विराट पर्व is primarily devoted to the sons of पाण्डू under employment. And as they embark on their employment, युधिष्ठिर does a स्तुति of श्री दुर्गा. What is presented below is the स्तुति along with a literal translation of each of the श्लोक for interest of the readers. Practicing Hindus may chant these श्लोक before … Continue reading Durga Stuti before any new venture/ vocation (from Virata Parva of Mahabharata)

धौम्य is the Purohita of the Pandavas. In the Virata Parva, as Yudhistira along with wife and brothers decide to work as employees the kingdom of Virata, धौम्य gives advice to the Pandavas on the rules of conduct of an employee. What is the relevance of such a discussion in modern world? My sense is … Continue reading Conduct of an employee – what does Mahabharata say on this topic?

The story of सावित्री is known to most Hindus. Within the महाभारत, the event comes up towards the end of Vanaparva as Rishi Markandeya relates the story to Yudhistira. But while the high-level story may be known, the specific nuances of धर्म conveyed by सावित्री to यम and thereby impressed him may not be very … Continue reading Wisdom of Savitri

ब्राह्मण उवाच कथं संभवते योनौ कथं वा पुण्यपापयोः | जातीः पुण्या ह्यपुण्याश्च कथं गच्छति सत्तम || Asks the ब्राह्मण! How does आत्मा take its birth and how does it become attached to पुण्य and अपुण्य? O great one! How does it come to belong to a person with पुण्य character and another with अपुण्य character? … Continue reading How Karma works – Vyadha Gita

The ब्राह्मण knows and sees the व्याध doing कर्म of a butcher. He naturally therefore asks the व्याध that being such a knowledgeable person, how can the व्याध perform acts of हिंसा. Can people aligned to the वेद perform such कर्म? This is an age-old question that never ends. Can one ever call oneself a … Continue reading Can anyone live without killing any creature? Vyadha Gita

ब्राह्मण उवाच सत्त्वस्य रजसश्चैव तमसश्च यथातथम् | गुणांस्तत्त्वेन मे ब्रूहि यथावदिह पृच्छतः || ब्राह्मण asked: Truly described to me as I ask you to convey the respective specifics about सत्व, रजस् and तमस् गुण. व्याध उवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि | एषां गुणान्पृथक्त्वेन निबोध गदतो मम || व्याध said: I shall tell you … Continue reading How do persons of each Guna behave? Vyadha Gita

महाभारत and other पुराण have various श्लोक other than श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता which convey wisdom of the वेद. One of the celebrated events is referred to as व्याध गीता which is a long and wonderful conversation between a ब्राह्मण named Kaushika who approaches a व्याध (butcher) to learn about wisdom of the वेद. Given the long nature … Continue reading What does living with Shistachara mean – from Vyadha Gita

In मार्कण्डेय ‌समस्या पर्व within वनपर्व of महाभारत, there is a famous episode called popularly as the व्याधगीता. The following is a small extract of this episode which in simple terms defines the qualifying criteria for who may be called as a ब्राह्मण य: क्रोधमोहौ त्यजति तं देवा ब्राह्मणं विदुः। यो वदेदिह सत्यानि गुरुं संतोषयेत् च।। हिंसितश्च … Continue reading How to identify a Brahmana?

In अजगरपर्व within वनपर्व of महाभारत, there is an interesting event where one of the ancestors of the Pandavas, King Nahusha, takes the birth as a python after being given a शाप by ऋषि अगस्त्य. And when भीम walks around in the forest, the python coils around भीम who is unable to escape. As it … Continue reading Who is a Shudra or a Brahmana?

In the तीर्थयात्रा पर्व within वनपर्व of श्रीमहाभारत, there is an encounter between भीम‌ & हनुमान. This is a glorious encounter where हनुमान shows His विराट रूप at the request of भीम‌. They also have a long conversation on various matters. One of the question put by भीम‌ to हनुमान is about चतुर्युग ‌as to … Continue reading Behaviour and conduct across four Yugas

What is the benefit of living a life of धर्म – asks द्रौपदि‌ to Yudhistira. While Kauravas live in a luxurious palace by taking recourse to अधर्म, Pandavas are suffering life inside a forest. द्रौपदि‌ was in deep anguish and strongly admonishes Yudhistira that if living a life a धर्म gives misfortune, why must one … Continue reading What is the benefit of doing धर्म?

Within the Arjunabhigamana पर्व of the Aranya पर्व of महाभारत, one of the famous श्लोक on क्षमा is captured below. This is conveyed by Yudhistira to Draupadi when she questions on how he does not experience anger and why he is considering to give the Kauravas who have behaved in a wicked manner against the … Continue reading Value of forgiveness (क्षमा)

Within अरण्यक पर्व of the वनपर्व of the महाभारत, there is an event when Yudhistira sets out to the forest as an outcome of losing the game of dice against the Kauravas. As he sets out, the citizens of Hastinapur approach him telling him that they too will accompany Yudhistira to the forest. This memorable … Continue reading Benefits of Satsanga (सत्संग)

In the दिग्विजय पर्व within सभापर्व of the महाभारत, there is an episode where सहदेव goes into a battle with राजा नील who was the king of माहिष्मती. राजा नील had the support of अग्नि which was troubling the army of सहदेव and the battle was being lost by him. In this state, सहदेव resorted … Continue reading Agni Stuti in the Sabha Parva of Mahabharata

सज्जन refers to one who displays truthful conduct while दुर्जन is one who is dishonest. In the Adiparva of the Mahabharata, there is an episode where Shankuntala comes to Dushyanta with their child Bharata but Dushyanta refuses to recognise her. Shakuntala is rightfully upset with this behaviour and castigates him severely for his bad conduct. … Continue reading Conduct of a सज्जन as against a दुर्जन

There is an episode in the महाभारत‌ where Yayati expresses interest to his sons to enjoy a youthful life and asks his sons to exchange their youthful body with his old body. One of his sons, Puru, agrees and Yayati enjoys the pleasures of physical body using the youthful body of Puru. After a few … Continue reading Yayati’s realisation on desires

There is an episode in the महाभारत‌ when शकुंतला goes to दुश्यंत along with their son, भरत. However, दुश्यंत refuses to recognize शकुंतला and acknowledge their गंधर्व विवाह‌ undertaken a few years back. What follows is a long dialogue between each other. An extract is this dialogue is how शकुंतला admonishes दुश्यंत of his refusal … Continue reading Importance of wife as per Shakuntala