APIFantasy | Myth and Folklore Anthology

Indian/Hindu Mythology - Mahabharata: Parts 1-3

The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. Mahabharata is much more complex than just its morals. If we take a closer look at the tale, we will notice a bunch of short myths supporting the original story. So, let's take a tour down the epic tale of Mahabharata and shed light on some of the least known characters that played a crucial role in the myth.

#1: Ganapati, the Scribe

Bhagavan Vyasa, who was the one to compile the Vedas, was also the one who produced the epic of the Mahabharata. It is said that when he had come upon the concept of the Mahabharata, he pondered upon the perfect person who could convey it to the world. He invoked Brahma, the Creator, and laid his confusion before him. Brahma advised him to choose Ganapati.

Vyasa agreed and invoked Ganapati to whom he paid due respects and asked him to be his scribe. Ganapati agreed on the condition that while dictating, Vyasa would not hesitate or pause. Vyasa agreed on the condition that Ganapati would hear the story of the Mahabharata and understand its meaning before he wrote it down. Thus agreed, they began, and Vyasa sang the Mahabharata for Ganapati. As he sang, he would insert complex stanzas in between which took Ganapati some time to understand and while he did so, Vyasa quickly arranged the next few stanzas in his mind.

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The Mahabharata was composed before the invention of printing and thus it fell to memory to keep it alive. Vyasa first taught the epic to his son and later relayed it to his disciples.

One of these disciples, Vaisampayana, narrated the story at a great sacrifice conducted by the great King Parikshit's son, Janamejaya.

Hearing it from here, Suta conveyed the story to an assembly of sages. He told them how he had come upon the story and admitted that he had visited the battlefields mentioned in the story. 

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The story goes that when King Santanu passed away, Chitrangada became King of Hastinapura and was succeeded by Vichitravirya who had two sons — Dhritarashtra and Pandu. Due to Dhritarashtra's blindness, Pandu came to ascend the throne. During his reign, he committed a crime for which he had to be exiled to the forest for penance. Here his two wives gave birth to five sons, known as the Pandavas. The forest sages raised these children in their early years and when Yudhishthira, the eldest, turned sixteen, the boys were conveyed to Bhisma for further learning. Soon, they mastered the Vedas, the Vedanta, and various other arts pertaining to the Kshatriyas.

The sons of the blind Dhritarashtra, called the Kauravas, became envious of the Pandavas and tried to exact schemes against them. Bhishma, as the head of the family, finally intervened and managed to bring peace between the Pandavas and the Kauravas who began ruling separately from their capitals of Indraprastha and Hastinapura.

It was sometime later that the Kauravas and the Pandavas sat together for a game of dice according to the prevailing Kshatriya code of honour. The Pandavas were defeated and exiled for thirteen years. Taking their wife, Draupadi, the Pandavas went to the forest for twelve years and spent the last year incognito as per the game's rules.

After their return, the Pandavas demanded their kingdom back from Duryodhana who had wrested control in their absence. When he refused, they went to war with and defeated him, getting back their kingdom which they went on to rule for thirty-six years. When the time came, they passed the kingdom to their grandson, Parikshit and went away to the forest with Draupadi where they spent the rest of their time.

#2: Devavrata

When King Santanu saw the goddess Ganga, he declared that she would be his wife. She agreed on the conditions that he would not ask who she was or where she came from, would not question or stand in the way of her decisions, not be angry with her over anything nor say a displeasing word to her. If he did, she would leave instantly. The king was infatuated with her and so agreed without hesitation.