Mahabharat - Composed as Jaya, Bharat, and Mahabharat?

॥ श्रीहरीः ॥

॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥

॥ श्रीवेदव्यसाय नमः ॥

Maharshi Vyas narrating Mahabharat to Shri Ganesh

In the hallowed environs of Naimisharanya, amidst the sanctity of Sage Shounak's twelve-year yajna satra, Ugrashrava Sauti commenced the narration of the Mahabharat, the sacred itithas. Here, Sauti revealed that this great epic was imparted to him by the Vaishampayana, the foremost disciple of illustrious Maharshi Vyasa who composed Mahabharat, during the sarpa satra conducted by King Janamejaya.

Yet, a question of great import arises - how was the composition of Mahabharat, the embodiment of Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha, done by Maharshi Vyasa? 

Let us now delve into the origins of this scripture and unveil the tale of its creation.

There comes a shlok in Anukramanikaparva of Adiparva as 

इदं तु त्रिषु लोकेषु महज्ज्ञानं प्रतिष्ठितं ।

विस्तरैश्च समासैश्च धार्यते द्विजातिभिः ॥27॥

अलंकृतं शुभैः शब्दैः समयैर्दिव्यमानुषैः ।

छन्दोवृत्तैश्च विविधैरन्वितं विदुषां प्रियम् ॥28॥

Transliteration

idaṃ tu triṣu lokeṣu mahajjñānaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ |

vistaraiśca samāsaiśca dhāryate dvijātibhiḥ ||27||

alaṃkṛtaṃ śubhaiḥ śabdaiḥ samayairdivyamānuṣaiḥ |

chandovṛttaiśca vividhairanvitaṃ viduṣāṃ priyam ||28||

"This sacred text, the Mahabharata, stands exalted across the three realms as the pinnacle of all knowledge, revered as the greatest repository of wisdom. Through the venerable traditions of oral recitation and written preservation, it is safeguarded and perpetuated by the learned Brahmanas. (27)
Adorned with a rich tapestry of diverse, pure, and sanctified chandas, and infused with the harmonious interplay of Sanskrit and Prakrit forms, this epic is rendered most beloved to scholars and seekers of truth. (28)"

Thus, it says the text is composed in a way that it has different Chandas and phraseologies.
A common conception of the Mahabharat is that it first had 8800 shlokas named Jaya, then it got extended with 24000 shlokas with the name Bharat or Adyabharat and then it finally again got extended into the present version of Mahabharat of 100,000 shloka. If one truly seeks to understand the Mahabharata, the wise and rightful path is to delve directly into the text itself to uncover the answers.
Let us see what "truth" Mahabharat says about it.

The following shloka comes in Anukramanika parva of Adiparva,

तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण व्यस्य वेदं सनातनम् ।

इतिहासमिमं चक्रे पुण्यं सत्यवतीसुतः ॥54॥

पराशरात्मजो विद्वान् ब्रह्मर्षिः संशितव्रतः । 

तदाख्यानवरिष्ठं स कृत्वा द्वैपायनः प्रभुः ॥55॥

कथमध्यापयानीह शिष्यान्नित्यन्वचिन्तयत् ।

तस्य तच्चिन्तितं ज्ञात्वा ऋषेर्द्वैपायनस्य च ॥56॥

तत्राजगाम भगवान् ब्रह्मा लोकगुरुः स्वयम्  ।

प्रीत्यर्थं तस्य चैवर्षेर्लोकानां हितकाम्यया  ॥57॥

Transliteration

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa vyasya vedaṃ sanātanam |

itihāsamimaṃ cakre puṇyaṃ satyavatīsutaḥ ||54||

parāśarātmajo vidvān brahmarṣiḥ saṃśitavrataḥ | 

tadākhyānavariṣṭhaṃ sa kṛtvā dvaipāyanaḥ prabhuḥ ||55||

kathamadhyāpayānīha śiṣyānnityanvacintayat |

tasya taccintitaṃ jñātvā ṛṣerdvaipāyanasya ca ||56||

tatrājagāma bhagavān brahmā lokaguruḥ svayam  |

prītyarthaṃ tasya caivarṣerlokānāṃ hitakāmyayā  ||57||

"After celibate penance and austerities, after having classified the eternal Vedas, Satyavati's son composed this holy history. The learned Brahmarshi, the son of Parashara, followed pure vows, and having composed the Mahabharat akhyaan started contemplating. How should I teach this granth to my disciples? How can I make this granth public? Having known these contemplations of Vyasa, Bhagwan Brahma himself appeared to him with the objective of the welfare of all beings."

Fast forwarding the scene, Bhagwan Brahma then says to him,

अस्य काव्यस्य कवयो न समर्था विशेषणे ।

विशेषणे गृहस्थस्य शेषास्त्रस्य इवाश्रमाः ॥73॥

काव्यस्य लेखनर्थाय गणेशः स्मर्यतां मुने ।

एवमाभाष्य तं ब्रह्मा जगाम स्वं निवेशनम् ॥74॥

Transliteration

asya kāvyasya kavayo na samarthā viśeṣaṇe |

viśeṣaṇe gṛhasthasya śeṣāstrasya ivāśramāḥ ||73||

kāvyasya lekhanarthāya gaṇeśaḥ smaryatāṃ mune |

evamābhāṣya taṃ brahmā jagāma svaṃ niveśanam ||74||

"Even the greatest among philosophers, O noble one, shall find themselves incapable of crafting a work surpassing this divine composition, much as the three ashramas can never transcend the preeminence of Gruhasthashrama. O Muni, bow thy head in reverence to Lord Ganesha, that this sacred Kavya may be inscribed. Thus having spoken, Bhagwan Brahma departed, returning to his celestial abode."

