What is Mahabharata biggest lesson

Aug 12, 2015 What is The Mahabharata's biggest lesson?  Blog by Radhika Ravi Rajan 11678 VIEWS 85 COMMENTS  If one were asked to zero-in on The Mahabharata's biggest question, it may well be: "Does the end justify the means?" The question, posed on Quora, elicited an intellectually stimulating response from Tejasvita Apte, one of its leading writers...I share it here for Speaking Tree readers... Apte says: "This question is fantastic. And The Mahabharata is truly an ocean of wisdom if we wish to ask such a question. The end may or may not justify the means. The best approach, therefore, is to analyse for yourself and decide. In each situation. There is no one answer that will fit every situation! Therefore, I am going to try and make arguments from both sides. Let's see! Let us take a few instances from the epic: The first example: Trying to avoid the war as far as possible: Pandavas do all they can, to avoid the war. Yudhishthir is very pragmatic. He knows that as per dharma (morality/righteousness), he should be the king. Yet, his first reaction is not to go to war for the same. He negotiates, understands, talks, argues and tries everything else. As a last resort, Pandavas send Krishna to negotiate. They are now willing to take just five villages. That was all they asked for, in the end. But when Duryodhana, in his arrogance, claimed that he wouldn't part with even a needle-prick's land, is when they know that war is inevitable. If the end were to justify the means, war in the first instance wouldn't have looked ridiculous. For, Yudhishthir is older and therefore, the rightful heir to the throne. Here, we can say that the Mahabharata tells us that ends do not justify the means." Looking at this very same instance from another perspective: Pandavas do everything they can to avoid the war. But at end of the day, they too know that war is inevitable. They know they are going to be forced to kill their own kith and kin, including their teachers. Despite that, they decide that the cause is too big to let go of. So, in one respect, the end does justify the means - which in this case is a war with your own blood relations! So, the very fact that the Pandavas chose to wage war (even if that was as a last resort), kill their own kith and kin, and cause misery to everyone involved, itself shows that sometimes, ends do justify the means. A second example: Arjuna's dilemma in Kurukshetra When Arjuna feels dejected in the war to kill his own teachers and brothers, Krishna shows his virat swaroop (cosmic form) and convinces Arjuna to fight, as that is his dharma (duty). He uses a number of arguments which encompass all aspects of human nature. He uses philosophy in which he explains that all of us are souls. Nothing is permanent in this world except the self/soul. The soul always remains untouched and unharmed as it is a part of the eternal Brahman (cosmic spirit or oneness). He then talks from the material sense in which Arjuna is a kshatriya (warrior) and his foremost dharma (duty) is to fight. When Arjuna is feeling guilty for having to take arms against his own brothers and teachers, Krishna contends that it is not he, Arjuna, who is killing them. It is prakriti (nature) which does it through him. In essence, he is saying that certain things are meant to be. That the war was inevitable, as its seeds were planted a few generations ago. Using arguments like the above, Krishna convinces Arjuna to fight, as that is all he can do. It is Krishna who directs Arjuna to kill Karna when he is unarmed, unethically. It is Krishna who uses his 'Sudarshan Chakra' to make it look like it's evening and kill Jaydrath. Unethical, again. All these unethical things for what? A larger cause, of course! Krishna, therefore, convinces Arjuna that the end does justify the means. And Arjuna fights, knowing well that the means, (war and killing) however unpleasant, justify a larger cause. Had he not believed in it, he wouldn't have picked up arms. We also have to consider the fact that the Mahabharata is not at all ambiguous about the fact that Krishna is, indeed, God. So, it's god himself who convinces Arjuna that the ends justify the means. Mahabharata is unequivocal about it. On the other hand, even though Krishna uses all of these arguments to convince Arjuna to fight, Arjuna cannot bring himself to fight. It requires Krishna's arguments from every angle, including reminding of the unethical killing of his son Abhimanyu to make Arjuna pick up arms. Even then, at every instance, he requires Krishna's assistance. Despite winning the war, the Pandavas are unhappy. Krishna is cursed by Gandhari and the curse comes to fruition. All of this can also be