While the government of India imposed a lockdown due to the global outbreak of Covid-19, it additionally sorted out for individuals to invest their energy and time at home. On Doordarshan, numerous programs were broadcasted, with the Ramayan and Mahabharat among the most notable. The entire nation enjoys likewise taken benefit of this step of the Government. Social media was flooded with people’s experiences watching the Ramayan and Mahabharat serials at the time. Even videos of the Ramayan and Mahabharat serials’ celebrity casts watching these serials went viral.
A book by Aditya Satsangi, an Indian origin Author who lives in America, titled ‘Yudhishthir: The Praan of Dharm’ (Kapot Publications, Delhi) caught my eye recently. I had a different perspective on Mahabharat before reading this book, especially Yudhishthir Maharaj. There was only one reason for this: I had not read the Mahabharat myself, and whatever knowledge I may have had about the Mahabharat come from B. R. Chopra’s Mahabharat and Ramanand Sagar’s Shri Krishna serial, or some other works or novels about the Mahabharat.
My understanding of Yudhishthir Maharaj before reading Aditya Satsangi was that he was the eldest son of Pandu and Kunti, therefore he was the elder brother of the five Pandavs. It is said that he was constantly preoccupied with his own thoughts. He was weak and perplexed, having gambled away his entire kingdom, siblings, and wife, forcing him to roam from forest to forest. Later, when the Mahabharat war erupted, he, too, fought the battle out of terror. After answering the questions of the Yaksh in exile, he was able to bring his brothers back to life. Also, people called him Dharmaraj. Another misconception was that Mahabharat and its characters are fictional, they have no basis in reality. I didn’t agree with it at the time, and I don’t agree with it now, but I didn’t know how to answer. The reason I haven’t studied Mahabharat has previously been stated. That is, all I knew was based on what others had said. My mind was in turmoil when I read the first few lines of the preface to the book ‘Yudhishthir: The Praan of Dharm’, because this is what we all desire to read but can’t find in books.
Those lines are as follows, “Mahabharat is the most studied great composition of Vyasadeva. The Western & Indian Indologists have been writing long commentaries creating fake news and commentaries which have long destroyed the identity of all Indians. Most Indians have been made to believe in fake narratives on Mahabharata that affect their faith. This book contains many authoritative versions of the stories from the point of view of Vyasadeva. Readers will love the wisdom, characters and their true identity.”
When I first started reading the book’s introduction, I came across something like this, “It has almost become a fashion to comment on Mahabharat without understanding the mood of Vyasadeva, the original compiler of Mahabharat. Nor do most people understand Ganesh, the original scribe of Mahabharat. ……………Most importantly they considered Vyasadeva as some ordinary author. When you consider him a mythological figure then everything in this world is fake. However, every single geographical description of the earth in Mahabharat is real. The names of landmasses, many cities and many regions have the same names even today. Where is all this fake news on Mahabharat originating from? From the vestiges of Romans, Greeks, Middle Eastern Historians, Christian Missionaries, Faith-based Cabals, and Islamic academicians have come some ridiculous brave attempts to make Indians not believe in Mahabharat. The mythology brigade has a newfound friend in the left that wants to undermine everything else to spread their neo ideologies.”
The introduction of the book has a variety of knowledge, and every Indian who reads himself as Sanatani will say, “These are my feelings.”
The book’s prologue was written by Dr Ratan Sharda, a well-known Indian TV personality, and author of numerous books. It occurred to me after reading the book’s account of Maharishi Ved Vyas that Maharishi Ved Vyas was the one who compiled the Mahabharat “Vyasochishtam Jagat Sarvam”, a Sanskrit word I’d heard or read since boyhood, presumably translates to the complete knowledge of this world is the leftovers of Maharishi Ved Vyas, and another lyric sprang to mind—“Dharmo Vivardhati Yudhishthirakirtanen”… That is, chanting the name of Yudhishthir causes Dharma to flourish.
After that, I had a lot of questions, like how can Mahabharat be fictional if all knowledge is Maharishi Ved Vyas’ leftovers? What makes Maharishi Ved Vyas a fictional character? What kind of personality would Maharishi Ved Vyas have had? We who follow Sanatan or Hindu traditions are constantly told that Ved Vyas is one of the eight Chiranjeevis (immortals), so how could his creation be fictitious or false? If chanting Yudhishthir Maharaj’s name helps Dharm to flourish, why is his face depicted so weakly? Many such questions began to appear in my mind, but I kept my attention on the book. The introduction’s final phrases will make the reader think, “Vyasadeva is the authority on all Vedic histories and scriptures. Minimising the position of Vyasadeva is the beginning of mythology.”
In this book, the author also outlines the Structure of Mahabharat. For Sanatan Dharm followers, knowing which is extremely important. As soon as I read the first chapter in the main portions of the book, the image I had of Yudhishthir Maharaj, which I had mentioned earlier, was completely demolished. Is this true? was the only thought that sprang to mind. So, until today, which Yudhishthir was I familiar with?
The author’s claim that he is writing everything on the basis of the Sanskrit version of Mahabharat and that it is not a work of fiction has led to this demolition of the previous image of Yudhisthir. Why is Yudhishthir Maharaj crowned Emperor, and why is he still known as Dharmaraj? What was the root of Duryodhan’s enmity? He was the son and the crown prince of Dhritarashtra at the time. What transpired after Yudhishthir’s Rajsu yagya that Duryodhan felt compelled to concoct a Dyut (gambling) conspiracy? These questions can be answered by scholars. But, based on what I’ve heard thus far, the answers are found in the narrative derived from the serial Mahabharat as well as commentaries or translations of the Mahabharat.
Through Dhritarashtr and Duryodhan’s discourse from the Mahabharata, the author has made an excellent effort to clarify the myths, confusion, and ignorance disseminated about Yudhishthir Maharaj. Duryodhan himself explains why he is envious of Yudhishthir Maharaj, and it is in this envy that the great personality of Yudhishthir Maharaj is hidden. If I write in fewer words, after reading the first chapter of the book, Did Yudhishthir love Gambling?, readers will begin hunting for Yudhishthir Maharaj’s portrait in the market to hang in their homes. The meeting/dialogue between Yudhishthir and Maharishi Ved Vyas is also described in the book. Now, how could the Yudhishthir Maharaj, whose glory is recounted by Duryodhan himself, Maharishi Ved Vyas himself used to come to meet Yudhishthir Maharaj, be weak and confused? Do those who follow the Sanatan Dharm reject Maharishi Ved Vyas as well? The author has delegated this decision to the readers, which is a good step.
By citing Ved Vyas, the author attempts to dispel all of the issues surrounding Mahabharat and its events in this book. After reading the chapter Eklavya & Dronacharya, I learned that it was Dronacharya who later made Eklavya a master of archery through his fingers, which I had not known before.
Another chapter of the book, Kanik’s Political Advice to Dhritarashtra, is the hidden jewel of this book, which is vitally necessary for contemporary Sanatanis to read in order to grasp the Sanatan opponents’ crafty manoeuvres. In this 250-page book, you’ll find a wealth of information.
By debunking the myths and misconceptions about Mahabharat and Yudhishthir Maharaj perpetuated by modern historians, mainly Western historians, and Indologists, this book is of great value. This lays the foundation for readers to study scriptures such as the Mahabharat and Ramayan on their own. When generations of Indians are raised reading, hearing, and experiencing these stories, they will no longer consider India’s wonderful history to be mythology, fantasy or fantasy fiction.
The author is a Himachal-based educator, columnist, and social activist. He can be contacted at mahenderchem44@gmail.com