Ramanisblog

Tag: Adi Parva

  • Spot Where Indraprastha Was Built In Delhi

    I have been checking the Geographical locations mentioned in the Mahabharata to validate (already validated, I am cross checking).

    Humayun's Fort, Delhi
    Purana Qila

    I  had earlier posted an article on Indraprastha, based on the Adi Parva of Mahabharata with comparison to Roman cities.

    Purana Qila was built on Inraprastha
    Purana Qila, Delhi

    In this search I stumbled into an article which had indicated the exact spot where Indraprastha was built in Delhi.

    It is the Purana  Qila, The Old Fort of Humayun,

    The Fort was mentioned by Abdul Fazil in Ain-I-Akbari.

    “A book called the Ain-I-Akbari by Abul Fazl was written in the sixteenth century during the region of the Mughal emperor Akbar. It says that Indraprastha, the capital of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Mahabharata story, was located at the spot where Humayun built his fort. In fact, till the end of the nineteenth century, there was a village called Indarpat (which sounds very similar to ‘Indraprastha’) inside the fort. Was ancient Indraprastha located here? This is a question that is difficult to answer with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’

    Archaeologists carried out excavations at the Purana Qila from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. they were interested in finding out how old this site was, and to find out whether or not it could be identified with ancient Indraprastha. The excavations showed that the Purana Qila was indeed a very old site. Archaeologists found that the settlement had many phases dating from about the fourth century B.C. (or earlier) to the nineteenth century A.D.. Pieces of old pottery known as Painted Grey Ware (PGW for short) were also found here and there, and this suggested that people may have lived at some spot in or around the Purana Qila from about 1000 B.C. onwards.

    Why don’t we know for sure whether ancient Indraprastha was located on the spot where the Purana Qila stands?
    There are several reasons for this. First of all, we are not sure whether the Mahabharata is purely a legend, or whether it is a legend based on events that actually happened. Secondly, even in some of the events and people mentioned in the story were real, the evidence from the excavations at the Purana Qila really doesn’t tell us about these events or people. What is does tell us is that there was a very old settlement at or near the Purana Qila perhaps from about 1000 B.C. onwards.’

    The article goes on to state that it can not confirmed as,

    1.We are not sure whether Mahabharata was a fact,

    2.There are more layers to be analyzed and

    3.The Purana Qila records do not ell us about the people of Mahabharata,( other than the mention by Abdul Fazil.

    As to point number 1, The Mahabharata is validated based on the various sites spread throughout the country and in fact in Sri Lanka as well

    Please read my posts on these, filed under Hinduism.

    So this argument is no longer valid.

    2. No doubt the job is difficult to analyze the layers.It needs effort.

    As to the fact that there is no mention of the people of Mahabharata in Purana Qila information, you do not expect the invaders to record the conquered nation’s History.

    One should be thankful to Abdul fazil for mentioning this fact in Ain_I_Akbari.

    “Here is a table showing the seven layers or periods identified by archaeologists at the Purana Qila. Different sorts of artifacts were found at the different levels. Remember that the older layers are found at the bottom of a site, and the upper layers are more recent. Think of these archaeological levels as different floors in a seven-storeyed building. As you travel in a lift from the ground floor to the seventh floor, you are traveling forward in time, from earlier to more recent periods..

    Source:

    http://www.4to40.com/travel/print.asp?p=The_Purana_Qila_in_Delhi&k=Mahabharata

     

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  • Who Performed The Final Rites Of Lord Krishna

    After the Mahabharata War was over,only Ten remained alive, Three from the Kaurava Side and Seven from the Pandavas

    Lord Krishna
    Lord Krishna. Image source.http://www.stephen-knapp.com/gods_and_goddesses_of_vedic_culture.htm

    They are,

    Pandavas 5

    Lord Krishna,

    Sathyaki.

    From the Kaurava Side Aswathama, Kruthavarma and Krupa.(Mahabharata ,Adi Parva)

    At Dwaraka, the Yadava Clan was in tact, save those killed in the Mahabharata War( Krishna’ Army fought on the side of the Kauravas)

    The Yadav Clan were playing around and one of the Yadavas dressed up Krishna’s son Sambhava(born of Jambavathi), as a pregnant woman and asked the Rishis who were passing by, what child the lady would beget(Sambhava)

    The Rishi replied that knew that it is Krishna’s son Sambhava and he would beget a  Pounder (used to break Grains- Ulakkai) and it it would destroy the Yadava vamsa.

    On being informed of this Lord Krishna smiled and said that no body can change the Curse of a Brahmin.

    After ten months a Pounder was born of Sambhava.

    Thinking that they were clever, the Yadavas, broke the wooden pestle(Ulakkai) into small pieces an threw them into the sea in Dwaraka.

