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106-520: The Mahabharata manuscripts exist in numerous versions, wherein the specifics and details of major characters and episodes vary, often significantly. Except for the sections containing the Bhagavad Gita which is remarkably consistent between the numerous manuscripts, the rest of the epic exists in many versions. The differences between the Northern and Southern recensions are particularly significant, with

212-514: A helipad on the premises. Jambudweep , depicting a model of Jain cosmology , was designed here under the supervision of Shri Gyanmati Mataji in 1985. Situated in the historic location of the ancient city of Hastinapur, the Pandeshwar temple is dedicated to Shiva . This temple is believed to be the place where Kauravas and Pandavas received their education in Vedas and Puranas . A temple of

318-524: A "doctrine of liberation" taught by Hinduism, while Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888–1975) stated that the Bhagavad Gita teaches a universalist religion and the "essence of Hinduism" along with the "essence of all religions", rather than a private religion. Vivekananda 's (1863–1902) works contained numerous references to the Gita, such as his lectures on the four yogas – Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja. Through

424-457: A couplet, thus the entire text consists of 1,400 lines. Each shloka has two-quarter verses with exactly eight syllables. Each of these quarters is further arranged into two metrical feet of four syllables each. The metered verse does not rhyme. While the shloka is the principal meter in the Gita, it does deploy other elements of Sanskrit prosody (which refers to one of the six Vedangas, or limbs of Vedic statues). At dramatic moments, it uses

530-452: A eunuch, during which time he would need the knowledge of music and dance. He wanted Arjuna to be trained by the king of the Gandharvas, Chitrasena. Chitrasena began his classes soon and the two also became good friends. When Urvashi cursed Arjuna to remain a eunuch for life, it was Chitrasena along with Indra who mediated with her to reduce the tenure of her curse to a single year. Chitrasena

636-494: A few parts can be put as late as 400 CE", states Fowler. The dating of the Gita is thus dependent on the uncertain dating of the Mahabharata . The actual dates of composition of the Gita remain unresolved. According to Arthur Basham, the context of the Bhagavad Gita suggests that it was composed in an era when the ethics of war were being questioned and renunciation to monastic life was becoming popular. Such an era emerged after

742-486: A harmony" between these three paths. It does this in a framework addressing the question of what constitutes the virtuous path that is necessary for spiritual liberation or release from the cycles of rebirth ( moksha ), incorporating various religious traditions, including philosophical ideas from the Upanishads samkhya yoga philosophy , and bhakti , incorporating bhakti into Vedanta . As such, it neutralizes

848-627: A wide area, encompassing the districts of Meerut , Ghaziabad , Gautam Budh Nagar , Bijnor , Hapur , and Jyotiba Phule Nagar in Uttar Pradesh . It is a sprawling forest, occupying an area of nearly 2,073 square kilometres (800 sq mi). Various cultural events and religious celebrations are held in Hastinapur annually, including Akshaya Tritiya , Das Lakshana , Kartik Mela , Holi Mela , and Durga Puja . These festivals, among others, are organized by non-government organizations (NGOs) and

954-494: Is "intrinsically superior or inferior", rather they "converge in one and lead to the same goal". The Bhagavad Gita contains 18 chapters and 700 verses found in the Bhishma Parva of the epic Mahabharata. Because of differences in recensions , the verses of the Gita may be numbered in the full text of the Mahabharata as chapters 6.25–42 or as chapters 6.23–40. The number of verses in each chapter vary in some manuscripts of

1060-619: Is a Brahmanical text that uses Shramanic and Yogic terminology to propagate the Brahmanic idea of living according to one's duty or dharma , in contrast to the ascetic ideal of liberation by avoiding all karma. According to Hiltebeitel, the Bhagavad Gita is the sealing achievement of the consolidation of Hinduism, merging Bhakti traditions with Mimamsa , Vedanta , and other knowledge based traditions. The Gita discusses and synthesizes sramana- and yoga-based renunciation, dharma-based householder life, and devotion-based theism, attempting "to forge

1166-845: Is a city in the Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh . Hastinapura is described as the capital of the Kuru Kingdom in Hindu texts such as the Mahabharata and the Puranas ; it is also mentioned in ancient Jain texts . Hastinapur is located on the right bank of the Ganga river. In Sanskrit , Hastinapura translates to 'the City of Elephants' from Hastina (elephant) and pura (city). Its history dates back to

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1272-460: Is a small township re-established by Jawaharlal Nehru on February 6, 1949, located at 29°10′N 78°01′E  /  29.17°N 78.02°E  / 29.17; 78.02 . With an average elevation of 218 metres (715 ft), Hastinapur experiences temperatures ranging from 5 to 40 °C (41 to 104 °F). Summer season is from March to May, during which the temperatures range from 32 to 40 °C (90 to 104 °F). The monsoon season

1378-500: Is also the traditional compiler of the Vedas and the Puranas , texts dated to be from different millennia. According to Alexus McLeod, a scholar of Philosophy and Asian Studies, it is "impossible to link the Bhagavad Gita to a single author", and it may be the work of many authors. This view is shared by the Indologist Arthur Basham , who states that there were three or more authors or compilers of Bhagavad Gita. This

1484-546: Is an ancestor of the Pandavas and the Kauravas . According to the epic, Bharata was the son of Dushyanta and was a Chakravartin. Bhima is the second born of the Pandavas and son of Vayu . Bhima was considered one of the strongest warriors and slayed prominent figures like demons Bakasura , Hidimbasura, Kirmira, Jatasura; warriors like Jarasandha and Kichaka . In Kurukshetra war, Bhima alone killed 100 Kaurava brothers. In

