One of my fondest childhood memories is listening to the stories of Mahabharat from my grandmother. This was before the popular TV series based on the epic was telecast on Doordarshan. I knew the story and the incidents before they were shown on the TV. Lucky me!!
Mahabharat is an indispensable part of our nation's history. It is a chapter of our history that is studied not only in India but all over the world. TV serials and movies have been made on it. Several books, stories and commentaries have been written on it and continue to be written. Characters of Mahabharat are revered, worshiped and idolized even today and this will continue till the end of time. Although the events of Mahabharat are estimated to have happened between thousands of years ago, Mahabharat is alive even today.
How?
Those of us who are familiar with Mahabharat know the meaning of the adage 'History repeats itself'. We can see the events of today and relate them to the happenings in Mahabharat. But studying history and knowing it is futile if we do not learn the lessons that it has to offer us. So, what are the lessons from Mahabharat? Several answers have been given for this question. Here is my take.
1. Before taking an oath / making a promise think carefully of the consequences - Bhishma Pitamaha took an oath of celibacy and vowed to never stake claim to the throne. He was the rightful heir to the throne but gave it all up in a moment of emotional outburst. A seemingly insignificant event led to a series of events that culminated in one of the biggest wars in history. Had Pitamaha known about the consequences, would he have still taken the oath? Probably no. While it is true that he could not see the future, he should have at least given it a thought especially considering that he was the king in waiting. Out of all the turning points in Mahabharat, this had the most impact. Keep this in mind before you bind yourself with an oath or a promise.
2. Remember that you are a temporary custodian of any position / post - Dhritrashtra sat on the throne due to the untimely demise of his brother Pandu. It was understood that his son Duryodhan would not be the next king but the eldest son of Pandu would be the rightful heir to the throne. (This can be the subject of intense debates.) However, Dhritrashtra became attached to the throne and became obsessed with making Duryodhan the next king. He started treating the throne as a family heirloom that could pass on to his son. He forgot that he was the temporary custodian of the responsibilities of the king. He should have focused on governance and grooming a suitable successor. Instead he spent his time and energy planning to make his son the successor. For this he even ignored the injustices done by his son and the son's coterie. The result is well known to all of us.
3. Have the right brains with you (First recognize them) - Both Arjun and Duryodhan went to Krishna for help in the war. Krishna offered himself (with the rider that he won't fight) on one hand or his army on the other hand. Arjun chose Krishna instead of his army. He knew that having Krishna's brains would be more useful than any army. Krishna acted as the charioteer for Arjun and a chief strategist for the Pandavas ultimately contributing to their victory.
4. Beware of hidden agendas - Shakuni, the scheming uncle of Duryodhan kept trying to back-stab and kill the Pandavas. He was the evil brain behind Duryodhan. There are many Duryodhans even today and behind each Duryodhan there is an evil Shakuni. Sadly, the eldest Pandav brother Yudhusthir often failed to see the evil designs of the Kauravas and fell for them. The Yudhisthirs of today also continue to be trapped in the evil designs of today's Shakunis. Once a person has displayed a clear hatred towards you, be suspicious of every move they make.
5. Being fair is a two way street - There were rules for he war. The Kauravas started breaking them and continued to do so till the Pandavas too did the same. Even before the war, the Kauravas were always unfair to the Pandavas and took their sense of fair play to be their weakness. In war, politics or sports fair play will last only as long as both the sides adhere to it. If one side has been breaking all rules (legal or moral) and been allowed to get away with it, it is only a matter of time before the other side does the same. Those who did not question the first side have no moral right to question the other side too.
6. Being good doesn't mean being a fool - Yudhisthir was a nice person and overlooked the evil deeds of Kauravas too often. His brothers were obedient and listened to him and spared the Kauravas on many occasions. Due to this the Pandavas had to suffer a lot. Sometimes you have to leave the 'good person' tag aside and do what is needful to stand up for yourself. There is no sense in losing what is yours just for some people to call you a 'good person'.
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST
7. There are times you need to break the law (moral and legal) to ensure it's survival - Had the Pandavas followed the rules of the war they could never have won. They broke the rules when required. Their intention was not greed but the larger good of the people. Just like a nation's army has to cross the borders to defend the borders, good people have to employ dubious methods to win. This is for the larger good. If the intentions are right, such acts are morally justified. Discretion is the key.
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