Thread by @anuradhagoyal

This Navaratri, taking the Sankalpa to read Mahabharat in original Sanskrit along with Hindi Translation, thanks to Gita Press Edition (amzn.to/3RdthEY). Seeking the blessings of Devi to keep me healthy enough to complete it without a Vighna.
#Mahabharata

In the forests of Naimisharanya, Ugrashrava - the son of Lomharshan Rishi, tells the Munis gathered for a Satra about Kalchakra - just like fruits and flowers appear with Ritu and merge back after it, so does everything at the end of a Kalpa.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 1.32

Duryodhan is like tree whose trunk is Karna, Shakuni a branch, Dushasan a fruit & Dhritrashtra the root of this tree.
Yuddhisthir is tree of Dharma, Arjun his trunk, Bhimsen branch, Nakul Sahdev fruits & flowers, root is Krishna & Veda.

#Mahabharat #Adiparva 1.110,111

Brahma says to Ved Vyasa - even the best of poets will not be able to match this poetry just like three ashrama put together can not get ahead of Grihasta Ashram and recommends that Ganesha should write it.
#Mahabharat #adiparva 1.73

पत्ति = 1 Ratha, 1 Elephant, 3 horses, 5 Soldiers on foot
सेनामुख = 3 पत्ति
गुल्म = 3 सेनामुख
गण = 3 गुल्म
वाहिनी= 3 गण
पृतना= 3 वाहिनी
चमू= 3 पृतना
अनीकिनी= 3 चमू
अक्षौहिणी= 10 अनीकिनी
Definition of Akshauhini - the unit of military strength

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 2.19

Of all those who fought the #Mahabharata war, only 10 survived. On the Kaurava side:
Kripacharya
Ashwattha
Kritvarma
& On Pandava side
5 Pandavas
Krishna
Satyaki

18 Akshauhini Sena was killed.

#mahabharat #AdiParva 1.217

One Akshauhini Sena =

Chariots or Ratha - 21,870
Elephants - 21,870
Horses - 65,610
Foot Soldiers - 1,09,350

Now imagine the number of elephants & horses that existed on earth their ratio wrt human population.

#Mahabharata #AdiParva 2.23-26

On the Kauravas side, the war was led by :
Bheesham for 10 Days
Drona for 5 days
Karna for 2 days
Shalya for half day
Bhim-Duyodhan Gada Yuddh - half day

#Mahabharata #AdiParva 2.30-31

Parvas of #Mahabharata, the number of chapters and shlokas

AdiParva - 227/8884
Sabha Parva - 78/2511
Vana Parva - 269/11664
Virat Parva - 67/2050
Udyog Parva - 186/6698
Bhishma Parva - 117/5884
Drona Parva - 170/8909
Karna Parva - 79/4964
Shalya Parva - 59/3220

#AdiParva 2

Next 9...

Sauptik Parva- 18/870
Stree- 27/775
Shanti- 339/14732
Anushasan- 146/8000
Ashwanedhik-103/3320
Ashramvasik-42/1506
Mausal - 8/320
Mahaprasthanik - 3/123
Swargarohan - 5/209

Harivamsha - 12,000 shlokas

#AdiParva 2

Just like a body needs the support of food, every story in this world needs support or has a base in Mahabharata. At another place it says, your study of Shastras is not complete if you do not study this Kavya

#Mahabharata 2.388

A Brahmin's heart is soft like butter while his speech or Vani is like a sharp knife. For Kshatriyas it is other way, they have a sweet and soft way of talking but their heart is sharp and anger stays longer with them.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 3.122

Chyawan Rishi was born to Bhrigu Muni and his wife Puloma. When he was in her womb, she was attacked by an Asura also named Puloma, but Chayawan fell out of womb and burnt the Asura to ashes with his Tejas. Name Chyawam comes from च्युत meaning fallen.

#mahabharata #Adiparva 6

Ruru, grandson of Bhrigu was engaged to Pramdvara - daughter of Gandharva & Menaka. She lost her life due to a snake bite just before marriage & Ruru gave her half his life & then married her.
Why do we not know these love stories from our Itihasa?

#mahabharata #AdiParva 8

Brahmins behaviour should always be soft, engaging in non-violence, truth, forgiveness & study of Vedas. Acts like holding weapons, punishing, aggressiveness & taking care of the people is what a Kshatriya is expected to do - Rishi Sahastapada to Ruru

#mahabharata #AdiParva 11

Yayavara - a term used for wandering Grihasta Munis, who stay wherever the evening falls and never stay more than one night at a place and do once in a fortnight or Paksha and Agnihotra yagna.
The traveler in me is happy to discover this term :-)

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 13

Kadru, the mother of Nagas, prays to Indra when Garuda carried her son's too close to Sun for rain. In one shloka she equates him to all the units of time from Kshan to Samvatsar.

- #Mahabharat #AdiParva 25

Kadru to Garuda - Angry Brahmin is worse than Agni,Sun,Poison and weapons. He is considered best, fatherly and Guru. Never eat them. If you eat, he will be stuck in your throat like a sharp thorn, your stomach will never be able to digest him.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 28

Garuda was holding a giant tortoise and an elephant in his claws & a branch of Banyan tree in his beak while flying fast in the sky. For doing this he earned his name - Garuda. Due to his beautiful wings he is also called Suparna.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 30

Garuda meets Vishnu while carrying Amrita but not taking it, Vishnu offers boon. Garuda asks to be placed on his flag & be immortal without taking Amrita. He grants & says on my flag you will remain above me. In return he gives Vishnu a boon & Vishnu asks Garuda to be his Vahana.