1590-477: Is distressed and in sorrow. The issue is stated Arvind Sharma , "Is it morally proper to kill?" This and other moral dilemmas in the first chapter are set in a context where the Hindu epic and Krishna have already extolled ahimsa (non-violence) to be the highest and divine virtue of a human being. The war feels evil to Arjuna and he questions the morality of war. He wonders if it is noble to renounce and leave before

1696-399: Is evidenced by the discontinuous intermixing of philosophical verses with theistic or passionately theistic verses, according to Basham. J. A. B. van Buitenen , an Indologist known for his translations and scholarship on Mahabharata , finds that the Gita is so contextually and philosophically well-knit within the Mahabharata that it was not an independent text that "somehow wandered into

1802-508: Is found in the sixth book of the Mahabharata manuscripts – the Bhisma-parvan . Therein, in the third section, the Gita forms chapters 23–40, that is 6.3.23 to 6.3.40. The Bhagavad Gita is often preserved and studied on its own, as an independent text with its chapters renumbered from 1 to 18. The Bhagavad Gita manuscripts exist in numerous Indic scripts. These include writing systems that are currently in use, as well as early scripts such as

1908-470: Is from July to September, during which the temperature is relatively low. Winter lasts from December to February, with December usually being the coldest month of the year. During this time, temperatures can drop to around 5 °C (41 °F) and don't usually go above 14 °C (57 °F). According to the 2011 Census of India , Hastinapur Nagar Panchayat had a population of 26,452, of which 14,010 are males while 12,442 are females. The literacy rate of

2014-461: Is increasingly recognized by scholars that the extraordinary prominence of the Bhagavad Gita is a feature of modernity despite disagreement over the date at which it became dominant." According to Eric Sharpe, this change started in the 1880s, and became prominent after 1900. According to Arvind Sharma, the Bhagavad Gita was always an important scripture but became prominent in the 1920s. With its translation and study by Western scholars beginning in

2120-420: Is modern, advocated by Swami Vivekananda from the 1890s in his books on Jnana Yoga , Karma Yoga , Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga , emphasizing Raja Yoga as the crowning achievement of yoga. Vivekananda, who was strongly inspired by the Gita, viewed all spiritual paths as equal. Yet, Vivekananda also noted that "The reconciliation of the different paths of Dharma, and work without desire or attachment — these are

2226-418: Is not distorted. While Hinduism is known for its diversity and the synthesis derived from it, the Bhagavad Gita holds a unique pan-Hindu influence. Gerald James Larson – an Indologist and scholar of classical Hindu philosophy , states that "if there is any one text that comes near to embodying the totality of what it is to be a Hindu , it would be the Bhagavad Gita." Yet, according to Robinson, "it

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2332-631: Is often written as Shrimad Bhagavad Gita or Shrimad Bhagavadgita (श्रीमद् भगवद् गीता or भगवद्गीता) where the Shrimad prefix is used to denote a high degree of respect. The Bhagavad Gita is not to be confused with the Bhagavata Puran , which is one of the eighteen major Puranas dealing with the life of the Hindu God Krishna and various avatars of Vishnu . The work is also known as the Iswara Gita ,

2438-528: Is one of the oldest Jain temples in Hastinapur. The main temple is believed to have been built in 1801 under the aegis of Raja Harsukh Rai , who was the imperial treasurer of Emperor Shah Alam II . The temple has many other facilities, including, police station , Digamber Jain Gurukul , and a Udaseen Ashram . Several tourist attractions including Jal Mandir, Jain Library, Acharya Vidyanand Museum, 24 Tonks, and

2544-726: Is one prepared by scholars led by Vishnu Sukthankar at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute , preserved at the Kyoto University , the Cambridge University and various Indian universities. This list follows the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata , but may have characters exclusive to a particular recension. Abhimanyu was the son of third Pandava prince Arjuna and Yadava princess Subhadra . He

2650-469: Is opened by setting the stage of the Kurukshetra battlefield. Two massive armies representing different loyalties and ideologies face a catastrophic war. With Arjuna is Krishna, not as a participant in the war, but only as his charioteer and counsel. Arjuna requests Krishna to move the chariot between the two armies so he can see those "eager for this war". He sees family and friends on the enemy side. Arjuna

2756-498: Is reborn as Shikhandini / Shikhandi . Ambalika is the daughter of Kashya, the King of Kashi , and wife of Vichitravirya , the King of Hastinapur . She was also the mother of Pandu , stepmother of Dhritarashtra and grandmother of Pandavas . Ambika is the daughter of Kashya, the King of Kashi , and wife of Vichitravirya , the king of Hastinapura . She was also the mother of Dhritarashtra and stepmother of Pandu and grandmother to

2862-516: Is stated to be an Asura or a demonic ruler. Chitrasena was a son of Kashyapa and Arishta/Pradha and the King of the Gandharvas who prevented the Kauravas from putting up their camp near the pond where he himself had encamped. Chitrasena was also introduced in the epic in the Vana Parva, as a teacher of music by Indra . Indra foresaw that Arjuna would have to spend one year at King Virata 's palace as

