Midterm 2 Study Guide - Major Themes in Mahabharata | RLST 104, Study notes of World Religions

Download Midterm 2 Study Guide - Major Themes in Mahabharata | RLST 104 and more Study notes World Religions in PDF only on Docsity! Conflicts at the cosmic level (due to the creation of opposite forces)  Maya (Satyavati) vs. Brahman (Krsna) Satyavati created all conflicts; Krsna asked people to withdraw from Maya.  Water vs Fire: Arjuna (son of Indra) vs. Karna (son of Surya)  Gandiva (Siva’s bow) vs. Vasava (Indra’s arrow)  the Kauravas (human side) vs. the Pandavas (divine side: children of god) Conflicts at the social level (caused by an individual’s fight against the social order)  Fight against the hierarchical social class system Satyavati (from fishermaid to queen) Karna (charioteer’s son): his qualifications vs. his birth Ekalavya (from a hunter’s son to a skilled archer by self practice) punished  Fight against the social customs/norms for personal interests Satyavati insisted her son must be the king Bhisma abducted three princesses for Vicitravirya Satyavati asked Vyasa to create progeny for Vicitravirya Amba: self-decision/ refused to marry Vicitravirya Kunti and Madri: extra-marital affair/ used magic spell to conceive progenies with nature gods Draupadi challenged Dhrtarastra’s justice in the game of dice Conflicts at the the individual level  Personal interests over social good Karna vs. Arjuna for personal superiority Duryodhana (Ks) vs. Ajuna (Ps) for political power: (a) the house of lac (b) the game of dice Drona (for wealth) against Drupada  Amba/Sikhandini/Sikhandin (for vengeance) against Bhisma  Sisupala (for pride) against Krishna  Conflict between identities within the same individual Arjuna: warrior vs. cousin Karna: a charioteer’s son vs. one of the Ps Kunti: Karna’s mother vs. the mother queen Dhrtarstra: king vs. the father of the Ks Deterioration of the society  (a) the house of lac; (b) the game of dice: deceit, lies, play on human weakness  (c) the deception to kill Drona (Asvatthama is dead) Suppression of the lower class  Karna (born of Kunti; raised by a charioteer) Arjuna declined Karna’s challenge Draupadi refused to let Karna join her Svayamvara  Ekalavya paid Drona the teacher’s fee (his thumb) and lost his archery skill After the war  the pr o cession of the dead : After war, all people weep for their losses. Vyasa called the dead from the Ganges (EWs). All were reunited, serene and peaceful. (merging of opposites) Conflicts only in Maya, but not in Brahman  the pilgrimage of Death : the journey to heaven (reward obtained after death or alive only by a flawless person) Only Yudhisthira (unselfish) entered heaven alive Final test: his dog (Yama/Dharma) Cf) Bhima (food), Arjuna (valor), Nakula (beauty), Sahadeva (intelligence), Draupadi (love toward Arjuna)  power of Karma Tapas (heat, energy)  Belief: perform tapas (mental and physical exercise) activate cosmic power inherent in individual  control the universe)  Human being at the top of the hierarchy of power  individual as the ultimate force  Example: Arjuna  Gandiva (Siva’s bow) Amba: to take revenge upon Bhisma Drupada: to beget progeny the locus of power [Nature godsRta][sacrificial rituals][humans (karma, tapas, atman)] 1 1)Major Themes in Mahabharata * Birth of Krsna: Vasudeva & Devaki/ Mathura  Nanda & Yasoda/ Gokula  Vrndavana 2) Krsna Myth A. Krsna - god of common people • life: live as a cowherd (not return to the royal family to seek his throne) • appearance: deep blue (water) ; dresses like a cowherd • behavior: protect common people from demons sent by Kamsa and by killing Kamsa (Vishnu’s Avatara’s purpose) : re-establish the tradition of common people by defeating Brahma and Indra B. The victory of the ‘little’ over the ‘big’ • Destroying the demons sent by Kamsa >Putana - Demoness who fed him poison through her breast - Krsna sucked the life out of her body > Bakasura - crane monster - Krsna tore the beak off into two pieces > Aghasura - dragon demon who swallowed Gopis/Gopas and Krsna - Krsana enlarged his body to choke him to death • Power of little Krsna (divine in little): ‘vision of the universe’ Yasoda saw the entire of universe in Krsna’s mouth • Victory of common people over the elite (royal people)  historical development of Krsna myth Conflict with Brahma  re-created the identical set of cowherds Conflict with Indra  lifted Govardhana Mt. C. Unconventionality of Krsna myths: 1) Human dimension of the divine • is born, lives, and dies like a human (dies alone being cursed by Gandhari) • tricks/tease people : stealing butter, stealing Gopis’ clothes (Atman/Brahman, material attachment) 2) Common people’s tradition against that of vedic/epic • Bhakti yoga: complete devotion to God • dance (Rasa Lila) and sing, playing the flute (divine call): no recitation of Vedas, no sacrificial rituals 3) marriage with Rukmini, Satibhama, Jambuvati and 16000 women • emphasis on the path of love • Krsna as a rescuer and sustainer (Vishnu) • union of the divine with every form (presence of Brahman in every form) D. Notion of Good and Evil • definition: good- balance of the opposite forces evil – disturbance of the balance, any entity trying to disturb the balance • aspect: temporary a. P, B, A, Kamsa’s merging back into Krsna(Brahman) after being killed (When the disturbance is gone, there is no good or evil) (concentrating on the divine, even in hatred, can let them be one with the ultimate devine) b. Kaliya - Serpent demon who poisoned the river Yamuna- Krsna steps on the hood with the weight of the universe - but lets him live and only drives him away because being poisonous was Kalya’s nature and the disturbance was gone c. Hiranyakasipu’s choice: three times of Vishnu’s enemy; the faster path to rejoin the divine Hiranyakasipu – Narasimha; Ravana – Rama; Sisupala – Krsna 2