    The tip of the pestle,made of iron was swallowed by a Fish, and it was caught by a Fisherman.

    He found the piece and fixed it to the tip of his arrow.

    The wooden pieces  reached ashore and grew into a bush of Long Grass.

    While this is so, one day the Yadavas were drinking and an altercation ensued as who betrayed the Kauravas the most.

    A riot ensued and even Krishna was attacked by his Clan.

    His Chariot was dragged into the sea, so were His Panchyutas, which went perambulated Lord Krishna clock-wise and disappeared.

    From the Balaram’s face a Serpent came out and entered Heavens and Balram was no more

    Lord Krishna lay under a tree and was taking rest.

    The hunter who had the iron tip in his arrow , from a distance saw, thought he saw a Deer and sent in his arrow.

    It struck Krishna and he left His Mortal Coil.

    The Hunter prayed for forgiveness.

    Krishna informed him that it was because of the Curse, he had nothing to do with His Death and granted him Vaikunta.

    As there were none to perform the last Rites,Arjuna performed the last Rites of Krishna.

    Krishna’s Father , Vasudeva was the brother of Kunti (Mother of the Pandavas)
    Krishna and Arjuna were First Cousins.
    Arjun married Subhadra (Krishna’s Half-Sister)

    The nearest surviving relation on the mother’s side were the Pandavas.

    Technically Yudhistra should have performed, being the eldest off the Pandavas.

    *Arjuna could have performed the last Rites because, in addition to being Krishna’s cousin, he was also marrired Krishna’s half sister (  smriti grants this Right if no others are available) and As Krishna put it in Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna was His dearest Friend and as Arjuna put it Arjuna was Krishna’ most deovted  Disciple.)

    *Purana merely states Arjuna performed Krishna’s last Rites. The interpretation is mine, based on Smriti.

    Deavaki ,Vasudeva and Rukmini left their bodies by entering Fire.

    (Bhagavatha Purana)

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  • Since When Were Brahmins Barred From Drinking

    Contrary to popular conception Brahmins did not Drink, it is a fact that Brahmins , Sages, Rishis and Munis drank liquor.

    Soma plant.
    Indian troops deployed in the drastic terrains of the cold desert in Leh may look forward to get a new item in their menu, as the defense researchers find that Soma (Rumex patientia), a common plant found in high altitudes, can be used as a vegetable. According to researchers at the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), a division of the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO), Soma is fit to be used as a vegetable in cold desert areas where cultivation of common vegetables are not supported.

    Even Lord Ram and Krishna drank

    I have posted articles on this with references.

    But there is a view , including from Mr.Cho.Ramaswamy that Soma and Sura bana were different  and that the consumption of Soma Bana does not amount to Drinking Liquor as it is not an intoxicant and it  is used in the Yagnas.

    Soma bana is assumed to be a non intoxicant which was used in the performance of Yagnas and as such does not constitute drinking.

    Sura bana consumption is of course accepted ad a Drink and blamed as such.

    Facts seem to be other wise.

    if Soma was to be drunk why should it be drunk when one does not perform Yagna?

    It is stated in the Rig Veda that it leads to Immortality and it tastes as Nectar.

    ”

    The Rigveda (8.48.3) says:

    a ápāma sómam amŕtā abhūmâganma jyótir ávidāma devân
    c kíṃ nūnám asmân kṛṇavad árātiḥ kím u dhūrtír amṛta mártyasya

    Ralph T.H. Griffith translates this as:

    We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered.
    Now what may foeman’s malice do to harm us? What, O Immortal, mortal man’s deception?

    Soma Bana was served in Social functions and Government councils

    This sounds strange for a group which abstains from any intoxicating stuff whatsoever and is choosy about what they eat.

    The answer is that the Vedas and the Indian Society recorded facts without bothering whether it would affect the Image of Hinduism.

    It also records the Sins that will accrue by Drinking.

    I have been curious that if Gods were shown to be drinking along with Sages and others, why ban it for Brahmins.

    Some Sages were Brahmins too!

    Answer is in the Mahabharata Adi Parva.

    The Preceptor of the Devas.s, (Bruhaspati) son( Kusa, (was sent by Indra and the Devas to go and serve Asura Guru Sukracharia , get into the good books of Devayani, Sukra’s daughter so that Kusa learns the Sanjeevini Mantra with which Sukra was making the Asuras rise from the dead, against whom the Devas were losing heavily.

    Kusa served Sukra as a Brahmachari for 1000 years in total.

    After 500 years the Asuras, having learnt that he was the son of Bruhaspati, killed him and fed him to animals twice.

    In both the instances Bruhaspati resurrected him.