2968-422: Is supported by a few versions of chapter 6.43 of the Mahabharata . According to Gita exegesis scholar Robert Minor, these versions state that the Gita is a text where "Kesava [Krishna] spoke 574 slokas, Arjuna 84, Sanjaya 41, and Dhritarashtra 1". An authentic manuscript of the Gita with 745 verses has not been found. Adi Shankara, in his 8th-century commentary, explicitly states that the Gita has 700 verses, which

3074-537: Is the mighty warrior of Panchala Kingdom. He was the maharatha on the side of Pandavas. He was the son of Ghatotkacha and Mourvi . His grandparents were Bhima and Hidimbā . He was killed by Ashwatthama in the Kurukshetra War . Arjuna was the third of the Pandava brothers and was son of the god Indra . He was known for his archery skills and killed great warriors like Bhishma, Jayadratha and Karna by following

3180-469: Is the son of Angirasa , and husband of Tara . He is the father of Bharadvaja and his descendants are Drona and Ashwatthama . He is the foster father of Budha . He is the guru of the devas. Chandra is the moon god. He is the son of Anusuya and Atri . The Chandravamsha (lunar dynasty) is named after him. Chandra had an affair with Tara , Brihaspati 's wife. From their union, Tara became pregnant with Chandra's son, Budha . Budha's son, Pururavas ,

3286-557: The Ananta Gita , the Hari Gita , the Vyasa Gita , or the Gita. The text is generally dated to the second or first century BCE, though some scholars accept dates as early as the 5th century BCE. According to Jeaneane Fowler, "the dating of the Gita varies considerably" and depends in part on whether one accepts it to be a part of the early versions of the Mahabharata , or a text that

List of characters in the Mahabharata - Misplaced Pages Continue

3392-769: The Kauravas . The chief maid of Ambika named parishrami or maryada was sent by Ambika and Ambalika to Maharishi Vyasa . From their union, Vidura was born. At epic Mahabharata , When queen Satyawati had two kids, One Dhritarastra who were blind and One Pandu who were physically paralyzed since birth. So Satyawati needed perfect child for hastinapura kingdom's future. But in niyoga , ambika and ambalika doesn't want to niyog again with vyasa . So ambika calls her maid, Parishrami for niyoga. In niyog ambika were eye closed, she got blind son, ambalika got scared, she got paralyzed son, but Parishrami didn't closed her eyes, didn't scared, at result she got healthy, smart child named Vidura . That's how she became famous. Amitaujas

3498-459: The Kurukshetra War , is known to have a rivalry with Yadava general Satyaki . Bhurishravas is eventually killed by Satyaki in the War. Budha is the illegitimate son of Chandra , the moon god, and Tara , wife of Brihaspati and foster son of Brihaspati . He met Ilā and married her. From their union, a son was born, who was known as Pururava . Pururavas founded the great lunar dynasty . Brihaspati

3604-448: The Mahabharata , and therefore the Gita, must have been well known by then for a Buddhist to be quoting it. This suggests a terminus ante quem (latest date) of the Gita be sometime before the 1st century CE. He cites similar quotes in the dharmasutra texts, the Brahma sutras , and other literature to conclude that the Bhagavad Gita was composed in the fifth or fourth-century BCE. In

3710-519: The Puranas presents the city as the capital of Emperor Bharata's kingdom. Excavations at Hastinapur were carried out in the early 1950s by B. B. Lal , Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India . Although the main aim of this excavation, according to Lal himself, was to determine the stratigraphic position of Painted Grey Ware concerning other known ceramic industries of the early historical period, Lal found correlations between

3816-553: The Vaishnava Hindu tradition. While traditionally attributed to the sage Veda Vyasa , the Gita is probably a composite work composed by multiple authors. It is set in a narrative framework of dialogue between the Pandava prince Arjuna and his charioteer guide Krishna , an avatar of Vishnu , at the onset of the Kurukshetra War , incorporating teachings from the Upanishads and samkhya yoga philosophy . While praising

3922-457: The tristubh meter found in the Vedas, where each line of the couplet has two-quarter verses with exactly eleven syllables. The Gita is a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna right before the start of the climactic Kurukshetra War in the Hindu epic Mahabharata . Two massive armies have gathered to destroy each other. The Pandava prince Arjuna asks his charioteer Krishna to drive to the centre of

4028-540: The 18th day, he was killed by Duryodhana. Chitra and Chitrasena were brothers and the two kings of the Abhisara Kingdom. Both of them sided with the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra War. Chitra was killed by Prativindhya on the 16th day, whereas Chitrasena was killed by Shrutakarma on the same day. Chitrāngada was a king in ancient India. In the Mahabharata , he is the elder son of Shantanu and Satyavati, ascending

4134-460: The 2nd or 3rd century CE. Kashi Nath Upadhyaya dates it a bit earlier, but after the rise of Buddhism, by which it was influenced. He states that the Gita was always a part of the Mahabharata , and dating the latter suffices in dating the Gita. based on the estimated dates of Mahabharata as evidenced by exact quotes of it in the Buddhist literature by Asvaghosa (c. 100 CE), Upadhyaya states that

4240-411: The Bhagavad Gita as containing the essence of Hinduism and taking the Gita's emphasis on duty and action as a clue for their activism for Indian nationalism and independence. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1838–1894) challenged orientalist literature on Hinduism and offered his interpretations of the Gita, states Ajit Ray. Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856–1920) interpreted the karma yoga teachings in Gita as

