Sri Vachana Bhushana (2)

[Guest guest]

Sutra 3. Of the two [itihasas and Puranas], Itihasas are more important.

 

Purport - Important means that they carry more weight in terms of their

authority in matters of Dharma (right action) when discrepancies arise.

When there is a Dharma Sankha (doubt about what action should be taken)

between the instruction of the Puranas and the Itihasas then the teaching of

the Itihasa is more authoritative than that of the Puranas.

 

Sutra 4. On account of this [their importance], they are placed first [in

the compound].

 

Purport - The verse referred to is:

itihasa-puranabhyam vedam upabhrumhayet (source unkown)

"The epics and the Puranas elucidate the teachings of the Vedas".

 

Sutra 5. The best of the two epics; the Ramayana, glorifies the captive;

the Mahabharata glorifies the negotiator.

 

Purport - The central protagonist of the Ramayana is the Goddess Sita (an

incarnation of the Mother of the universe ‹ Lakshmi) who was abducted and

imprisoned by Ravana ‹ a demon King who was the personification

self-interest. It must be noted that Sita accepted captivity out of her own

free will in order to secure the release of numerous celestial beauties that

were kept imprisoned by Ravana. Sita is the Great Goddess who could have

destroyed Ravana merely by a single glance but chose not to, in order to be

a channel of Divine Grace.

 

The central protagonist of the Mahabharata is Krishna who was sent as

ambassador to Duryodhana on behalf of the Pandavas, to negotiate a peaceful

solution to their internecine conflict and to avoid war. Again the Lord

could have accomplished everything by a mere command but chose to play along

with the drama unfolding in order to bestow His Grace and demonstrate His

simplicity and accessibility.