vote
0answers
117 views
Is the BORI Critical Edition of the Mahabharata the most authentic? [on hold]
Is BORI Critical Edition translated by Bibek Debroy truly the most authentic version available on this planet right now?
2
votes
0answers
28 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 ...
1
vote
0answers
48 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 ...
1
vote
0answers
47 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
14
votes
2answers
91 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 ...
2
votes
0answers
38 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 ...
1
vote
0answers
48 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 ...
2
votes
0answers
55 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 ...
4
votes
4answers
163 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?
...
7
votes
2answers
136 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 ...
7
votes
3answers
115 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 ...
2
votes
0answers
31 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-...
3
votes
1answer
149 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 ...
5
votes
2answers
89 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 ...
6
votes
2answers
145 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?
10
votes
1answer
111 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 ...
6
votes
0answers
68 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 ...
5
votes
0answers
157 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 ...
2
votes
0answers
33 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....
1
vote
1answer
80 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?
2
votes
0answers
27 views
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. ...
2
votes
0answers
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?
5
votes
0answers
31 views
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 ...
2
votes
0answers
40 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 ...
2
votes
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. ...
3
votes
0answers
96 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, "...
2
votes
0answers
26 views
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?
3
votes
1answer
107 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 (...
9
votes
1answer
340 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.
4
votes
0answers
65 views
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?
3
votes
1answer
83 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.
5
votes
1answer
138 views
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 ...
5
votes
1answer
66 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 ...
3
votes
3answers
495 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 - ...
0
votes
0answers
39 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
55 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?
2
votes
0answers
29 views
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.
3
votes
0answers
193 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 ...
4
votes
0answers
37 views
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 ...
2
votes
2answers
98 views
Did Bhima have the strength of 10000 elephants?
I remember a story to that effect - is it in the Mahabharata?
3
votes
1answer
113 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?
3
votes
1answer
115 views
What are the differences between the Jaya version and the main Mahabharata?
And also, is the Jaya version available online in English?
2
votes
0answers
39 views
Why did Vinda and Anuvinda share Avanti?
As I know, Vinda and Anuvinda were the kings of Avanti, they were defeated by Sahadeva in their Digvijaya, they supported the Kauravas and they were finally killed by Arjuna on the 14th.
My question ...
3
votes
1answer
91 views
Is the “narayanam namaskrtya” benedictory initial stanza present in the critical editions of the Mahabharata?
D.D. Kosambi writes that V.S. Suktankar's 1933 text-criticism rejected it. What do different critical editions say about that?
3
votes
0answers
43 views
Why Dronacharya demanded to make King Drupada prisoner in his Guru Dakshina?
Why Dronacharya demanded to make king Drupada prisoner in his gurudakshina? any specific reason?
Gurudakshina was for Duryodhana(Kaurava and Pandavas), then why did he take Karna and army to take ...
3
votes
0answers
81 views
Does Moksha Dharma Parva contain this alleged quotation from it?
In an answer to the question
How were the Trimurthi born?
The following material is quoted:
'
As Krishna says in the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, "The ancestors of civilization, and entities ...
3
votes
0answers
80 views
Why did Yudhishthira give 2,640,000 female slaves to Brahmanas?
This question is NOT a duplicate of the above. My question "Why did Yudhishthira give 2,640,000 female slaves to Brahmanas?" is different from "Was slavery allowed in Mahabarata times?"
In the ...
3
votes
1answer
147 views
Many versions of Ithihasa and Puranas, which versions can be true? [duplicate]
Two different versions of Mahabharata are available, Northern and southern recension. Both of them don't have same number of chapters and verses. For example, Sabha Parva of kumbakonam version of ...
1
vote
0answers
54 views
Metre(s) in Mahabharata
Are different poetic metres used in the Mahabharata? In particular, are the Bhagavad Gita and Vishnu Sahasranama in the same metre as the rest of the Mahabharata?
7
votes
1answer
129 views
Is Draupadi the daughter of Nala and Damayanti in her previous life?
Indrasena is the daughter of Nala and Damayanti.
SECTION LVII of Nalopakhyana Parva of Vana Parva of the Mahabharata contains it
"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Then at the sacred hour of the holy lunar ...
