MAHABHARATAM- Prelude to the Bhagavad Geeta: 1. SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

 

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Tuesday 29, July 2025, 06:30.
THE MAHABHARATA 
(in 18 Episodes) 
PRELUDE to the Bhagavad Geeta - 1. 
Reflections by 
SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

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Episode 1: How the Writing Began 

MAHA MEANS “big, great”; Bharata is India. This is the greatest story of Bharatham dynasties around the period 5,000 years ago when the Avatara of Lord Krishna took place. The story is of two sets of brothers, the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The Great War that was fought between them is the central theme of the epic. And central to the Great War is the spiritual dialogue contained in the Bhagavad Geeta. 

The other great epic of Indian literature is the Story of Sri Rama or Ramayana, which historically took place even before the Mahabharata war. Rama and his three brothers were born in the Suryavamsha or Solar Dynasty, while the five Pandava brothers were born in the Chandravamsha or Lunar Dynasty. Both Sri Rama and Sri Krishna are Avataras of Lord Vishnu. Their purpose was to restore righteousness among the people of India at a time when there was gross abuse of terrestrial power and a reign of Adharma (unrighteousness) within certain kingdoms in the sub-continent.  

Before going on to the story, it has to be said that this epic contains just about all the knowledge available at that time. Hence, besides being a story, it is also studded with information both secular and spiritual in content. On the spiritual side, it contains the lofty teachings encompassed in the Upanishads, weaved into the fabric of the book via the numerous Rishis and sages whose accounts appear in the book. 

It is well said of the Mahabharata that what is in the epic may be somewhere else, but what is not in it will not be found anywhere else. 

The author of this national epic is Sage Veda Vyasa, a sage of giant intellect and even greater vision. He did not have four hands and six eyes like the Deities, yet what he accomplished in his lifetime is phenomenal! Vyasaji’s Birthday is celebrated on every Guru Purnima Day. It is called Teacher’s Day as well, because he was the teacher of all humanity. Honour is given to his learning by calling the seat from which discourses are delivered as the 

“Vyasa Peeth”. 

This introduction to the Mahabharata is very concise as it is only intended as a runup to the Bhagavad Geeta which we shall study soon after it. Hence it only selects certain episodes of the voluminous book, those which pertain to the context of the Geeta. 

Introductory Chapter to Bhagavad Geeta | Discourse 00 

Sri Vyasa had conceived something too vast for one individual. He needed a stenographer to write out the verses for him, while he would do the thinking. Lord Brahmaji suggested the name of Ganeshji. Lord Ganesha agreed but laid down a condition, “that he should not stop the writing.” Vyasa agreed but made a counter-condition, “that Ganesha should understand each word before he writes.” 

Vyasaji started at once. Ganeshji was not even ready with his pen, so he broke off one of his tusks and started writing. And so, it went on, like a tournament between the two of them – Ganesha and Vyasaji, a child and an old man, they made a good combination! 

When it was all written down – all 100,000 verses – it was ready to be handed down to the generations to come. Vyasaji taught it to his son Shukha, who narrated it to Narada, Narada gave it to the Devas; Shukaji also taught it to the Gandharvas and Yakshas. And so, the great story began to find its way among the people of sacred India. 

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Next
Episode 2: 
The Story of Bhishma 

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