Decoding the Metaphor Mahabharata

513 Pages·2017·2.69 MB·English

by  Diwaker Ikshit Srivastava

DECODING
THE
METAPHOR
MAHABHARATA
DIWAKER IKSHIT SRIVASTAVA
ISBN 978-93-52010-00-4
Copyright © Diwaker Ikshit Srivastava, 2017
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GRATITUDE AND SALUTATIONS
There is only one God, and in His most recent Avatar
He chose the form of
BHAGAWAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA.
Loving pranams at His, my Swami’s, divine lotus feet.
This entire work, as everything else with me, is part of His
bounty that He has so graciously granted me access to. A work
of this nature is impossible without His divine inspiration. This
is His boon, His blessing, which He has so graciously showered
upon all of us. No words that I can form will ever be adequate
to express my gratitude. This work is offered in humility with
love and gratitude at
His Divine Lotus Feet.
Heartfelt gratitude and loving pranams at the feet of
the divine forms of the One God,
Maharishi Manu, who first lighted the lamp within me,
Gurumayi, Swami Chidvilasananda, who stilled my troubled
world, and Mata Amritanandamayi, at whose feet and bosom
I have cried.
I acknowledge, in all humility, the debt of gratitude to
Kinkar Vishwashreyananda
for so graciously passing on his knowledge and the
knowledge of his gurus
Kinkar Vitthal Ramanuja Maharaj and
Most Revered Shri Shri Sitaramdas Omkarnath.
My loving pranams at the feet
of these divine forms of the one God
DEDICATION
Dedicated to my parents
Late Shri Abhimanyu Kumar Srivastava and
Late Smt. Shail Bala Srivastava
CONTENTS
i Introduction: What Is the Mahabharata?
ii Keys to Decode the Metaphors
Decoding the Metaphor Mahabharata
Sections
1. The reign of King Bharata
2. Shantanu gets married to Ganga
3. The queen gives birth to a son
4. The queen consigns her newborn to the river
5. Shantanu questions his queen
6. A lad restrains the river
7. Ganga hands over Devavrata to Shantanu
8. Parashara rids Matsyagandha of her fishy odour
9. Shantanu is captivated by Satyavati
10. Devavrata’s pledge of brahmacharya
11. Devavrata takes another vow
12. The boon of death at will
13. Satyavati bears two sons
14. Bheeshma abducts Amba
15. Amba is left in the lurch
16. An heir for Hastinapur
17. A bride for Dhritarashtra
18. Brides for Pandu too
19. The deer’s curse
20. Sons for Pandu
21. Kunti serves the sage with devotion
22. Kunti tests the mantra
23. Kavacha and kundala for Kunti’s son
24. Kunti sets her newborn afloat on the river
25. Radheya wants to know who he is
26. Radheya’s learning at home
27. Dronacharya declines to accept Radheya
28. Radheya is disappointed
29. Radheya offers his prayers every morning
30. The novice at his bath
31. Radheya seeks Parasurama
32. The fatal touch
33. Gandhari’s children
34. Duryodhana inherits Dhritarashtra’s dreams
35. Bheema gobbles up Duryodhana’s food
36. Duryodhana tries to get rid of Bheema
37. Sons of a Guru – Drona and Drupada
38. Drupada and Drona take up their respective positions
39. Drupada refuses to acknowledge Dronacharya
40. Dronacharya moves to Hastinapur
41. A guru for the princes
42. Education at the gurukula
43. The princes are subjected to a test
44. Arjuna continues to practise long after it is dark
45. Eklavya goes out looking for a guru
46. Dronacharya gives his reasons to Eklavya
47. Eklavya builds a statue of his guru
48. Eklavya silences a barking dog
49. Eklavya’s prayer and gratitude at his guru’s feet
50. Guru-dakshina
51. Ashwathama’s doubts
52. Games at the end of their education
53. Arjuna impresses at the games
54. Radheya equals Arjuna’s feats
55. Duryodhana offers the kingdom of Anga to Radheya
56. Duryodhana wins a lifelong friend in Anga-Raja Karna
57. Dronacharya specifies his guru-dakshina
58. Arjuna is peeved with Dronacharya
59. Duryodhana returns, beaten
60. Drupada is subdued by Dronacharya
61. Drupada seeks a boon
62. Yudhisthira is anointed Crown Prince
63. The house of laksha at Varnavata
64. Ekchakra and the demon Bakasura
65. Bheema gets married to Hidimba
66. Duryodhana is married to Bhanumati
67. Bhanumati’s pitara
68. Bhanumati succumbs to Duryodhana’s violence
69. Drupada plans to avenge his humiliation
70. Draupadi’s swyamvara
71. The Pandavas leave for the swyamvara
72. The challenge before the suitors
73. The kings try their hand