Mahābhārata Māhātmyā - The Greatness of Śrīmad Mahābhārata
नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव(व्यासं) ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ॥ 1.1.1
“One should recite Jaya (which is known as the Mahābhārata), after one bows down to Nārāyaṇa and Nara, the most exalted Purusha, and to the Devi Saraswati, and Vyāsa.”
नारायणं सुरगुरुं जगदेकनाथं भक्तप्रियं सकललोकनमस्कृतं च। त्रैगुण्यवर्जितमजं विभुमाद्यमीशं वन्दे भवघ्नममरासुरसिद्धवन्द्यम्'॥ 1.1.2
“I bow to that Lord Nārāyaṇa who is the Guru of the devatās, who is the Lord of the world, who is dear to the devotees, who is worshipped by the entire Universe, who is devoid of the natural Guṇas (Satva, Rajas, Tamas), who is without birth, who is all pervading, who is the primordial being, who is full of all attributes and who is worshipped by Amarās, Asuras and Siddhas.”
नमो धर्माय महते नमः कृष्णाय वेधसे। ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य धर्मान्वक्ष्यामि शाश्वतान्'॥ 1.1.3
(Also invoked by Bhīṣmācharya in 12.55.10 ; 12.59.8)
“Bowing to Dharma which is Supreme, Śrī Kṛṣṇa who is the Supreme Brahman and to the Brāhmaṇas, I will discourse on the eternal duties of humanity.”
These above Ślokās are the Maṅgalācaraṇa Ślokas to the Mahābhārata, invoking Viṣṇu exlusively in the previous two.
As we all know, Mahābhārata has supposedly around 100,000 Ślokas available for Humans, and in this present time, a lot of sections of this Grantha is lost. Here is how the Itihāsa begins :
Background
Ugraśravā, the son of Romaharshana Sūta, and a renowned Sūta, well-versed in the Purāṇas, arrived at the Naimiṣāraṇya forest. There, he encountered a large gathering of distinguished Ṛṣīs who had just concluded a twelve-year yagña led by Śaunaka Kulapati.
These Ṛṣīs , known for their unwavering devotion to austerity (Tapasya), were eager to hear the captivating narratives Ugraśravā was famous for. They received him with due respect and offered him a seat.
After the initial pleasantries and inquiries about the progress of their tapasya, one of the Ṛṣīs, curious about Ugraśravā's recent activities, politely asked him where he had been traveling and how he had spent his time.
Ugraśravā, known for his eloquence and mastery of language befitting the learned audience, then began to recount his experiences in detail to the assembled Ṛṣīs, and told about the Mahabhārata he heard at Sarpa Yajña by Vaiśampāyana.
Maṅgalācaraṇa to Śrī Bhagavān
सौतिरुवाच : आद्यं पुरुषमीशानं पुरुहूतं पुरुष्टुतम्। ऋतमेकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्यक्ताव्यक्तं सनातनम्॥ असच्च सच्चैव च यद्विश्वं सदसतः परम् । परावराणां स्रष्टारं पुराणं परमव्ययम्॥ माङ्गल्यं मङ्गलं विष्णुं वरेण्यमनघं शुचिम्। नमस्कृत्य हृषीकेशं चराचरगुरुं हरिम्॥ 1.1.28-30
Sauti then said, ‘I bow to the Primordial Being, Iśāna, to whom the people all make offerings, whom the multitude adores. He is the true and immortal One – Brahman, manifest, unmanifest and eternal. He both exists and appears not to. He is the Universe and also distinct from the Universe, the creator of all things, high and low, the ancient, exalted, inexhaustible One. He is Viṣṇu, benign and benignity personified, worthy of all worship, pure, perfect. He is Hari, sovereign of the faculties, the mover of all things, mobile and motionless.
