Mahabharata: the Ancient Indian Epic
Summary
TLDRThe Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic, is a sprawling tale of succession, war, and morality, centered around the Kurukshetra War. Composed by sage Vyasa, it's a narrative 10 times longer than Homer's Iliad and Odyssey combined. Key characters include the virtuous Pandavas and the power-hungry Kauravas, whose conflicts culminate in a devastating war. The Bhagavad Gita, a significant Hindu scripture, is a philosophical discourse within the epic, where Krishna advises Arjuna on duty and righteousness. The story concludes with Yudhisthira's test of loyalty, highlighting the themes of virtue, loyalty, and the human condition.
Takeaways
- 📜 The Mahabharata is the longest epic poem in the world, composed by the sage Vyasa.
- 🌟 The Bhagavad Gita, a significant Hindu scripture, is a part of the Mahabharata.
- 🏰 The story revolves around the Kurukshetra war, which may have been a historical event.
- 👑 The epic begins with King Shantanu and his marriages, leading to a complex royal lineage.
- 🔥 The Kuru kingdom's succession is contested between the Kauravas and Pandavas, leading to conflict.
- 🏹 Arjuna, a Pandava, is a central character known for his exceptional archery skills.
- 🎯 The story includes a famous archery contest to win Draupadi's hand in marriage.
- 🃏 A game of dice leads to the Pandavas' exile and sets the stage for the Kurukshetra war.
- ⚔️ The war lasts for 18 days, resulting in the deaths of most of the warriors on both sides.
- 🐕 Yudhisthira's loyalty and humanity are tested by a divine gatekeeper at the gates of heaven.
Q & A
What is the Mahabharata and why is it significant?
-The Mahabharata is the longest epic poem in the world, believed to have been composed by the sage Vyasa. It is significant as it contains the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most important Hindu scriptures, and its story is still popular in India today.
Who is considered the protagonist of the Mahabharata?
-Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, is considered the protagonist of the epic.
What is the Bhagavad Gita and how does it relate to the Mahabharata?
-The Bhagavad Gita is a section of the Mahabharata and is a philosophical discourse where Krishna advises Arjuna about the importance of duty and the right path, which occurs before the war begins.
How does the story of the Mahabharata begin?
-The epic begins with King Shantanu of Hastinapur who marries the goddess Ganga, and later Satyavati. Their descendants lead to the Kurukshetra war, which is the central event of the story.
What is the significance of the Kurukshetra war in the Mahabharata?
-The Kurukshetra war is the central event of the Mahabharata, symbolizing the conflict between good and evil, and leading to the eventual victory of the Pandavas.
Why did Bhishma renounce the throne?
-Bhishma renounced the throne to ensure his father, Shantanu, could marry Satyavati, as her father's condition was that Shantanu's children with Satyavati would inherit the throne.
How does the story of Draupadi become intertwined with the Pandavas?
-Draupadi becomes the common wife of the five Pandava brothers after Arjuna wins her hand by performing an archery challenge, leading to a series of events that escalate the conflict with the Kauravas.
What is the significance of the dice game in the Mahabharata?
-The dice game is a pivotal event where Yudhisthira, the Pandava king, loses his kingdom, wealth, and even his wife Draupadi to the Kauravas, leading to the Pandavas' exile and setting the stage for the war.
Why does Arjuna hesitate before the war, and how does Krishna respond?
-Arjuna hesitates because he sees his relatives and teachers on the battlefield and is reluctant to fight. Krishna, as his charioteer, delivers the Bhagavad Gita, a discourse on duty and the importance of fighting for justice.
What is the outcome of the Kurukshetra war?
-The war results in the death of almost all the Kauravas, including Duryodhana, and the Pandavas' victory. Yudhisthira becomes the king of Hastinapur and later abdicates the throne.
How does the Mahabharata end for Yudhisthira and his dog?
-In the end, Yudhisthira is tested by a gatekeeper at the gates of heaven who denies entry to his dog. Yudhisthira's loyalty and humanity are tested, and upon his refusal to enter without his dog, he is revealed to have passed the test and is welcomed into heaven.
