Connection between Dharma and Destiny: Mahabharata

1306 Words3 Pages

When it comes to literature the world has a lot to offer. From novels to poems history has given us plenty to read and learn from. Some literary works are more than just for reading purposes such as the great epic of Mahabharata. In Hinduism Mahabharata is one of two major factors that led to the creation of the religion, the other being Ramayana. Around 3000 BC Mahabharata was told in the form of stories or gossip between gods, kings, and common people. “It presents sweeping visions of the cosmos and humanity and intriguing and frightening glimpses of divinity in an ancient narrative that is accessible, interesting, and compelling for anyone willing to learn the basic themes of India's culture” (Fitzgerald 5). This shows why Mahabharata is more than just apiece of literature, it teaches us the connection between destiny and dharma and how one can get lost in the mist of finding out which is the right path.
The 90,000-verse epic consists of a hero and a villain both being from the same bloodline. The hero is Yudhishthira, the leader of the Pandavas and son of Dharma. Pandavas consist of him and 4 of his younger brothers: Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva. All of the Pandavas were born through a boon that was given to Pandu’s first wife Kunti. Pandu was cursed after he accidently killed a sage and his wife that he would die is he had intercourse, so he couldn’t have children. Kunti had a boon to have kids from different gods, which she gave the boon of two kids to Pandu’s second wife Madri. Kunti gave birth to Yudhishthira (son of Dharma god of righteousness), Bhima (son of wind god Vayu), and Arjuna (son of sky god Indra); while Madri gave birth to the twins Nakula, and Sahadeva (sons of Ashwini gods). The villain of Mahabha...

... middle of paper ...

...verything that life has to offer, that’s why the Pandavas were always happy just to have one another no matter of the situation that destiny has put them in. Destiny will always be sealed no matter what we do to empower it, all we can hope for is to follow our dharma and let fate do the rest.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, James L. "A Brief Description of the Mahabharata." A Brief Description of the Mahabharata. N.p., 09 May 2009. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Kini, MD. "Sense, Non-Sense and Common Sense." Mahabharata: A Story of Dharma. N.p., 03 Mar. 2011. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.

"Bhartiya History." Mahabharat. The Vedic Foundation, Jan. 2006. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.

Buck, William. Mahabharata. 1'st ed. CA: University of California, 2000. Print.

Pattanaik, Devdutt. Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata. N.p.: Penguin India, 2011. Print

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Thomas Paine's Common Sense and Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence

    1125 Words  | 3 Pages

    Paine, Thomas. "Common Sense." Electronic Library of Primary Sources: The Americans. CD-ROM. McDougal Littell. Evanston, IL: 1999.

    Read More

  • The Arguments of Thomas Paine and James Chalmers Over the Revolutionary War

    735 Words  | 2 Pages

    Paine, Thomas. "Common Sense." Shi, David and Mayer, Holly. For the Record. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013.

    Read More

  • Epic Heroes Compared: Achilles, Sundiata and Rama

    770 Words  | 2 Pages

    Narayan, R. K., and Kampar. (2006). The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version Of The Indian Epic (suggested by the Tamil version of Kamban). New York: Penguin Books. PDF e-book.

    Read More

  • Comparing Gilgamesh and Odysseus

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    While preparing to write this paper, I thought it would be great just to focus on the heroes of these two great epics many differences. Although during the course of my research I found that they also had just as many similarities. In this paper I will focus on the two characters by expressing their differences, as well as their similarities, and I will also give a bit of history about our two heroes.

    Read More

  • Bhagavad Gita And The Analects

    1414 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Bhagavad-Gita, a portion of the great epic the Mahabharata, is the “most typical expression of Hinduism.” It is eighteen chapters long and was composed around the first century BCE. The sage Samjaya recites the story to the blind king Dhrtarastra, the father of the Kaurava princes. While presenting ideas of wisdom, duty, and liberation in the midst of the rivalry between the Kauravas, the Bhagavad-Gita epitomizes the teachings of Krishna. Focusing specifically on the moral struggle of the Pandava prince Arjuna, the Bhagavad-Gita’s major themes include yoga, karma, dharma, and moksa. Yoga, being discipline or the strict and “attentive cultivation of mental character and meaningful action” , is crucial to the text because it is dharma yoga, acting properly according to one’s dharma, and bhakti yoga, a disciplined life of devotion that allows one to achieve moksa, or liberation, one of the four aims of li...