On hearing this, Vyasa bowed his head in reverence to Lord Ganesha when Lord Ganesha himself came to him. Vyasa then requested the lord as,

लेखको भारतस्यास्य भव त्वं गणनायक ।

मयैव प्रोच्यमानस्य मनसा कल्पितस्य च ॥77॥

श्रुत्वैतत् प्राह विघ्नेशो यदि मे लेखनी क्षणम् ।

लिखितो नावतिष्ठेत तदा स्यां लेखको ह्यहम् ॥78॥

व्यासोऽप्युवाच तं देवमबुद्ध्वा मा लिख क्वचित् ।

ओमित्युक्त्वा गणेशोऽपि बभूव किल लेखकः  ॥79॥

ग्रन्थग्रन्थिं तदा चक्रे मुनिर्गूढं कुतूहलात् ।

यस्मिन् प्रतिज्ञया प्राह मुनिर्द्वैपायनस्त्विदम् ॥80॥

अष्टौ श्लोकसहस्त्रणि अष्टौ श्लोकशतानि च ।

अहं वेद्मि शुको वेत्ति संजयो वेत्ति वा न वा ॥81॥

Transliteration

lekhako bhāratasyāsya bhava tvaṃ gaṇanāyaka |

mayaiva procyamānasya manasā kalpitasya ca ||77||

śrutvaitat prāha vighneśo yadi me lekhanī kṣaṇam |

likhito nāvatiṣṭheta tadā syāṃ lekhako hyaham ||78||

vyāso'pyuvāca taṃ devamabuddhvā mā likha kvacit |

omityuktvā gaṇeśo'pi babhūva kila lekhakaḥ  ||79||

granthagranthiṃ tadā cakre munirgūḍhaṃ kutūhalāt |

yasmin pratijñayā prāha munirdvaipāyanastvidam ||80||

aṣṭau ślokasahastraṇi aṣṭau ślokaśatāni ca |

ahaṃ vedmi śuko vetti saṃjayo vetti vā na vā ||81||

"O Lord of Ganas (Ganesha), be the scribe for this sacred Bharata, which shall be spoken aloud by me and conceived within the depths of my mind." (77) Hearing this, Lord Vighnesha replied, "If my pen is not made to pause even for a moment while I write, then indeed I shall accept the task of being the scribe." (78) Vyasa, in turn, addressed the deity, saying, "Write nothing without first comprehending its meaning." Accepting this condition with the utterance of "Om," Lord Ganesha became the scribe. (79)

Out of curiosity and to uphold the condition, the sage wove intricate and profound complexities into the text, embedding within it deep and subtle meanings. Thus, Vyasa composed this great work under a solemn promise that (80) "This text consists of eight thousand shlokas and eight hundred more besides. I know its full meaning, Shuka knows it, and perhaps Sanjaya knows—or perhaps he does not." (81)

In the Adi Parva, the only mention of the "8,800 shlokas" appears in shloka 81, which states: "This text consists of eight thousand shlokas and eight hundred more besides. I know its full meaning, Shuka knows it, and perhaps Sanjaya knows—or perhaps he does not." The claim that the Jaya was initially written in 8,800 shlokas appears nowhere in the entire Mahabharata, in any edition, rendering it a mere misconception.

Now let us delve into another misconception of 'the extension of Jaya to 24000 shloka named Bharat'.

The scene of Lord Ganesh being the author continues. In the later shlokas from 82, the scripture gives a brief explanation of different parva and shortly the importance of Mahabharat.

Again fast-forwarding through the scene, we reach the following shloka,

इदं शतसहस्त्रं तु लोकानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् ॥101॥

उपाख्यानैः सह ज्ञेयमाद्यं भारतमुत्तमम् ।

चतुर्विंशतिसाहस्त्रीं चक्रे भारतसंहिताम् ॥102॥

उपाख्यानैर्विना तावद् भारतं प्रोच्यते बुधैः । 

Transliteration

idaṃ śatasahastraṃ tu lokānāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām ||101||

upākhyānaiḥ saha jñeyamādyaṃ bhāratamuttamam |

caturviṃśatisāhastrīṃ cakre bhāratasaṃhitām ||102||

upākhyānairvinā tāvad bhārataṃ procyate budhaiḥ | 

"This composition, numbering one hundred thousand verses, is intended for those virtuous souls who perform meritorious deeds. It is to be understood along with its upakhyana as the foremost and original Adyabharat (another name of Mahabharat as the samhita of 100,000 shlokas came first and that's why the word Adya). (101) Recognised by the wise is the composition Bharat which is the samhita of 24000 shlokas from the main Mahabharat samhita without the inclusion of upakhyana. (102)"

Thus, the Mahabharata states that the Samhita of 24,000 shlokas, recognized by the wise as Bharata, is derived from the main Mahabharata text of 100,000 shlokas when the Upakhyanas are excluded. This Samhita of 24,000 extracted shlokas from the 100,000-shloka Mahabharata is called Bharata. Moreover, there is no mention anywhere of Bharata being an extension of any Jaya consisting of 8,800 shlokas. Thus, this too is a misconception.

