Preface to the Mahabharata: C. Rajagopalachari

Preface to the Mahabharata

C. Rajagopalachari

It is not an exaggeration to say that the persons and incidents portrayed in the great literature of a people influence national character no less potently than the actual heroes and events enshrined in its history. It may be claimed that the former play an even more important part in the formation of ideals, which give to character its impulse of growth.

In the moving history of our land, from time immemorial great minds have been formed and nourished and touched to heroic deeds by the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In most Indian homes, children formerly learnt these immortal stories as they learnt their mother tongue at the mother's knee. And the sweetness and sorrows of Sita and Draupadi, the heroic fortitude of Rama and Arjuna and the loving fidelity of Lakshmana and Hanuman became the stuff of their young philosophy of life.

The growing complexity of life has changed the simple pattern of early home life. Still, there are few in our lands who do not know the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Though the stories come to them so embroidered with the garnish fancies of the Kalakshepam (devotional meeting where an expert scholar and singer tells a story to his audience) and the cinema as to retain but little of the dignity and approach to truth of Vyasa or Valmiki. Vyasa's Mahabharata is one of our noblest heritages. And it is my cherished belief that to hear it faithfully told is to love it and come under its elevating influence. It strengthens the soul and drives home, as nothing else does, the vanity of ambition and the evil and futility of anger and hatred. The realities of life are idealized by genius and given the form that makes drama, poetry or great prose. Since literature is closely related to life, so long as the human family is divided into nations, literature cannot escape the effects of such division.

But the highest literature transcends regionalism and through it, when we are properly attuned, we realise the essential oneness of the human family. The Mahabharata is of this class. It belongs to the world and not only to India. To the people of India, indeed, this epic has been an unfailing and perennial source of spiritual strength. Learnt at the mother's knee with reverence and love, it has inspired great men to heroic deeds as well as enabled the humble to face their trials with fortitude and faith.

The Mahabharata was composed many thousand years ago. But generations of gifted reciters have added to Vyasa's original a great mass of material. All the floating literature that was thought to be worth preserving, historical, geographical, legendary, political, theological and philosophical, of nearly thirty centuries, found a place in it.

In those days, when there was no printing, interpolation in a recognized classic seemed to correspond to inclusion in the national library. Divested of these accretions, the Mahabharata is a noble poem possessing in a supreme degree the characteristics of a true epic, great and fateful movement, heroic characters and stately diction

The characters in the epic move with the vitality of real life. It is difficult to find anywhere such vivid portraiture on so ample a canvas. Bhishma, the perfect knight; the venerable Drona; the vain but chivalrous Karna; Duryodhana, whose perverse pride is redeemed by great courage in adversity; the high souled Pandavas with godlike strength as well as power of suffering; Draupadi, most unfortunate of queens; Kunti, the worthy mother of heroes; Gandhari, the devoted wife and sad mother of the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra, these are some of the immortal figures on that crowded, but never confused, canvas. Then there is great Krishna himself, most energetic of men, whose divinity scintillates through a cloud of very human characteristics. His high purposefulness pervades the whole epic. One can read even a translation and feel the over whelming power of the incomparable vastness and sublimity of the poem.

The Mahabharata discloses a rich civilization and a highly evolved society, which though of an older world, strangely resembles the India of our own time, with the same values and ideals. When India was divided into a number of independent kingdoms, occasionally, one king, more distinguished or ambitious than the rest, would assume the title of emperor, securing the acquiescence of other royalties, and signalized it by a great sacrificial feast. The adherence was generally voluntary. The assumption of imperial title conferred no over lordship. The emperor was only first among his peers.

The art of war was highly developed and military prowess and skill were held in high esteem. We read in the Mahabharata of standardized phalanxes and of various tactical movements. There was an accepted code of honorable warfare, deviations from which met with reproof among Kshatriyas. The advent of the Kali age is marked by many breaches of these conventions in the Kurukshetra battle, on account of the bitterness of conflict, frustration and bereavements. Some of the most impressive passages in the epic center round these breaches of dharma. The population lived in cities and villages. The cities were the headquarters of kings and their household and staff. There were beautiful palaces and gardens and the lives led were cultured and luxurious. There was trade in the cities, but the mass of the people were agriculturists.

