Mahabharata and Ramayana are counted in world’s top ten epics. These epics based on the knowledge of Hindu Vedic texts and classified under mythology. This is the story of war fought between two cousin branches and the whole epic figures the high moral values and highlights that of every evil ego is the root. The way Homer’s wrote Iliad and brought Greeks out from their dark age by infusing pride, this Hindu epic presents the high values and philosophy prevailing in Hindu society since thousands of years. World desperately needs these values today.
It is roughly estimated that Mahabharata was fought in 9th century BC while the background of Mahabharat suggests it be of very early Vedic period in about 3rd millennium. It is hard to imagine such values were inculcated in Hindu culture which now devoid in modern world. There are hundreds of lessons to be learned from Mahabharata. I try here only to discuss the lineage of characters of Mahabharata, not the common story or lessons from this. As such it is disputable being hard to determine the age when this war was fought. But it is generally agreed that it was compiled and written in period of centuries from 3rd century BC till Gupta period in 400 AD. The mention of these characters are found in Veda texts, Aitareya Brahmana, Shatapatha Brahmana and Upanishads. As an example the period of Janmejaya, the grand son of Abhimanyu and great grandson of Arjun is mentioned as ruling in 12th-9th Century BC.
Some argue that is Mahabharata a myth. The answer is everything in world is myth. There are new researches which say what we see today actually are images of past. Nothing is present. We are part of past. Religion is myth and God is also myth. What is not myth is your belief and that is Bible, Zend-Avesta, Quran, Greek, Egyptian Gods, Agamas, Guru Granth Sahib, Tripitaka, and Mahabharata and Ramayana and Nature.
The below map pertains to third century BC and just in order to give a rough idea of geography of places in order to understand the locations associated with Mahabharata stories.
Below chart depicts the lineage of main characters of Mahabharata in order to understand the background of Mahabharata war and a few unheard and generally unknown stories behind the lives of characters. I do hope this text will expend in future by adding a few more stories and lineage. This basically explores the parental and nuptial lineage and stories behind them.
Story 1 – Who was Girika, the great grand mother of Kaurava-Pandavas? King Uparichara Vasu was a king contemporary of Shantanu. He was great worshipper of God Indra and was offered a special chariot by him for use in war. With Indra’s blessings he conquered Chedi kingdom (current Bundelkhand region).
While returning from Chedi river Suktamati (current Ken river) requested him for help to save her from neighboring mountain Kolahala. This mountain was mad after Suktamati river beauty and blocked her way. King Uparichara with the kick split this mountain in two parts and hence made the way for river. In this union of mountain and river a boy and girl were born. The boy was made general of army and King Uparichara married Girika. This Girika only was the great grand mother of Pandavas and Kauravas.
Story 2 – How Satyavati (wife of Shantanu) and Matsya king founder Matsya were born? There is an interesting story behind this. As we know above that Uparichara married Girika (daughter of river Ken and mountain). At an auspicious time Girika bathed for conceiving. But meanwhile the ancestors of Uparichara requested him to kill a running deer passing by. King could not disobey but kept his semen on a leaf and asked a hawk to pass it to Girika. But another hawk thinking it as piece of meat interrupted and in the process the semen fell into river Yamuna. A beautiful Apsara named Adrika in form of fish swallowed and gave birth to fish. The fishermen caught the fish and a boy and girl came out from belly. Fishermen took them to king Uparichara. He ordered girl to be given back to fishermen chieftain and boy (called Matsya) to be raised in his household. Boy later founded the Matsya Kingdom. He founded city Viratnagar currently 38 KM from Jaipur. And the girl was named Matsya Gandha as her skin smelled fish. This girl was named SATYAVATI by sage Parashar later and married Shantanu. She was mother of sage Vyasa, Vichitravirya, Chitrangada and hence great grand mother of Kaurav-Pandava as well.
Story 3 – As we said above that king Uparichara had handed over Matsya Gandha to fishermen chieftain. Once Parashar was walking along Yamuna river. He fell to the beauty of Matsya Gandha and requested the chieftain for allowing Matsya Gandha to sail boat for him. On way Rishi Parashar tried to win her sexual favor. She got fearful and told Brahmana like him should not indulge with her as her skin smells of fish. Hearing this Parashar by his powers made her body smell like musk which smelled up to a distance of a yojan. Still she forbade to indulge saying she can not do in open. For that sage Parashar created an island. Matsya Gandha put another condition that in process he should not touch her and her virginity should remain intact. Parashar did so and thus was born Krishna Dvaipayana who was named Vyasa, a compiler of Vedas and writer of Mahabharata. After that he left the place. Sage Parashar is credited with writing of first Purana text.