    Exasperated the Asuras killed Kusa,burnt him , dissolved his ashes in the Drink which they made Sukra drink.

    When Sukra tried to resurrect Kusa, Sukra learnt from Kusa who was in Sukra’s stomach the story of his killing and how he was drunk by Sukra along with the Drink.

    Immediately Sukra declared,

    ‘May all  the Devas, Rishis and Brahmins learn this.

    From this day any one who drinks will lose his identity as a Brahmin and will suffer both her and after Life.”

    Thus came about the ban on Brahmins Drinking.

    Sukra taught Kusa the Sanjeevini Mantra to enable him come out of his stomach.

    For more please read the Mahabharata.

    Reference.

    Adi Parva , Mahabharata, Sambhava Parva.

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  • Lesser Known Facts Of The Mahabharata

    Lord Ganesh writes the Mahabharata.
    Lord Ganesh writes the Mahabharata.

    Some basic information and lesser known facts of The Mahabharata.

    1.The Mahabharata was written by Sri Krishna Dwaipayaana, popularly know as Veda Vyasa.

    Vyasa is the name given to Krishna Dwaipayayana after he compiled The Vedas.

    The term means one who compose excellently.

    Vyasa is considered to be an Avatar of Vishnu.

    Vyasa is the Great Grand son on of sage Vasista, who fixed the auspicious date for Lord Rama‘s Coronation and who was instrumental in making Kausika as Viswamitra who gave the world the Gayathri mantra.

    * Ramayana is reported to have happened in the Treta Yuga while the Mahabharata was in Dwapara Yuga.

    Please read my posts on Time, a Non Linear Theory filed under Astrophysics to know more about Indian view of Time

    Vyasa is the Grandson of Sakti and son of Parasara.

    Vyaya is the father of Suka Mahrishi and the father of Dhrutarastra, Pandu and Vidura.

    ‘Vyasam Vasishta Napthaaram Sakthe Pouthre kalmasham.

    Parasarthmajam Vande Sukadhaaatham Thaponidhim-Vishnu Sahasranama.

    2.Vyasa did not write or imagine it,.

    He dictated it to Lord Ganesh as it is being revealed to him by the Grace of Lord Brahma.

    There is an interesting anecdote on this(Adi Parva, Anugramani Parva)

    Vyasa , on being revealed the Mahabharata was aghast at the sheer numbers and incidents he had to narrate.

    He prayed Lord Ganesh and requested Him to write as  he dictates.

    Lord Ganesh agreed on the condition that Vyasa should never pause while dictating.

    Vyasa made a counter condition that Ganapahy must not write any thing without understanding the full import of what Vyasa dictates.

    Ganesh agreed.

    Such was the erudition of Vysa and the content of the Mahabharata ,Ganapati had to pause at places to understand the meaning and in the interregnum Vyasa had time to compose further mentally!

    If the Mahabharata is a lie or imagination, it is not humanly possible to lie consistently in 100, 000 slokas.

    That too you have at least five instances of the narration of the entire Mahabharata in the first Parva,Adi Parva  itself when the story of Mahabharata has not begun.

    Ask any writer, he will tell you how tough it is .

    And the Mahabharata  has innumerable  sub-stories, which are individually authenticated elsewhere, other than the Mahabharata.

    Time is considered Cyclic by the Hindus.

    Put it simply the Mahabharata has happened before, in happening, and shall happen in future.

    Hence one will find the references in the Mahabharata  sub-stories , which were reported to have happened before the reference to the Mahabharata itself.

    A separate post on this follows.

    3. Vyasa wrote two versions, one is the Bharata Charitra and another is The Mahabharata which is popular.

    4.Vyasa wrote The Mahabharata with sub-stoiries in 100, 000 slokas for Mankind,

    He also wrote it in 24, 000 slokas without the substories.

    He wrote again  in a compact form containing 150  slokas,

    This is called the Anugramanigathya and is in the First Parva.

    4.Vyasa released further editions of the Mahabharata.

    One for the Deva Loka with 300000 slokas.

    Another for Pithr Loka with 150000.

    With 1400000  for the Rakshasas and Yakshas and 100,00 for humanity,.

    5.The term Bharata means the narration of the Dynasty of Bharata.

    Maha means huge, big, heavy.

    The Mahabharata was weighed on a scale against the Vedas.

    The scale containing the Bharata was down and heavy.

    Therefore the Bharata is called the Mahabharata.

    It is also called the fifth Veda as it contains the practical application of the Truth of the Vedas and expands the concepts of the Vedas.

    6. Mahabharta  contains 18 Parvas or mega Chapters.

    These chapters contain many chapters as well.

    For more read the original.

    More posts to follow.

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