I am fascinated with our epics which are possibly the most well written scriptures across civilizations. Their importance can only be realized by those who feel the society is in the chasms of deep troubles with insecurity, immorality and crimes pegging us in from all sides. I feel relieved when I read them through Rajagopalachari’s immortal English renditions or even watch their serialized versions done so wonderfully some two decades ago. My tryst with the Ramayana and the Mahabharata began at the infant age of 3-4 years when I used to bother my Grandma for bedtime stories whenever she used to come visiting our house. She is not much educated but her fabulous command over the religious scriptures used to awe me a lot. She has also derived much of her gyan from them and uses to straighten us even to this day if at all we deviate. Since that tender age, I got fascinated with the scriptures especially the Epics.
I used to wonder how someone can become so perfect like Lord Rama. He was an excellent fighter, was a dutiful son, a responsible brother, a protective husband to Seeta, and finally proved to be the ablest king of this land. Such was his perfection that the Mahatma envisaged a Ram Rajya in this country and said that it has become all the more relevant in this modern age when people would get corrupted.
I was amused at the folk tale of the larger- than- life Rama, his birth as Lord Vishnu’s incarnation on this earth to slay Ravana, the Rakshasa king of Lanka. Rama’s decision to follow his father’s orders to leave for the forest, where uncertain dangers lay in waiting, was really touching. His grief at the loss of his wife proved that he was unaware of his divine origin and displayed emotions just like any normal human. Finally when he set course for Lanka with the help of the Vaanar Sena it concludes that one shouldn’t neglect the poorest and the weakest. They can help you on any day of your need.
Rama’s return to Ayodhya after slaying Raavana is still celebrated in the form of Dussehra and Deepawali, especially in the north. Rama’s story can be an inspiration to any individual. I believe, on how to perform one’s duties. However we can only strive towards perfection, not be entirely perfect as that is the domain of the Supreme Being.
The Mahabharata impressed me even more with an authentic display of present day strife in the form of a war between brothers of the Lunar Dynasty. It is called the Mahabharata as legend says it weighs more than the combined weights of the four Bharats-RigVeda, SaamVeda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda. Having more than 1 lakh slokas, the beautiful story of the Kuru Dynasty was brought alive by Sage Ved Vyas in poignant terms. From the story of Yayati to the Pandavas’ final journey, it is full of intricately woven tales of Administration, Management, Political Science, Diplomacy, Military training, Valour, Romance, Devotion and so on. You name a field and it is there in Mahabharata. More importantly, it contains the Bhagavad Geeta, the sacred teachings of the Lord given to Arjuna on the battlefield which culminated in the Lord showing the Universal Form to Arjuna.
Although the 18 day Kurukshetra war was a foregone conclusion as the Pandavas were under the care and guidance of the Supreme Lord Krishna from their birth onwards, my heroes in this epic are Bheeshma and Karna. Bheeshma, formerly known as Devavrat, the son of Ganga, was born as a result of a curse by the Brahmarishi Vasistha as he dared to steal his cow Nandini. He was actually one of the Vasus, the lesser Gods, more appropriately, Pravasa, the Sky God. His perfection was also like Lord Rama, almost equal in valour, strength, knowledge. The future King of Hastinapura, he sacrificed his material pleasures through a terrible vow or pratigya to enable his father to marry his love. In due course, he got the boon of ichcha mrityu from his father who was clearly impressed. Withstanding the long suffering of Hastinapura and saddened at the plight of his kingdom due to the constant infighting between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, he was finally defeated by Arjuna when he took off his weapons. The story of Bheeshma is unique in the sense that he didn’t breathe his last till he was sure of Hastinapura’s transition into safe hands.
The story of Karna is a mixed bag of misfortunes and wrong company. Ignored by his mother at his infancy, he was the greatest among all Pandava brothers in all aspects. However he was weakened by his repeated support of Duryodhana’s eveil deeds. His consideration that he was forever in debt of Duryodhana, caused his downfall and final defeat in the hands of Arjuna. It sends a message across all of us that however good a person is; he will surely go down if he starts quivering from the paths of justice.
All conflicts and wars in our societies and homes are all mirror images and micro forms of that Great War of Kurukshetra. However the truth and the righteous will always prevail in this never ending war however beating they have to take. I hereby end this narrative with a respectful bow to the two great epics whose importance in this cruel world have increased manifold.