Maṅgalācaraṇa to Bhagavān Veda Vyāsa
महर्षेः पूजितस्येह सर्वलोकैर्महात्मनः। प्रवक्ष्यामि मतं पुण्यं व्यासस्याद्भुतकर्मणः॥ `नमो भगवते तस्मै व्यासायामिततेजसे। यस्य प्रसादाद्वक्ष्यामि नारायणकथामिमाम्॥ सर्वश्रमाभिशमनं सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम्। न तथा फलदा सूते नारायणकथा यथा॥ नास्ति नारायणसमं न भूतं न भविष्यति। एतेन सत्यवाक्येन सर्वार्थान्साधयाम्यहम्'॥ 1.1.31-34
I will now narrate the sacred thoughts of the illumined Muni Vyāsa, of marvellous accomplishments, whom all here revere. O great personality, Salutations to you, the Tejasvin Veda Vyāsa, due to his grace, i will reveal this divine Nārāyaṇa kathā. Even the act of taking holy baths in all the holy waters, which can remove all kinds of tiredness of a person, is not equal to the fruits derived from listening to Nārāyaṇa kathā. There is no one equal to, or above Nārāyaṇa, ever in the past or in the future. This is the truth, and with this in mind, i will accomplish my purpose.
Subject Matter and Contents
उवाच स महातेजा ब्रह्माणं परमेष्ठिनम् । कृतं मयेदं भगवन्काव्यं परमपूजितम्॥ ब्रह्मन्वेदरहस्य च यच्चान्यत्स्थापितं मया। साङ्गोपनिषदां चैव वेदानां विस्तरक्रिया॥ इतिहासपुरापानामुन्मेषं निमिषं च यत्। भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च त्रिविधं कालसंज्ञितम्॥ जरामृत्युभयव्याधिभावाभावविनिश्चयः। विविधस्य च धर्मस्य ह्याश्रमाणां च लक्षणम्॥ चातुर्वर्ण्यविधानं च पुराणानां च कृत्स्नशः। तपसो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पृथिव्याश्चन्द्रसूर्ययोः॥ ग्रहनक्षत्रताराणां प्रमाणं च युगैः सह। ऋचो यजूषि सामानि वेदाध्यात्मं तथैव च॥ न्यायशिक्षा चिकित्सा च दानं पाशुपतं तथा। इति नैकाश्रयं जन्म दिव्यमानुषसंज्ञितम्॥ तीर्थानां चैव पुण्यानां देशानां चैव कीर्तनम्। नदीनां पर्वतानां च वनानां सागरस्य च॥ पुराणां चैव दिव्यानां कल्पानां युद्धकौशलम्। वाक्यजातिविशेषाश्च लोकयात्राक्रमश्च यः॥ 1.1.86-94
The glorious Vyāsa said to Brahmā Parameṣṭhi, “Divine Brahmā, I have composed a kāvya, a poem, which is highly regarded. In it, I have explained the mystery of the Veda and the other scriptures; the rituals of the Upaniṣads with their angas; the Purāṇas and Itihāsas that I have compiled and named after the three divisions of time, the nature of ageing and decay, of fear, disease, being and non-being; a description of different Varṇas and the various stages of life: laws for the four Varṇas, the true import of the Purāṇas; an account of Sanyāsa and the duties of a Brahmachārin; the dimensions of the Sun and Moon, the planets, and stars, along with the duration of the four Yugas;the Ṛk, Sāma and Yajur Vedas; also, the Adhyātma; the sciences of Nyāya, the diagnosis and the treatment of disease; Charity and “Pāśupata” dharma; births heavenly and human, for different ends; a description of the tirthas and other holy places, of rivers, mountains, forests, the ocean, of the unearthly cities and the Kalpas; the art of war (Dhanurveda); the different nations and languages, the nature and customs of the people; and the All-pervading Spirit – all these I have told of in my work.”