4346-421: The Gita discovered on the Indian subcontinent. However, variant readings are relatively few in contrast to the numerous versions of the Mahabharata it is found embedded in. The original Bhagavad Gita has no chapter titles. Some Sanskrit editions that separate the Gita from the epic as an independent text, as well as translators, however, add chapter titles. For example, Swami Chidbhavananda describes each of

List of characters in the Mahabharata - Misplaced Pages Continue

4452-410: The Gita is set in the context of a wartime epic, the narrative is structured to apply to all situations; it wrestles with questions about "who we are, how we should live our lives, and how should we act in the world". According to Huston Smith, it delves into questions about the "purpose of life, crisis of self-identity, human Self, human temperaments, and ways for the spiritual quest". The Gita posits

4558-496: The Gita rejects the shramanic path of non-action, emphasizing instead "the renunciation of the fruits of action". According to Gavin Flood, the teachings in the Gita differ from other Indian religions that encouraged extreme austerity and self-torture of various forms ( karsayanta ). The Gita disapproves of these, stating that not only is it against tradition but against Krishna himself, because "Krishna dwells within all beings, in torturing

4664-468: The Hindu goddess Kali and many Hindu ashramas are also present on a hillock between the ruins. Legend has it that in the Mahabharata period, Pandu's eldest son Yudhishthira had established the shivalinga at the Pandeshwar Mahadev temple before the war of Mahabharata and prayed to Shiva for a blessing of winning the war. The Karna Temple is located near the Pandeshwar temple on an old ravine along

4770-447: The Indian tradition, the Bhagavad Gita, as well as the epic Mahabharata of which it is a part, is attributed to the sage Vyasa , whose full name was Krishna Dvaipayana, also called Veda-Vyasa. Another Hindu legend states that Vyasa narrated it when the lord Ganesha broke one of his tusks and wrote down the Mahabharata along with the Bhagavad Gita. Scholars consider Vyasa to be a mythical or symbolic author, in part because Vyasa

4876-503: The Self in the Self By the Self through meditation; Others by the discipline of Sankhya And still others by the yoga of action. [25] Yet others, not knowing this, Worship, having heard it from others, And they also cross beyond death, Devoted to what they have heard. Bhagavad Gita, chapter XIII, verse 23-25 While the Upanishads refer to yoga as yoking or restraining the mind,

4982-664: The Southern manuscripts more profuse and longer. The manuscripts found in the North and South India have "great divergence" in details, though the thematic essence is similar. Scholars have attempted to construct a critical edition , relying mostly on a study of the Bombay edition, the Poona edition, the Calcutta edition and the south Indian editions of the Mahabharata manuscripts. The most accepted version

5088-465: The Vana Parva of the epic, sage Markandeya narrated the story of Nala and Damayanti . Bhima was the king of Vidarbha and the father of Damayanti . Originally named 'Devavrata', he was the eighth son of the Kuru King Shantanu and the river goddess Ganga . Bhishma was blessed with a boon from his father that he could choose the time of his death or he may remain immortal till he desires. He

5194-525: The Vedic Sanskrit language, such as aorists and the prohibitive mā instead of the expected na (not) of classical Sanskrit. This suggests that the text was composed after the Pāṇini era, but before the long compounds of classical Sanskrit became the norm. This would date the text as transmitted by the oral tradition to the later centuries of the 1st-millennium BCE, and the first written version probably to

5300-516: The agent of action, but attribute all of one's actions to God ( bhakti ). The Gita posits the existence of an individual self ( jivatman ) and the higher Godself (Krishna, Atman/Brahman) in every being; the Krishna-Arjuna dialogue has been interpreted as a metaphor for an everlasting dialogue between the two. Numerous classical and modern thinkers have written commentaries on the Gita with differing views on its essence and essentials, including on

5406-655: The ancient Nishiyajis are situated few kilometres from the main temple. Shri Ashtapad Teerth was built under the aegis of Shri Hastinapur Jain Shwetambar Teerth Trust . It is a 46-metre-high (151 ft) structure dedicated to first tirthankara Rishabhnath . Kailash Parvat is a 40-metre-high (131 ft) structure, constructed under the aegis of Shri Digamber Jain Mandir, Hastinapur. The Kailash Parvat premises are home to several Jain temples, including Yatri Niwas and Bhojanshala. Kailash Parvat also has an auditorium and

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5512-551: The bank of the Ganges . The Shivling inside the Karna Temple is believed to be established by Karna , one of the prominent figures in the Mahabharata . This is a small Gurdwara located in the village of Saifpur, around 2.5 km (1.6 mi) from Hastinapur. Hastinapur Sanctuary , established in 1986, is one of the prominent wildlife projects in India. The sanctuary extends over

5618-438: The battlefield so that he can get a good look at both the armies and all those "so eager for war". He sees that some among his enemies are his relatives, beloved friends, and revered teachers. He does not want to fight to kill them and is thus filled with doubt and despair on the battlefield. He drops his bow, wonders if he should renounce and just leave the battlefield. He turns to his charioteer and guide, Krishna, for advice on

5724-489: The benefits of yoga to release man's inner essence from the bounds of desire and the wheel of rebirth , the Gita propagates the Brahmanic idea of living according to one's duty or dharma , in contrast to the ascetic ideal of liberation by avoiding all karma . Facing the perils of war, Arjuna hesitates to perform his duty ( dharma ) as a warrior. Krishna persuades him to commence in battle, arguing that while following one's dharma, one should not consider oneself to be

