Tuesday, November 6, 2012

What is Mahabharata


चत्वार एकतो वेदा भारतं चैकमेकतः ।
समागतैः सुरर्षिभिस्तुलामारॊपितं पुरा ।
महत्वे च गुरुत्वे च ध्रियमाणं ततो अधिकम् ॥२०८॥
महत्वाद्भारवत्वाच्च महाभारतमुच्यते ।
निरूक्तमस्य यो वेद सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥२०९॥
तपो न कल्को अध्ययनं न कल्कः
स्वाभाविको वेद विधिर्न कल्कः ।
प्रसह्य वित्ताहरणं न कल्कस् ।
तान्येव भावोपहतानि कल्कः ॥२१०॥





chatvaara ekato vedaa bhaaratam chaikamekataha
samaagataihi surarshibistulaamaaropitam puraa
mahatve cha gurutve cha dhriyamaanam tato adhikam
mahatvaat bhaaravatvaachcha mahaabhaaratamuchyate
nirooktamasya yo veda sarva paapaihi pramuchyate
tapo na kalko adhyayanam na kalkaha
swaabhaaviko veda vidhirna kalkaha
prasahya vittaaharanam na kalkasa
taanyeva bhaavopahataani kalkaha



Shloka meaning:

The oneness of the four Vedas can be experienced in one Bharata
This is filled with the combination of divine spiritual elements
The magnificence and teaching content is given in abundance
This splendid and the heavy combination is pronounced as Mahabharata
Those who study these as one Veda, whatever wrong has been done by them will be washed out.
One can practise the brilliance by having the urge/faith/belief to do/gain
By default one cannot practise the Vedas and its rights.
One should not practise the unusual spending of their wealth
One should read this to understand and practise by getting involved in it.


The above is the meaning of the shloka and why one should read and practise Bharata so to transform themselves into a great being. The above shlokas form 308-310 in Maharshi Vyasa's Mahabharata. The Maharshi points out why this big content filled with all the four vedas should be studied and practised in life to become a person who can understand and relate all emotions in life. I would like to request all the readers to start reading this great epic to understand all the concepts of life, which is still true and would be applicable forever, whatever changes may happen in this world.