Mahabharata, Ramayana, Shiva Purana, genealogy maps

[Guest guest]

Murli wrote:

Has anyone developed a visual representation -- perhaps a genealogy chart -- of

key Mahabharata characters and also important events?

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Hare Krishna!

Here is some very good information from the Srimad-Bhagavatam (translation by

His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) of the Mahabharata

characters .

My suggestion is to buy the Srimad Bhagavatam Cantos 1-10 of Srila Prabhupada's

Translation it should cover everything you want to know.

ys mahesh

 

Please read the following:

 

SB 1.9.3 T The Passing Away of Bhismadeva in the Presence of Lord Krsna

bhagavan api viprarse rathena

sa-dhananjayah sa tair vyarocata nrpah

kuvera iva guhyakaih

 

SYNONYMS

 

bhagavan--the Personality of Godhead (Sri Krsna); api--also; vipra-rse--O

sage among the brahmanas; rathena--on the chariot; sa-dhananjayah--with

Dhananjaya (Arjuna); sah--He; taih--by them; vyarocata--appeared to be highly

aristocratic; nrpah--the King (Yudhisthira); kuvera--Kuvera, the treasurer of

the demigods; iva--as; guhyakaih--companions known as Guhyakas.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O sage amongst the brahmanas, Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead,

also followed, seated on a chariot with Arjuna. Thus King Yudhisthira appeared

very aristocratic, like Kuvera surrounded by his companions [the Guhyakas].

 

PURPORT

 

Lord Sri Krsna wanted the Pandavas to be present before Bhismadeva in the

most aristocratic order so that he might be pleased to see them happy at the

time of his death. Kuvera is the richest of all the demigods, and herein King

Yudhisthira appeared like him (Kuvera), for the procession along with Sri Krsna

was quite appropriate to the royalty of King Yudhisthira.

 

TEXT 4

 

 

drstva nipatitam bhumau divas cyutam

ivamaram pranemuh pandava bhismam

sanugah saha cakrina

 

SYNONYMS

 

drstva--thus seeing; nipatitam--lying down; bhumau--on the ground;

divah--from the sky; cyutam--fallen; iva--like; amaram--demigod;

pranemuh--bowed down; pandavah--the sons of Pandu; bhismam--unto Bhisma;

sa-anugah--with the younger brothers; saha--also with; cakrina--the Lord

(carrying the disc).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Seeing him [bhisma] lying on the ground, like a demigod fallen from the sky,

the Pandava King Yudhisthira, along with his younger brothers and Lord Krsna,

bowed down before him.

 

PURPORT

 

Lord Krsna was also a younger cousin of Maharaja Yudhisthira as well as the

intimate friend of Arjuna. But all the family members of the Pandavas knew Lord

Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord, although conscious of His

supreme position, always behaved in a humanly custom, and so He also bowed down

before the dying Bhismadeva as if He were one of the younger brothers of King

Yudhisthira.

 

TEXT 5

 

 

tatra brahmarsayah sarve devarsayas ca

sattama rajarsayas ca tatrasan drastum

bharata-pungavam

 

SYNONYMS

 

tatra--there; brahma-rsayah--rsis among the brahmanas; sarve--all;

deva-rsayah--rsis among the demigods; ca--and; sattama--situated in the quality

of goodness; raja-rsayah--rsis among the kings; ca--and; tatra--in that place;

asan--were present; drastum--just to see; bharata--the descendants of King

Bharata; pungavam--the chief of.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just to see the chief of the descendants of King Bharata [bhisma], all the

great souls in the universe, namely the rsis amongst the demigods, brahmanas

and kings, all situated in the quality of goodness, were assembled there.

 

PURPORT

 

The rsis are those who have attained perfection by spiritual achievements.

Such spiritual achievements can be earned by all, whether one is a king or a

mendicant. Bhismadeva himself was also one of the brahmarsis and the chief of

the descendants of King Bharata. All rsis are situated in the quality of

goodness. All of them assembled there on hearing the news of the great

warrior's impending death.