interpreted as the end not necessarily justifying the means. Or to pin-point, the end may justify the means technically, but that still may not bring an end to human dilemma and unhappiness. And dharma may still be elusive! Third example: Bheeshma and Shikhandi Bheeshma captures three princesses - Amba, Ambika and Ambalika - to marry Vichitraveerya, in order to make sure that the throne has an heir. And this mess is now because it is Bheeshma's oath of celibacy itself that has become a hindrance in the throne being without an heir. Had Bheeshma not stuck to his oath (even when Satyavati herself requested him), there wouldn't be any need to kidnap the princesses and there wouldn't be any disputes at all. But Bheeshma chose his oath and kidnapped the princesses, convincing himself that the end justifes the means! What followed, of course, was the pathetic situation of Amba, who ended up killing herself to be reborn as Shikhandini, who becomes responsible to bring about Bheeshma's death. So, all in all, had Bheeshma just given up his oath and married, none of this would have happened. A terrible war would have been prevented. But, arguing that the ends justified the means and kidnapping the princesses sowed the seeds of his own end. Could the real question possibly be: When Krishna (God) stands behind you, do ends justify the means? All of the Kaurava commanders are killed unethically. Krishna is the master strategist behind that. Krishna convinces Arjuna to take up arms. It is Krishna's strategy that helps the Pandavas win the war, despite their inferior military power. It is Krishna who says he is God and it is he who is performing all the actions. Arjuna is merely a channel. The result of all this is that the Pandavas win the war and seemingly, the end justifies the means! Could it be as simple as this: that God stood behind the Pandavas and therefore, their ends justified the means? We don't know! This gives birth to a scarier question. If I believe that my God is behind me, then does my end justify my means? In short, this is the whole argument behind any religious violence that happens in the world. Can this be true? I don't think so. And I suppose Vyaasa would agree! Because there are other facts too: The Mahabharata acknowledges that in spite of the victory of the Pandavas, it was an unfair war. It does not say that the heroes won and end of story! It punishes them as much as the others. They will now have to face the fruits of their karma. Therefore, in spite of the victory, they were never able to live happily. Gandhari curses Krishna and it comes true. Krishna himself dies of a misfired arrow. The Pandavas, despite winning the war, renounce everything. The leave for the Himalayas clad in rags. The Kauravas and Karna end up in heaven! So, now that this is the conclusion, does the end justify the means? Dharma is truly elusive. So, I don't know! 85 COMMENTS Read Write  popular  Trees are yogis  Khwaja Mere Khwaja  Remain a servant  La Tomatina: Spain paints its town red today  Dialogue with Universe  Appeal of a spooky house  Song of the reed  How a man won a million hearts  Prayers for peace  We need nature more ALL SPEAKING TREE MY PROFILE Today Last 7 Days Last 30 Days  Anushka Goyal PLATINUM 1 Rank84668 Points  Bipin Patel PLATINUM 2 Rank168879 Points  Babai Dey PLATINUM 3 Rank38409 Points  Aravind SILVER 4 Rank792 Points  Arun Hardia SILVER 5 Rank792 Points  Sujay Ghosh PLATINUM 6 Rank76155 Points  Jafa PLATINUM 7 Rank35308 Points  Tanzi Fatma PLATINUM 8 Rank100566 Points  Naveen Sinha SILVER 9 Rank664 Points  Adhyatm PLATINUM 10 Rank75931 Points Times Point Know more STORIES YOU MAY WANT TO READ  Why did Gandhari blindfold herself? India: A constantly changing matrix Does wildlife have to pay the price for humans eating meat? Why did Krishna kill Ekalavya? Spiritual Journey Through Religious Path Nuclear war wiped out Ancient Civilizations on Mars? Comments Comments Via Facebook  85 Comments Via ST   Dilip Modhawadiya Ok 9 hrs ago  Avinash Sorty There is nothing like papa/punya. & every thing has it's reason to happen. So whatever happens is justified as every result is the fruit of one's own karma which is without doubt is appropriate. As you think so you become &as you sow so you reap. That is law of nature which is beyond our comprehension as God is.Our whole life is like Mahabharata. 1 day ago  Ashish Kumar Here, we can say that the Mahabharata tells us that ends do not justify the means." 2 days ago  Kishore Kumar Burra Good 2 days ago  Ritu Raj All the leading characters of Mahabharat, except Yudhishthir, took recourse to various stratagems to achieve their ends. 4 days ago Load More © 2015 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved