Mahabharata and you- The conclusion

 We discussed about 7 personalities in the previous article on Mahabharata. Lets continue our discussion on more characters and their relevance in today's times.

    Karna

  He first born of Kunti was adopted by a “chariot driver” after she abandoned him. The son of Sun God himself but struggled his whole life to earn status. A person who needed to go against the rules formed by the society. Immensely talented but the company of wrong people ruined it all for him. His gift was misused, his reputation was spoiled and life lost.

The society always forms rules for everyone. But some people go against and make a name for themselves. It’s imperative to stay away from evil company in journey of quick success.

     Vidur

:     The advisor in the court who was conscious of all rights and wrongs, but could not express entirely because of his service and restricted rights. He had to keep silent even after witnessing the wrong doings in the family.

We all face the circumstances where we want to express our self but the situation is otherwise. Our position does not allow us to say the truths. Do you feel him?

   Shakuni

       The most intelligent man in the nation, but knowledge put to wrong use to harm others. When someone uses their skills in wrong way, it simply means lack of confidence. He was dependent on others to win the battle, and manipulated people to take his side.

Can you find people who have all the skills to grow, but use it for cheating and frauds? If people begin to fear the wrongs and be more empathetic and kinder, world will be for the humans too.

   Pandu

     He was not expecting when he was announced to be made the king.  An accidental blunder lead to lack of basic pleasures and eventually death. He got more than his potentials and skills, which led to the destruction of the kingdom.

Sometimes situations are such where one fails to look beyond the past and present. They act according to their own insight overlooking the actuality. A minor fault may levy heavy penalties. 

  Ashwathama

      The son of the greatest teacher, blessed by ancestors never to get unwell, was given the supreme weapon- the Brahamastra, became the king, not by his efforts but by the students of his father. Everything sounds perfect till we know he sided with the Kauravas and was silly to win the battle by hook or crook.

It is believed that he is still alive as he was cursed by Lord Krishna that he will never die.

He is an example of How one spoils a picture-perfect life by not being able to let go of things. Ignorance is sometimes helpful for our own peace of mind. One must know when to quit too. Quitting is not losing- either you can return more prepared, or its better for your health.

  Duryodhana

     The eldest son of the ruling king, he was always told and guided that he was born to be the king, had that egotism and never understood that rights come with responsibility. The parents were so in love with him, and the backing of his maternal uncle protected him from being punished for his faults which converted to immoralities far along.

Excess of everything is bad- the parents must not support the child to the level that they end up being a criminal. penalizing him/her for unlawful actions is for the benefit of the child. Parenting is a balance of love, safety and punishments.

      Yudhisthir 

     He was always trained to be a good ruler. With the upbringing and the morals, he was not greedy for the throne. The advantage of the subjects was his priority. Always speaking truth was his value which did bring him troubles but he never changed his path.

Maintaining good principles is tough when there are misconducts all around you. But losing yourself to fit in or to revenge is inappropriate as well. Confidence and trust on self is significant.

 Arjun

     A gifted and focused individual, the finest armor. Admired by all but his lifespan comprised of struggles and sacrifices. He was a devoted son, brother, disciple and husband. His faith in his friend- Madhav was huge which never let him down.

Endurance, tolerance and determination are vital asset for any human. Never be afraid of complications in life and face them uncomplainingly. Success will be attained if beliefs are not disregarded.

Bheem

      The second of the Pandavas, most powerful and aggressive, could not stand anybody who troubles him and his family. But fun loving and humorous too.

We are Defined by our certain physical features – they are sometimes decent and occasionally dissimilar from others. But we must never lose confidence in our self. Every peculiarity we have is valuable and vital, no matter how unique we are. 

    Draupadi/ Panchali

    Agreed to unusual compromises to maintain the harmony in the family. ill-treated by men from the family over ego and revenge. When decided to fight for her self-respect, got blamed for the entire battle over generations.

It is now popularized as feminism, but fighting for dignity and punishing those who damage your reputation is needed even if it leads to the battle of Mahabharata.

       Krishna

     God exists in all of us, we are aware of moralities and immorality, but it is a difficult path to follow. We recognize humanity, kindness but ego and greed take us on wrong track. It is difficult to have faith and continue the journey even if it’s a tough one because the end result is contentment. We all want quick results and material things, but we forget that truth and compassion stay with us forever.

 Though the teachings of any mythology are vast and complicated for humans to perceive, at this point I would like to convey my understanding and learning from this epic.

Reading Mahabharata and watching it almost thrice has taught me the following:

1)      God is always with us but we have to retain faith.

2)      Divinity will neither make the path easy for us, nor will remove all troubles from our life. But will give us strength and insight to face all hurdles.

3)      We must not lose patience or trust in God even if we are going through tough times or faced something unexpected.

4)      Everything happens for a reason. We may or may not appreciate it at the time, but it will impact us in long run.

5)       Immense confidence in Deity does not mean you will not be deceived or face complications in life. But you will be granted the support in one or the other way to pass the storm too.

6)      Karma never pardons anyone. Time changes for everyone- it is never the same. Everyone has to face their own destiny.

The idea of imparting these lessons is to believe in a supreme power which is not visible. It is not differentiated by religion, country, status or education.

Disclaimer:

·         The above article (both parts) is not meant to hurt any religious sentiments.

·         These are personal views of the author.

·         This article does not promote or compare any religion.