Story 4 – Satyavati was foster fathered by fisherman then how Sahantanu married Satyavati? As we know sage Parashar had gifted Matsya Gandha with skin odor of deer musk which could be smelled up to distance of a yojan and hence she got the name Satyavati. Once Shantanu was passing on bank of river Yamuna and got attracted by smell, fell in love and proposed marriage. Satyavati foster father put a condition that only Satyavati’s son should get the throne of Hastinapur. Shantanu came back as he could not promise. Seeing him morose, Shantanu’s eldest son Dev Vrat took an oath to forego his claim on Hastinapur throne and will never marry. Due to this vow he was named Bhishma.
Then Shantanu was so impressed that Shantanu gave boon that he will die at his own will. This is how Bhishma paved the way of marriage of Shantanu with Satyavati.
Story 5 – How Shantanu married Ganga? The story goes like this taking many turns. Mahabhisa was a great king of Ivakshu dynasty. He performed thousand Ashvmedha Yajna and hundred Rajsuyu. Once he got opportunity to visit where Ganga and other Devtas were also present. Suddenly a wind overthrows the upper wearing of Ganga. Seeing this other kings bent their heads down but Mahabhisa continued to gaze Ganga. Annoyed Brahma cursed that Mahabhisa will again take birth on Earth and will get pain of bereavement from his wife. He also cursed Ganga as she liked this mortal act that she will also be born on Earth and will come back only after breaking heart of Mahabhisa. Mahabhisa chose to be born as son of king Pratipa and Shantanu was born.
Meanwhile Ganga was also looking for someone to spend life on Earth. He saw king Pratipa meditating and enamored she sat on his right thigh and requested to marry her. But Pratipa told that daughters only can sit on right thigh so he can not accept her as wife but promised he would marry her to his son. Shantanu was born and eventually married Ganga. The further story of drowning seven sons of Ganga in river is well known. The 8th son was Bhishma.
Story 6 – Why Gandhari married blind Dhritrastra? Gandhari came to know that Dhritrastra was blind only on wedding day. That time Gandhar was weak and was vassal of Hastinapur. Gandhari’s father Subala ignored his blindness viz glorious and virtuous Kuru kingdom. There is another story of Gandhari blind folding her eyes with cloth. Actually she was in love with Pandu but was forced to marry with Dhritrastra. In protest she blind folded.
Story 7 – How Dhritrastra and Pandu were born? When Vichitravirya died due to Tuberculosis he was heirless. His mother Satyavati called sage Vyas to use Niyogi vidya to beget child. That time Vyas had just come from some hard penance and so looked unkempt and fearful. When Ambika saw Vyas out of fear she closed her eyes and Dhritrastra was born blind. While Ambalika turned pale to see unkempt Vyasa and hence pale Pandu was born.
Story 8 – Who was biological father of Kauravs and Pandavs? It is said that Pandu was on way for prey in jungle and saw a mating deer. He killed the deer by arrow. The deer actually was a sage and cursed Pandu that the day he will mate with his beloved he will die. Pandu decided to be celibate and move to forest. Madri and Kunti also decided to accompany him. But Pandu felt guilty of being heirless. Eventually he had to take help of sage Vyasa who with help of his Niyogi art made Kunti pregnant. But Madri wanted to beget her own children. She fixed her mind on semi God Ashwins who are most beautiful and drive away darkness. With this were born Nakul and Sahdev.
Gandhari was also pregnant and carried the swollen belly for about two years. But there seemed no life. In despair she hurt her stomach and gave birth to monstrous mass of flesh. But since earlier Vyasa had given her boon of 100 sons, she called sage Vyasa. Vyasa took 100 jars and put pieces of flesh in each jar. He left instructions to nurture the embryos. One day Gandhari heard a roar and saw first child Duryodhana was born and subsequently other Kauravas were born.
Story 9 – Why Shakuni wanted downfall of Kurus? Bhishma’s ancestors waged a war against Kandhar and after winning imprisoned all male members of Kandhar royal family. They were given very limited rice daily so as to die. Shakuni father advised all rice to be eaten by eldest Shakuni so that he can live to take revenge. Shakuni’s father Subala took promise from him to take revenge on Kuru. In order to remember his promise he bent his leg which was characteristic of Shakuni. Later on request of Subala Dhritrastra pardoned Shakuni. And this paved the way to frame a plot for destruction of Kuru dynasty.
Story 10- Vaisampayana a disciple of sage Vyas first narrated this story to Abhimanu’s grand son Janamejaya at Taxila.
Epilogue
Mahabharata and Ramayana are Hindu Epics and are considered in top 10 epics of the world. It is ten times the combined of Iliad and Odyssey. I have seen Mahabharata three times on TV but I missed to remember the lineage and birth story of Mahabharata characters. The characters are wide, large in numbers and so many intertwined stories around them that I missed the lineage part of it. For example I did not know the root ancestors like king Uparichara and king Pratipa. I did not know how Gandhari begot hundred kids, why Gandhari tied her eyes and why Niyogi vidya help was needed to beget Pandu, Dhritrasta and Pandavas. This is not the end but the stories are endless. I would like to present more mysteries in future.
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