Mahabharata

 

1.Sri Krishna rode a chariot that was heavily potent and once when Arjun was done with the war, Sri Krishna asked him to get off the chariot first and then he got off. As soon as he got off, the chariot exploded in a huge fireball. That’s when he explained to Arjun why he asked him to get off the chariot first.

2. Pandu (Father of Pandavas) wished his sons must eat his flesh post death so that all the knowledge may transfer to them which he had collected after so many years. Only Sahadeva ate a piece; the moment he ate he was able to see future but stopped by God. He was a blessed astrologer.

3. Sahadeva (the youngest Pandav) knew everything about the future. He knew that a war was going to occur, but he kept silent because he was under a curse that if he revealed anything to anybody he would die.

4. Bhima had one surviving son named Sarvaga by Balandhara, who was not given the throne despite being much elder to Parikshit. He became the ruler of Kashi (his mother’s land) instead.

5. Ekalavya was actually Krishna’s cousin. He was the son of Devashrava (brother of Vasudeva) who got lost in the forest and was found by a Nishada Hiranyadhanu. Ekalavya died protecting his father during Rukmini Swayamvar. He was killed by Krishna.

6. Mahabharata is also known as Pancham Veda, the fifth Veda.

7. There are different versions of the epic. eg., one version is for Deva Loka.

8. Sri Krishna tried to narrate the Bhagavad Gita to Duryodhana. Obviously, if Duryodhana would have been educated, then the entire war would have been averted. But, Duryodhana told Sri Krishna that he already knows what is right and what is wrong. His argument to Sri Krishna was that there is some internal force within him which does not allow his mind to choose what is right. That his Prakriti is not allowing him to act as per his dharma.

9. The Kauravas were all mis-named because of their bad reputation. Duryodhana (which means Evil warrior) was actually Suyodhana (Good warrior), Dusshasana (means Bad ruler) was actually Sushaasana (good ruler), Dusshala (meaning one who moves badly) was actually Suchala (one who moves nicely) and so on.

10. In Mahabharata, Shakuni appears to be on the side of kauravas, but his secret intention was the downfall of both Pandavas and Kauravas. Shakuni is a devotee of Lord Krishna.

11. The narration of the Bhagavad Gita by Sri Krishna was heard firsthand not only by Arjuna but also Lord Hanuman and Sanjaya. Lord Hanuman was perched on top of Arjuna’s chariot throughout the battle of Kurukshetra and Sanjaya was blessed by Veda Vyasa with divine vision in order to narrate the events of the battle to Dhritharashtra.

12. Iranvan- Son of Uloopi and Arjuna self-sacrificed to the Goddess Kali to ensure her favor and the victory of the Pandavas in the war, with a wish to marry a girl before dying; Sri Krishna married to him as Mohini and cried after his death like a real wife.

13. In his previous life, Dhritarashtra was a tyrant king, who one day while walking on the lake side saw a swan bird surrounded by hundred cygnets (young swans). He ordered to remove the swan bird’s eyes and kill all the hundred cygnets just for his passing fancy. Therefore, in next birth he was born blind and all his sons were killed in the war.

14. Many verses of Mahabhrata composed by Vyasa were difficult for his scribe, Lord Ganesha to understand. These verses were understood by Lord Ganesha in a split second’s break. This break allowed Vyasa to visualize the further verses. But, these verses are so difficult that 80% of them remain unsolved even today. There are 8800 such verses in the Mahabharata.

15. Ved Vyasa was the father of Dhritrashtra, Pandu and Vidura.