Vacana Bhārata by Prof A.R. Krishna Sastri

Epics Jul 08, 2017

Vacana-bhārata – Introduction

This Vyāsa-pūrṇimā, Prekshaa is delighted to present a translation of the masterly introductory essay of A R Krishna Sastri to his magnum opus, the Vacana-...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 05, 2017

Poetry in the Mahābhārata

Half of the extant Mahābhārata is dedicated to dharma and ethics. In the other half, the main story and the upākhyānas are present. Even if we consider the latt...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 12, 2017

Philosophy in the Mahābhārata : Sāṅkhya

Philosophy in the Mahābhārata : Sāṅkhya A few things must be mentioned before entering into this discussion. As stated earlier, the extant Mahābhārata was comp...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 19, 2017

Philosophy in the Mahābhārata: Yoga

The word ‘yoga’ has several meanings. In the Bhagavad-Gītā (2.48,50; 5.1,5,7), yoga is used in the sense of karma (activity) or karma-yoga (activity without sel...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Sep 26, 2017

Philosophy in the Mahābhārata: A Discussion on the Supreme

We have seen earlier that prakṛti undergoes metamorphosis due to the loss of equilibrium of the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, and tamas) and this instability is i...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 03, 2017

Mahābhārata: Worship of the Deities

According to the Gītā, dedicating every activity to the all-pervading brahman or working with divine inspiration is called ‘arcana’ (roughly translated as ‘wors...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 10, 2017

Mahābhārata: Deities, Temples, Rituals

Bhīṣma, Yudhiṣṭhira, and Kṛṣṇa have been portrayed as the noble characters in the Mahābhārata. Among these, Yudhiṣṭhira looks upon Kṛṣṇa as an elder brother and...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 17, 2017

Mahābhārata: - Saṃnyāsa, Yajña-dāna-tapas

  Saṃnyāsa, Yajña-dāna-tapas By the time of the Mahābhārata, it seems that several people had given up worldly life and had taken up saṃnyāsa; they pract...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 24, 2017

Mahābhārata - Ahiṃsā

Mahābhārata - Ahiṃsā The trait of sattva does not mean non-activity or lack of valour. The same can be said of ahiṃsā too. We have seen earlier that ahiṃsā is...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Oct 31, 2017

Mahābhārata - The Vagaries of Comforts and Discomforts

The Vagaries of Comforts and Discomforts Why are there difficulties, troubles, sorrows, and atrocities on earth? Nobody desires for these. Everyone wants to be...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Nov 07, 2017

Mahābhārata - Difficulties

There are times when we face difficulties as a result of our own ignorance, indiscretion, dullness of intellect, stupidity, etc., but at other times, we face di...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Epics Jul 11, 2017

Mahābhārata – Organization of the Parvas

Adhyāya 2. Parvasaṅgraha-parva The second adhyāya contains the Parvasaṅgraha section.  This contains information such as the...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar