Ganesh Jee Writes Mahaabhaarat

Aum, After bowing to Naarayan and Nar and also to Saraswatee, Jaya should be uttered. [Mahaabhaarat is not a Kathaa or a story or a fiction, it is Itihaas (true events or history) of a family in Bharat Vansh. It is fight between Truth and Untruth and Light and Darkness. Everybody's life is full of conflicts, so this event is to tell that everybody has conflicts in his life and everybody has to fight with them himself. This can be true for anybody, because anybody's life can be like that.]

One day Ugrashravaa, the son of Lomharshan, went to the sages who attended the great sacrifice of Shaunak Rishi in Naimish Aranya. All Rishi welcomed him, offered his due Aasan and asked him where he had been? Soot Jee said - "After hearing stories of Mahaabhaarat, written by Vyaas Jee and told by Vaishampaayan Jee in Sarp Yagya of Janamejaya, I went to Samantpanchak where Kuru and Paandav war was fought, then I thought to see you so I came here. You are just sitting here, shall I tell you Puraan stories?" Rishi said - "Puraan were first written by Dwaipaayan Jee and then were heard by Devtaa and Rishi. We wish to hear "Bhaarat" which was also composed by Dwaipaayan Jee just and as it was told by Vaishampaayan Jee in Sarp Yagya."

Soot Jee said - "It is a great source of knowledge established throughout the three worlds. In this world, when there was neither light, nor brightness, it was all darkness around, there appeared a mighty egg - the inexhaustible seed of all created beings. From that egg appeared Brahmaa Jee, Surguru and Sthaanu. Then appeared 21 Prajaapati - Manu, Vashishth, Parameshthi etc, 10 Prachetaa, Daksh, 7 sons of Daksh; then appeared Vishwedev, Aaditya, Vasu, Ashwinee Kumaar, Yaksh, Saadhya, Pishaach, Guhyak and Pitar. After them appeared Maharshi, numerous Raajarshi, water, Heaven, earth, air, years and seasons etc. And all things of the world, living or non-living, will end at the end of the world. At the beginning of the other Yug, they will be renovated. Thus continues continuously to revolve the world, without beginning, without end, and destroying the all things.

Devtaa were 333,333. The sons of Devtaa were Brihadbhaanu, Chaakshush, Aatmaa, Vibhaavasu, Savitaa, Richeek, Ark, Bhaanu, Asavaha, and Ravi. Of these Vivaswaan, Mahya was the youngest whose son was Devavrat. Devavreat's son was Suvrat. Suvrat had three sons - Das-Jyoti, Shat-Jyoti and Sahstra-Jyoti. Das-Jyoti had 10,000 sons; Shat-Jyoti had 10 times more and Sahastra-Jyoti had 10 times more the sons of Shat-Jyoti. Their descendents were Kuru, Yadu, Bharat, Yayaati etc.

Vyaas Jee has written this vast knowledge in detailed as well as in abridged form. Some read this Bhaarat with the initial Mantra while some prefer to read with the story of Aastik; while some with the story of Uparichar. Some are good at explaining it, while some are good at remembering it. Vyaas Jee first analyzed all Ved then composed this history. After composing it, he thought as how to teach it. Knowing his anxiety, Brahmaa Jee himself came to him. Vyaas Jee welcomed him and said to him - "I have composed a poem which describes, mystery of Ved; various rituals of Upanishad and Ang (parts); Puraan; determination of the nature of decay, fear, disease, existence and non-existence; charity; Pashupati Dharm; description of pilgrimage places; Nyaaya; treatment of diseases; etc etc; but I could not find any writer to write this long poem." Brahmaa Jee said - "I admire your knowledge of Divine mysteries. You call it a poem so it will be called a poem, and there shall be no another poet like you, as there is no other Aashram like Grihasth Aashram. let Ganesh write this poem."

Soot Jee said - "After saying this Brahmaa Jee went to his abode and Vyaas Jee called Ganesh Jee who immediately came there. Vyaas Jee said - "O Lord of Gan, Please be the writer of my poem." Ganesh Jee said - "I will write the poem with the condition that my pen will not stop writing." Vyaas Jee said - "But wherever you will not understand anything you will stop writing." Agreeing Ganesh Jee pronounced Aum, and started writing. I know 8,800 verses, and so is Shuk Dev Jee, and perhaps Sanjaya. Their meaning is so mysterious that no one is able to explain it fully till now. Even Ganesh Jee took a moment to understand it and in the meantime Vyaas Jee composed many verses. The wisdom of this work has opened the eyes of the world which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.

