The Meaning of Mahabharata

The Mahábhárata’s author is Veda Vyasa.

He was known as Krśńa Dvaepayana Vyasa at first.

He was born in a fisherman’s family. They were living just on the patch of land where the Ganges and the Yamuna join near Prayaga.

The area through which the Yamuna flows is covered with black soil, due to which the Yamuna water looks somewhat black.

The soil of the Ganges is yellowish, hence the water of the Ganges is yellowish.

The soil of the patch of land where Veda Vyasa was born was blackish (krśńa).

Due to the black soil, that patch of land was known as Krśńa Dviipa.

The boy who was born in Krśńa Dviipa was thus named Krśńa Dvaepayana (“one who lives in Krśńa Dviipa”).

Because his family title was Vyasa, he was known as Krśńa Dvaepayana Vyasa.

Krśńa Dvaepayana Vyasa was a man of letters. He wrote very many books. He was a great man.

The Vedas had become almost extinct then.

The Indians of that time were not conversant with the Vedas till the advent of Veda Vyasa about 3,500 years ago.

It was Krśńa Dvaepayana Vyasa who properly edited the Vedas and reintroduced them to the people.

Therefore he became popularly known as “Veda Vyasa.” So the author of the Mahábhárata is Krśńa Dvaepayana Vyasa or “Veda Vyasa.”

The Mahábhárata is itihása (educative history).

According to the then Indian system books were classified in 4 divisions:

1. Kávya

These are stories narrated in a graceful language. Their subject matter might not be real. But its way of expression is lucid and beautiful. Kalidasa wrote kávya.

2. Puráńa

This is mythology. In it the stories told are not real but have educative value. Therefore it has its value in society. For instance, the Ramayana is a purana. Shrii Vyasa wrote 18 puráńas to educate the people.

Aśt́ádasha puráńeśu Vyásasya vacanadvayam; Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiid́ańam.

By writing different stories in the puráńas, Shrii Vyasa intended to educate the masses. To make people at large understand that by doing good to others a person acquires virtues (puńya) and by harming others incurs vices (pápa), Shrii Vyasa wrote eighteen puráńas.

3. Itikathá

This is “history”, a chronology of events.

In itikathá there is simply a collection of different happenings. In it the author bothers little about the educative value of the affairs.

People at large derive little benefit from knowing the dates of birth and death of different kings.

But when and where the society is moving, what turn it has taken at a particular time and to which path it will take, is all indicated in itikathá.

In other words, what the condition of society was in the past and what it is at present is all brought home by itikathá.

Itikathá is also known as “purákathá”, “itivrtta”, “purávrtta,” etc., in Saḿskrta.

4. itihása

The meaning of the root of “hasati” is “laugh.”

That means, it is illuminating (projjvala).

Only the itikathá with educative value can alone be itihása.

In schools and colleges, the students read Indian itikathá and not itihása. All history is not itihása.