Furthermore, another reference comes stating the Mahabharat to be of 100,000 shloka and not an extension of anything but rather a part of a bigger samhita of 6,000,000 shlokas. That reference goes as,

ततोऽन्येभ्योऽनुरुपेभ्यः शिष्येभ्यः प्रददौ विभुः ।

षष्टिं शतसहस्त्राणि चकारान्यां स संहिताम् ॥105॥

त्रिंशच्छतसहस्त्रं च देवलोके प्रतिष्ठितम् ।

पित्र्ये पञ्चदश प्रोक्तं गन्धर्वेषु चतुर्दश ॥106॥

एकं शतसहस्त्रं तु मानुषेषु प्रतिष्ठितम् ।

नारदोऽश्रावयद् देवानसितो देवलः पितॄन् ॥107॥

Transliteration

tato'nyebhyo'nurupebhyaḥ śiṣyebhyaḥ pradadau vibhuḥ |

ṣaṣṭiṃ śatasahastrāṇi cakārānyāṃ sa saṃhitām ||105||

triṃśacchatasahastraṃ ca devaloke pratiṣṭhitam |

pitrye pañcadaśa proktaṃ gandharveṣu caturdaśa ||106||

ekaṃ śatasahastraṃ tu mānuṣeṣu pratiṣṭhitam |

nārado'śrāvayad devānasito devalaḥ pitṝn ||107||

"The great sage, Vyasa, then distributed the sacred text to other worthy disciples according to their aptitudes. To them, the revered one entrusted another version of the Samhita, comprising six million verses. (105)
Of this vast composition, three million verses were established in the realm of the gods (Devaloka). 1.5 million were designated for the ancestors (Pitrya), and 1.4 million were assigned to the Gandharvas. (106)
The remaining one hundred thousand verses were set among humanity (Manushya-loka). Narada recited it to the gods, Asita-Devala imparted it to the ancestors, and the sage Devala shared it with the Gandharvas. (107)"

This samhita of 100,000 shlokas is but the Mahabharat.

Thus, in the denouement, the telling of the composition of Mahabharat first as Jaya of 8800 shlokas, then an extension of 24000 shlokas named as Bharat, and then its further extension to Mahabharat of 100,000 shlokas is but a misconception and has no scriptural evidence in Mahabharat.

Reference: 

[1] Mahabharat, Adiparva, Pratham Khand, Gitapress, Gorakhpur.

[2] Mahabharat, Adiparva, BORI Critical edition.

Mahabharat - How many men participated and became martyrs of the great war?

॥ श्रीहरीः ॥

॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥

॥ श्रीवेदव्यसाय नमः ॥

As Ugrashrava continues the narration of the Mahabharat in the hermitage of Rshi Shounak, the manifesto comes where he explains the number of survivors and the number of martyrs in the battle of Kurukshetra, also known as Samantapanchak where the war took place for 18 days.

Arjun's chariot in the middle of the battlefield

Kings from various kingdoms gathered in the field of Samantapanchak to contribute to this great, historic war, either with the bhaav of allies, diplomacy, or friendly relations, from both the sides of Kauravas and Pandavas. Total 18 Akshouhini sena, with eleven Akshouhini sena alongside the Kauravas and seven along the Pandavas, with all its might, this war took place. 

But what exactly do you mean by Akshouhini Sena? What is the number of men who participated in the war? How many of them survived, and perished becoming a memory of time? 

Answered in this blog, are these questions.

The incident explaining who survived the epic war comes whilst Ugrashrava is narrating the scene when Dhritsrashtra, heir of King Shantanu, father of all the Kauravas, is explaining to Sanjay, his charioteer and his true friend who truly understands him, about his cynicism of his sons' victory in the war, looking at the gradual victory of Pandavas. The incident goes as follows, [Adiparva, Chapter 1]

जयत्सु पाण्डुपुत्रेषु श्रुत्वा समुहदप्रियम् । 

दुर्योधनमतं ज्ञात्वा कर्णस्य शकुनेस्तथा ॥141॥ 

धृतराष्ट्रश्चिरं ध्यात्वा संजयं वाक्यमब्रवित् ।

श्रृणु संजय सर्वं मे न चासुयितुमर्हसि ॥142॥

श्रुतवानसि मेधावी बुध्दिमान् प्राज्ञसम्मतः ।

न विग्रहे मम मतिर्न च प्रीये कुलक्षये ॥143॥

Transliteration

jayatsu pāṇḍuputreṣu śrutvā samuhadapriyam | 

duryodhanamataṃ jñātvā karṇasya śakunestathā ||141|| 

dhṛtarāṣṭraściraṃ dhyātvā saṃjayaṃ vākyamabravit |

śrṛṇu saṃjaya sarvaṃ me na cāsuyitumarhasi ||142||

śrutavānasi medhāvī budhdimān prājñasammataḥ |

na vigrahe mama matirna ca prīye kulakṣaye ||143||

Pandavas gradually started getting victory in the war, hearing this dreadful news and knowing the apparent obstinate thoughts of Duryodhana, Karna, and Shakuni, Dhritarashtra felt anxious for a long time wondering about the situation. He, then, said to Sanjaya, "O Sanjaya, shouldst thou take heed of what I must counsel, thou wilt not hold me accountable for the wreckages this war hath begotten on us. For thou art savant, sagacious, prudent, and revered among the scholars. Neither did I assent this war, nor am I gladdened by the ruinous desolation it hath brought upon our lineage."