Besides this urban and rural life, there was a very highly cultured life in the seclusion of forest recesses, centered round ascetic teachers. These ashramas kept alive the bright fires of learning and spiritual thought. Young men of noble birth eagerly sought education at these ashramas. World-weary aged went there for peace. These centers of culture were cherished by the rulers of the land and not the proudest of them would dare to treat the members of the hermitages otherwise than with respect and consideration.

Women were highly honored and entered largely in the lives of their husbands and sons. The caste system prevailed, but intercaste marriages were not unknown.

Some of the greatest warriors in the Mahabharata were brahmanas. The Mahabharata has moulded the character and civilization of one of the most numerous of the world's people.

How did it fulfill, how is it still continuing to fulfill, this function? By its gospel of dharma which like a golden thread runs through all the complex movements in the epic by its lesson that hatred breeds hatred, that covetousness and violence lead inevitably to ruin, that the only real conquest is in the battle against one's lower nature.

Source: English Language and Indian Culture, Madhya Pradesh Hindi Granth Academy Bhopal.

Summary of Preface to Mahabharata

Preface to Mahabharata is written by C Rajgopalachari. As the name indicates, it is actually a Preface to his book "The Mahabharata" that he wrote in English. This book of his is a condensation in English of the original work "The Mahabharata" in Sanskrit. He says that persons and incidents of great literature like the Ramayan and the Mahabharata have influenced people to form national character more than what heroes of actual history have done. These stories heard from grandmothers, passed on from generation to generation. have actually formed the philosophy of life for every Indian. History has been forgotten but the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are still alive with people. The vivid portrayal of character in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata has pervaded through the day to day life of Indians who frequently mention these characters when they come across with similar incidents. Theses characters have always guided people and provided spiritual strength and have been a source of character building. In future too, they will always be like that. They have taught people how hatred breeds hatred and how injustice may lead to a war like that of Mahabharata which led to great destruction. We come across a host of characters from a rich culture like Ram, Sita Lakshmana, Hanumana (from the Ramayana) Bhishm, Dronacharya, Krishna and Pandavas (from The Mahabharata) and great women like Kunti, Gandhari and Draupadi revealing the fact that women were treated with high reverence. The Mahabharata discloses a highly evolved society of a rich civilization whose people knew how to live life of Dharma, the code conduct for the entire humanity. In the end the message is clear that Dharma wins and finally Adharma has to acknowledge defeat.

I. Objective Type Questions:

1. C. Rajagopalachari has retold ...................

(a) The Ramayana

(b) The Ramcharitmanas

(d) The Gita

Ans: (c) The Mahabharata and the Ramayana

2. The full name of C. Rajagopalachari is ...........

(a) Chintamani Rajagopalachari

(b) Chandramani Rajagopalachari

(d) None

Ans: (c) Chakravarti Rajagopalachari

3. C. Rajagopalachari is popularly known as ..........

(a) Kunwar ji

(b) Chakravarti ji

(d) Rajaji

Ans: (d) Rajaji

4. The first Indian Governor General of India was............

(a) C. Rajagopalachari

(b) J.L. Nehru

(d) Rajendra Prasad.

Ans: (a) C. Rajagopalachari

5. C. Rajagopalachari was the founder of.............

(a) Congress Party

(b) National Party

(d) Revolutionary Party

Ans: (C) Swatantra Party

6. The first recipient of the Bharat Ratna was..............

(a) C. Rajagopalachari

(b) J.L. Nehru

(d) Rajendra Prasad.

Ans: (a) C. Rajagopalachari

7. C. Rajagopalachari was born in.........

(a) 1875

(b) 1876

(d) 1878

Ans: (d) 1878

8. C. Rajagopalachari passed away in.........

(a) 1971

(b) 1972

(d) 1974

Ans: (b) 1972

9. C. Rajagopalachari is popular for..............

(a) His retelling of the Mahabharata

(b) His retelling of the Kamayani

(d) His retelling of Panchatantra.