Outlines
📜 Introduction to the Mahabharata
The video introduces the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, which is the longest epic poem in the world. It is believed to have been composed by the sage Vyasa in the 4th century BCE or earlier. The epic is significantly longer than Homer's Iliad and Odyssey combined and contains the Bhagavad Gita, a key Hindu scripture. The story revolves around the Kurukshetra War, which may have been a historical event but has become a legendary narrative over time. The epic begins with King Shantanu of Hastinapur and his marriages to Ganga and Satyavati, leading to the birth of Bhishma, who renounces his claim to the throne. The narrative then follows the complex family dynamics that lead to the division of the royal family into the Kauravas and the Pandavas, setting the stage for the war.
🎭 The Rise of the Pandavas and the Kauravas
The narrative delves into the lives of the Pandavas and Kauravas, the two branches of the royal family. The Pandavas, led by Yudhishthira, and the Kauravas, led by Duryodhana, are the central figures in the epic. The story highlights the moral ambiguity of the characters, with Arjuna emerging as the protagonist and Duryodhana as the antagonist. The escalating tensions between the cousins over the succession to the throne of Hastinapur are explored, including Duryodhana's plot to eliminate the Pandavas by burning them in a flammable palace. The Pandavas' escape, their subsequent adventures, and the swayamvara of Draupadi, where Arjuna wins her hand, are also detailed. The video also touches on the unique arrangement of Draupadi being the common wife of the five Pandava brothers.
🃏 The Game of Dice and the Exile of the Pandavas
The story continues with the infamous game of dice between the Pandavas and Kauravas, where Yudhishthira gambles away his kingdom, wealth, and even Draupadi. The humiliation of Draupadi and the subsequent vow of Bhima to avenge the insult are highlighted. The Pandavas are exiled for 12 years, with an additional year of living incognito. During their exile, Arjuna acquires celestial weapons and skills from the gods. The Pandavas' return, the failed peace negotiations, and the inevitable march towards war are also covered. The Bhagavad Gita, a philosophical discourse between Arjuna and Krishna, is introduced as Arjuna questions the morality of the impending war.
⚔️ The Great War and the Aftermath
The video concludes with the description of the Kurukshetra War, an 18-day battle that results in the deaths of nearly all the warriors on both sides, including Duryodhana and the Kauravas. The Pandavas emerge victorious, and Yudhishthira becomes the king of Hastinapur. The narrative then follows the Pandavas and Draupadi's journey to the Himalayas, where they face various trials and eventually ascend to heaven. The story ends with Yudhishthira's test of loyalty and humanity, as he refuses to enter heaven without his dog, symbolizing his commitment to those who have been loyal to him. The video invites viewers to reflect on the similarities between the Mahabharata and other ancient epics.
🌐 World History Encyclopedia and Conclusion
The final paragraph serves as a call to action for viewers to visit the World History Encyclopedia website for more content and to support the channel. It also mentions the availability of merchandise featuring the host's shirt design. The video ends on a note of gratitude for watching and an anticipation for future videos.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mahabharata
💡Kurukshetra War
💡Bhishma
💡Pandavas
💡Kauravas
💡Dharma
💡Bhagavad Gita
💡Draupadi
💡Exile
💡Avatar
💡Heaven
Highlights
The Mahabharata is the longest epic poem in the world, composed possibly as early as the 4th century BCE by the sage Vyasa.
The epic is about 10 times the length of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey combined.
The Bhagavad Gita, a section of the Mahabharata, is considered one of the most important Hindu scriptures.
The story revolves around issues of succession, the lead-up to the Kurukshetra war, and its aftermath.
The Kurukshetra war may have been a historical event, but it has been embellished over time to its current legendary form.
The epic begins with King Shantenu of Hastinapur and his marriage to the goddess Ganga, unbeknownst to him.
Bhishma, son of Shantenu, renounces the throne to ensure his father's lineage continues through his stepmother Satyavati.