 

TEXTS 6-7

 

 

parvato narado dhaumyo bhagavan

badarayanah brhadasvo bharadvajah

sasisyo renuka-sutah

 

vasistha indrapramadas trito

grtsamado 'sitah kaksivan gautamo 'tris ca

kausiko 'tha sudarsanah

 

SYNONYMS

 

parvatah--Parvata Muni; naradah--Narada Muni; dhaumyah--Dhaumya;

bhagavan--incarnation of Godhead; badarayanah--Vyasadeva;

brhadasvah--Brhadasva; bharadvajah--Bharadvaja; sa-sisyah--along with

disciples; renuka-sutah--Parasurama; vasisthah--Vasistha;

indrapramadah--Indrapramada; tritah--Trita; grtsamadah--Grtsamada;

asitah--Asita; kaksivan--Kaksivan; gautamah--Gautama; atrih--Atri; ca--and;

kausikah--Kausika; atha--as well as; sudarsanah--Sudarsana.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the sages like Parvata Muni, Narada, Dhaumya, Vyasa the incarnation of

God, Brhadasva, Bharadvaja and Parasurama and disciples, Vasistha,

Indrapramada, Trita, Grtsamada, Asita, Kaksivan, Gautama, Atri, Kausika and

Sudarsana were present.

 

PURPORT

 

Parvata Muni: is considered to be one of the oldest sages. He is almost

always a constant companion of Narada Muni. They are also spacemen competent to

travel in the air without the help of any material vehicle. Parvata Muni is also

a devarsi, or a great sage amongst the demigods, like Narada. He was present

along with Narada at the sacrificial ceremony of Maharaja Janamejaya, son of

Maharaja Pariksit. In this sacrifice all the snakes of the world were to be

killed. Parvata Muni and Narada Muni are called Gandharvas also because they

can travel in the air singing the glories of the Lord. Since they can travel in

the air, they observed Draupadi's svayamvara ceremony (selecting of her own

husband) from the air. Like Narada Muni, Parvata Muni also used to visit the

royal assembly in the heaven of King Indra. As a Gandharva, sometimes he

visited the royal assembly of Kuvera, one of the important demigods. Both

Narada and Parvata were once in trouble with the daughter of Maharaja Srnjaya.

Maharaja Srnjaya got the benediction of a son by Parvata Muni. Narada Muni:

is inevitably associated with the narrations of the Puranas. He is described in

the Bhagavatam. In his previous life he was the son of a maidservant, but by

good association with pure devotees he became enlightened in devotional

service, and in the next life he became a perfect man comparable with himself

only. In the Mahabharata his name is mentioned in many places. He is the

principle devarsi, or the chief sage amongst the demigods. He is the son and

disciple of Brahmaji, and from him the disciplic succession in the line of

Brahma has been spread. He initiated Prahlada Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja and

many celebrated devotees of the Lord. He initiated even Vyasadeva, the author

of the Vedic literatures, and from Vyasadeva, Madhvacarya was initiated, and

thus the Madhva-sampradaya, in which the Gaudiya-sampradaya is also included,

has spread all over the universe. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu belonged to this

Madhva-sampradaya; therefore, Brahmaji, Narada, Vyasa, down to Madhva, Caitanya

and the Gosvamis all belonged to the same line of disciplic succession. Naradaji

has instructed many kings from time immemorial. In the Bhagavatam we can see

that he instructed Prahlada Maharaja while he was in the womb of his mother,

and he instructed Vasudeva, father of Krsna, as well as Maharaja Yudhisthira.

Dhaumya: A great sage who practiced severe penances at Utkocaka Tirtha and was

appointed royal priest of the Pandava kings. He acted as the priest in many

religious functions of the Pandavas (samskara), and also each of the Pandavas

was attended by him at the betrothal of Draupadi. He was present even during

the exile of the Pandavas and used to advise them in circumstances when they

were perplexed. He instructed them how to live incognito for one year, and his

instructions were strictly followed by the Pandavas during that time. His name

is mentioned also when the general funeral ceremony was performed after the

Battle of Kuruksetra. In the Anusasana-parva of Mahabharata (127.15-16), he

gave religious instructions very elaborately to Maharaja Yudhisthira. He was

actually the right type of priest of a householder, for he could guide the

Pandavas on the right path of religion. A priest is meant for guiding the

householder progressively in the right path of asrama-dharma, or the

occupational duty of a particular caste. There is practically no difference

between the family priest and the spiritual master. The sages, saints and

brahmanas were especially meant for such functions. Badarayana (Vyasadeva):

He is known as Krsna, Krsna-dvaipayana, Dvaipayana, Satyavati-suta, Parasarya,

Parasaratmaja, Badarayana, Vedavyasa, etc. He was the son of Mahamuni Parasara

in the womb of Satyavati prior to her betrothal with Maharaja Santanu, the

father of the great general Grandfather Bhismadeva. He is a powerful

incarnation of Narayana, and he broadcasts the Vedic wisdom to the world. As

such, Vyasadeva is offered respects before one chants the Vedic literature,

especially the Puranas. Sukadeva Gosvami was his son, and rsis like

Vaisampayana were his disciples for different branches of the Vedas. He is the

author of the great epic Mahabharata and the great transcendental literature

Bhagavatam. The Brahma-sutras--the Vedanta-sutras, or Badarayana-sutras--were

compiled by him. Amongst sages he is the most respected author by dint of

severe penances. When he wanted to record the great epic Mahabharata for the

welfare of all people in the age of Kali, he was feeling the necessity of a

powerful writer who could take up his dictation. By the order of Brahmaji, Sri

Ganesaji took up the charge of noting down the dictation on the condition that

Vyasadeva would not stop dictation for a moment. The Mahabharata was thus

compiled by the joint endeavor of Vyasa and Ganesa. By the order of his

mother, Satyavati, who was later married to Maharaja Santanu, and by the

request of Bhismadeva, the eldest son of Maharaja Santanu by his first wife,

the Ganges, he begot three brilliant sons, whose names are Dhrtarastra, Pandu

and Vidura. The Mahabharata was compiled by Vyasadeva after the Battle of

Kuruksetra and after the death of all the heroes of Mahabharata. It was first

spoken in the royal assembly of Maharaja Janamejaya, the son of Maharaja

Pariksit. Brhadasva: An ancient sage who used to meet Maharaja Yudhisthira

now and then. First of all he met Maharaja Yudhisthira at Kamyavana. This sage

narrated the history of Maharaja Nala. There is another Brhadasva, who is the

son of the Iksvaku dynasty (Mahabharata, Vana-parva 209.4-5) Bharadvaja: He

is one of the seven great rsis and was present at the time of the birth

ceremony of Arjuna. The powerful rsi sometimes undertook severe penances on the

shore of the Ganges, and his asrama is still celebrated at Prayagadhama. It is

learned that this rsi, while taking bath in the Ganges, happened to meet

Ghrtaci, one of the beautiful society girls of heaven, and thus he discharged

semen, which was kept and preserved in an earthen pot and from which Drona was

born. So Dronacarya is the son of Bharadvaja Muni. Others say that Bharadvaja

the father of Drona is a different person from Maharsi Bharadvaja. He was a

great devotee of Brahma. Once he approached Dronacarya and requested him to

stop the Battle of Kuruksetra. Parasurama, or Renukasuta: He is the son of

Maharsi Jamadagni and Srimati Renuka. Thus he is also known as Renukasuta. He

is one of the powerful incarnations of God, and he killed the ksatriya

community as a whole twenty-one times. With the blood of the ksatriyas he

pleased the souls of his forefathers. Later on he underwent severe penances at

the Mahendra Parvata. After taking the whole earth from the ksatriyas, he gave

it in charity to Kasyapa Muni. Parasurama instructed the Dhanur-veda, or the

science of fighting, to Dronacarya because he happened to be a brahmana. He was

present during the coronation of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and he celebrated the

function along with other great rsis. Parasurama is so old that he met both

Rama and Krsna at different times. He fought with Rama, but he accepted Krsna

as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also praised Arjuna when he saw him

with Krsna. When Bhisma refused to marry Amba, who wanted him to become her

husband, Amba met Parasurama, and by her request only, he asked Bhismadeva to

accept her as his wife. Bhisma refused to obey his order, although he was one

of the spiritual masters of Bhismadeva. Parasurama fought with Bhismadeva when

Bhisma neglected his warning. Both of them fought very severely, and at last

Parasurama was pleased with Bhisma and gave him the benediction of becoming the

greatest fighter in the world. Vasistha: The great celebrated sage among the

brahmanas, well known as the Brahmarsi Vasisthadeva. He is a prominent figure

in both the Ramayana and Mahabharata periods. He celebrated the coronation

ceremony of the Personality of Godhead Sri Rama. He was present also on the

Battlefield of Kuruksetra. He could approach all the higher and lower planets,

and his name is also connected with the history of Hiranyakasipu. There was a

great tension between him and Visvamitra, who wanted his kamadhenu,

wish-fulfilling cow. Vasistha Muni refused to spare his kamadhenu, and for this

Visvamitra killed his one hundred sons. As a perfect brahmana he tolerated all

the taunts of Visvamitra. Once he tried to commit suicide on account of

Visvamitra's torture, but all his attempts were unsuccessful. He jumped from a

hill, but the stones on which he fell became a stack of cotton, and thus he was

saved. He jumped into the ocean, but the waves washed him ashore. He jumped into

the river, but the river also washed him ashore. Thus all his suicide attempts

were unsuccessful. He is also one of the seven rsis and husband of Arundhati,

the famous star. Indrapramada: Another celebrated rsi. Trita: One of the

three sons of Prajapati Gautama. He was the third son, and his other two

brothers were known as Ekat and Dvita. All the brothers were great sages and

strict followers of the principles of religion. By dint of severe penances they

were promoted to Brahmaloka (the planet where Brahmaji lives). Once Trita Muni

fell into a well. He was an organizing worker of many sacrifices, and as one of

the great sages he also came to show respect to Bhismaji at his deathbed. He was

one of the seven sages in the Varunaloka. He hailed from the Western countries

of the world. As such, most probably he belonged to the European countries. At

that time the whole world was under one Vedic culture. Grtsamada: One of the

sages of the heavenly kingdom. He was a close friend of Indra, the King of

heaven, and was as great as Brhaspati. He used to visit the royal assembly of

Maharaja Yudhisthira, and he also visited the place where Bhismadeva breathed

his last. Sometimes he explained the glories of Lord Siva before Maharaja

Yudhisthira. He was the son of Vitahavya, and he resembled in features the body

of Indra. Sometimes the enemies of Indra mistook him to be Indra and arrested

him. He was a great scholar of the Rg-veda, and thus he was highly respected by

the brahmana community. He lived a life of celibacy and was powerful in every

respect. Asita: There was a king of the same name, but herein the Asita

mentioned is the Asita Devala Rsi, a great powerful sage of the time. He

explained to his father 1,500,000 verses from the Mahabharata. He was one of

the members in the snake sacrifice of Maharaja Janamejaya. He was also present

during the coronation ceremony of Maharaja Yudhisthira along with other great

rsis. He also gave Maharaja Yudhisthira instructions while he was on the Anjana

Hill. He was also one of the devotees of Lord Siva. Kaksivan: One of the sons

of Gautama Muni and the father of the great sage Candakausika. He was one of

the members of Parliament of Maharaja Yudhisthira. Atri: Atri Muni was a

great brahmana sage and was one of the mental sons of Brahmaji. Brahmaji is so

powerful that simply by thinking of a son he can have it. These sons are known

as manasa-putras. Out of seven manasa-putras of Brahmaji and out of the seven

great brahmana sages, Atri was one. In his family the great Pracetas were also

born. Atri Muni had two ksatriya sons who became kings. King Arthama is one of

them. He is counted as one of the twenty-one prajapatis. His wife's name was

Anasuya, and he helped Maharaja Pariksit in his great sacrifices. Kausika:

One of the permanent rsi members in the royal assembly of Maharaja Yudhisthira.

He sometimes met Lord Krsna. There are several other sages of the same name.

Sudarsana: This wheel which is accepted by the Personality of Godhead (Visnu or

Krsna) as His personal weapon is the most powerful weapon, greater than the

brahmastras or similar other disastrous weapons. In some of the Vedic

literatures it is said that Agnideva, the fire-god, presented this weapon to

Lord Sri Krsna, but factually this weapon is eternally carried by the Lord.

Agnideva presented this weapon to Krsna in the same way that Rukmini was given

by Maharaja Rukma to the Lord. The Lord accepts such presentations from His

devotees, even though such presentations are eternally His property. There is

an elaborate description of this weapon in the Adi-parva of the Mahabharata.

Lord Sri Krsna used this weapon to kill Sisupala, a rival of the Lord. He also

killed Salva by this weapon, and sometimes He wanted His friend Arjuna to use

it to kill his enemies (Mahabharata, Virata-parva 56.3).

 

TEXT 8

 

 

anye ca munayo brahman brahmaratadayo

'malah sisyair upeta ajagmuh

kasyapangirasadayah

 

SYNONYMS

 

anye--many others; ca--also; munayah--sages; brahman--O brahmanas;

brahmarata--Sukadeva Gosvami; adayah--and such others; amalah--completely

purified; sisyaih--by the disciples; upetah--accompanied; ajagmuh--arrived;

kasyapa--Kasyapa; angirasa--Angirasa; adayah--others.

 

TRANSLATION

 

And many others like Sukadeva Gosvami and other purified souls, Kasyapa and

Angirasa and others, all accompanied by their respective disciples, arrived

there.

 

PURPORT

 

Sukadeva Gosvami (Brahmarata): The famous son and disciple of Sri Vyasadeva,

who taught him first the Mahabharata and then Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sukadeva

Gosvami recited 1,400,000 verses of the Mahabharata in the councils of the

Gandharvas, Yaksas and Raksasas, and he recited Srimad-Bhagavatam for the first

time in the presence of Maharaja Pariksit. He thoroughly studied all the Vedic

literatures from his great father. Thus he was a completely purified soul by

dint of his extensive knowledge in the principles of religion. From

Mahabharata, Sabha-parva (4.11) it is understood that he was also present in

the royal assembly of Maharaja Yudhisthira and at the fasting of Maharaja

Pariksit. As a bona fide disciple of Sri Vyasadeva, he inquired from his father

very extensively about religious principles and spiritual values, and his great

father also satisfied him by teaching him the yoga system by which one can

attain the spiritual kingdom, the difference between fruitive work and empiric

knowledge, the ways and means of attaining spiritual realization, the four

asramas (namely the student life, the householder's life, the retired life and

the renounced life), the sublime position of the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, the process of seeing Him eye to eye, the bona fide candidate for

receiving knowledge, the consideration of the five elements, the unique

position of intelligence, the consciousness of the material nature and the

living entity, the symptoms of the self-realized soul, the working principles

of the material body, the symptoms of the influential modes of nature, the tree

of perpetual desire, and psychic activities. Sometimes he went to the sun planet

with the permission of his father and Naradaji. Descriptions of his travel in

space are given in the Santi-parva of the Mahabharata (332). At last he

attained the transcendental realm. He is known by different names like Araneya,

Arunisuta, Vaiyasaki and Vyasatmaja. Kasyapa: One of the prajapatis, the son

of Marici and one of the sons-in-law of Prajapati Daksa. He is the father of

the gigantic bird Garuda, who was given elephants and tortoises as eatables. He

married thirteen daughters of Prajapati Daksa, and their names are Aditi, Diti,

Danu, Kastha, Arista, Surasa, Ila, Muni, Krodhavasa, Tamra, Surabhi, Sarama and

Timi. He begot many children, both demigods and demons, by those wives. From his

first wife, Aditi, all the twelve Adityas were born; one of them is Vamana, the

incarnation of Godhead. This great sage, Kasyapa, was also present at the time

of Arjuna's birth. He received a presentation of the whole world from

Parasurama, and later on he asked Parasurama to go out of the world. His other

name is Aristanemi. He lives on the northern side of the universe. Angirasa:

He is the son of Maharsi Angira and is known as Brhaspati, the priest of the

demigods. It is said that Dronacarya was his partial incarnation. Sukracarya

was the spiritual master of the demons, and Brhaspati challenged him. His son

is Kaca, and he delivered the fire weapon first to Bharadvaja Muni. He begot

six sons (like the fire-god) by his wife Candramasi, one of the reputed stars.

He could travel in space, and therefore he could present himself even in the

planets of Brahmaloka and Indraloka. He advised the King of heaven, Indra,

about conquering the demons. Once he cursed Indra, who thus had to become a hog

on the earth and was unwilling to return to heaven. Such is the power of the

attraction of the illusory energy. Even a hog does not wish to part with its

earthly possessions in exchange for a heavenly kingdom. He was the religious

preceptor of the natives of different planets.

 

TEXT 9

 

 

tan sametan maha-bhagan upalabhya

vasuttamah pujayam asa dharma-jno

desa-kala-vibhagavit

 

SYNONYMS

 

tan--all of them; sametan--assembled together; maha-bhagan--all greatly

powerful; upalabhya--having received; vasu-uttamah--the best among the Vasus

(Bhismadeva); pujayam asa--welcomed; dharma-jnah--one who knows religious

principles; desa--place; kala--time; vibhaga-vit--one who knows the adjustment

of place and time.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bhismadeva, who was the best amongst the eight Vasus, received and welcomed

all the great and powerful rsis who were assembled there, for he knew perfectly

all the religious principles according to time and place.

 

PURPORT

 

Expert religionists know perfectly well how to adjust religious principles in

terms of time and place. All the great acaryas or religious preachers or

reformers of the world executed their mission by adjustment of religious

principles in terms of time and place. There are different climates and

situations in different parts of the world, and if one has to discharge his

duties to preach the message of the Lord, he must be expert in adjusting things

in terms of the time and place. Bhismadeva was one of the twelve great

authorities in preaching this cult of devotional service, and therefore he

could receive and welcome all the powerful sages assembled there at his

deathbed from all parts of the universe. He was certainly unable at that time

to welcome and receive them physically because he was neither at his home nor

in a normal healthy condition. But he was quite fit by the activities of his

sound mind, and therefore he could utter sweet words with hearty expressions,

and all of them were well received. One can perform one's duty by physical

work, by mind and by words. And he knew well how to utilize them in the proper

place, and therefore there was no difficulty for him to receive them, although

physically unfit.

 

TEXT 10

 

krsnam ca tat-prabhava-jna asinam

jagad-isvaram hrdi-stham pujayam asa

mayayopatta-vigraham

 

SYNONYMS

 

krsnam--unto Lord Sri Krsna; ca--also; tat--of Him; prabhava-jnah--the knower

of the glories (Bhisma); asinam--sitting; jagat-isvaram--the Lord of the

universe; hrdi-stham--situated in the heart; pujayam asa--worshiped; mayaya--by

internal potency; upatta--manifested; vigraham--a form.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Sri Krsna is situated in everyone's heart, yet He manifests His

transcendental form by His internal potency. This very Lord was sitting before

Bhismadeva, and since Bhismadeva knew of His glories, he worshiped Him duly.

 

PURPORT

 

The Lord's omnipotency is displayed by His simultaneous presence in every

place. He is present always in His eternal abode Goloka Vrndavana, and still He

is present in everyone's heart and even within every invisible atom. When He

manifests His eternal transcendental form in the material world, He does so by

His internal potency. The external potency, or the material energy, has nothing

to do with His eternal form. All these truths were known to Sri Bhismadeva, who

worshiped Him accordingly.

 

TEXT 11

 

pandu-putran upasinan

prasraya-prema-sangatan abhyacastanuragasrair

andhibhutena caksusa

 

SYNONYMS

 

pandu--the late father of Maharaja Yudhisthira and his brothers; putran--the

sons of; upasinan--sitting silently nearby; prasraya--being overtaken;

prema--in feelings of love; sangatan--having gathered;

abhyacasta--congratulated; anuraga--feelingly; asraih--by tears of ecstasy;

andhibhutena--overwhelmed; caksusa--with his eyes.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The sons of Maharaja Pandu were sitting silently nearby, overtaken with

affection for their dying grandfather. Seeing this, Bhismadeva congratulated

them with feeling. There were tears of ecstasy in his eyes, for he was

overwhelmed by love and affection.

 

PURPORT

 

When Maharaja Pandu died, his sons were all small children, and naturally

they were brought up under the affection of elderly members of the royal

family, specifically by Bhismadeva. Later on, when the Pandavas were grown up,

they were cheated by cunning Duryodhana and company, and Bhismadeva, although

he knew that the Pandavas were innocent and were unnecessarily put into

trouble, could not take the side of the Pandavas for political reasons. At the

last stage of his life, when Bhismadeva saw his most exalted grandsons, headed

by Maharaja Yudhisthira, sitting very gently at his side, the great

warrior-grandfather could not check his loving tears, which were automatically

flowing from his eyes. He remembered the great tribulations suffered by his

most pious grandsons. Certainly he was the most satisfied man because of

Yudhisthira's being enthroned in place of Duryodhana, and thus he began to

congratulate them.

 

TEXT 12

 

aho kastam aho 'nyayyam yad yuyam

dharma-nandanah jivitum narhatha klistam

vipra-dharmacyutasrayah

 

SYNONYMS

 

aho--oh; kastam--what terrible sufferings; aho--oh; anyayyam--what terrible

injustice; yat--because; yuyam--all of you good souls; dharma-nandanah--sons of

religion personified; jivitum--to remain alive; na--never; arhatha--deserve;

klistam--suffering; vipra--brahmanas; dharma--piety; acyuta--God;

asrayah--being protected by.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bhismadeva said: Oh, what terrible sufferings and what terrible injustices

you good souls suffer for being the sons of religion personified. You did not

deserve to remain alive under those tribulations, yet you were protected by the

brahmanas, God and religion.

 

PURPORT

 

Maharaja Yudhisthira was disturbed due to the great massacre in the Battle of

Kuruksetra. Bhismadeva could understand this, and therefore he spoke first of

the terrible sufferings of Maharaja Yudhisthira. He was put into difficulty by

injustice only, and the Battle of Kuruksetra was fought just to counteract this

injustice. Therefore, he should not regret the great massacre. He wanted to

point out particularly that they were always protected by the brahmanas, the

Lord and religious principles. As long as they were protected by these three

important items, there was no cause of disappointment. Thus Bhismadeva

encouraged Maharaja Yudhisthira to dissipate his despondency. As long as a

person is fully in cooperation with the wishes of the Lord, guided by the bona

fide brahmanas and Vaisnavas and strictly following religious principles, one

has no cause for despondency, however trying the circumstances of life.

Bhismadeva, as one of the authorities in the line, wanted to impress this point

upon the Pandavas.

[Guest guest]

> My son and I are currently reading various stories from the Mahabharata -- the

Amar Chitra Katha version. My son is finding it hard to track of the

genealogies of the numerous characters involved. Has anyone developed a visual

representation -- perhaps a genealogy chart -- of key Mahabharata characters and

also important events? If not, I am sure there is a good market for such a

chart and may I request some expert on the subject to develop one. I would be

most happy to hang such a chart (and similarly one for the Ramayana, Shiva

Purana, and others) on my walls for easy reference.

 

----

 

Hare Krishna Murli, namaskars

 

if you take a look at

www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/gentree.htm

you'll find something like that done for Srimad Bhagavatam Mahapurana.

 

Also, in the Monier-Monier Webster Sanskrit English Dictionary there are

appendices with many such charts.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Your servant, bh. Jan

 

www.veda.harekrsna.cz

(Bhakti-yoga Vedic Encyclopedia Vedic Library Links)

 

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[Guest guest]

> Also, in the Monier-Monier Webster Sanskrit English Dictionary there are

appendices with many such charts.

 

Sorry, it is Puranic Encyclopedia.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Your servant, bh. Jan

 

www.veda.harekrsna.cz

(Bhakti-yoga Vedic Encyclopedia Vedic Library Links)

 

__________

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