Ans: (a) His retelling of the Mahabharata

10. The author of the Mahabharata is .......

(a) Kalidasa

(b) Tulsidas

(d) Valmiki

Ans: (c) Vyasa

11. ……… dragged Draupadi to the court by seizing her hair.

(a) Vidura

(b) Dushasana

(d) Duryodhana

Answer: (b) Dushasana

12. ………….. lived a life such that he is another name for generosity and loyalty.

(a) Bhishma

(b) Arjun

(d) Karna

Answer: (d) Karna

13. Bhisma was the son of ………..

(a) Saraswati

(b) Ganga

(d) Satyavati

Answer: b. Ganga

14. Kunti was the mother of.............

(a) Kauravas

(b) Kunti

(d) Pandavas

Ans: (d) Pandavas

15. Gandhari was the devoted wife of............

(a) Arjuna

(b) Karna

(d) Dhritarashtra

Ans: (d) Dhritarashtra

16. Duryodhana was the son of..............

(a) Pandu

(b) Vidura

(d) None

Ans: (c) Dhritrashtra

17. Gandhari was mother to ...........

(a) Arjuna

(b) Nakuala

(d) Duryodhana

Ans: d. Duryodhna

18. ..........was a Brahmin warrior as described in the Mahabharata

(a) Bhishma

(b) Drona

(d) Arjuna

Ans: (d) Drona

19. The war of Mahabharata took place at ...........

(a) Hastinapur

(b) Kurukshetra

(d) Indraprastha

Answer: b. Kurukshetra

20. The war of Mahabharata lasted for ……….. days.

(a) 10

(b) 18

(d) 20

Answer: b. 18

21. Pandu died because of the curse of .......

(a) Rishi Valmiki

(b) Rishi Durvasa

(d) Rishi Vyasa

Answer: c. Rishi Nindam

22. Mahabharata was written by………..

(a) Lord Ganesha

(b) Tulsi das

(d) Valmiki

Answer: a. Lord Ganesha

23. The Mahabharata is also known as .....

(a) Krishnavtar

(b) Shatsahastra Sanhita

(d) KuruSanhita

Answer: b. Shatsahastra Sanhita

24. Abhimanyu was the son of ……...

(a) Bhima

(b) Krishna

(d) Arjuna

Answer: d. Arjuna

25. Presently, Kurukshetra is situated in ………

(a) Himachal Pradesh

(b) Haryana

(d) Punjab

Answer: Haryana

26. Besides Krishna and Arjuna, who was always present on Arjuna’s chariot during the war?

(a) Hanuman

(b) Mahesh

(d) Vishnu

Answer: a. Hanuman

27. ……… broke the chakravyuha but could not come out of it and was killed by Kauravas.

(a) Abhmanyu

(b) Arjuna

(d) Dronacharya

Answer a. Abhmanyu

II. Which of the following is true about C Rajgopalachari. Write true or false

a. He was the first and last Indian Governor General after Independence.

b. He was the Chairman of the Constitution Committee.

c. He was the Governor of Tamilnadu.

d. He was the first speaker of Lok Sabha after Independence.

Answers:

a. He was the first and last Indian Governor General after Independence. True

b. He was the Chairman of the Constitution Committee. False

c. He was the Governor of Tamilnadu. False

d. He was the first speaker of Lok Sabha after Independence. False

III. Say whether the following are true or false

1. The running commentary of the Mahabharata war was narrated to Dhritrashtra by Sanjay.

2.The book on preaching of Lord Krishna is known as Purana.