Dhritarashtra's counsel to Sanjaya proceeds in the subsequent shlokas, unveiling his despondency over his son’s triumph in this calamitous war. At the end of this long counsel, Dhritarashtra says to Sanjaya, [Adiparva, Chapter 1]

कष्टं युध्दे दश शेषाः श्रुता मे

त्रयोऽस्माकं पाण्डवानां च सप्त ।

द्व्यूना विंशतिराहताक्षौहिणीनां

तस्मिन् संग्रामे भैरवे क्षत्रियणाम् ॥217॥

Transliteration

kaṣṭaṃ yudhde daśa śeṣāḥ śrutā me

trayo'smākaṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sapta |

dvyūnā viṃśatirāhatākṣauhiṇīnāṃ

tasmin saṃgrāme bhairave kṣatriyaṇām ||217||

"Alas, this is a foreboding truth, a harbinger of an ominous revelation. Only ten survived this war -- three from our side and seven from that of Pandavas, is what hath come to my attention. This war, of fierce and fearsome countenance, claimed eighteen Akshouhinis armies of men."

Thus, only 10 men survived this war. They are Krupacharya, Ashwatthama, and Kritavarma from the Kaurava side. Krishna, Satyaki, and the five Pandavas (Yudhishthira, Bheema, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadeva) from Pandava's side.

Later on, when Ugrashrava is narrating the Adyabharat, another name for Mahabharat, the rishis who are listening to the narration of Mahabharat, ask about the Samantapanchak which came to be known as Kurukshetra, the battlefield where the war was fought.

On this request, Ugrashrava says, [Adiparva, Chapter 2]

त्रेताद्वापारयोः सन्धौ रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः ।

असकृत् पार्थिवं क्षत्रं जघानामर्षचोदितः ॥3॥

स सर्वं क्षत्रमुत्साद्य स्वविर्येणानलद्युति:।

समन्तपञ्चके पञ्च चकार रौधिरान् ह्रदान् ॥4॥

Transliteration

tretādvāpārayoḥ sandhau rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ |

asakṛt pārthivaṃ kṣatraṃ jaghānāmarṣacoditaḥ ||3||

sa sarvaṃ kṣatramutsādya svaviryeṇānaladyuti:|

samantapañcake pañca cakāra raudhirān hradān ||4||

"In the closing epoch of Treta and the advent of Dwapara Yuga, the foremost among wielders of weapons, Parashuram, fueled by ire toward the Kshatriyas, slayed the Kshatriya Kings multiple times. On this land of Samantapanchak, he made five lochs of blood of the slain. Thus, this place was known evermore as Samantapanchaka." Thus, this land, being bathed in the blood of the brave warriors during mighty wars became a sacred pilgrimage. [Adiparva, Chapter 2]

अन्तरे चैव सम्प्राप्ते कलिद्वापारयोरभूत् ।

समन्तपञ्चके युद्धं कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः ॥13॥

तस्मिन् परमधर्मिष्ठे देशे भूदोषवर्जिते ।

अष्टादश समाजग्मुः अक्षौहिण्यो युयुत्सया ॥14॥

Transliteration

antare caiva samprāpte kalidvāpārayorabhūt |

samantapañcake yuddhaṃ kurupāṇḍavasenayoḥ ||13||

tasmin paramadharmiṣṭhe deśe bhūdoṣavarjite |

aṣṭādaśa samājagmuḥ akṣauhiṇyo yuyutsayā ||14||

"Upon this sacred ground was waged the war of the Mahabharat, during the cusp betwixt Dwapara and Kali Yuga, between Kauravas and the Pandavas. Eighteen Akshouhini armies gathered in that place with the desire to participate in the war" and perished.

The rishis then did beseech Ugrashrava to expound upon the nature of an Akshouhini army and to recount in detail the number of foot soldiers, horses, chariots, and elephants contained therein. The scene goes as, [Adiparva, Chapter 2]

