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Dharma wins finally

CHENNAI: : The Mahabharata enjoys a unique status among the scriptural texts. It is longer than the Puranas Vyasa wrote, which was made possible because Lord Ganesa assisted him by becoming his scribe. Tradition relates that Ganesa agreed to it on the condition that the sage should compose the verses fast enough for Him to inscribe them. Vyasa also set a stipulation that He should understand the meaning before writing them. Vyasa could cope with the speed with which Ganesa wrote because every 1000th verse he composed was so difficult that Ganesa had to pause to decipher the meaning. He would in the meantime reflect on the sequence of incidents and be ready with the next 1000 verses. These difficult verses are called "Vyasagranthi" and are a challenge to even the erudite scholar. Hence the Mahabharata appeals to both the scholar and the laity.

In his discourse, Sri V. Rajagopala Ganapadigal said this epic enjoyed a more exalted status than the Puranas because it had been hailed as the fifth Veda. Another reason for this is the encyclopaedic nature of the work. As the main theme of the epic is Dharma, which it portrays through its characters and incidents in their lives, it is considered as a manual on Dharma. Contrary to the popular belief that the study of the epic creates discord, it is supposed to result in victory as the organisation of the text is in 18 sections. This is a number associated with success in tradition. Jaya (triumph) is another name of the Mahabharata, its message being, "Dharma triumphs ultimately."

Besides the main storyline depicting the clash of Dharmic and the unrighteous forces, which eventually led to the war in which Dharma prevailed, there are many interludes on Dharma also. One such elaborate discussion that has attained the status of an independent digest on ethics is the Viduraniti, which is in the form of a conversation between Dhritarashtra and Vidura. This is juxtaposed between the period of the exile of the Pandavas and the war perhaps to give the king another opportunity to reflect and undo the injustices meted to the Pandavas in the past. This was also the period when everyone concerned with the welfare of humanity wanted to find an equitable solution that would prevent a fratricidal war between the cousins. But that was not to be.

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