5830-438: The body the ascetic would be torturing him", states Flood. Even a monk should strive for "inner renunciation" rather than external pretensions. It further states that the dharmic householder can achieve the same goals as the renouncing monk through "inner renunciation" or "motiveless action". One must do the right thing because one has determined that it is right, states Gita, without craving for its fruits, without worrying about

5936-497: The capital of the Kuru Kingdom of the Kauravas . Many incidents in the Mahabharata were set in the city of Hastinapur. According to the Mahabharata , the 100 Kaurava brothers were born in this city to their mother, Queen Gandhari , the wife of King Dhritarashtra . On the bank of the Budhi Ganga, two places near Hastinapur ( Draupadi Ghat and Karna Ghat ) reference Mahabharata personages. The first reference to Hastinapur in

6042-556: The chief of the Nagas . Aided by Krishna and Arjuna, Agni consumes the Khandava Forest . Later, as a boon, Arjuna got all his weapons from Indra and also the bow, Gandiva , from Varuna . Alambusha was a Rakshasa . In the Kurukshetra War , he fought from the Kaurava side. During the war, he defeated Iravan , son of Pandava prince Arjuna . Later on the 14th day of Kurukshetra war, Alambusha

6148-505: The city of Ekacakrā . Balarama is the elder brother of Krishna . He taught both Duryodhana of the Kauravas and Bhima of the Pandavas the art of fighting with a mace. He did not participate in the Kurukshetra War . He was a son of Karna by his wife chandravali . He was an excellent Mace-wielder. On the 16th day of the war, Banasena was fighting with Bhima and later killed. Bhadra and Madira were 3rd and 4th wives of Vasudeva . They were

6254-483: The daughters of Giribhanu/Sumukha and Padmavati/Pataladevi,and elder sisters of Yashoda . Bhadra's sons were Upanidhi, Gada and Keshi. Madira's sons were Nanda, Upananda, Kritaka and Shura. They cremated themselves with Vasudeva. Bhadrakali is the fierce form of Devi. To destroy Daksha yajna, She appeared with Veerabhadra. She also mentioned in Shalya Parva, when she was the one of followers of Kartikeya . Bhagadatta

6360-466: The demon was burnt into ashes. When Bhrigu saw his wife crying, he asked the reason. Puloma stated that Agni had said to the demon Puloma that I was the girl with whom Puloma was betrothed. In anger, Bhrigu cursed Agni to engulf everything whether pure or impure. Bhurishravas was the son of Somadatta and the grandson of Bahlika, hence making him the cousin of Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura. Bhurishravas had two brothers – Bhuri and Shala. Bhurishravas, in

6466-604: The early 18th century, the Bhagavad Gita gained a growing appreciation and popularity in the West . Novel interpretations of the Gita, along with apologetics on it, have been a part of the modern era revisionism and renewal movements within Hinduism. According to Ronald Neufeldt, it was the Theosophical Society that dedicated much attention and energy to the allegorical interpretation of the Gita, along with religious texts from around

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6572-547: The eighteen chapters as a separate yoga because each chapter, like yoga, "trains the body and the mind". He labels the first chapter "Arjuna Vishada Yogam" or the "Yoga of Arjuna's Dejection". Sir Edwin Arnold titled this chapter in his 1885 translation as "The Distress of Arjuna". The chapters are: Translators have variously titled the first chapter as Arjuna Vishada-yoga , Prathama Adhyaya , The Distress of Arjuna , The War Within , or Arjuna's Sorrow . The Bhagavad Gita

6678-455: The embankment to prevent the water from entering it. Because of his loyalty, Aruni is also known as Gurubhakta Aruni. The Ashvins or the Ashvini a pair of twin demigods. Their father is Surya and his mother is Saranyu. They are the demigods of medicine and health. In the epic, Kunti felt bad for Madri as she did not have any children due to a curse and shared her secret mantra with her. Madri, using

6784-474: The epic". The Gita, states van Buitenen, was conceived and developed by the Mahabharata authors to "bring to a climax and solution the dharmic dilemma of a war". According to Dennis Hudson, there is an overlap between Vedic and Tantric rituals within the teachings found in the Bhagavad Gita. He places the Pancaratra Agama in the last three or four centuries of 1st-millennium BCE, and proposes that both

6890-457: The existence of two selves in an individual, and its presentation of the Krishna-Arjuna dialogue has been interpreted as a metaphor for an eternal dialogue between the two. The Bhagavad Gita is a synthesis of Vedic and non-Vedic traditions, reconciling renunciation with action by arguing that they are inseparable; while following one's dharma, one should not consider oneself to be the agent of action, but attribute all one's actions to God. It

6996-453: The god Krishna . In the Mahabharata , Aruni appeared in the Adi Parva . Aruni was a disciple of sage named Dhaumya. Once a flood took place in the fields of the ashram (school). A breach was formed in the embankment. Dhaumya sent Aruni to stop the water from entering the embankment. After a long time, Aruni had not returned. So, Dhaumya went out to find Aruni. The latter lying in the breach of

7102-414: The help of Nagamani. Bahlika, also spelled as Vahlika, was the king of Bahlika kingdom and the elder brother of Shantanu, who was a king of Hastinapur. Along with his son, Somadatta, and grandson, Bhurishravas, he fought on the side of the Kaurava army in the Kurukshetra War and was slain by Bhima on the 14th day of the war when it continued after sunset. Bakasura was a demon who was killed by Bhima near