एको रथो गजश्चैको नराः पञ्च पदातयः ।

त्रयः च तुरगास्तज्ज्ञैः पत्तिरित्यभिधीयते ॥19॥

पत्तिं तु त्रिगुणामेतामाहुः सेनामुखं बुधाः । 

त्रीणि सेनामुखान्येको गुल्म इति अभिदियते ॥20॥

त्रयो गुल्मा गणो नाम वाहिनी तु गणास्त्रयः । 

स्मृतास्त्रिस्त्रस्तु वाहिन्यः पृतनेति विचक्षणैः ॥21॥

चमूस्तु पृतनास्तिस्त्रस्तिस्त्रश्चम्बस्त्वनीकिनी ।

अनीकिनीं दशगुणां प्राहुः अक्षौहिणीं बुधाः ॥22॥

अक्षौहिण्याः प्रसंख्याता रथानां द्विजसत्तमाः ।

संख्या गणिततत्वज्ञैः सहस्त्राण्येकविंशतिः ॥23॥

शतान्युपरि चैवाष्टौ तथा भूयश्च सप्ततिः ।

गजानां च परीमाणमेतदेव विनिर्दिशेत् ॥24॥

ज्ञेयं शतसहस्त्रं तु सहस्त्राणि नवैव तु ।

नराणामपि पञ्चाशच्छतानि त्रीणि चानघाः ॥25॥

पञ्चषष्टिसहस्त्रणि तथाश्वानां शतानि च। 

दशोत्तराणि षट् प्राहुर्यथावदिह संख्यया ॥26॥

Transliteration

eko ratho gajaścaiko narāḥ pañca padātayaḥ |

trayaḥ ca turagāstajjñaiḥ pattirityabhidhīyate ||19||

pattiṃ tu triguṇāmetāmāhuḥ senāmukhaṃ budhāḥ | 

trīṇi senāmukhānyeko gulma iti abhidiyate ||20||

trayo gulmā gaṇo nāma vāhinī tu gaṇāstrayaḥ | 

smṛtāstristrastu vāhinyaḥ pṛtaneti vicakṣaṇaiḥ ||21||

camūstu pṛtanāstistrastistraścambastvanīkinī |

anīkinīṃ daśaguṇāṃ prāhuḥ akṣauhiṇīṃ budhāḥ ||22||

akṣauhiṇyāḥ prasaṃkhyātā rathānāṃ dvijasattamāḥ |

saṃkhyā gaṇitatatvajñaiḥ sahastrāṇyekaviṃśatiḥ ||23||

śatānyupari caivāṣṭau tathā bhūyaśca saptatiḥ |

gajānāṃ ca parīmāṇametadeva vinirdiśet ||24||

jñeyaṃ śatasahastraṃ tu sahastrāṇi navaiva tu |

narāṇāmapi pañcāśacchatāni trīṇi cānaghāḥ ||25||

pañcaṣaṣṭisahastraṇi tathāśvānāṃ śatāni ca| 

daśottarāṇi ṣaṭ prāhuryathāvadiha saṃkhyayā ||26||

One chariot, one elephant, five foot soldiers and three horses make up a patti. Three pattis are known as a senamukha and three senamukhas make up a gulma. Three gulmas are named a gana and three ganas a vahini. The wise know that three vahinis collectively form a pritana. Three pritanas make a chamu, three chamus an anikini and the wise say that ten times an anikini is known as an akshouhini army. O best of Brahmanas! Those who know arithmetic have calculated that there are 21,870 chariots in an akshouhini and the number of elephants is the same. Know that the number of foot soldiers in an akshouhini army is 109,350 and the number of horses is 65,610. [Adiparva, Chapter 2]

एतया संख्यया ह्यासन्कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः ।  

अक्षौहिण्यो द्विजश्रेष्ठाः पिण्डिताष्टादशैव तु  ॥28॥

Transliteration

etayā saṃkhyayā hyāsankurupāṇḍavasenayoḥ |  

akṣauhiṇyo dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ piṇḍitāṣṭādaśaiva tu  ||28||

O best of Brahmanas! The eighteen akshouhinis of the Kurus and the Pandavas were made up according to these numbers and the cause destroyed them all.

This number adds up to 4,723,920 warriors who participated in the war. Note that each elephant and chariot is occupied by two men. Out of these only 10 were alive at the end of the war. 

This implies the number of deaths in the Mahabharat war to be 4,723,910!

This is the number of men the Mahabharat war claimed in the pure land of Samantapanchak, known as Kurukshetra.

Reference: Mahabharat, Adiparva, Pratham Khand, Gitapress, Gorakhpur.

The Mahabharat - How does the narration of the greatest epic, our history, begin?

॥ श्रीहरीः ॥

॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥

॥ श्रीवेदव्यसाय नमः ॥

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । 

देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयं उदिरयेत् ॥

Transliteration:

nārāyaṇaṃ namaskṛtya naraṃ caiva narottamam | 

devīṃ sarasvatīṃ vyāsaṃ tato jayaṃ udirayet ||

Arjuna's chariot faces the Kuru army

व्यासरचित महाभारत (Vyasa rachit Mahabharat) commences in the sacred and astounding setting of the नैमिषारण्य (Naimisharanya) forest. Here, a learned कथावाचक सूत (Kathavachak Soota), उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), son of लोमहर्षण (Lomaharshan) arrives, where he finds his path leading to the hermitage of ऋषी शौनक (Sage Shounak), who, along with the congregation of many other devoted sages, is conducting a grand यज्ञसत्र (yadnyasatra) destined to span for twelve years.

Seeing उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), all the sages, and brahmacharis in the hermitage bowed down to him in great reverence, welcomed him to the hermitage, and provided him with a head seat in the आश्रम (ashram). Upon his welcome and making sure that उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) is at ease from his long journey, the sages ask, "O noble one of lotus-eyes, descendant of the sacred lineage of Soota, from what realms dost thou return? In what revered abodes hast thou tarried, and what sacred narratives hast thou gleaned on thy travels? Pray, dispel the wonderment that stirs within us." 

The Sanskrit verses for this scene go as 

अथ तेषूपविष्टेषु सर्वष्वेव तपस्विषु ।
निर्दीष्टमासनं भेजे विनयाल्लोमहर्षिणिः ॥ 5 ॥

सुखासीनं ततस्तं तु विश्रान्तमुपलक्ष्य च ।

अथापृच्छदृषिस्तत्र कश्चित प्रस्तावयन् कथाः ॥6॥

कुत आगम्यते सौते क्व चायं विहृतस्त्वया ।

कालः कमलपत्राक्ष शंसैतत् पृच्छतो मम ॥7॥

Transliteration:
atha teṣūpaviṣṭeṣu sarvaṣveva tapasviṣuh |
nirdīṣṭamāsanaṃ bheje vinayāllomaharṣiṇiḥ || 5 ||

