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Cover of महाभारत / Mahabharat

महाभारत / Mahabharat

Written by Swami Vivekananda

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32 pages, about 38 minutes of reading

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About this book

स्वामीजी ने 1 फरवरी 1900 को, अमेरिका में कैलिफोर्निया के अन्तर्गत पैसाडेना नामक स्थान में ‘शेक्सपियर-सभागार’ में इस विषय पर जो व्याख्यान दिया था, उसकी उपयोगिता को ध्यान में रखते हुए हम उसे इस पुस्तिका के रूप में प्रकाशित कर रहे हैं। इस व्याख्यान में स्वामीजी ने संक्षेप में महाभारत की कथा बताने का प्रयास किया है। उस महाग्रन्थ में महर्षि व्यास द्वारा असंख्य महामहिमामय उन्नत और उदात्त महापुरुषों के जीवन का उल्लेख किया गया है। साथ ही संसार में दिखनेवाले अच्छे-बुरे लोगों के विशिष्ट चरित्रों का चित्रण भी किया है। इन सब का परिचय इस छोटे से व्याख्यान में देना असम्भव है। फिर भी स्वामीजी के इस व्याख्यान में पाण्डवों का उन्नत चरित्र, स्वामी-निष्ठा और अप्रतिम वीरता तथा जेष्ठ भ्राता युधिष्ठिर के प्रति अनन्य निष्ठा और आज्ञाकारिता आदि बातों का सुन्दर वर्णन हमें प्राप्त होता है। स्वामीजी के मन में भगवान श्रीकृष्ण के अद्वितीय व्यक्तित्व के प्रति जो आदर था वह भी हमें इस व्याख्यान में दृष्टिगोचर होता है।

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Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in महाभारत / Mahabharat, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 8 hours
  • intermediate
  • inspirational
  • philosophical
  • moral

Swami Vivekananda's 'Mahabharat' is a concise transcription of a lecture delivered in Pasadena, California, on February 1, 1900. In this brief yet profound discourse, Swamiji endeavors to summarize the vast narrative of the Mahabharata, focusing particularly on its moral and spiritual dimensions. He highlights the elevated characters of the Pandavas, emphasizing their unwavering devotion, unparalleled bravery, and steadfast loyalty to their elder brother Yudhishthira. The lecture also reverently portrays the unique and divine personality of Lord Krishna, reflecting Swamiji's deep veneration for the deity and his role in the epic.

“Dharma is the only true shield; uphold it, and it will uphold you.”

Key themes

Dharma (Righteousness and Duty)
Dharma is the foundational theme, central to Vivekananda's interpretation. It encompasses righteousness, moral duty, ethical conduct, and cosmic law. The lecture emphasizes how the Pandavas' lives are a testament to upholding Dharma even in the direst circumstances, and how adherence to it ultimately leads to victory and spiritual fulfillment.
Devotion and Loyalty (Swami-Nishtha)
This theme explores the profound loyalty and devotion exhibited by the characters, particularly among the Pandava brothers and their collective devotion to Lord Krishna. It highlights the strength derived from unity, mutual respect, and unwavering commitment to a leader or a divine principle. Vivekananda stresses this as a key virtue of the Pandavas.
Divine Providence and Guidance
The lecture strongly emphasizes the role of divine providence and the guidance of Lord Krishna in the events of the Mahabharata. It suggests that beyond human efforts and strategies, a higher, divine will is at play, ensuring that righteousness ultimately prevails. Krishna is presented as the ultimate guide, embodying wisdom and compassionate intervention.

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