Kurukshetra

Comparative Book Review The texts The Bhagavad Gita, Apology, and In the Buddha’s Words all have different concepts of their God/deities, but share the same common base of themes. In The Bhagavad Gita, the theme is to not fear death and live in the moment. Being a part of the world, doing the best you can, helping others, and not getting egoistic with your actions are also all themes. In Plato’s’ Apology, the theme is using wisdom and virtue to improve the society. Having more self-knowledge…

The Bhagavadgita is a tale of duty in war and why it is necessary to perform one 's duty despite the cost. However this raises the question of whether the war in the Gita was justified. The god Krishna who performs the role of charioteer for Arjuna believes that the war is just and convinces him to fight. There is a theory known as the “just war theory” which details the legitimacy beginning a conflict and proper actions during the conflict. This theory consists of two major parts (Jus Ad Bellum…

The television series, Mahabharat, is a 94 episode Hindi series that is based on the Hindu epic, Mahabharata. Although there are 94 episodes in this entire television series, I will only be focusing on episode 72 which corresponds to the near beginning of the Bhagavad Gita text. Episode 72 of the Mahabharat television series begins with a short dialogue between the blind king, Dhritarashtra, and his advisor, Sanjaya. Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya to tell him what had happened on the battlefield…

Greek Mythology can be seen as the merging of human beliefs, imagination, artistic convention and perceptions of divinity. The most interesting and perhaps one of the very few enigmas from the past that continues to blur the lines between reality and mythology is the Minoan Labyrinth at Knossos. A structure so ingenious and elaborate that it went down in history and mythology. The Labyrinth is symbolic a tale of eternal love, deceitful men and vengeful gods – the legend of the Minotaur and goes…

1) Smrti is one of the bodies of works mentioned in the Vedic Literature. Although it is given less importance than its other half Śruti, Smrti contains one of the most important pieces of Vedic Literature and Traditions. Smrti texts represent the remembered, which is the literal translation of the word. Therefore the Smrti texts include much of the poetic literature, epics, the texts on the four goals of human life (Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha) and the six Vedangas that govern language,…

THE SURYA VAMSA The Ikshvakus are a sublime race of men and women famed in the Puranas and Epics. It owes it’s origins to the great patriarch of the same namesake, Ikshvaku, who was the son of Vaivasvat Manu. He, in, turn was the son of Kashyapa Muni who in turn was the son of Marichi, the son of Brahma. The Solar dynasty comprised of the three lines of Ayodhya, Videha, Vaisala and the Saryatas. Ikshvaku was the first king of Ayodhya, and his father, Manu Vaivasvata, gave him Madhyadesa. He had…

What is caste ? When Portuguese travelers visited India, they first encountered caste system or race based social discrimination in 16th century. They used a Portuguese term that is “casta” which means “race”. Today, the term caste is used to describe the division of societies on the basis of social hierarchy, not only in Asia but all over the world. It is believed that only four castes exist which are divided on the basis of Brahma’s divine genius. The four existing…

How was Gandhi’s attitude towards violence? Whenever Gandhi valued a concept that he came across, he would adopt it completely and change his life in accordance to it(Parekh,2001,p6). This influenced many of his decisions; most notably his approach towards violence. For Gandhi, violence was a never a significant tool for bringing about change. This is depicted through his commitment to a life of truth, poverty, chastity and nonviolence(Brachamarya Vow). His attitude towards violence inclined him…

Naseeb Kaur – I I know what it's like to make people happy. Admittedly I didn't mean to walk head-first into a glass door like that Pakistani Engineer in his college video, or trip down a 100ft bore well like nation’s beloved pranky Prince of Kurukshetra, but beggars can't exactly be choosers, and so I make fun of people around me and sometimes of myself to make people laugh. To see smile on all those faces, well, for a brief moment of time is worth living. This is the same reason why I write…

Chapter 1 Introduction Mahabharata, a resplendent mythology, partially historical, has reigned in our hearts and minds with ages running down .Vyasa; the original writer of this epic has portrayed the controversial conjugal relations of the Pandavas and The Kauravas. Vedvyasa had written the Upanishads and Puranas which were not comprehended easily by the general mass. Hence, to make them more comprehensive he wrote Mahabharata, which provided a…