7208-723: The imperial treasury and supplying a force of 300 infantry and 10 cavalry. The author Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak describes it "an ancient Hindu settlement" lying on the Ganges. In British India , Hastinapur was ruled by Raja Nain Singh Nagar, who built many Hindu temples in and around Hastinapura. Present-day Hastinapur is a town in the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh in India , about 37 kilometres (23 mi) from Meerut and nearly 96 km (60 mi) north-east of Delhi on National Highway 34 . It

7314-479: The incident, Adrika was liberated from her curse and returned to heaven. Agni is the Hindu god of fire. In the Vana Parva, sage Markandeya told the story of Agni's marriage. In the Khandava-daha Parva, Agni in disguise approaches Krishna and Arjuna seeking sufficient food for gratification of his hunger and expressed his desire to consume the forest of Khandava protected by Indra for the sake of Takshaka ,

7420-483: The king Janamejaya organized a snake sacrifice known as Sarpa Satra , where he made great sacrifices of serpents, to avenge for the death of his father Parikshit . She was the wife of Shalya and the mother of Madranjaya, Rukmanagada, Rukmanaratha,Sabidha,Tejasree and Senajiti. She was the princess of Avanti. Ayu or Ayus was an ancestor of Shantanu. He was a son Pururavas and his apsara wife, Urvashi . He married Prabha, an asura princess (daughter of Swarbhanu). He

7526-460: The king of Kalinga as he had no son. Possibly, his wife was Chandramudra. Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita ( / ˈ b ʌ ɡ ə v ə d ˈ ɡ iː t ɑː / ; Sanskrit : भगवद्गीता, IPA: [ˌbʱɐɡɐʋɐd ˈɡiːtɑː] , romanized :  bhagavad-gītā , lit.   'god's Song'), often referred to as the Gita ( IAST : gītā ), is a Hindu scripture , dated to

7632-529: The mantra, invoked the Ashvins and had one pair of twins, Nakula and Sahadeva . Ashwatthama was the son of guru Drona and fought on the Kaurava side against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War .Ashwatthama had various divine weapons like Narayanastra, Brahmastra and Bhramshira astra. He had a divine gem on his forehead which granted him powers above Humans,Danavas, Rakshas, Nagas, Gandharvas, Pisach .Ashvatthama

7738-498: The meaning of Vishnu to be the 'pervading actor'. In the Bhagavad Gita, similarly, ' Krishna identified himself both with Vāsudeva , Vishnu and their meanings'. The ideas at the centre of Vedic rituals in Shatapatha Brahmana and the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita revolve around this absolute Person, the primordial genderless absolute, which is the same as the goal of Pancaratra Agama and Tantra. The Bhagavad Gita manuscript

7844-539: The message of the Gita, Vivekananda sought to energise the people of India to reclaim their dormant but strong identity. Aurobindo (1872–1950) saw the Bhagavad Gita as a "scripture of the future religion" and suggested that Hinduism had acquired a much wider relevance through the Gita. [23] He who in this way knows the Spirit And material nature, along with the qualities [guna], In whatever stage of transmigration he may exist, Is not born again. [24] Some perceive

7950-441: The now dormant Sharada script . Variant manuscripts of the Gita have been found on the Indian subcontinent Unlike the enormous variations in the remaining sections of the surviving Mahabharata manuscripts, the Gita manuscripts show only minor variations. According to Gambhirananda, the old manuscripts may have had 745 verses, though he agrees that “700 verses is the generally accepted historic standard." Gambhirananda's view

8056-444: The path of knowledge ( jnana yoga ), the path of devotion ( bhakti yoga ), the path of action ( karma yoga ), and the path of meditation ( raja yoga ). Medieval commentators argued which path had priority. According to Robinson, modern commentators have interpreted the text as refraining from insisting on one right marga (path) to spirituality. According to Upadhyaya, the Gita states that none of these paths to spiritual realization

8162-474: The period of Mahabharata . It is said that the city was named after King Hasti. It is also mentioned in the Ramayana , the 13th and 14th verses of which say (translated): "Having crossed Ganga River at Hastinapura, they proceeded towards the west and, reaching Panchala kingdom through Kuru Jangala and observing well-filled lakes and rivers with clear water, the messengers mentioned above went briskly, due to

8268-517: The pressing nature of their mission." The early archaeological remains of the region belong to Ochre Coloured Pottery culture which was a Bronze Age culture of Ganga Yamuna doab. Around c.1200 BCE the region transformed to an Iron Age culture. The region was occupied by the Painted Grey Ware culture which corresponds to the Vedic Period . In the Mahabharata , Hastinapur is portrayed as

8374-422: The rationale for war, his choices and the right thing to do. The Bhagavad Gita is the compilation of Arjuna's questions and moral dilemma and Krishna's answers and insights that elaborate on a variety of philosophical concepts. The compiled dialogue goes far beyond the "rationale for war"; it touches on many human ethical dilemmas, philosophical issues and life's choices. According to Flood and Martin, although

8480-400: The relation between the individual self ( jivatman ) and God (Krishna) or the supreme self (Atman/ Brahman ). The Gita famously mentions, in chapter XIII verse 24–25, the four ways to see the self, interpreted as four yogas, namely through meditation ( raja yoga ), insight/intuition ( jnana yoga ), work/right action ( karma yoga ) and devotion/love ( bhakti yoga ), an influential division that