    Read More

  • Monomyths within Ancient Societies

    1320 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Ramayana.” The Language of Literature Ed. Arthur N. Applebee, et al. Boston: McDougal Littell, 1983. 130-140. Print.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Gilgamesh And Rama

    1590 Words  | 4 Pages

    The epic hero’s journeys hold the hopes for future of ordinary people’s lives. The Epic of Gilgamesh was written in approximately 2000 B.C.E which is highly enriched with Ancient Mesopotamian religions, and The Ramayana was written by ancient Indians in around 1800 B.C.E. The stories were written in two different parts of the world. However, these two stories etched great evidence that show people from generation to generation that different cultures and religions are interconnected; they share ideas with each other. Both Gilgamesh and Rama traveled long journeys in these tales. These epic journeys played a role in the creation of different archetypes. We can clearly see that these two tales share similarities between these archetypes. Although

    Read More

  • Educating Women During the Cultural Revolution

    528 Words  | 2 Pages

    Through the reading of background historical information and the novel of the same time period, one can see that literature is the reflection of the time period about which it was written. Historical data and fictitious characters are woven together to produce a realistic result.

    Read More

  • Sita Sing The Blues And The Ramayana Analysis

    890 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Ramayana is the most famous and well-known of all Indian epics, originally based on an epic poem it has taken many variations and forms over the centuries. Traditionally the story centers on the hero Prince Rama, who is the embodiment of virtue and perseverance, as he is wrongfully denied his birthright of being crowned king and instead is unjustly exiled into the forest where he encounters his fair share of dilemma. In R. K. Narayan’s condensed, modern version of The Ramayana the classic conflict of duality is a predominant theme, as Rama faces many instances of uncertainty and trivial chaos which are eventually balanced by order and goodness under the laws of karmic causation and dharma alike which he virtuously strives to uphold. Nina

    Read More

  • Ancient Religions

    2998 Words  | 6 Pages

    Basham, A.L. The Origins and Developments of Classical Hinduism. Ed. Kenneth G. Zysk. Boston: Beacon, 1989.

    Read More

  • Karma and Reincarnation

    4820 Words  | 10 Pages

    In south Asia, it is well accepted that a person’s action determines his or her own personal destiny. This idea that actions have repercussions in life is known as karma. Karma is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as, “the total effect of a person's actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person's existence, regarded as determining the person's destiny.” Karma is called las rgyu-bras in Tibetan, where las can be translated to “work” or “actions” and rgyu-bras translates to “fruits.” Combined, las rgyu-bras can be translated as the fruits of one’s actions (Keyes 232). If a person performs a good action in life, Tibetan Buddhists believe that good things will occur later on in life as a result, and they expect the reverse for bad actions. By understanding this concept and trying to live a l...

    Read More

  • A Shift in Religious Policies Under Ashoka’s Reign

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ashoka, one of India’s most illustrious emperors, managed to reign over the majority of the Indian subcontinent through his military conquests and attempts at sustaining unification. Having been recently converted to Buddhism, Ashoka saw the future of his empire in the harmony and serenity of its teachings. Once Ashoka had brought such an inconceivable amount of individuals together, the most burdensome undertaking had yet to come, maintaining peace amongst them. Ashoka’s response to this daunting task was to conceive and distribute an assortment of edicts to the people of the Mauryan Empire, which would expeditiously make his religious beliefs known. Emperor Ashoka’s Edicts were created to solve many of the widespread issues that were faced by his empire, through the creation of a more peaceful and respectful public. These proclamations would come to outline and spread Buddhism through the understanding of Dhamma, teach the people about morality and peace, and defend both humans and animals alike. Ashoka, a deeply virtuous man, did whatever he could for the betterment of his people.

    Read More

  • Heroism In Ramayana

    1619 Words  | 4 Pages

    The idea that some people are strong enough to be completely independent of others might seem true at surface level, but further examination of this concept proves otherwise. Through analyzing the journey of Rama as well as those around him, The Ramayana becomes proof that all characters are relevant in accomplishing big-picture tasks. Characters in The Ramayana which seem to have varying levels of relevance or show antagonistic behavior all have large roles in accomplishing big-picture dharma; this fact becomes clear as their dependencies on each other are recognized, demonstrating that all individuals must rely on others.

    Read More

  • How Can Literature Contribute to an Understanding of Past History?

    378 Words  | 1 Pages

    Literature has many purposes, and opens doors to unique worlds. Through Literature, we discover ourselves and world time and again.

    Read More

  • Essay On Literary Masterpieces

    2066 Words  | 5 Pages

    Stories are a wonderful way to convey ideas while entertaining the reader. Literary masterpieces are one of the most important devices in practice that mirrors society. The complex topics from previous generations are still relevant today. Spiritual, intellectual, and political themes make the reader identify with the characters’ trials within the literary masterpieces. When the author uses characters, the reader can explore his or her own questions of society. A masterpiece is not used to answer questions, but to inspire the reader to delve into their own problems. Masterpieces are used to make the reader think and not just accept the popularly held beliefs. According to Santayana (1980), “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it “ (p. 104). This statement holds true for literary masterpieces, as well.

    Read More

More about Connection between Dharma and Destiny: Mahabharata

Open Document