Components of this Great Tree
Lord Brahmā after hearing the above, said the following about this Itihāsa:
लोकगर्भगृहं कृत्स्नं यथावत्संप्रकाशितम्॥ संग्रहाध्यायबीजो वै पौलोमास्तीकमूलवान्। संभवस्कन्धविस्तारः सभापर्वविटङ्कवान्॥ आरण्यपर्व रूपाढ्यो विराटोद्योग सारवान्। भीष्मपर्व महाशाखो द्रोणपर्व पलाशवान्॥ कर्णपर्व सितैः पुष्पैः शल्यपर्वसुगन्धिभिः।स्त्रीपर्वैषीकविश्रामः शान्तिपर्व महाफलः॥ अश्वमेधामृतसस्त्वाश्रम स्थानसंश्रयः। मौसलश्रुतिसंक्षेपः शिष्टद्विजनिषेवितः॥ सर्वेषां कविमुख्यानामुपजीव्यो भविष्यति । 1.1.103-108
This work is a tree. The chapter of contents is its seed; the divisions called Pauloma and Āstika are its root; the portion called Saṃbhava is its trunk;
The books called Sabhā and Āraṇya are roosting perches; the Parva called Āraṇī, the knots on the bole; the Virāta and Udyoga Parvas, the pith; the book named Bhīṣma, the main branch; The book called Droṇa, the leaves; the Karṇa Parva, the fair flowers; the book named Śalya, their sweet fragrance;
The books entitled Strī, the refreshing shade; the book called Śānti, the mighty fruit; the book called Aśvamedhika, the immortal sap;
The Āśramavāsikā, the place where the tree grows; and the book called Mausala is an epitome of the Vedas and held in great reverence by virtuous Brāhmaṇas. The tree of the Bhārata, as inexhaustible to mankind as the clouds, shall be a source of livelihood to all poets of distinction.’
Different versions of the Mahābhārata
अष्टौ श्लोकसहस्राणि अष्टौ श्लोकशतानि च। अहं वेद्मि शुको वेत्ति संजयो वेत्ति वा न वा॥ 1.1.117
This Samhitā called “Jaya” has Eight Thousand Eight Hundred (8,800) Ślokas, I know it , Śuka knows it and doubtful of Sañjaya.
चतुर्विंशतिसाहस्रीं चक्रे भारतसंहिताम्। उपाख्यानैर्विना तावद्भारतं प्रोच्यते बुधैः॥ ततोऽध्यर्धशतं भूयः संक्षेपं कृतवानृषिः। अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायं वृत्तान्तं सर्वपर्वणाम्॥ तस्याख्यानवरिष्ठस्य कृत्वा द्वैपायनः प्रभुः। कथमध्यापयानीह शिष्यानित्यन्वचिन्तयत्॥ 1.1.78-80
Originally, Vyāsa composed “Bhārata” in twenty-four thousand verses (24,000), without the digressions and upakathas; the learned recognise only these as the Bhārata. Later, he composed an outline in one hundred and fifty verses, comprising the introduction and the chapter of contents. This he first taught to his son Śuka; and after, he gave it to some of his other siśyās, who possessed the same gifts as his son.
Mahābhārata in different Lokas
षष्टिं शतसहस्राणि चकारान्यां स संहिताम्। त्रिंशच्छतसहस्रं च देवलोके प्रतिष्ठितम्॥ पित्र्ये पञ्चदश प्रोक्तं रक्षोयक्षे चतुर्दश। एकं शतसहस्रं तु मानुषेषु प्रतिष्ठितम्॥ नारदोऽश्रावयद्देवानसितो देवलः पितृन्। गन्धर्वयक्षरक्षांसि श्रावयामास वै शुकः॥ वैशम्पायनविप्रर्षिः श्रावयामास पार्थिवम्। पारिक्षितं महात्मानं नाम्ना तु जनमेजयम्॥ अस्मिंस्तु मानुषे लोके वैशम्पायन उक्तवान्। शिष्यो व्यासस्य धर्मात्मा सर्ववेदविदां वरः॥ एकं शतसहस्रं तु मयोक्तं वै निबोधत॥ 1.1.122-127 ; 18.5.67-69
Vyāsa wrote the Mahābhārata, containing sixty lakhs (6,000,000) of verses in Brahma-loka. Of these, thirty lakhs (3,000,000) are known in Devaloka, the world of the Devas; fifteen hundred thousand (1,500,000) in, Pitṛloka, the world of the Pitṛs; fourteen lakhs among the Gandharvas, Yakṣas (1,400,000), and one hundred thousand in the world of humans (100,000).