8586-707: The results, loss or gain. Desires, selfishness, and the craving for fruits can distort one from spiritual living. The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Prasthanatrayi , which also includes the Upanishads and the Brahma sutras , the foundational texts of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. The Gita is a revered text in the Vaishnava tradition, mostly through the Vaishnava Vedanta commentaries written on it, though

8692-464: The rise of Buddhism and Jainism in the 5th century BCE, and particularly after the semi-legendary life of Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. Thus, the first version of the Bhagavad Gita may have been composed in or after the 3rd century BCE. Winthrop Sargeant linguistically categorizes the Bhagavad Gita as Epic-Puranic Sanskrit, a language that succeeds Vedic Sanskrit and precedes classical Sanskrit. The text has occasional pre-classical elements of

8798-519: The second or first century BCE, which forms part of the Epic Mahabharata . It is a synthesis of various strands of Indian religious thought, including the Vedic concept of dharma (duty, rightful action); samkhya -based yoga and jnana (insight, knowledge); and bhakti (devotion). It holds a unique pan-Hindu influence as the most prominent sacred text and is a central text in Vedanta and

8904-523: The tantric and vedic, the Agama and the Gita share the same Vāsudeva-Krishna roots. Some of the ideas in the Bhagavad Gita connect it to the Shatapatha Brahmana of Yajurveda . The Shatapatha Brahmana , for example, mentions the absolute Purusha who dwells in every human being. According to Hudson, a story in this Vedic text highlights the meaning of the name Vāsudeva as the 'shining one (deva) who dwells (Vasu) in all things and in whom all things dwell', and

9010-515: The tension between the Brahmanical worldorder with its caste-based social institutions that hold society together, and the search for salvation by ascetics who have left society. Knowledge is indeed better than practice; Meditation is superior to knowledge; Renunciation of the fruit of action is better than meditation; Peace immediately follows renunciation. Bhagavad Gita, chapter XII, verse 12 According to Gavin Flood and Charles Martin,

9116-644: The text itself is also celebrated in the Puranas, for example, the Gita Mahatmya of the Varaha Purana . While Upanishads focus more on knowledge and the identity of the self with Brahman, the Bhagavad Gita shifts the emphasis towards devotion and the worship of a personal deity, specifically Krishna. There are alternate versions of the Bhagavad Gita (such as the one found in Kashmir), but the basic message behind these texts

9222-515: The text of the Mahabharata and the material remains that he unearthed at Hastinapur. This led him to historicize some of the traditions mentioned in the Mahabharata as well as link the appearance of the Painted Grey Ware with Aryans in the upper Ganges basin areas. Hastinapur is listed in the Ain-i-Akbari as a pargana under Delhi sarkar , producing a revenue of 4,466,904 dams for

9328-642: The throne of Hastinapura after his father's death. However, he is killed by a Gandharva named Chitrāngada soon after that. Chitrangada was a Gandharva, who was jealous of Shantanu's son Chitrāngada , for sharing a name. One day, the Gandharva challenged the prince and killed him. Chitrāngada was the king of the Kalinga kingdom. In the Shanti Parva of the epic, Narada narrated that Chitrangada's daughter ( Bhanumati ) with Kaurava Duryodhana. After him, Srutayudha became

9434-411: The topic of BG chapter 6, the Bhagavad Gita introduces "the famous three kinds of yoga, 'knowledge' ( jnana ), 'action' ( karma ), and 'love' ( bhakti ). BG XIII verse 23-25 famously mentions four kinds of yoga, or ways of seeing the self, adding meditation to the three yogas. Yet, the practice of dhyana (meditation), is a part of all three classical paths in Hinduism. Knowledge or insight, discerning

9540-740: The town was 74.5% slightly higher than the national average of 74%. Around 14% of the population was under 6 years of age. Located on the banks of an old ravine of the Ganges, Hastinapur is considered one of the holiest places for Hindus and Jains . It is believed to be the birthplace of three Jain Tirthankaras . There are many ancient Hindu temples including Pandeshwar Temple and Karna Temple, as well as Jain temples such as Shri Digamber , Jain Mandir , Jambudweep , Kailash Parvat , and Shwetambar Jain Temple. Digamber Jain Bada Mandir Hastinapur

9646-414: The true self ( purusha ) from matter and material desires ( prakriti ), is the true aim of classical yoga , in which meditation and insight cannot be separated. Furthermore, the Gita "rejects the Buddhist and Jain path of non-action, emphasizing instead renunciation of the fruits of action" and devotion to Krishna. The systematic presentation of Hindu monotheism as divided into these four paths or "Yogas"

9752-785: The two special characteristics of the Gita." Similarly, Cornille states that the Gita asserts that the path of Bhakti (devotion) is the foremost and the easiest of them all. According to Huston Smith , a notable neo-Vedantin , referring to BG XIII verse 23–25, the Gita mentions four ways to see the self, based on the Samkhya-premise that people are born with different temperaments and tendencies ( guṇa ). Some individuals are more reflective and intellectual, some are effective and engaged by their emotions, some are action-driven, yet others favour experimentation and exploring what works. According to Smith, BG XIII verse 24-25 lists four different spiritual paths for each personality type respectively:

9858-473: The violence starts, or should he fight, and why. Deeds without Expections of the Result ॥ कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन । मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भुर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वाकर्मणि॥ One has the right to perform their expected duty, But not to the right to the fruits of action; One should not consider oneself as the doer of the action, Nor should one attach oneself to inaction. Hastinapur Hastinapur

