Vedic Wisdom - Morals of the Sub Plots of the Itihasas

Vedic Wisdom

Morals of the Sub Plots of the Itihasas

The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata has many sub plots and each one of them have a deep meaning and significance for human well being. We will see a few:

In Mahabharatha

1) The ruler has to be ability based:

The actual story of Mahabharata starts with King Barata who was the most ideal ruler of the earth after Rama and that is why our country is called ‘Bharat’ –Bharata varsha. He was the king who brought all the small kingdoms under one rule. He was a highly democratic king who realized that such a vast country can’t be ruled without people’s wholehearted involvement and was convinced that for such involvement, democracy was the only way. So he instituted several institutions like local government, multi layer justice system and the practice of ruler being elected by people (and not by dynasty).

He not only preached; but actually practiced. Yes, he had many sons but none could get qualified and hence he appointed a very able person as his successor and convinced everybody that that is the best way to rule the country and institutionalized that system. Every king after him therefore took care either to make their sons able and if not identified some capable persons to succeed them. This system was followed until King Shantanu came to power.

Because of Shantanu’s infatuation with Sathyavati, the most able person Bhishma had to give up his right to throne in favour of Sathyavati’s son. In fact knowing that the kingdom will be at peril if Bhishma is not going to be there, Satyavati took the promise from Bhishma that ‘he will always protect the kingdom’ –the second divine promise he gave in addition to the first promise to his father that ‘he will not lay claim for the kingdom and to avoid future confusions will never marry also’. The golden rule laid by Bharata was flouted and as a consequence what disaster happened to Bharata varsha is history.

2.Never make promises (take Shapathas) in haste: The impulsively taken shapatha of Bhisma ,Karna ,Arjuna,Drona played havoc in their lives. We are all given to this kind of a tendency. If people of the caliber of the above mentioned could not escape the rigors of impulsive promises, what will be our fate if we can’t control our impulses.

3. Don’t interfere with the flow of nature: When Satyavati wanted Vyasa to impregnate her daughters-in law, because they became widows while being childless , Vysa told why this; why not follow the Rule laid down by King Bharata , Satyavati would not listen; nor Bhishma listened to well meaning advice of Vyasa that his promise to Satyavati’s father has been fulfilled and now it is no more relevant and he should become the king- he would not also agree. The result is what we have seen.

4. Ladies should control their reactions: In Hindu society ladies are so much respected and their responses, reactions and views are taken very seriously and hence they have to be very careful. An irresponsible comment of Draupadi, in the Magical palace during Rajasuya yajnya,when Duryodhana stumbled upon a mirage as water pool and on a water pool as mirage, ‘like father like son’ infuriated Duryodhana and as a consequence did whatever he did.

5. One should control needless anger: The anger of Duryodhana on Panchali and on the Panvdavas ; the anger of Parashurama on Karna ; the anger of Kamsa on Krishna; the anger of Arjuna on Karna; the anger of Karna on Arjuna.; the anger of Drona on Drupada; the anger of shishupala on Krisna; are all examples of how anger can ruin you.

6.You can’t abdicate cosmic dharma for personal promises: Bhishma the embodiment of Righteousness had to fall because knowingly he did not set things right under the influence of his promises made to shantanu and Satyavati on the logic that he is bound by his promise without realizing that his promise in Manmade, whereas the cosmic dharma is God made and that can never be compromised.

7.Even God can’t escape curses: Even though Lord Krishna in order to annihilate adharma adopted all means to achieve that, many times the methods he adopted were questionable and therefore when at the end Gandhari confronted Krishna , the Lord had no answer and ended up earning the curse of her and paid for it in the same avatara. Many may not know that Gandhari cursed him that since he has unfairly ensured that though she gave birth to 100 sons she has no sons now, even to do the final rites and as all of them perished in a family war, he will meet the same fate. Lord accepted it with grace unquestioned and ultimately he also died in an inter clan war, This is because Gandhari was a personification of complete virtuousness with not even a trace of asat.

8.Curses of ladies is incurable: The entire revenge story of Mahabharata had its irretrievable turn only after the vastraparana and the shapath of Panchali. That is why Poet Bharathi called his Mahabharata in Tamil as ‘Panchali Sapatham’ – All those who perpetrated and witnessed – perished excepting those who helped her in achieving her revenge, the pandavas.

9.Even most virtuous persons can have silly but far reaching weaknesses: Yudhishtra , who was otherwise a personification of Dharma, had a weakness for the game of dice and it was got exploited by Shakuni.If only he could have controlled that weakness the Pandavas need not have suffered vanvas and anjnyatavas.

10)Nemesis will catch up with you without fail: Arjuna , the embodiment of manliness has to spend a year as an eunuch , the curse he earned in the previous birth from Rambha.

This article is a snippet from the Book Vedic Wisdom, Authored by Pandit Sri Rama Sharma. Vedic Wisdom is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.