Many times I see people arguing about whether some events from some epic books really happened or not, especially from scriptures like Mahabharat, Ramayan, Bible, etc. Normally these arguments are really passionate and heated because many people are really emotional about these things, with both sides trying to make their points furiously very often without any reliable evidence. I find this a totally unnecessary ordeal, a total waste of time unless its whole purpose is to do a time pass. I often wonder why people waste their time arguing about whether stories or incidents mentioned in these books really happened or not? Why does it matter to them? What will they gain or achieve if they prove or disprove that these incidents really happened? I read many of the stories mentioned in these books but I read them like any other book. It's not at all important whether these stories or incidents are real or not. If they teach me something useful they are relevant to me, I am totally fine even if it's a work of fiction. If they don't teach me anything useful or relevant then I just read them for the sake of entertainment, whether they really happened or not is not at all relevant to me.
History is documented for many reasons, one of them is to have it stored for future generations so that they can get some clue from past incidents and learn relevant lessons which will help them not to repeat the same mistakes again. But many of these scriptures are not history but they are classified under mythology or theology and that's why I think it's a waste of time to discuss whether they are fiction or non-fiction, whether they really happened or not. I like many characters from these epics. I relate to many of them, for me it's really insignificant whether they really lived in flesh and blood on this planet or not, even if they didn't then also it doesn't reduce my attachment or affection for them even a little bit. The message that the authors of these books wanted to deliver is the most important thing for me. I take whatever is relevant for me and leave the rest, I don't get into unnecessary technical details like how humans flew without airplanes, how the bird or snake spoke, and how a person became alive again after being killed. These all are semi-fiction stories written long back over a long period, the main purpose was to educate and entertain people at the same time. Some of them are so old that it's very difficult even to find out who wrote them, but they all have something useful in them that's why people still read them. But when people try to enforce these books as a rule book for everyone, there is a problem, there is a conflict and unnecessary tension. I am against this practice. Many of these books no matter how good, were written thousands of years ago and many things mentioned in them are no longer relevant, some of the things are outdated. Even many scientific papers published in journals many years back are no longer relevant anymore, some of them are even proven to be wrong. These books are the same, they can be used as literature but they are not rule books or science journals so to follow them or to expect others to follow them blindly is absurd, wrong, and unreasonable.
So let's not worry or argue about the technical details of these books. Read them as ancient literature. There might be many technical glitches in them but that should not be a deterrent for anyone to read them. These books are treasures from the past, they actually don't belong to any particular religion or sects but belong to all humanity. Linking them to any particular religion or sect limits their use and is a gross injustice to their potential. The story of Mahabharat is one of my all-time favorite stories, all the characters in this are so human that anyone can relate to them that's the reason I like it more than any other story. Stories and characters from these books have inspired me during various stages of my life and they still continue to do so. I love Mahabharat stories, some biblical stories, and some concepts from the Quran. Let's not worry about the technical details of these stories, let's try to catch the real essence of them, this will be a great tribute to all those authors and the real use of all these books.
[Copyright: Vinay Thakur. Please contact the author for re-posting or publishing]So let's not worry or argue about the technical details of these books. Read them as ancient literature. There might be many technical glitches in them but that should not be a deterrent for anyone to read them. These books are treasures from the past, they actually don't belong to any particular religion or sects but belong to all humanity. Linking them to any particular religion or sect limits their use and is a gross injustice to their potential. The story of Mahabharat is one of my all-time favorite stories, all the characters in this are so human that anyone can relate to them that's the reason I like it more than any other story. Stories and characters from these books have inspired me during various stages of my life and they still continue to do so. I love Mahabharat stories, some biblical stories, and some concepts from the Quran. Let's not worry about the technical details of these stories, let's try to catch the real essence of them, this will be a great tribute to all those authors and the real use of all these books.
Links:
1. 5000 year old Viamana craft was found in Afghanistan
2. Were Our Ancient Ancestors Scientifically Advanced?
Opinions will always differ on whether the Mahabharata ever happened in reality or not. For instance, powerful men with magical weapons that could shower rain on earth at will, or set things on fire by chanting a mantra, may seem fantastic. Even more ironic may be that despite such might and magic, these powerful men with Brahmastras and Pashupatastras had still to be driven in chariots pulled by animals. But, as you have said, why waste time debating over the issue?
ReplyDeleteI often wonder, Vinay, why people tend to attach undue significance to 'objects' rather than the 'message'. Even if we suppose, for a moment, that such things actually happened in the past, the truth is: they are no more extant now and have hardly left any concrete evidence behind, apart from the texts. So why not, instead, focus on the message that this great epic intends to deliver. All the great men and their glory that the epic speaks of, are gone. However, the purport of the epic still stands pertinent even today.
You have rightly said that the characters of this epic are powerful. They really are. The Mahabharata is a magnum opus that emphatically depicts how even the mightiest of men who could be said to be paragons of excellence in their respective fields are but left to an endless struggle when framed within the limits of human life and misery, be it Bhishma or Karna or Yudhisthira or Drona or Arjuna or anyone else. There is a constant battle of human ideals vis-a-vis the existing reality. A great many lessons can indeed be learnt from the epic even today. And the antiquity of this wonderful piece of work only goes on to show how human life is still the same despite the external glorification and technological advantage of our era.
Thanks a lot for adding such a insightful comment to the post...specially I loved the last paragraph....I agree with you that message of any story is more important than any technical details but people often forget this.
DeleteI request all readers of this post to read comment by Claustrophobe, I am sure this comment resonates thoughts of many people who think similarly but he has put it in such a nice way. I don't have anything to add from my side. Thanks again.
yes definitely , Mahabharat happened in Bharat (India). any people trust such ancient Bharatiy (Indian) stories when it is told by a Western person. So one should read what "J. Robert Oppenheimer - father of the atomic bomb" says about Mahabharat & Bhagvadgita & how it inspired him in his research. *vande mataram*
Deletereally?? you mean people trust anything said by western people?? And why I should read Oppenheimer's opinion about mythology he was not expert on this, it's not a nuclear physics so his opinion on this is like any other opinion but anyway thanks for sharing your views.
DeleteHindus have always been inspired by the stories, philosophies and the characters of the Mahabharata. There is northing new you have said or to discuss in this respect. Even today we take inspiration from them.
DeleteThe places and names mentioned in the Mahabharata and Ramayana are still in existence today.
What is now sought with the coming of the new generations is the proof of these great people, cities and time line. In seeking that there is nothing wrong. Why the negative outlook towards those who seek our history.
Nothing wrong is getting inspiration from anywhere, past, present or from any other place. There is no negativity against anyone my it's waste of time to argue about useless technical points rather than focusing on larger picture.
DeleteThe fact is even you like making useless technical points in many of your blogs rather than focussing on the bigger picture.
ReplyDeleteit's easy to accuse, please provide some evidence of 'useless technical points' and I will be more than happy to explain them or correct them if I am wrong, just list few instances here.
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