Ten Things to Know about the Mahabharata: #5

5. It’s destiny. The world of the Mahabharata is governed by karma, the notion that every action has a consequence. Characters reap the rewards or punishments for their deeds in this life or the next.

Many actions in the epic are explained both in terms of present-day context and cosmic destiny. Bhishma, for example, takes a vow of chastity so he’ll never have a child who lays claim to the throne. On the cosmic level, he was once a divinity who plotted the theft of some sacred cows and was cursed to live a celibate life on earth. Similarly, the warriors who die on the battlefield had sealed their fates by misdeeds in this or previous lives.

Readers who expect the heroes to make difficult choices may find the epic a frustrating read. There’s no escaping a fate you created yourself through past actions. The foreseen events click into place as though the epic were a Greek tragedy.

Free will in the epic is not in making choices, but in understanding the forces of karmic destiny while continuing to do one’s duty. The eldest brother, Yudhistira, foresees the war that will destroy his friends and family. He knows the blind king is plotting against him, and yet he calmly continues performing his (sometimes conflicting) duties as a loyal son, citizen, and devotee. He is a Christ-figure inasmuch as he realizes that his actions are fulfilling the greater purpose of a supreme being.

Through various religious practices, such as meditating on or serving God, a Hindu may escape the karmic cycle of action and consequence, birth and rebirth, and attain moksha or liberation. The Buddhist nirvana is a related concept.

Will our heroes achieve it? On to #4…

Mahabharata, Ten Things to Know: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1