sukhāsīnaṃ tatastaṃ tu viśrāntamupalakṣya ca |

athāpṛcchadṛṣistatra kaścita prastāvayan kathāḥ ||6||

kuta āgamyate saute kva cāyaṃ vihṛtastvayā |

kālaḥ kamalapatrākṣa śaṃsaitat pṛcchato mama ||7||

Ugrashrava narrating the Mahabharat

Then, in a voice resounding with the knowledge of ancient yugas, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) ji says, "O most venerable sages, I journey from the सर्पयज्ञ (sarpa-yajnya) of जनमेजय (Janmejaya), son of परिक्षित (Parikshit), where my ears drank the sweetest elixir of that supreme lore, महाभारत (the Mahabharat), the august composition of the sage amongst sages, महर्षी कृष्णद्वैपायन व्यास (Maharshi Krishnadwaipayana Vyasa), deeply. This divine scripture, steeped in the esoteric verses narrated by वैशंपायन (Vaishampayana), Vyasa’s disciple, unfolded before me as a timeless revelation. From there, I embarked on countless pilgrimages, seeking the holy tirthas, each ablaze with sanctity. I beheld the battlefield of समंतपञ्चक (Samantapanchaka), that place of कुरुक्षेत्र (Kurukshetra), where पाण्डव (the Pandavas) and कौरव (the Kauravas), alongside the kings of all quarters, fought unto death. From that consecrated ground, I have come, my heart stirred with yearning to witness thy holy presence, for thou art eternal, embodying the essence of Brahman, and radiant in thy vigor, like unto the Sun and the all-consuming flame."

The Sanskrit verses go as,

सौतिरूवाच
जनमेजयस्य राजर्षे सर्पसत्रे महात्मना ॥9॥

समीपे पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य सम्यक् परिक्षितस्य च ।

कृष्णद्वैपायनप्रोक्ताः सुपुण्या विविधा कथाः ॥10॥

कथिताश्चापि विधिवद् या वैशम्पायनेन वै । 

श्रुत्वाहं ता विचित्रार्था महाभारतसंश्रिताः ॥11॥

बहुनि सम्परिक्रम्य तीर्थान्यायतनानि च ।
समंतपञ्चकं नाम पुण्यं द्विजनिषेवितम् ॥12॥

गतवानस्मि तं देशं युध्दं यत्राभवत् पुरा ।
कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ॥13॥

दिदृक्षुरागतस्तस्मात् समीपं भवतामिह ।
आयुष्मन्तः सर्व एव ब्रह्मभूता हि मे मताः ।
अस्मिन् यज्ञे महाभागाः सुर्यपावकवर्चसः ॥14॥

कृताभिषेकाः शुचयः कृतजप्याहुताग्न्यः ।
भवन्त आसने स्वस्था ब्रवीमि किमहं द्विजाः ॥15॥

पुराणसंहिताः पुण्याः कथा धर्मार्थसंश्रिताः ।
इति वृत्तं नरेन्द्राणामृषीणां च महात्मनाम् ॥16॥

Transliteration

sautirūvāca
janamejayasya rājarṣe sarpasatre mahātmanā ||9||

samīpe pārthivendrasya samyak parikṣitasya ca |
kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaproktāḥ supuṇyā vividhā kathāḥ ||10||

kathitāścāpi vidhivad yā vaiśampāyanena vai | 
śrutvāhaṃ tā vicitrārthā mahābhāratasaṃśritāḥ ||11||

bahuni samparikramya tīrthānyāyatanāni ca |
samaṃtapañcakaṃ nāma puṇyaṃ dvijaniṣevitam ||12||

gatavānasmi taṃ deśaṃ yudhdaṃ yatrābhavat purā |
kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām ||13||

didṛkṣurāgatastasmāt samīpaṃ bhavatāmiha |
āyuṣmantaḥ sarva eva brahmabhūtā hi me matāḥ |
asmin yajñe mahābhāgāḥ suryapāvakavarcasaḥ ||14||

kṛtābhiṣekāḥ śucayaḥ kṛtajapyāhutāgnyaḥ |
bhavanta āsane svasthā bravīmi kimahaṃ dvijāḥ ||15||

purāṇasaṃhitāḥ puṇyāḥ kathā dharmārthasaṃśritāḥ |
iti vṛttaṃ narendrāṇāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām ||16||

With these words spoken and filling the air with spiritual aura, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), gazing onto the assembly of the most radiant sages, says, "Now, O learned sages, ye whose souls are sanctified by snaan, japa, agnihotra, reveal unto me thy wishes. For I stand ready, at your command, to unravel any wonderous tale ye seek to hear from myself. Shall I, unto thee, unfold the sacred accounts of the Puranas, brimming with the profound essence of धर्म (dharma) and अर्थ (artha), which, like holy unction, sanctify the soul and awaken the inner self to divine wisdom? Or dost thou yearn to hear of the supreme itihaasa—this epic chronicle of yore—wherein the valorous deeds of ancient kings and the sublime experiences of venerable rishis are immortalized, each tale steeped in the nectar of timeless truths?"

Thus having spoken, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) awaited the reply of the sages. The august assembly of seers, steeped in reverence and deep wisdom, joined their hands and, with humility and anticipation, made their plea. "O noble Soota, thy words have kindled within us an ardent yearning to hear of that most venerable history—महाभारत (the Mahabharata)—the sacred epic composed by the illustrious sage कृष्णद्वैपायन व्यास (Krishnadwaipayana Vyasa), son of the revered महर्षि पराशर (Maharshi Parashar)."

"We beseech thee, honored one, to recount to us this immortal saga, woven with threads of dharma, artha, and the exploits of mighty heroes. In this grand itihaasa are contained the timeless virtues and the destinies of both the virtuous and the valiant, unfolding the cosmic dance of fate and righteousness. In thy words, let us be witness to the noble deeds, the trials, and triumphs of those who walked the sacred soil of भारत (Bharata), that we may drink deeply of the wisdom and valor enshrined within its verses."

Thus, begins the narration of our इतिहास (itihaas)—history—महाभारत (the Mahabharat).

Deep dive, we shall, into this journey of Mahabharat, in our upcoming blogs.

Reference: Mahabharat, Adiparva, Pratham Khand, Gitapress, Gorakhpur.

