Ancient World's Largest Epics

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Shri Rama to Shri Krishna

 

by Niranjan Shah

During Rama Navmi celebrations around April 11, we learnt about Shri

Rama, how the Ramayan was written, whether Pushpak Viman was an

imagination or a fact, period of Shri Rama and spread of the Ramayan

around the world. Before we move to the period of Shri Krishna,

period of Maha-bharat, let us know about other epics also. The most

famous epics of the West, are Illiad, Odyssey and Aeneid. The

gigantic epic Mahabharat is the longest work of ancient India and of

the whole world.

 

------ Epic---------- Lines

 

1.The Mahabharat 215,000

 

2. The Ramayan 48,000

 

3. The Illiad 15,000

 

4. The Odyssey 12,000

 

5. The Aeneid 10,000

 

Thus, first longest epic is the Mahabharat, second longest epic is

the Ramayan, both from India and composed thousands of years ago. The

Ramayan, though shorter one is still longer than rest of the three

combined. French Indologist, Gustave Le Bon, who translated many

ancient indian literary works and who discovered many ancient

monuments writes: "The moral content of these epics (The Mahabharat

and the Ramayan) is high - certainly higher than that of the Illiad

and the Odyssey.

 

So the Mahabharat is the longest epic and has high moral contents.

Now let us see the historicity of the Mahabharat. Brihadbal, last

king of the Solar dynasty of Shri Rama, was on side of Duryodhan, in

the Mahabharat war. Scholars estimate a period of about 2000 years

between Shri Rama and Brihadbal. The Ramayan is sopposed to have

happen around 5100 B.C. so, the Mahabharat should have happened about

3100 B.C.

 

Bankimchandra Chatopad-hyaya, poet, patriot and author

of "Ananndmath" which includes famous national song "Vande Mataram"

concludes that this period is about 1450 B.C. Dr. David Frawley,

Vedic scholar, also estimates the same period based on astronomy.

 

Dr. S.R. Rao of the Institute of Oceanography, has recently

discovered the walls of fort Dwarka under the sea. Ar-ticles fo-und

around these walls, when carbon-tested, gave the age of 1400-1500 BC.

Some scholars believe that there should be older city of Dwarka under

this discovered Dwarka. The ancient name of Dwarka was Kushasthali,

which was supposed to be founded by Kush, son of Shri Rama.The great

astronomers Aryabhatta and Varahmihir according to astronomical

conditions place Shri Krishna around 3100 BC.

 

The Vishnu Puran IV 24-32 writes Kali Yuga started with the

Mahabharat war in 3100 BC. Nandulal Dey, former chief archeologist

during British period, states that Kaliyuga happened at the end of

the Mahabharat war in 3100 BC. Tradition accepts 3100 BC. There is

ample evidence in favor of the historicity of Shri Krishna. The Chhan-

dogya Upanishad refers to Krishna, Devakiputra, the son of Devaki,

and speaks of him as the pupil of Ghora Angirasa, who is a priest of

the Sun, according to Kaushitki Brah-mana. Krishna plays an important

part in the history of the Mahabharat, where he is presented as

friend of Arjuna. Great Sanskrit grammarian of 400 BC, refers to

Vasudeva and Arjun as objects of worship. Krishna belonged to ancient

Vrashni or Satvata branch of the family of Yadu, who was perhaps in

the neighbourhood of Mathura, a town with which Krishna's name has

been associated in history, tradition and legend. By the fourth

century before Christ, the cult of Vasudeva was well established. In

the Buddhist work Niddesh of fourth century BC, included in Pali

Canon, the writer refers to the worshipers of Vsudeva and Baladeva

among others. Megasthenes of 320 BC states that Herakles

(Harekrishna) was worshiped by the Sour-senoi (Sursenas) and Mathura

and Krishnapura are named as two big cities. Heliodoras, the Greek

Bhagavata of Takshashila, calls Shri Vasudeva as Devadeva in the

Besanagar inscriptions of 180 BC. Shri Krishna's name is heard in

every nook and corner of India. We shall see in another letter that

his name is heard all around the world, through ISKON, whose centers

are almost everywhere on this planet. He is worshipped in every home.

Some tatoo his name on their body, some print his name on their

clothes. His name is taken when one embarks on a journey. His name is

written at the head of every letter. Punlic and private buildings

bear his name. Fond parents give their sons one of his many names so

that everywhere hundreds of thousands literally respond to his name.

His name is uttered and reverentially repeated at all hours of the

day - in sleeping,

 

during festvities and rejoicings, nuptial ceremonies and cremation

rites, in birth as well as death. The name of Shri Krishna is uttered

by millions of worshipers with deepest feelings of devotion and love.

He has ruled over the heart of the nation as the most beloved Lord

and Saviour of all. He has inspired more poets, painters, dancers and

musicians than any other figure in India, if not the world.

 

-- blessings from Grandapa.