Mahabharata is one of the two major epics of the Indian subcontinent. It tells us the story of two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, and how they fought a war against each other in Kurukshetra. The Bhagavad Gita, the Hindu scripture which is a dialog between Lord Krishna (incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and Pandava prince Arjuna, is also an integral part of this epic. It was dictated by Vyasa and was written by Lord Ganesha. This ancient Hindu story shares many valuable lessons with mankind as narrated by the Lord himself. The following are some of the lessons one can learn from Mahabharata.
- Revenge never brings peace – Shakuni is said to be responsible for the war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. It was his thirst for vengeance against the Kuru clan that led to the large-scale destruction. The Kauravas lost everything in that battle along with their life. The Pandavas also lost many important people including Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu in the battle. This shows that revenge can benefit nobody and only brings in destruction.
- Path of Righteousness – Even though the idea of war against his own brothers was unacceptable to Arjuna, Lord Krishna reminded him that the Kauravas were evil and to destroy them should be his duty. This was the moment that the Pandavas agreed to fight the Kauravas and put an end to their atrocities. This teaches us the path of righteousness is the correct path to walk on. Another incident depicting that righteousness is the ultimate path is when Gandhari, mother of the Kauravas, refused to bless her own sons because she knew what her sons were doing was not right. She chose righteousness over love for her own children.
- Friendship – The epic clearly shows the love and support for the Pandavas by Lord Krishna. It was because of him the Pandavas could win the battle against evil. Lord Krishna came to Draupadi’s rescue when her husband gambled her away. This shows that the bond of friendship is pure and everlasting.
- Half knowledge can be dangerous – Abhimanyu, Arjuna’s son, was the only one who knew the way in the chakravyuh (an ultimate attack and defense formation) created by the Kauravas. But he could not make it out of it alive since he did not know how to get out of the chakravyuh after destroying it. This is a perfect example of the famous saying, “half knowledge can be dangerous”.
- Greed can destroy you– It was greed that led a noble person like Yudhisthir gamble away his wealth, his kingdom and even his wife. One should not be distracted by greed and should always walk on the path of righteousness.
- Women are not weaklings – Draupadi was violated by Duryodhana after her husband gambled her away in a game. Post that incident, she vowed to wash her hair in Duryodhana’s blood and only then will she be satisfied. This was partially the reason for the great war of Kurukshetra. This shows that women are not weaklings of the society but are a powerful part of it.
- Determination – Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun, had a difficult life. He was discriminated and was faced with a lot of challenges throughout his life. But he did not quit and was focused to achieve his goal. Another example of determination is also visible in another incident with Dronacharya and Eklavya. When Dronacharya denied to take Eklavya as his pupil, he picked up soil from his footprints and used it to make a symbolic teacher out of it. He practiced regularly in front of his mud teacher he made and became an excellent archer. This shows us that determination has no limits and can help anyone achieve anything in life.
- Sense of duty – Lord Krishna had to leave his real mother Devaki the day he was born. He also left his second mother Yashodha and his beloved Radha to kill his evil uncle Kansa. Lord Krishna teaches us that one’s responsibilities and duties are above everything else. Even though he loved the people in his life, he was able to detach himself from them for the greater good.
- Union with God – Humans are materialistic beings who are too attached to relations, money and fame. Lord Krishna says that all these are temporary earthly pleasures and the only pleasure one should seek is union with god. It is only by giving up the worldly pleasures can one experience true and permanent feelings of joy. It is the only way to unite with god and attain salvation.
- Divinity everywhere – If we see everything with divinity, we respect everything that is around us. Lord Krishna has himself stated that he is not only present in temples, but is also there is each and every particle in this universe. When we believe in this divinity, we respect every human being and animal that surrounds us.
- Arrogance and Pride can destroy you – Duryodhana was an evil man. He never followed the path of righteousness and always behaved in a selfish manner. His deeds were not justified when he tried to violate Draupadi in front of the entire court. He teaches us that actions have consequences and blind pride can actually get you killed.
- Foresight – Yudhisthir was considered to be the most righteous person of all the Pandava brothers. His righteousness and sincerity were even tested by Yaksha, the god of death, following which Yudhisthir was able to bring back all four of his brothers from the brink of death. But when it came to gambling, he gambled away his wealth, his kingdom and even his wife. This is what greed can do to a person. This shows us that righteousness without foresight is a useless asset and can be detrimental.
These are some of the lessons Lord Krishna teaches us through the medium of Mahabharata. This ancient epic has been a part of the Hindu cultures for centuries and the gurus still teach it to their pupils. The Bhagvad Gita is also a part of this great epic and should be read for deeper understandings of the lessons the lord tried to preach. It is by reading and understanding these texts can one truly understand the true meaning of life.