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Mahabharat: Parvasangraha

November 20, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 0 Comments

Parvasangraha upa parva is the second upa parva of the first parva called Adi parva in the epic Mahabharat. There is a major difference between the parvasangraha upa parva with other upa parvas. The collection of the special heroic events of the Mahabharat characters, with emphasis on collection of arms, weapons had been narrated in this upa parva. Also, the collection and counting of verses of each and every chapter is narrated in this upa parva. The Upakhyanas were also collected and briefed in this upa parva. Upakhyanas were narrated as similar supporting stories but made crazier than the main story. The main story had gathered its volume with these side one proving stories, say upakhyanas and the central holiness was maintained with its credentials, like a holy religious book. Gandhiji had already declared Mahabharat as the fifth veda, or Panchamaveda.

9th day of Mahabharat War in Kurukshetra — Ninth day of war

Anukramanika In Mahabharat

November 5, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 0 Comments

Anukramanika is the name of the first upa parva out of ninteen upa parvas in Mahabharat. Mahabharat epic has eighteen parvas and Adi parva is the first one. The original epic had been written in Sanskrit in verses. The total verses would be exceeding one lakhs.

In olden times, to be memorized by the disciples, the author cum teacher of this epic had classified the verses into several clusters, the partitions done according to the flow of events in due course of time. Parashara Rishi was the father of Veda Vyasa Rishi. Shuka Muni was the son of Veda Vyasa Rishi. Veda Vyasa Rishi himself told the entire Mahabharata to his son Shuka. Shuka told to his disciple, Suta muni. In the Anukramanika upa parva, the summary of Mahabharat had been told in brief in the sequential form like indexing the story chapters, done for convenience.

Mahabharat: Introduction

November 1, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 1 Comment

Mahabharat is an epic, written in Sanskrit, centuries ago in India. Ramayana had been seen as the oldest and holiest epic. Hence, it was already read with reverence during the month of Karkataka, as per solar calendar. After paddy cultivation, in Kerala, during the month of Karkataka, people could be seen reading Ramayana daily. Even after that one month, some energetic and young farmers of our country felt the necessity of another epic with a different taste. In the next month, as the paddy plants show growth slowly, and farmers have to simply watch their growth, feeding the natural monsoon water to the plants. This month is the Leo or Chingam under solar calculation system. Thus, people used to read the epic Mahabharat.

Mahabharat war — Kurukshetra or Dharmakshetra from Mahabharat

Nandadeepa: The Ever Glowing Lamp

September 14, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 0 Comments

Lamp lighting is a common feature in India, during the holy inauguration of a new house, hall or starting of a meeting or conference. In the various linguistic states of India, holy Lamps usage is more or less similar. In the various religious functions also, the lamps find an indispensable place on occasions. Even though electric lights are now available, the holiness goes to the various oil lamps. The highest honor of lamp is occupied by the cow ghee lamps.

A lit mud lamp called Nandadeepa — Nandadeepa

Healthy Human Habits From Ramayana

September 12, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 1 Comment

Ayodhya was the capital city of Rama but his education was not yet completed when Vishwamitra Rishi had visited the Palace of Dasharatha. Vishwamitra Rishi was in search of an efficient man, say a prince, who possessed healthy habits. He had collected the data about Rama and selected him as a suitable person for his desired purpose of actions. Rama was not married then. He was always found accompanied by his younger brother Lakshmana. His character, conduct and integrity were beyond doubt and are not a matter to narrate, but his habits would be emphasized here. Habits could be practiced by observing a guide. Healthy human habits would certainly please the surrounding people and create a healthy society that would be able to cause longevity and happiness in life.

Rama, Sita and Lakshmana in the forest practising social distancing — Rama, Sita and Lakshmana in the forest

Benefits Of Apprenticeship And Internship

September 11, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 2 Comments

Apprenticeship and internship are very old systems that could be seen in Ramayana. The style and words would differ, being in Sanskrit language.

The period of learning the work was called as the apprenticeship. Prior to the actual work, the teacher used to orally tell the verses and the disciple had to by heart them. When the disciple performed the works, the teacher would correct him in case mistakes had been committed. The case of Shunashepa and Vishwamitra could be stated as one of the examples for the apprenticeship in Ramayana.

Gurukula education system — Gurukula system

Civil Engineering In Ramayana

August 31, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 0 Comments

Rama had lived in Ayodhya during his childhood and as an Emperor later. After receiving his basic education from Vasishta, he had gone to forests with Vishwamitra Rishi for higher education and thereby to get the skill in martial arts. After marriage, for the next fourteen years, he used to live in forests in order to fulfill his father’s words as befitting to the Raghu lineage. Hence, the construction of huts and hermits were necessitated for Rama, to live in the forests areas. Construction works have been taught in Gurukula system and management of projects were personally monitored by administrative aspirant people then and there, in those days.

Also, in those days there was not a separate pedagogical branch, such as now called Civil Engineering. But it was taught in the school of Vishwakarma to the aspirants, clubbed with other applied sciences. The palace of Rama was magnificent in all respects. All facilities as required in the case of a planned city were available in Ayodhya then.

Aerial view of Rama Sethu — Aerial view of Shri Rama Sethu

Freedom In Ramayana

August 30, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 0 Comments

Rama was the ideal royal administrator of any time on this earth. One day, he expressed to conduct the Ashwamedha Yajna with his brothers, Lakshmana and Bharata, as per the decisions of the council of his advisors. Then, the brothers desired to know the effectiveness of the Ashwamedha yajna and fruitfulness after its completion. Many Rishis had visited Rama and he had acquired great experiences. In order to convince them, a live incident had been narrated by Rama as follows:

Ashwamedha horse running loose — Ashwamedha horse running freely

The Five Fold Personality Of Rama

August 21, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 1 Comment

Rama was the incarnation of God Maha Vishnu. He had born as the son of king Dasharatha and queen Kausalya at Ayodhya. The history pertains to Treta Yuga. When Rama had completed his basic education under the tutorship of sage Vasishta, another sage, Vishwamitra, had appeared in the court of king Dasharatha and demanded Rama be his apprentice. Vishwamitra had a well-built body; he was also a one-time notorious king. But he decided, in his later life, the knowledge regarding the science of fighting and ability for killing should be abandoned and hence acted as a sage, a propagator of peace. Hence he taught the martial sciences to Rama, where his brother Lakshmana also intended to do his internship with him.

Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman — Shri Ramachandra

Chiranjeevis In Indian Epics

August 20, 2020 / Govinda Bhat K / 0 Comments

Ramayana and Mahabharata are great Indian epics. They have been written in Sanskrit language but translations are available in many languages, throughout the world. Each and every character of the epics had fulfilled their assigned roles during their lifetime and returned to heaven or hell according to their accumulated virtues or sins. Some of the souls could not return from this universe but their physical body had been disbursed into the five fundamental items, namely, earth, fire, water, air and sky.

Later, when God appeared in this world as incarnation, like God Rama or Krishna, they had trans granted such souls onto the appropriate end targets, generally in to the heaven. But there are certain relaxations to some persons. The services of Hanuman and Vibhishana were always found necessary in this universe by God Rama. Hence they had been granted uncountable span of life, to live always in this world, exhibiting their own desired choice of physical forms. Hanuman and Vibhishana were called Chiranjeevis of this world after Ramayana. There are five more Chiranjeevis:

अश्वत्थामा बलिर्व्यासो हनुमांश्च विभीषणः ।
कृपः परशुरामश्च सप्तैते चिरजीविनः ॥

Gomangala