Vyasa, born to Satyavati and her previous husband, becomes a surrogate father to continue the royal lineage.
The royal family splits into two factions: the Kauravas under Dhritarashtra and the Pandavas under Pandu.
Pandu is cursed to die if he ever has sex, leading to the birth of his sons through his wives' prayers to the gods.
Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurava, plots to eliminate the Pandavas, leading to a series of conflicts and the eventual war.
Arjuna, a Pandava, wins Draupadi's hand in marriage by performing a nearly impossible archery feat.
Draupadi becomes the common wife of the five Pandava brothers to maintain harmony.
Yudhisthira, the eldest Pandava, is tricked into gambling away his kingdom and his brothers' wife, Draupadi.
The Pandavas go into exile for 12 years and live incognito for another year to reclaim their kingdom.
Arjuna receives celestial weapons and divine knowledge during his exile, preparing for the inevitable war.
The war between the Pandavas and Kauravas lasts 18 days, resulting in the death of nearly all the warriors on both sides.
Yudhisthira's test of loyalty to his dog at the gates of heaven, which ultimately leads to his acceptance into paradise.
Transcripts
did you know that a dog once decided the
fate of a hero in the ancient indian
epic the mahabharata stick around and
you'll hear all about it
[Music]
hello and welcome to world history
encyclopedia my name is kelly and
today's video is all about the ancient
indian epic the mahabharata don't forget
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[Music]
the mahabharata is the longest epic poem
in the world and is believed to have
been composed as early as the 4th
century bce or even earlier by the sage
vyasa who was also a character in the
story
as a whole the mahabharata is about 10
times the length of homer's iliad and
odyssey put together and the bhagavad
gita which is only one section of the
whole epic is considered one of the most
important hindu scriptures the story is
still popular in india today and
children are still named after the
characters from the epic
the poem is all about issues of
succession and the lead-up to the
kurukshetra war and then the war itself
and the aftermath
much like the trojan war from the iliad
the kurukshetra war may have actually
been a historical event but through time
it has been embellished to the current
form which is now considered a legendary
narrative
okay let's get on to the story
the epic begins with the king shantenu
who is the king of hastinapur in the
region of kuru he marries a woman named
ganga who is actually a goddess but
shantanu doesn't know that at the time
and they have a son kudevaprant
later down the road shantenu falls in
love with a woman named satyavati
however he would only be allowed by
satyavati's father to marry her if he
was to be succeeded not by his son from
his first marriage but by a son that he
had with satyavati
thinking that this wouldn't be fair to
devafrant shantanu declines the offer
that when devrant hears about it he
rides to satsiavati's house and says
that he will renounce the throne and
remain celibate so that they could be
rest assured he would have no children
from then on he was known as bhisma
shantanu and satyavati have two sons and
when shantanu dies while his sons are
still children satyavati and bhisma deal
with the kingdom's affairs
once the boys are adults the eldest son
has died and so the younger son vittitra
virya becomes the king he ends up dying
childless and leaving the two princesses
he had married satyavati has another son
vyasha from her previous marriage and so
to keep the family line from dying out
vyasa could be used as a surrogate
father as part of the neo-custom and so
he sleeps with the widows of vichitra
virya
vyasa and the elder queen ambuka have a
son named rita rashtra who was born
blind and with the younger queen
ambalika they have a son named pandu who
was healthy but very pale they also have
a half-brother named vindor
at this point the royal family has split
into two the kauravas under
diritarashtra and the pandavas under
pandu
it is between these cousins and their
children that war will be waged once the
three boys are all adults one of them
has to become king because duritharastra
is blind he is bypassed even though he
is the oldest and pandu is made king
turitarashtra marries a woman named
gangari who always keeps her eyes
covered so she could experience the
world like her husband and pandu is
married to both kunti and madhuri
in a turn of events pandu is cursed to
die if he ever has sex because when he
was off hunting he killed two deer that
were mating and these deer weren't dear
at all but the wise man rishi and his
wife for this pandu and his wives are