Sadhana: On The Spiritual Journey

Lord Brahma appears in front of Bhagirath

Of all the living on the earth, we, humans, are the only animals, who has developed the capability to sustain not just ourselves but the living ecology. We are the ones who have the capacity or क्षमता (kshamataa) to understand what “धर्म” (Dharma) is. To begin with, let's shed some light on what धर्म (Dharma) is and why it is so important to hold upon along with a short description of the four पुरुषार्थ (purushaartha). 

It is the first of the four पुरुषार्थ namely धर्म (Dharma), अर्थ (Artha), काम (Kaama) and मोक्ष (Moksha). In Sanskrit, words come from a certain root word as in Latin. Here, the root word of धर्म (Dharma) is “धृ” which means “to uphold/to sustain”. The Sanskrit definition of धर्म is धारयते इति धर्मः (dhaarayate iti dharmah) which translates to “that which upholds/sustains”. Hence to keep this world going and functioning for ages to come, one has to follow their धर्म (Dharma). This sustenance begins from the very self towards this planet Earth. Thus, it is the first and foremost pillar of the पुरुषार्थ.

Now comes अर्थ (artha). अर्थ (Artha) literally means resources/money/wealth. To carry out life successfully while following ones धर्म (Dharma) one needs resources. Without resources/wealth, this world as we know of will not sustain. Hence, अर्थ (Artha) is something for the means of accomplishments that one has to strive for which is why it is one of the पुरुषार्थ.

Next comes काम (kaama) which means desire/love/pleasure. For a race to remain and live, procreation is an essential part without which there will be no generations to carry on and without which there will be no future. Thus, the काम (Kaama) without the violation of धर्म (Dharma) is an absolute necessity for sustaining the society and planet as a whole.

After having achieved all the three goals of life now comes मोक्ष (moksha) which means liberation. Liberation from this eternal cycle of birth and death. This is something that does not come easily at all. One has to strive for मोक्ष (moksha) for numerous births and then in one birth, when all the कर्म (karma) have been taken care of, we get liberation. This is indeed the ultimate goal that one knowingly or unknowingly is getting towards. मोक्ष (moksha) also means becoming one with the ultimate reality or ones ईष्ट (ishta). Now here comes the difference in the path that one follows to reach the ultimate. With vedic path being the oldest path of सतयुग (Satyuga) to tantra path being the most relevant to the present कलयुग (Kalyuga), the path changes with time making it even more profound, beautiful, and contemporary with the काल (Kaal).

The वेद (Vedas) are the oldest most sacred scriptures of Hinduism, often regarded as the bedrock of Indian civilization, and knowledge system. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, they are considered timeless, eternal knowledge revealed to the sages (ऋषी - rishis) of India. The word "Veda" itself comes from the Sanskrit root "vid," meaning "to know," signifying the Vedas as sources of profound knowledge and wisdom that transcend the limitations of time. Sanskrit defines Vedas as "विद्यते नित्यम् इति वेदः ।" which translates to "That which shines is/are Vedas".

There are four Vedas—Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda—each serving a unique purpose and containing various hymns (mantras), prayers, liturgical formulas, and philosophical insights. The Rigveda is the oldest and consists mainly of hymns praising the forces of nature and various deities. The Samaveda focuses on melodies and chants used in ritual sacrifices. The Yajurveda contains the procedural details and sacrificial formulas needed for conducting Vedic rituals, while the Atharvaveda provides a collection of hymns, charms, and incantations related to everyday life and spiritual matters.

The four sections of Vedas

Each Veda is further divided into four sections: संहिता (the Samhitas) - containing मंत्र (mantra), hymns and benedictions, ब्राह्मण (the Brahmanas) - contains यज्ञस्वरूप (yadnyaswaroop) ritual instructions, आरण्यक (the Aranyakas) - philosophical discussions on rituals, and उपनिषद (the Upanishads) - esoteric philosophical teachings. While the Samhitas and Brahmanas focus more on rituals and the worship of nature deities, the Aranyakas and Upanishads delve into deeper metaphysical questions, exploring the nature of existence, the self (atman), and the ultimate reality (Brahman). The Upanishads, in particular, form the philosophical heart of the Vedas, laying the groundwork for many schools of Indian philosophy.

The six limbs of Vedas - वेदांग 

Other than these four sections, the Vedas have six limbs known as वेदांग (Vedaanga), namely शिक्षा (shiksha), व्याकरण (vyaakaran), निरूक्त (nirukta), कल्प (kalpa), छंद (chhanda), ज्योतिष (jyotisha).

The Vedas do not adhere to a singular doctrine but reflect a complex and evolving worldview, embracing both polytheism and the belief in a single, underlying cosmic principle. They explore concepts of morality, dharma (righteousness), and the interconnectedness of all living beings. The Vedic rituals, with their emphasis on maintaining cosmic order (ऋत), are seen as essential to sustaining harmony between humans, nature, and the divine.

While the Vedas are deeply rooted in ancient culture, their teachings remain relevant to this day, offering a endless exploration of human existence, spirituality, and the universe. They have influenced not only Hinduism but also Buddhism, Jainism, and other spiritual traditions across the Indian subcontinent. Modern-day scholars, and seekers continue to study the Vedas for their rich spiritual and philosophical insights, ensuring that this ancient wisdom still resonates in contemporary times. Through their vast and diverse teachings, the Vedas serve as a bridge between the ancient past and the modern spiritual quest, embodying a tradition that is both deeply ancient and forever timeless.