Nārada recited these to the Devas; Devala to the Pitṛs; and Śuka to the Gandharvas, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas. In this world, they were recited by Vaiśampāyana, one of Vyāsa’s disciples, a man of dharma and foremost among the knowers of the Veda. Know that I, Sauti Ugraśravā, have also repeated one hundred thousand verses.
The Status of “Upaniṣad”
लोकानां च हितार्थाय कारुण्यान्मुनिसत्तमः। अत्रोपनिषदं पुण्यां कृष्णद्वैपायनोऽब्रवीत्॥ विद्वद्भिः कथ्यते लोके पुराणे कविसत्तमैः। भारताध्ययनं पुण्यमपि पादमधीयतः। श्रद्दधानस्य पूयन्ते सर्वपापान्यशेषतः॥ देवा देवर्षयो ह्यत्र तथा ब्रह्मर्षयोऽमलाः। कीर्त्यन्ते शुमकर्माणस्तथा यक्षा महोरगाः॥ 1.1.278-281
Dvaipāyana composed a holy Upaniṣad that has been given to the world by learned and holy Pauraṇikās in the Purāṇas they composed. The study of the Mahābhārata is an act of piety. He that reads a mere foot of it, with faith, has his sins washed away entirely. Here, Devas, Devaṛṣīs, and immaculate Brahmaṛṣīs of puṇya have been spoken of; likewise, Yakṣas and great Uragas, the Nāgas etc..
Since it has been given this status, the greatest secrets of Vedānta is hidden within this Itihāsa.
Greatness of Vāsudeva Śrī Kṛṣṇa
भगवान्वासुदेवश्च कीर्त्यतेऽत्र सनातनः। स हि सत्यमृतं चैव पवित्रं पुण्यमेव च॥ शाश्वतं ब्रह्म परमं ध्रुवं ज्योतिः सनातनम्। यस्य दिव्यानि कर्माणि कथयन्ति मनीषिणः॥ असत्सत्सदसच्चैव यस्माद्विश्वं प्रवर्तते। सन्ततिश्च प्रवृत्तिश्च जन्ममृत्युपुनर्भवाः॥ अध्यात्मं श्रूयते यत्र पञ्चभूतगुणात्मकम्। अव्यक्तादि परं यच्च स एव परिगीयते॥ यं ध्यायन्ति सदा मुक्ता ध्यानयोगबलान्विताः। प्रतिबिम्बमिवादर्शे पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्॥ 1.1.282-286
Here also the eternal Vāsudeva, having Kalyāṇa Guṇas, is glorified. He is the truth, and just, the pure and holy, the eternal Brahman, the Paramātman, the personified light, whose divine Līlās the Sages recount; from whom the Eternal and Non Eternal Things, with its principles of generation and evolution, and birth, death and rebirth in this creation.
That which is called Adhyātma, that partakes of the attributes of the Panchamahābhūta, the five elements, is described here. Adhyātma has also been called Puruṣa, being above such names as ‘unmanifest’ and the rest; it is also that which the greatest Muktas, who are exempt from common destiny and endowed with the power of Dhyāna and Tapas, behold abiding in their hearts, rather like a reflected image in a mirror.
इदं शतसहस्राद्धि भारताख्यानविस्तरात्। आमन्थ्य मतिमन्थेन ज्ञानोदधिमनुत्तमम्॥ 12.353.11
"This discourse on Nārāyaṇa, that is really an ocean of knowledge, has been culled by you (Sauti) by churning that vast histories of a hundred thousand verses, the Mahābhārata."