This work is like a tree, of which chapters are the seed; its divisions are Paulom; Aastik are the root; the part called Sambhav is the trunk; Books called "Sabhaa" and "Aranya" are called the birds perching on the tree; the Book called "Arani" is the knotting knots; the Books called "Viraat" and "Udyog" are the pith; the Book of "Bheeshm" is the main  branch; the Book "Drone" is the leaves; the Book "Karn" is the fair flowers; "Shalya" is the sweet smell; "Stree" and "Aishik" are shade; "Shaanti" is the mighty fruit; "Ashwamedh" is the immortal sap; "Aashramvaasik" is the land where it has grown; "Mausal" is the gist of Ved held in great respect of Braahman.

What is in Mahaabhaarat

Now I will tell you about its flowery and fruitful productions which cannot be destroyed even by immortals. First Krishn Dwaipaayan became the father of three boys who were like three fires by the two wives of Vichitraveerya - Dhritraashtra, Paandu and Vidur, he went back to resume his Tap. It was not after that these three had died, that Vyaas Jee published the Bhaarat in this region of mankind; when asked by Janamejaya and thousands of Braahman, he asked his disciple Vaishampaayan who recited this Bhaarat during the intervals of the Yagya. Vyaas Jee has fully described the greatness of the Kuru Vansh, the virtuous principles of Gaandhaaree, the wisdom of Vidur and the constancy of Kuntee; the Divinity of Vaasudev; greatness of Paandu's sons; and evil practices of sons of Dhritraashtra.

Vyaas Jee originally composed Bhaarat, exclusive of the episodes, in 24,000 verses; and this much is only called Bhaarat. Later he composed its introduction and chapter on contents in 150 verses. He first taught this to Shuk Dev Jee then to his other disciples. After this he composed 600,000 verses, out of those 3,000,000 (thirty hundred thousand) verses are known in the world of Devtaa; 1,500,000 are known in the world of Pitar; 1,400,000 in the world of Gandharv, Yaksh and Raakshas; and 100,000 in the world of mankind. Naarad Jee recited them to Devtaa; Deval Rishi to Pitar; Shuk Dev Jee recited them to Gandharv, Yaksh and Raakshas; and Vaishampaayan Jee recited them in this world. I have also recited 100,000 verses. Yudhishthir is a vast tree of religion and virtue; Arjun is its trunk; Bheem is its branches; and Nakul and Sahadev are its fruits. Krishn, Brahmaa and Braahman are it roots.

Mahaabhaarat in Brief

Paandu after defeating many kings, went to a forest and there he killed a mating deer by mistake which was a warning for the princes of Kuru Vansh as long as they wished. Then Paandu's wives invoked Dharm, Vaayu, Indra and Ashwinee Kumaar to have sons from them. They were brought up by their two mothers and were handed over to Dhritraashtra and his sons by Rishi in the guise of a Brahmchaaree.

When Kaurav saw Paandu's son, some were very happy, some posed doubt that how could they be Paandu'a sons because he was dead for long. Still all were very happy to see them. Showers of sweet scented flowers were rained from the sky. The principal men were happy with the purity of Yudhishthr, courage of Arjun, and submissiveness of Kuntee. After a while Arjun won Krishnaa by contesting for a feat in archery and since then he got famous for his archery. He prepared the ground for Yudhishthir to do Raajsooya Yagya. Ydhishthir after having killed Jaraasandh (king of Magadh) and Shishupaal did Raajsooya Yagya. Duryodhan also attended this Yagya and became very jealous to see his wealth; and when he saw Yudhishthir's royal court built by Maya Daanav, he was inflamed with rage. As he was visiting it, in a state of confusion of its architecture he was insulted by Bheem in front of Vaasudev as a man of mean descent.

Dhritraashtra, out of love permitted his son to play dice with Yudhishthir in his love. Vaasudev also came to know about this, but He was very dissatisfied with this so avoided the game and other sundry horrid unjustifiable events; and in spite of Vidur, Bheeshm, Drone and Kripaa, He killed all Kshatriya in the war. Hearing the news of victory of Paandav Dhritraashtra said to Sanjaya - "Listen to me O Sanjaya carefully what I am going to say to you, then you will not blameme for all this. You know Shaastra very well. I never wanted war. I never discriminated between Paandu's and my sons. Because of my paternal affection I will have to bear this. My son was insulted in the royal assembly hall. Unable to bear it he took the help of Shakuni by playing unfair game with Paandav in spite of being a good soldier.

When I heard that Arjun had won Krishnaa, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Arjun abducted Subhadraa and Krishn and Balaraam entered Indraprasth as friend, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Arjun gratified Agni Dev preventing the downpour of Indra, I had no hope for success. When I heard that Draupadee was dragged in the court at odd time, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Dushaasan was trying to disrobe Draupadee in the court and he could not find the end of her cloth, I had no hope of success. 

Note - Here he counts hundreds of events after hearing which he had no hope of success.