Shesha - the best among the Nagas, did Tapasya to stay away from his cruel brothers and Kadru's curse. Brahma pleased with him asked him to go to Pataal and carry earth on his hood so that it becomes stable. Vasuki then leads the Nagas.

- #Mahabharat #AdiParva 36

When Vasuki asks his Naga brothers how to escape their mother's curse, the answers they give could be answers of today - deceit, pollution, misleading, stealing, killing and what not.
One wonders if we are all carrying those traits.

- #Mahabharat #AdiParva 37

About Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha - whatever is there in Mahabharata can be elsewhere, but what is not here, cannot be elsewhere. Vedvyasa wrote this great story of Bharatvamsha in 3 years, containing gems of stories and knowledge.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 62

Satyawati was the daughter of Chedi king Uparichar Vasu and Apsara Adrika. Born with fish smell, she asked Parashara to make her smell good & he did. From being Matsyagandha, she became Gandhwati or Yojanagandha as her fragrance spread upto a Yojana

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 63

During Satyuga, Kshatriyas did yagna & gave Dakshina, studied Vedas & Vedangas. Brahmins never sold Vedas or chanted it before undeserving. Vaishyas took care of useless animals, took milk from cows only after calves start eating grass, never cheated.
- #Mahabharat #AdiParva 64

Dharma, the source of Ananda, was born from right breast of Brahma. He has three sons - Shama, Kama & Harsha who are respectively married to Prapti, Rati & Nanda.

- #Mahabharat #AdiParva 66.31

Anshavatar Parv of #AdiParva lists the Devatas, Asuras, Daityas and Danavas who took avatar partially on earth to take part in Mahabharata. Duryodhan descended from Kali, who became the reason for all the destruction.

#Mahabharat 67

Abhimanyu was the Avatar of Varcha, a favourite son of Moon. Chandra did not want to stay away from his son for too long, so he said he will be on earth only for 16 years and after that he must come back to me. Abhimanyu was 16 when he fought bravely & died.

#AdiParva 67

In the Dushyant Shakuntala story, he tells her about 8 types of marriages including Gandharva Vivak that he proposes. Later Shakuntala talks about the importance of Wife in life in details to remind him of their relationship. A lovely discourse.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 74

One stepwell is better than 100 wells
One Yagna is better than 100 stepwells
One Son is better than 100 Yagnas
Truth must be placed above 100 sons.

- #AdiParva 74.102

Snake kills one, weapon kills one but an angry Brahmin can destroy a whole kingdom or city - says Yayati to Shukracharya's daughter Devyani when she proposes marriage to him.
Isn't Chanakya an example of this?

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 81.25

Yayati gives the region between Ganga & Yamuna to his youngest son Puru as he exchanged his youth with him. From eldest Yadu came Yadavas, Turvasu's progeny was Yavan, Druhya's progeny Bhoj &. Anu's Malechhas.Unworthy sons get land beyond borders.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 85.34

The powerful forgive. Powerless people are angry - evil are angry with good people, weak with strong, ugly with beautiful, poor with rich, workless with those who work, adharmika with dharmika, those without good qualities with Gunvaan. - These are signs of Kali
#AdiParva 87

Just like family & friends ditch you when you have no money, Devatas like Indra also ditch you when your Punyas are exhausted - tells Yayati to his grandson Ashtak when he is hanging between Swarga & Prithvi.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 90

5 types of food in a feast
भक्ष्य - eaten by using teeth
भोज्य - eaten without teeth like Kheer
पेय - drinks like milk
चोष्य - eaten by sucking like mangoes
लेह्य - lickables like chutneys

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 127.34 #food

Kanik's counsel to Dhritrashtra -
Never leave even a spark of your enemy alive.
Never trust anyone too much.
Always be sweet with your words even when you destroy your enemy, who could be your own.

#Mahabharata #AdiParva 139

Lakshagriha episodes tell us about:

1. Sail boats on Ganga

2. Building structures with Ghee & Lacquer that easily catch fire

3.Maleccha bhasha or a code language that Vidura & Yuddhisthir spoke, that made no sense to others including Kunti.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva

Brahmins are like birds who go and live in a place that has a good king. Neeti says a Brahmin should first get a good king, then a good wife and then look for money. With all these three he should take care of his Kula and sons.

#Mahabharata #AdiParva 159

There are no rules to visit Ganga - you can visit her empty stomach or on a full stomach, during the day or at night - says Arjuna to Gandharva Angaraparna or Chitrarath when he tries to tell him that Sandhya kala belongs to them.

#Mahabharata #AdiParva 169

Nandini - Vashishth's cow had a beautiful forehead, neck, legs, tail and udder. She gave birth to all Mlechha Jatis like Yavan, Sinhal, Cheen, to fight the army of Vishwamitra who wanted to forcibly take her away from Vasishtha.

#Mahabharat #AdiParva 174

When discussing Draupadi's marriage to 5 Pandavas, Yuddhisthir gives examples of Jatila of Gauram Gotra who married 7 Rishis & Kandu Muni's daughter Varkshi who married 10 brothers all of whom were called Pracheta.

- #mahabharat #AdiParva 195

Ishta Karma - Yagna, Tapa, Speaking truth, following Vedas, Bali and taking care of guests.
Poorti Karma - Digging wells, stepwells, ponds, building temples, donating food and creating gardens.

Drupad to Yuddhisthir, when he wants to know their truth
#Mahabharat #AdiParva 194

6 ways to deal with enemy
Sandhi - alliance
Vigraha - war
Yaan - attack
Aasana - wait for right opportunity
Dwaidhibhava - use two pronged strategy
Samashraya - take refuge

Bhurishrav while giving his opinion on dealing with Pandavas who won Draupadi.
#Mahabharat #AdiParva 199