exiled to the forest this becomes a
common event in the epic and
becomes the king
while in exile kunti prays to the gods
for help and she ends up having three
sons and madhuri has twins all without
killing pandu with the curse the sons
are born through the custom of nyog
yudhisthira
the god of justice
behemo the god of the wind arjuna by
indira the god of thunder and the twins
nakula and sahadeva which were madhuri
sans by ashvin's the gods of medicine
during this time dritarastra and gangari
had 100 sons with the eldest being judy
odhana
at this point it might be prudent to
mention that although the pandavas are
considered the good guys and the
cordovas the bad guys the characters in
the epic are all far more morally
ambiguous but overall arjuna of the
pandavas is thought to be the
protagonist of the epic and judy odana
the antagonist okay back to the story
now that there are 105 potential heirs
to the throne of hastinapur both tension
and hostilities between the cousins grow
over who would be named the heir julio
dana or yudistera
all of the boys are entrusted into the
care of a teacher first creeper and then
drona other boys are also attracted to
the school one in particular by the name
of karna from the suta clan becomes a
close friend of julio dana
to keep the peace tritarastra names
udistera as the heir
[Music]
unsurprisingly judy ordana is not happy
that yudistera is named as the heir
since he thought he should be the next
king since he is the son of the de facto
king and so naturally he plots to get
rid of the pandavas once and for all how
does he do this well he gets his dad to
send kunti and the pandavas away
tricking them into thinking that they're
setting off for a fair
the palace they are to be staying in is
entirely flammable and so julio dana
plans on burning it down with the
pandavas in it
luckily the pandavas are alerted to this
plan by their other uncle vindu remember
him who has already dug an escape tunnel
under their chambers
one night the pandavas give a huge feast
and feed a forest woman and her five
sons so much that they can't walk and
fall asleep in the palace then the
pandavas set fire to the castle
themselves and escaped
when duryodhana sees the bodies he
thinks he has succeeded in ridding the
world of the pandavas
the pandavas and kunti then go into
hiding moving around every few weeks for
a different village to stay in during
this time the second oldest and the
largest of the lot bohima kills two
demons marries a demon s and has a demon
child
whilst living in hiding as a poor family
they hear of a swayamba which is a
ceremony used to choose a suitor and
this one was for the princess of panchal
draupadi the five brothers set off for
the food or money which was given to
poor people at these events and then
they stayed to watch the fun
the conditions to win the princess are
difficult there's a long pole in the
ground which has a circular contraption
spinning at the top of it with a fish
attached to it
at the bottom of the pole there's a
shallow urn with water in it a person
has five arrows to use to pierce the
spinning fish using the mirrored water
to see only an extremely skilled archer
could pass this test such as the
presumed dead arjuna
some can't string the bow or even pick
it up and when kana steps up he isn't
even allowed to compete because draupadi
the princess doesn't want to marry
someone from the suta clan
arjuna gives it a go and pierces the
fish's eye with each of the five arrows
which he shot all at once and wins
draupadi's hand
the boys all dressed as poor men take
her to the hut they are living in but
draupadi's brother wasn't happy that the
princess was to be a commoner's wife so
he follows them as does krishna and
balarama who are of the yadava clan and
figured the man who won the challenge
must have been arjuna
the two men are related to the pandavas
since their father was kunti's brother
but they had never met before vyasa is
also there too and so the hut is full of
happy cries
just a quick note here krishna the
cousin of the pandavas is an avatar of
vishnu one of the most important gods in
the hindu pantheon to be an avatar of a
god basically means that krishna is an
incarnation of the god on earth
okay back to the story so draupadi
becomes the common wife of all five
brothers because when the five of them
enter the hut they yell ma ma come and
see what we've brought back today and
their mother yells whatever it is share
it amongst yourselves and so they do
they are all married and then invited
back to hass singapore where
duritarastra pretends to be happy to see
them
he gives the pandavas some land to rule
over which they transform into a
paradise with yudhisthira on the throne
and they call it indraprastha
