Understand the Meaning of Mahabharata (महाभारत )

The human body is Kurukshetra कुरुक्षेत्र or Dharmakshetra. A foe and a friend are battling within us at all times. The Mahabharata महाभारत refers to this ongoing war within. Kuru कुरु here is Swayam स्वयं or ‘Self’ for we are constantly fighting physical and emotional battles within.

Dharm Yudh धर्म युद्ध - The Mahabharata महाभारत war waged at kurukshetra कुरुक्षेत्र then becomes the Dhramayudh धर्म युद्ध, where Krishna कृष्णा represents our atman or Soul. The Connect between mind and soul is our source of energy- it is our Yudhishtara युधिष्ठर or path of righteousness. Dharma धर्म and stability is Bhim भीम, balance of our senses with the five elements and tasks performed in awareness that gives it the strength of determination. Arjuna अर्जुन is pure, sublime duty conducted with detachment. Sacrificing ambitions on the altar of the purpose of knowledge is Nakul नकुल - who heals through positive and compassionate thoughts and precision- and Sahadev सहदेव or absolute surrender to free will who remains humble to the core. Draupadi द्रोपदी is eternally pure, as her purity comes from pure thoughts and not from the physical world. Abhimanyu’s अभिमन्यु knowledge in incomplete, despite his growing up in the lap of knowledge. Half-knowledge can be dangerous.

If you reflect on the characters in the Mahabharata महाभारत, you will discover the one common factor in all-compassion. Yet, there is a powerful antagonist, Duryodhana दुर्योधन, who destroys or misuse wealth, whether it is of good karmas कर्म or knowledge. He takes foolish decisions- these could only be due to lack of expertise- when he ask Krishna कृष्णा for his Narayani Sena नारायणी सैना. Does it not strike him to wonder: what is the use of a body without soul ? Narayani Sena नारायणी सैना is incomplete without Krishna कृष्णा or awareness. He is simply a trigger of Dushasana दुशासन, the one who rules with irregularities and entirely driven by desire and lust, not requirements.

Karna कर्ण is an example of the battle of Vivek विवेक and Buddhis बुद्धि, Shakuni शकुनि is pure Ajnana अज्ञान - the name itself depicts’ never trusting, never trustworthy’- a perfect example is of that part of us that refuses to let go of the past. Gandhari गांधारी is said to have had 100 brothers and was the only daughter in the family. Her planets had indicated a broken or unhappy marriage and astrologers advised marriage to a goat or earthen pot which would then be sacrificed to show that the first marriage ended in widowhood.

This fact was hidden from Dhritrashtra धृतराष्ट्र, and when he did find out, he had the entire family captured in an offensive led by Bhishma भीष्म. The prisoners of war were fed only a fistful of rice gruel and the impoverished clan started dying. But the last born, Shakuni शकुनि, is allowed to live so that he can avenge the death of the Gandhar गांधार clan.

Remain Detached- Dronacharya द्रोणाचार्य is the royal guru गुरु, so knowledgeable, yet so weak. He did not deviate from the path of dharma धर्म until love for his son took over his sense of right or wrong. Eventually, nothing- not even his own destruction- mattered in the face of his attachments. To certain extent, he disassociated himself from his sense of right and wrong- the primary requirements for being a Guru गुरु, Sanjay संजय, despite observing the entire battle, had to remain detached.

Dritrashtra’s धृतराष्ट्र blind and negative misguided decisions with regards to the Kauravas कौरव were based on the principle of self-gratification of never- ending materialistic desires. Bhishma Pitamah भीष्म पितामह represents self- imposed chains with which we fetter ourselves. Rather than using his insight, he acted out of loyalty—and so did not revolt against adharam अधर्म or immoral conduct.

Seek the truth- in essence, the Mahabharata महाभारत war at Kurukshetra कुरुक्षेत्र was a battle between morals and desires, dhrma धर्म and adharma अधर्म. The entire Dharama yudh धर्म युद्ध is fought with awareness to establish dharma धर्म without attachment to or even knowledge of the fruits of action. Eventually, the message here is: let your mind and body be absorbed in your soul; seek only the truth that lies within.