9964-551: The world, after 1885 and given H. P. Blavatsky, Subba Rao and Anne Besant writings. Their attempt was to present their "universalist religion." These late 19th-century theosophical writings called the Gita a "path of true spirituality" and "teaching nothing more than the basis of every system of philosophy and scientific endeavour", triumphing over other "Samkhya paths" of Hinduism that "have degenerated into superstition and demoralized India by leading people away from practical action". Neo-Hindus and Hindu nationalists have celebrated

10070-441: Was Radha and their biological sons were Shona and Shatrunjaya/Chitrasena. Adrika was an apsara , who was cursed to become a fish and only to be liberated when she gives birth to a human. Adrika, as a fish, lived in the river Yamuna . Once she came in contact with the semen of Uparichara and impregnated herself. After 10 months, some fishermen caught her, cut open her womb and found two children— Matsyagandha and Matsya . After

10176-488: Was a disciple of his maternal uncles Krishna and Balarama . He was killed unfairly on the 13th day of Kurukshetra War . Adhiratha was the foster-father of Karna. According to the Bhagavata Purana , Adhiratha was descended from Yayati and therefore was related to Krishna . He was also the descendant of Romapada , the king of Anga and brother-in-law of Dasharatha 's descendant Shighra, king of Ayodhya . His wife

10282-427: Was able to achieve this by narrating to her the story of the Pandavas and the bravery of Arjuna. Chekitana was the son of Kekaya king Dhrishtaketu and Queen Shrutakirti, a Yadava . He was the leader of Andhaka sect of Yadavas .Chekitana was described to be a valorous warrior, who fought with warriors like Susharma , Kripacharya and Dronacharya . He also rescued Nakula from the clutches of Duryodhana . On

10388-399: Was appointed as the final commander-in-chief of the Kauravas, after which he slaughters most of the Pandava camp in a single night offensive . Ashwatthama is believed to be alive even today. Astika was a rishi , and he was a son of Jaratkaru by the serpent goddess Manasa – a sister of the great serpent king Vasuki . He saved the life of a serpent Takshaka , the king of snakes, when

10494-406: Was inserted into the epic at a later date. The earliest "surviving" components therefore are believed to be no older than the earliest "external" references we have to the Mahabharata epic. The Mahabharata – the world's longest poem – is itself a text that was likely written and compiled over several hundred years, one dated between "400 BCE or little earlier, and 2nd century CE, though some claim

10600-532: Was killed by Bhima's son, Ghatotkacha . He was a demon and friend of another demon named Alambusha. He and Alambusha were killed by Bhima 's demon son Ghatotkacha during the Night war on the fourteenth day of the war. Amba was the eldest daughter of Kashya, the king of Kashi and the sister of Ambika and Ambalika. Amba was abducted by Kuru prince Bhishma and holds him responsible for her misfortune. Her sole goal in life becomes his destruction, to fulfill which she

10706-519: Was likely a deliberate declaration to prevent further insertions and changes to the Gita. Since Shankara's time, "700 verses" has been the standard benchmark for the critical edition of the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita is a poem written in the Sanskrit language. Its 700 verses are structured into several ancient Indian poetic meters , with the principal being the shloka ( Anushtubh chanda ). It has 18 chapters in total. Each shloka consists of

10812-518: Was popularized by Swami Vivekananda in the 1890s. The Gita in the title of the Bhagavad Gita means "song". Religious leaders and scholars interpret the word Bhagavad in several ways. Accordingly, the title has been interpreted as, "the song of God"; "the word of God" by the theistic schools, "the words of the Lord", "the Divine Song", and "Celestial Song" by others. In India, its Sanskrit name

10918-480: Was related to both the Pandavas and the Kauravas through his half-brother, Vichitravirya (son of Satyavati). He was the commander in chief of the Kaurava army for the first 11 days. Sauti said in the Pauloma Parva that Bhrigu was the son of Brahma . He was married to Puloma, who gave birth to Chyavana. When the demon Puloma was carrying off his wife Puloma, she gave birth to his son, Chyavana, by whose brightness

11024-590: Was succeeded by his son Nahusha . Ayodhaumya/ Dhaumya was a sage of Avanti. He had three disciples namely Aruni of Panchal, Upamanyu and Veda. He even accompanied the Pandavas into the forest of Kurujangala during their exile. He sang songs of Sama Veda referring to Yama . Babruvahana was one of the sons of Arjuna , begotten through Chitrangada , the princess of Manipur . During the Ashvamedha yagna, he killed his father Arjuna without knowing his identity. But Arjuna's other wife Ulupi brought back his life with

11130-585: Was the first king of the lunar dynasty. Later, Chandra married Rohini and a son named Varchas was born. Chandravarma Kamboja is the first Kamboja king mentioned by name in the Mahābhārata . He was an ancestor of Duryodhana's wife Bhanumati. He appears to have been an ancient very powerful and renowned ( vikhyaat ) ruler of the Kambojas. He finds mention in the Adiparva section of the epic Mahābhārata , where he

11236-533: Was the son of Naraka , king of the Pragjyotisha Kingdom and second in a line of kings of Naraka dynasty . He sided with Kaurava in the Mahabharata war as he was an enemy of Krishna and father in law of Duryodhan. He was killed by Arjuna on the 12th day of battle. Bharadvaja was a sage with divine powers. He was one of the sons of god Brihaspati and the father of Drona and Shrutavati. Bharadvaja trained his son and his other disciple, Drupada . Bharata

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