Results of Reading
श्रद्दधानः सदा युक्तः सदा धर्मपरायणः। आसेवन्निममध्यायं नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते॥ अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायं भारतस्येममादितः। आस्तिकः सततं शृण्वन्न कृच्छ्रेष्ववसीदति॥ उभे सन्ध्ये जपन्किंचित्सद्यो मुच्येत किल्बिषात्। अनुक्रमण्या यावत्स्यादह्नारात्र्या च संचितम्॥ भारतस्य वपुर्ह्येतत्सत्यं चामृतमेव च। नवनीतं यथा दध्नो द्विपदां ब्राह्मणो यथा॥ आरण्यकं च वेदेभ्य ओषधिभ्योऽमृतं यथा। ह्रदानामुदधिः श्रेष्ठो गौर्वरिष्ठा चतुष्पदाम्॥ यथैतानीतिहासानां तथा भारतमुच्यते। यश्चैनं श्रावयेच्छ्राद्धे ब्राह्मणान्पादमन्ततः॥ अक्षय्यमन्नपानं वै पितृंस्तस्योपतिष्ठते। 1.1.287-293
When the man of faith, devoted to piety, and constant in virtue, reads this canto, he is set free from sin. The believer who constantly hears this canto of the Bhārata, the Introduction, being recited, from the beginning, never falls into difficulties. The man that repeats any part of the introduction during the two Sandhyās of dawn and dusk is freed from the sins he commits during the day or the night. This canto, the very body of the Bhārata, is truth and nectar. As butter is to curd, the Brāhmaṇa among bipeds, the Āraṇyaka among the Vedas, and Amṛta among medicaments, as the sea is among water bodies, and the Cow among quadrupeds, so is the Bhārata among Itihāsas, great legends.
He that causes it, even a single metre of it, to be recited to Brāhmaṇas during a śraddhā, his offerings of food and drink to the manes of his Pitṛs become inexhaustible.
इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां वेदं समुपबृंहयेत् ॥ बिभेत्यल्पश्रुताद्वेदो मामयं प्रतरिष्यति। कार्ष्णं वेदमिमं विद्वाञ्श्रावयित्वार्थमश्नुते॥ भ्रूणहत्यादिकं चापि पापं जह्यादसंशयम्। य इमं शुचिरध्यायं पठेत्पर्वणि पर्वणि॥ अधीतं भारतं तेन कृत्स्नं स्यादिति मे मतिः। यश्चैनं शृणुयान्नित्यमार्षं श्रद्धासमन्वितः॥ स दीर्घमायुः कीर्तिं च स्वर्गतिं चाप्नुयान्नरः। 1.1.293-297
With the help of Itihāsas and the Puraṇas, the Veda might be expounded; but the Veda fears the man of small intellect lest he should try to expound the scripture.
The learned man who recites this Bhārata Veda of Vyāsa finds great gain; why, he is saved from the sin of killing a child in the womb, apart from other heinous sins. He that reads this holy chapter of the Moon as good as reads the entire Bhārata.
The man who listens daily, with reverence, to this sacred work acquires long life and renown, and finds Svarga for himself.
NOTE -
As per Śrī Vaiṣṇava Ācharyās, Mahābhārata is considered as “Bhakti Śāstra”, while the Rāmāyaṇa is considered as “Prapatti Śāstra”.
Why is it named “Mahābhārata” ?
एकतश्चतुरो वेदा भारतं चैतदेकतः॥ पुरा किल सुरैः सर्वैः समेत्य तुलया धृतम्। चतुर्भ्यः सरहस्येभ्यो वेदेभ्यो ह्यधिकं यदा॥ तदाप्रभृति लोकेऽस्मिन्महाभारतमुच्यते। महत्त्वे च गुरुत्वे च ध्रियमाणं यतोऽधिकम्॥ महत्त्वाद्भारवत्त्वाच्च महाभारतमुच्यते। निरुक्तमस्य यो वेद सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते॥ 1.1.297-300
In the past, the Devas placed the four Vedas on one side of a balance and the Bhārata on the other, and weighed them against each other. Since the Bhārata was found to be weightier than the four Vedas with their mysteries, then on it was called the Mahābhārata, the great Bhārata. It has been judged to be superior to the Vedas both in substance and gravity. He who fathoms its meaning is released from all his sins.
Due to this, this work is considered as the Pañcama Veda, along with the Chatur Vedas.
Comments
Post a Comment