you may be thinking how could one woman
be married to five men well they made a
deal to make it work each brother would
get to be married to her for one year at
a time and they would take it in turns
but if she is in a room with her husband
of that year and one of the other
brothers entered it they would be exiled
for 12 years
this happens to arjuna who during his
exile marries three princesses
[Music]
so obviously in true duty odana fashion
remember judy ordana is the son of
durietarashtra the king of hastinapur
he is not happy that the pandavas have
such power and prosperity so he invites
yudhisthera for a game of dice and has
his uncle shakuni play in his place
shakuni just keeps winning until
yudhisthira has nothing left to gamble
he has gambled his kingdom his riches
and even durability the koravas insults
draupadi and even try to remove her
clothes at this point bohima one of the
five brothers gets angry and vows to
kill every one of them
turitarastra unwillingly intervenes and
gives the pandavas back their kingdom
and their wife
once again judy ordana is not happy and
so he invites yudistada to another game
of dice where the loser would have to go
into exile for 12 years and then live
one year incognito if they're discovered
during their incognito year they have to
do the whole 12 years exile one year
incognito again
udistada agrees they play and once again
your dister are losers
[Music]
off they go into exile again this time
they left their aging mother behind to
stay with fendur for 12 years they live
and hunt in the forest yudhisthira asks
arjuna to head up to the heavens and get
some celestial weapons since it was
clear that they would have to fight for
their kingdom after the exile
arjuna returns with weapons and
techniques learnt from the gods and the
skills of singing and dancing in their
year of incognito they live in the virat
kingdom and they all get jobs at the
palace they aren't discovered during
this year and when they reveal
themselves the virat king is overwhelmed
and offers his daughter a marriage to
arjuna
since he had just spent that last year
teaching the king's daughter how to
dance he also sees her more like a
daughter and instead has her marry his
son abimanu at the wedding pandava
allies come up with war tactics and
emissaries are sent to hastingapur to
demand indraprastha back even krishna is
sent to foster peace but they all fail
judy ordana refuses to give away any of
his land and so war becomes inevitable
just before the war begins arjuna looks
around and sees all these people
teachers his great grandfather and
cousins and brothers and his resolution
begins to waver he doesn't want to kill
any of these people and what kind of
kingdom would it be beginning with so
much death he says all this to krishna
who is arjuna's charioteer following
this comment is the philosophical
discourse known as the bhagavad-gita
where krishna tells arjuna about how
fleeting life is and about the
importance of following through on one's
duty and sticking to the right path and
so arjuna picks up his bow and arrows
and war commences the battle goes on for
18 days the pandavas have seven akshaya
hinis and the koravas have eleven one
akshahini is a military unit made up of
21 870 chariots 21 870 elephants 65 610
horses and 109
350 foot soldiers there are many deaths
on each side but ultimately the pandavas
win duryodhana and all of the koravas
die as do all of the menfo from
duraopathy's family and all of her sons
she had with the pandava brothers
kana also dies and at this point it's
revealed that he was kunti's son from
her first marriage before pandu
in only 18 days almost three whole
generations of men are lost
after the war yudhisthira becomes king
of hastin the poor and indraprastha
he rules for 36 years and then abdicates
the throne to his grandson parikshi the
son of abhimanyu
the pandavas and draupadi head to the
himalayas and plan to live the rest of
their lives climbing the slopes towards
the heavens
one by one they die and their spirits
ascend to heaven until only yudhisthira
and his faithful dog are left
when they reach the gates of heaven the
gatekeeper tells yudistada that he is
welcome but his dog is not
you dis that out rejects this telling
the gatekeeper if his dog who has been
faithful to him throughout his life is
not welcome he will not enter heaven
the gatekeeper reveals himself as the
god vishnu and tells you this that
that was only a test of his loyalty and
humanity which he has passed he is then
welcomed into paradise with his dog and
is reunited with all he thought he had
lost
can you see any similarities between the
mahabharata and other ancient epics and
stories let us know down in the comments
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