There are different groups of people, called संप्रदाय (sampraday), who worship different देवता (devata) or deities to attain moksha. Some of them are वैष्णव (Vaishnava - seeker of Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Reality), शैव (Shaiva - seeker of Lord Shiva as the Supreme Reality), गाणपत्य (Ganapatya - seeker of Lord Ganesh as the Supreme Reality), शाक्त (Shakta - seeker of Shakti or the Goddess as the Supreme Reality), etc. As there are different devatas being worshipped, there are different ways or paths to worship them. As in relevance to this article, I will particularly focus on the तंत्र साधना (Tantra Sadhana), a path more relevant in this present age, कलियुग (Kaliyuga) or the iron age as per the scriptures, to attain the ultimate.

Now there are three things that go hand-in-hand with each other in तंत्र साधना (Tantra Sadhana). They are यंत्र (yantra), मंत्र (mantra) and तंत्र (tantra). Yantra, a combination of two words “Yan” + “tra”, literally means geometric objects/tools on the second hand Mantra made of “Man” + “tra” roughly translates to sacred psalms. And Tantra, a combination of “Tan” + “tra” means techniques. These are the three basic aspects on the path of liberation or मोक्ष (Moksha). Based on a psychological model of the person, संप्रदाय (Sampradaya), and the way that deity is worshipped called as आचार (Aachar), different techniques are practiced mainly based on the deity being worshipped in that particular संप्रदाय (Sampradaya). We will see about आचार (Aachar) shortly. 

कामाख्यातंत्र (Kamakhyatantra) is one such तंत्र साधना (tantra sadhana) leading to moksha through worship of कामाख्या देवी (Devi Kamakhya), and thus it comes under शाक्त संप्रदाय (Shakta Sampradaya). 

A living being, especially humankind, is always involved in the exploration of bliss. The supreme power in its own free will make us forget about our true form of ecstatic self in our complete existence. The journey from this involvement into our own ecstatic self is the journey to moksha or salvation. Every संप्रदाय (sect) is carried forward by sages who have received the subtle revelation through vision. The ones who do not receive the revelation are guided by these sages through teachings which further become शास्त्र (Shaastra). According to tantric literature, six different sects are put forth. These six sects are as follows,

1. पूर्वाम्नाय (Purvamnaya)

2. पश्चिमाम्नाय (Pashchimamnaya)

3. उत्तराम्नाय (Uttaramnaya)

4. दक्षिणाम्नाय (Dakshinamnaya)

5. ऊर्ध्वाम्नाय (Urdhwamnaya)

6. अधराम्नाय (Adharamnaya)

Some scholars disregard the 6th and place a sect called Anuttaramnaya in its place. Factually, Anuttaramnaya and the Adharamnaya (6th) are the same.

Among all the sampradaya on Tantra, कौल संप्रदाय (Kaula sampradaya) is considered to be the greatest of all. A shloka in tantraloka says the greatness of कौल संप्रदाय (Kaula Sampradaya) as,

नभः स्थिता यथा तारा न भ्राजन्ते रवौ स्थिते ।

एवं सिध्दान्ततन्त्राणि न विभान्ति कुलागमे ।।

तस्मात् कुलादृते नान्यत् संसारोध्दरणं प्रति ।

Transliteration:
nabhaḥ sthitā yathā tārā na bhrājante ravau sthite |

evaṃ sidhdāntatantrāṇi na vibhānti kulāgame ||

tasmāt kulādṛte nānyat saṃsārodhdaraṇaṃ prati |

Translation: "As, in the sky, stars do not shine as long as the Sun is present, in the same way, (सिद्धान्त तंत्र) Siddhanta Tantra becomes insignificant in the presence of कौल संप्रदाय (Kaula Sampradaya)."

This is the greatness of कौल संप्रदाय (Kaula Sampradaya). It is the most relevant path to the divine in this कलयुग (Kalyuga).

For life, to witness the vested perfervid शक्ति (Shakti), a categorization has been made of साधक (Sadhakas) based on भाव (bhaava) of the त्रिगुण - three gunas, with the आचार (achaar) suited to their prominent guna to aid in their Sadhana. The categorization goes as follows,

1. सत्व गुण - दिव्यभाव - अघोराचार, योगाचार, कौलाचार
2. रजस् गुण - वीरभाव - दक्षिणाचार, सिद्धन्ताचार, वामाचार
3. तमस् गुण - पशुभाव - वेदाचार, वैष्णवाचार, शैवाचार

Transliteration:

1. satva guṇa - divyabhāva - aghorācāra, yogācāra, kaulācāra
2. rajas guṇa - vīrabhāva - dakṣiṇācāra, siddhantācāra, vāmācāra
3. tamas guṇa - paśubhāva - vedācāra, vaiṣṇavācāra, śaivācāra

Kaulachaar is also called as ज्ञानाचार (jñānācāra), संन्यासाचार (saṃnyāsācāra), अवधूताचार निराचार (avadhūtācāra nirācāra). In this way we see the hegemonic path of कौलाचार (Kaulachaar).

Now I would finally like to close this subject with a nice shloka describing the greatness of कौलमार्ग (Kaula path).

वेदाचछैवं ततो वामं ततो दक्षं ततस्त्रिकम् ।

त्रिकात् परं कुलं प्रोक्तं कौलात् परतरं न हि ।।

Transliteration:

vedācachaivaṃ tato vāmaṃ tato dakṣaṃ tatastrikam |

trikāt paraṃ kulaṃ proktaṃ kaulāt parataraṃ na hi ||

Reference: Ach. Radhesyam Chaturvedi, "Kamakhyatantram", Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, Varanasi.