While the tech geeks are writing about data in GB
(Giga Bytes), I decided that I'll write about MB. Not the MegaByte. I'm
talking about Mahabaratam. Yes, I'm going to be writing Mahabaratam.
I know, your reaction on me writing Mahabaratam is 'What the hell?'
But the question should rather be 'What is hell?' and 'What is heaven?'.
Anyway, I do not know if Mahabaratam will answer those questions either(at least I do not know yet).
I had dusted off an old book on Mahabaratam I had at home. It struck me that I'm holding one of the 2 great epics in Indian Literature (the other one being Ramayanam if you didn't know).
I told my parents that I'm going to read the book.
"It's a long time I last heard the story. There are just too many characters to remember" I said.
"Who wrote Mahabaratham, Anna? " a 10th grade boy from the neighbourhood who had come home (to apparently borrow something, I guess) asked me.
There was a sudden rush of adrenaline. It would be embarassing if I told him I didn't know.
"Why don't you go study for your board exams", I asked him politely.
"Study? Don't you know, the exams are over and the results are out and I came school first. That's why I brought the sweets"
So, this guy didn't come to borrow something. He has come to celebrate his happiness by embarassing me in my own home.
"You came school first? You mean, you came early to school?" I asked.
"No, I meant I'm topper at school", he said.
"Congratulations!"
"Thanks, but you haven't answered my question"
'What the hell?' I thought. I know it is not a straight forward answer. It is not like how anyone can say 'Tirukural was written by Tiruvalluvar'. It doesn't rhyme like that with Mahabaratha.
Else I would have told him by now, 'Mahabaratam was written by 'Mahabarat' or 'Mahalakshmi' or 'Mahalingam' as the case may be.
As I sat on the couch, I casually looked at the book's cover while ensuring the boy doesn't notice that.
I looked at the boy and said, 'Swami Sithbavanandha'. The boy giggled.
My parents looked at me in shock. 'A spoilt kid', they must have thought.
What have I done? This name doesn't strike any chord. Apparently this 20th century Swami Sithbavanandha has only written this particular book that I held in my hand and not the actual Mahabaratha.
Well, instead of tagging 'Written by Swami Sithbavanandha' on the book cover, the author could have been more specific on the cover page with statements like 'I'm not the original author of Mahabaratam' or could have mentioned 'Based on the original book by Vyasa. '.
After trying hard to convince the boy that I was just kidding, I gave up and decided to master the master-piece.
But this is no mean-feat.
Just to scare you by numbers:
Mahabaratam is an epic (a very long poem) of 1,00,000 (1 lakh or hundred thousand) slokas or poems (each poem made of 2 lines - a couplet sloka). It is said that it is 4 times bigger than Ramayana and 10 times bigger than Illiad and Odyssey combined( 2 great Greek epics).
There are 18 Parvas (books) that make up Mahabaratam the details of which will be discussed in my subsequent posts. There is also an addendum (Harivamsa parvam - life of Lord Krishna that is not included in the 18 parvas) that is sometimes included as part of Mahabaratam.
Some one once told me that the best way to master something is to teach. Though I may not really teach, I decided that I will share what I learn everyday from this book in this blog.
What I share will be what Vyasa (or Swami Sithbavanandha) has said, however in my own style.
As always, you are most welcome to like, share, comment and provide feedbacks.
The posts on MB will be in this new blog 'Mahabaratam.blogspot.in' or linked to 'shan-channel.blogspot.com'.
Let Dharma prevail!!
With Regards,
Shan (I wish I could say...author of Mahabaratam)
I know, your reaction on me writing Mahabaratam is 'What the hell?'
But the question should rather be 'What is hell?' and 'What is heaven?'.
Anyway, I do not know if Mahabaratam will answer those questions either(at least I do not know yet).
I had dusted off an old book on Mahabaratam I had at home. It struck me that I'm holding one of the 2 great epics in Indian Literature (the other one being Ramayanam if you didn't know).
I told my parents that I'm going to read the book.
"It's a long time I last heard the story. There are just too many characters to remember" I said.
"Who wrote Mahabaratham, Anna? " a 10th grade boy from the neighbourhood who had come home (to apparently borrow something, I guess) asked me.
There was a sudden rush of adrenaline. It would be embarassing if I told him I didn't know.
"Why don't you go study for your board exams", I asked him politely.
"Study? Don't you know, the exams are over and the results are out and I came school first. That's why I brought the sweets"
So, this guy didn't come to borrow something. He has come to celebrate his happiness by embarassing me in my own home.
"You came school first? You mean, you came early to school?" I asked.
"No, I meant I'm topper at school", he said.
"Congratulations!"
"Thanks, but you haven't answered my question"
'What the hell?' I thought. I know it is not a straight forward answer. It is not like how anyone can say 'Tirukural was written by Tiruvalluvar'. It doesn't rhyme like that with Mahabaratha.
Else I would have told him by now, 'Mahabaratam was written by 'Mahabarat' or 'Mahalakshmi' or 'Mahalingam' as the case may be.
As I sat on the couch, I casually looked at the book's cover while ensuring the boy doesn't notice that.
I looked at the boy and said, 'Swami Sithbavanandha'. The boy giggled.
My parents looked at me in shock. 'A spoilt kid', they must have thought.
What have I done? This name doesn't strike any chord. Apparently this 20th century Swami Sithbavanandha has only written this particular book that I held in my hand and not the actual Mahabaratha.
Well, instead of tagging 'Written by Swami Sithbavanandha' on the book cover, the author could have been more specific on the cover page with statements like 'I'm not the original author of Mahabaratam' or could have mentioned 'Based on the original book by Vyasa. '.
After trying hard to convince the boy that I was just kidding, I gave up and decided to master the master-piece.
But this is no mean-feat.
Just to scare you by numbers:
Mahabaratam is an epic (a very long poem) of 1,00,000 (1 lakh or hundred thousand) slokas or poems (each poem made of 2 lines - a couplet sloka). It is said that it is 4 times bigger than Ramayana and 10 times bigger than Illiad and Odyssey combined( 2 great Greek epics).
There are 18 Parvas (books) that make up Mahabaratam the details of which will be discussed in my subsequent posts. There is also an addendum (Harivamsa parvam - life of Lord Krishna that is not included in the 18 parvas) that is sometimes included as part of Mahabaratam.
Some one once told me that the best way to master something is to teach. Though I may not really teach, I decided that I will share what I learn everyday from this book in this blog.
What I share will be what Vyasa (or Swami Sithbavanandha) has said, however in my own style.
As always, you are most welcome to like, share, comment and provide feedbacks.
The posts on MB will be in this new blog 'Mahabaratam.blogspot.in' or linked to 'shan-channel.blogspot.com'.
Let Dharma prevail!!
With Regards,
Shan (I wish I could say...author of Mahabaratam)
Good start .I cant wait to read your next post.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDelete