Abstract This paper is an in-depth examination of the classic Vedic text, "The Mahabharata". The author discusses how and where the codes of moral honor and worldview are perceived in respect to their structure within the Hindu society. The story demonstrates various forms of codes, where the role of honor, and women's places are defined, and how leading a spiritual and moral life is the ultimate goal. The paper includes a detailed outline.
From the paper:
"The worldview as is presented in the classic Hindi epic, "The Mahabharata" of moral and philosophical values still hold true today. "The Mahabharata" is considered to be an ideal source for examining the qualities found within Indian society. A sense of mortality is presented in many aspects of the text as we refer to the societies of the kuru and the Pandu dynasties of India. A Religious/philosophical teaching of Dharma is to live the path of our life that has been chosen for us. The independent elements of the early Indian society displayed in the Vedic text is more than just a story of Arjuna; but key elements to how world view is portrayed with emphasis on the values presented therein and the role of women in the work."
Tags: english, hindu, indan, liturature, mythology, world, gods, hindi
Abstract This paper is on the Peter Brook production of the "Mahabharata", the Indian epic. The author contends that the process of de-contextualization of characters, plot elements and pieces of narration out of the Mahabharata's original context and into a Western mode of performance, plot construction and interpretation exhibits the latent Orientalism of the Brook production, and represents the profound and perverse commodification of the India classic. The author further explains how it was Brook's perspective and alteration of this epic that reached a broader Western audience.
From the Paper "As a world defined by over 200 nations, and thousands of cultures, an incredibly rich history and set of traditions exists. The last century has marked a turning point in our planet's history. As never before, the distance and separation of cultures is becoming ever smaller, due to better transportation and communications infrastructures, and a desire to conduct business on a global scale. There is also an interesting and concerning adoption and synthesis of cultural practices and traditions. One could debate rather academically the merits of cultural encounter and interaction, and to say that perhaps with a synthesis of different cultural practices, a new culture is born. That may be, however the focus of this essay is to critically investigate and discuss the adoption or representation of other cultural traditions, without comprehending their meaning or significance. This is demonstrated through the Western commodification of cultures, the notion of Orientalism, and specifically focusing on the Brooks/ Carri?re production of the Mahabharata."
Abstract This paper examines the world view as is presented in the classic Hindi epic, "The Mahabharata". "The Mahabharata" is considered to be an ideal source for examining the qualities found within Indian society in 5000 BCE, where many aspects of the text refer to the societies of the kuru and the paandu dynasties of India. The role of women in this work is also be investigated.
Abstract "This paper discusses one of the most famous Sanskrit texts of India, the "Mahabharata," the great epic heroic poem, which tells of the historic Great War of India between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Encompassing over one hundred thousand verses, and steeped in cultural and religious meaning, this text presents a near impossible task for any student of India to analyze in its entirety. However, the paper notes that the most widely known act narrated by "The Mahabharata" is that of "The Dice Game", and Darupadi's disrobing. This paper analyzes the events leading up to, and following the disrobing, the larger dharmic implications this act offers, and the reflection of Hindu culture the scenario provides.
From the Paper "However, as a sign of the changing times, this tale, in the modern India of today has come to showcase an example of the Pandavas' male chauvinistic attitudes in treating Draupadi as their property by putting her at gambling stake, and their strange prioritizing of virtues, where pledges matter more than the honor and safety of one's family. A sharp contrast to the pillars of virtue they had previously been seen as. Not to say that the Pandava family is not still highly regarded and seen as examples of dharma and righteousness."
Abstract An examination of the role of the Indian woman in society. An analysis of the "Mahabharata" which goes into great depth when describing this role. The author looks at the lives of Indian women, their status, education, goals and contributions.
From the Paper "The Mahabharata is essential for understanding human nature and the culture of India, past and present. As declared by Vyasa, ?Whatever is not found in the Mahabharata cannot be found anywhere else.? The Mahabharata does indeed present a complete picture of the lives of women in India, dealing with such topics as status, education, goals, marriage, achievement, family life, social life, moral codes, duty (dharma), and etiquette."
Tags: hindu, india, indian, ramayana, vedas, vishnu
Analyzes this Indian Hindu epic, focusing on education and the spiritual development of the character of the warrior prince Arjuna, disciple of Krishna.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 10 sources, 1999, $ 79.95
Abstract Arjuna is an important character and presence in the Indian epic the Mahabharata, and he is a member of the main family whose actions serve as the centerpiece of this epic. The Mahabharata is the oldest of the great epics of Hindu literature and is the longest poem ever written, with 100,000 stanzas arranged in 18 books.
From the Paper "INTRODUCTION
Arjuna is an important character and presence in the Indian epic the Mahabharata, and he is a member of the main family whose actions serve as the centerpiece of this epic. The Mahabharata is the oldest of the great epics of Hindu literature and is the longest poem ever written, with 100,000 stanzas arranged in 18 books. The work is actually a compilation of material from a number of sources from different periods, and there may have been earlier versions of varying lengths. There is no single version of the work today because not all of it has been translated and released, and the text is under restoration at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Poona, India, with successive portions of the text having been edited and published from there since 1927. The work in its present form dates from about the ..."
Abstract The "Mahabharata" is the oldest of the great epics of Hindu literature. This paper looks at its contents - including the Bhagavad Gita," or "The Lord's Song," included within it, which stands as the single most significant religious text of Hinduism. A brief history of Hinduism is provided and the "Mahabharata" is analyzed for ways it impacted the development and evolution of Hindu prayer and ritual.
From the Paper "While there is no founder of Hinduism as such, Hinduism was shaped by the actions of a man shrouded in legend, and much of the knowledge of Hinduism as it has been passed down has been attributed to his efforts. He is said to have lived some 3,500 years ago. He was the great grandson of the sage Vasishta, the son of the sage Parasara and the fishergirl Satyavati. He was called Krishna Dvaipayana. Because he had a desire for order, he gathered together all the knowledge of his time in the form of the Vedic hymns and rituals. He edited these works into four huge volumes, producing the four Vedas, which stood as the earliest source of information on Indian thought. He was then given the title Veda Vyasa, or the Editor of Knowledge, and in this manner he created a tradition of teaching and learning through his disciples and through the legendary forest university he founded in Naimisaaranya. The writing of the masterpiece the Mahabharata has been attributed to Vyasa, though he may be more legend than real. The story in this epic concerns the legitimacy of the succession rights to the kingdom of Kurukshetra, the ancestral realm of King Bharata:"
Abstract This paper shows how the figurative language in Book II of "The Mahabharata" and in the selected poems from "The Tamil Anthologies" stand in stark contrast to one another primarily because the language in "The Mahabharata" has war and heroism as its sources, whereas the poems in "The Tamil Anthologies" have the affairs of the heart as their sources. The author shows that both works rely heavily for their figurative language on the realm of nature as well, although for very divergent purposes and effects.
From the Paper "Both works deal with both themes--war and love--but The Mahabharata clearly focuses more on war, while the selected poems from The Tamil Anthologies clearly focus more on love. Inevitably, these sources profoundly affect the figurative language of the two works and portray worlds--one of heroism in battle and conflict, the other of love and its consequences--which stand in contrast with one another. In addition, the reader finds in Book II of The Mahabharata an immediate sense of the epic, of the grand city, of conflict on as grand scale, with much at stake beyond the individual's emotional or romantic destiny. On the other hand, in the poems from The Tamil Anthologies, the reader just as immediately finds an exploration of the "small" aspects of life and human interaction and particularly those aspects which exist in the lives of individuals. The rural landscape dominates the figurative language of the poems in The Tamil Anthologies, while the urban landscapes dominates in the epic tales of The Mahabharata."
An examination of Greco-Roman (Homer's "Odyssey" and Virgil's "Aeneid") and Indian ("The Ramayana of Valmiki" and "The Mahabharata") epics and how they reflect their cultures' myths, beliefs, and heroic values.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 10 sources, 2000, $ 63.95
Abstract This research will examine four epics from the Greco-Roman and Indian cultures: Homer's Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, The Ramayana of Valmiki, and The Mahabharata
From the Paper "This research will examine four epics from the Greco-Roman and Indian cultures: Homer's Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, The Ramayana of Valmiki, and The Mahabharata. The research will discuss the degree to which these epics reflect the heroic context of a given society's past and/or its present concerns.
There appears to be fairly wide agreement among commentators on epic literature and cultural myths that certain consistent patterns of narrative action and treatments of human experience can be discerned across cultures. One is heroic activity in poems that deal with the history, actions, personal development, and destiny of one or more heroic figures. What these heroes do, what is done to them, and their ultimate destiny take on symbolic weight and become determinants of what is valued and distinctive in a culture.
Epic focus on heroes of a mythic past may be relevant to a..."
Abstract This research examines four epics from the Greco-Roman and Indian cultures: Homer's "Odyssey", Virgil's "Aeneid", "The Ramayana of Valmiki", and "The Mahabharata". The research discusses the degree to which these epics reflect the heroic context of a given society's past and/or its present concerns.
From the Paper "There appears to be fairly wide agreement among commentators on epic literature and cultural myths that certain consistent patterns of narrative action and treatments of human experience can be discerned across cultures. One is heroic activity in poems that deal with the history, actions, personal development, and destiny of one or more heroic figures. What these heroes do, what is done to them, and their ultimate destiny take on symbolic weight and become determinants of what is valued and distinctive in a culture."
Tags: odyssey, aeneid, ramayana, valmiki, mahabharata, virgil, homer
Abstract This paper is an in-depth examination of the Hindu religion using different texts and sources that have been written on the subject. Some of the different texts the author looks at are the Hindu Vedas, the great Hindu Epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and the Upanishads, often acknowledged as part of the Vedas. The author then shows how the different elements of these texts come together to form the basis of the teachings of the Hindu religion.
From the Paper "Finally, as a concept perhaps both partly Hinduistic and yet completely separate it is possible to look at Jainism. In this religion a soul, or Jiva, is attributed to every object- animate or inanimate. Karma is extent, but seen as the cause for pain- it is the accumulation of wrongdoing, which must be cleansed through righteousness before one can leave the earthly abode. Jainism practices the worship of many Hindu gods, which are believe to bestow temporal blessings (Sources 57) upon them, yet they also represent a fundamental atheistic component in their rejection of a one God which created the universe, affirming natural law as sufficient explanation."
Abstract In chapter 12 of "The God of Small Things" by Arhundhati Roy, the author ushers us into a performance of the story of Karna from the "Mahabharata", as presented by kathakali dancers in the empty temple in Ayemenem. The paper explains what the story of Karna can teach us about the "physics of power."
An analysis of the portrayal of courtly love as exemplified by Kalidasa's "The Recognition of Sakuntala" and Baldesar Castiglione's "The Book of the Courtier".
Abstract Cultural and social developments have affected the form and functions of drama in profound ways over the centuries and Western observers often believe that the ancient Greeks had a monopoly on drama. This paper looks at how Kalidasa's "The Recognition of Sakuntala" shows that the Greeks had some distinguished company in the great works of Indian literature in this genre. To identify these similarities, this paper provides a comparison of how courtly love is portrayed in Kalidasa's "The Recognition of Sakuntala" and Baldesar Castiglione's "The Book of the Courtier", followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.
From the Paper "Adapting his theme from the first part of the Mahabharata , Kalidasa tells the story of the love of Sakuntala for the King Dusanta in the course of seven acts. The story describes how King Dusanta was hunting in the forest with his courtiers one day in pursuit of a stag. When Dusanta shoots the stag with an arrow, he is reproached by a passing holy man for being cruel to other living beings. In response, Dusanata begs forgiveness from the holy man who finally pardons him and even provides him with his blessing. In the process, Dusanta spies Sakuntala and immediately falls in love with her, and Sakuntala responds in a gentle and restrained fashion."
A descriptive analysis of the role of Hijras in pre-colonial India with respect to the religions of Islam and Hinduism versus their current role in present day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Abstract The word 'Hijra' is derived from Urdu, meaning 'Eunuch'. This paper aims to give a descriptive account of the origins of the Hijra with respect to Islam and Hinduism and that of their modern day community structure, whilst consequently highlighting the absolute identity transformation they experienced during these two transitional periods.
Outline
Introduction
Religious Role Derived From Hinduism
Historical Role of Hijras in Muslim Courts
The Hijra Community Today
Stigmatization vs. Honor
Conclusion
From the Paper "The Hijra community is very similar in function to the Hindu Caste System. They are a sect of their own, united in like with the family system. There are seven nation-wide communal households known as gharanas for the most part in cities throughout Northern India, having their own history and rules of behaviour. Each household is head by a nayak who appoints a guru or a preacher trained to protect the community members, whose disciples are referred to as chelas or students and traditionally amount to about five per guru. Before entering the community, the hijra has to live in satla (female attire) and observe the community for at least a year. "
Abstract Four of the greatest world religions, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Hindi, describe salvation. Using ideas from the books of "Genesis" and "Exodus" from the Old Testament of the Jews; the "Book of Matthew" from the New Testament of the Christians; "Suras 1 and 2" from the Koran of the Muslims, and the "Bhagavad Gita" from the Mahabharata of the Hindus, this paper shows how it is possible to understand the essence of salvation within those four respective world religions, both separately and comparatively.
From the Paper "In Exodus 1-24 from the Old Testament, Moses, upon God's command, on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3), leads the Jews out of bondage in Egypt, after many generations of enslavement and persecution there, at the hands of the Egyptian Pharaohs (Exodus 5-12). Moses leads the Jews across the Red Sea (Exodus 14), and through a barren desert, to the "land of milk and honey". Within Exodus 1-24, from the Old Testament, that journey and its aftermath represent (eventual) salvation. Exodus 31-33 tells of Moses returning from Mount Sinai with the tablets containing the Ten Commandments, only to find that in his absence, his brother Aaron has allowed the Jews to create a molten (golden) calf, which they now worship (a pagan idol) instead of God."