3. Lord Krishna was the king of Mathura kingdom.

4. Bhishma Pitamah was known as Shantanu.

5. Karna was the first commander in the army of Kauravas.

6. Rambha cursed Arjuna that he would have to live his life as a eunuch.

7. Dushasana seized Draupadi by her hair and dragged her to the court.

8. Rukma was the brother of Rukmini.

9. Arjuna was in Indraloka. Urvashi proposed to Arjuna to marry her.

10. Hastinapur was the kingdom developed by Pandavas.

Answers:

1. The running commentary of the Mahabharata war was narrated to Dhritrashtra by Sanjay. True

2.The book on preaching of Lord Krishna is known as Purana. False

3. Lord Krishna was the king of Mathura kingdom. False

4. Bhishma Pitamah was known as Shantanu. False

5. Karna was the first commander in the army of Kauravas. False

6. Rambha cursed Arjuna that he would have to live his life as a eunuch. False

7. Dushasana seized Draupadi by her hair and dragged her to the court. True

8. Rukma was the brother of Rukmini. True

9. Arjuna was in Indraloka. Urvashi proposed to Arjuna to marry her. True

10. Hastinapur was the kingdom developed by Pandavas. True

II. Short Answer Type Questions:

Q1. Who wrote the Preface to the Mahabharata?

Ans: C. Rajagopalachari wrote the preface to the Mahabharata.

Q2. What is Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata?

Ans: Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata is the retelling of Vyasa's Mahabharata.

Q3. What is the full name of C. Rajagopalachari?

Ans: The full name of C. Rajagopalachari is Chakravarti Rajagopalachari.

Q4. Who is popularly known as 'Rajaji?

Ans: C. Rajagopalachari is popularly known as 'Rajaji'.

Q5. Who is popularly known as 'CR'?

Ans: C. Rajagopalachari is popularly known as 'CR'.

Q6. Who was the first Indian Governor General of India?

Ans: C. Rajagopalachari was the first Indian Governor General of India.

Q7. Who was the founder of Swatantra Party?

Ans: C. Rajagopalachari was the founder of Swatantra Party.

Q8. Who was the first recipient of the Bharat Ratna?

Ans: C. Rajagopalachari was the first recipient of the Bharat Ratna.

Q9. When was C. Rajagopalachari born?

Ans: C. Rajagopalachari was born in 1878.

Q10. When did C. Rajagopalachari die?

Ans: C. Rajagopalachari died in 1972.

Q11. What role do literary characters play in the making of a nation?

Ans: The literary characters play a very significant role in the making of a nation. They are remembered more than the people of history.

Q12. What do children learn from such characters as Sita and Draupadi, Rama and Arjuna, Lakshman and Hanuman?

Ans: Children learn the lessons of sweetness and sorrow from Sita and Draupadi, the heroic fortitude from Rama and Arjuna and the loving fidelity from Lakshmana and Hanuman.

Q13. In what way does the modern narration differ from the original epics of Valmiki and Vyasa?

Ans: The modern narration differs from the original epics of Valmiki and Vyasa in dignity and approach to truth.

Q14. What elements have been added to the Mahabharata during the past thirty centuries?

Ans: Literary, historical, geographical, legendary, political, theological and philosophical elements have been added to the Mahabharata during

the past thirty centuries.

Q15. What do Bhishma and Kunti (or Drona and Karna) represent?

Ans: Bhishma represents the perfect knighthood; Kunti represents the worthy motherhood; Drona represents venerableness and Karna, chivalrousness.

Q17. In the age of Mahabharata did India have an emperor?

Ans: No, There was no emperor in India during the age of Mahabharata. She was divided into various kingdoms. However, after the War of the Mahabharata, Yudhishthira became the Emperor.

Q18. What was the role of Ashramas then?

Ans: The Ashramas were the centres of education, cultured life, knowledge, spiritual thoughts and learning.

Q19. Where was the battle of Mahabharata fought?

Ans: The battle of Mahabharata was fought in Kurukshetra.

Q20. What do you learn from the character of Ram and Sita ?

Answer: The lesson that I learn for Ram and Seeta is to become an ideal couple like them.

Q21. Who is the writer of the Mahabharata?

Answer: Lord Ganesha was the writer of the Mahabharata.

Q22. Define ascetic teachers in the days of Mahabharata.

Answer: An ascetic teacher was a teacher who was a saint but taught pupils for a living.

Q23. Who was Dhritrashtra and where was his capital?

Answer: Dhritarashtra was father to Kaurava and his capital was Hastinapur.

Q24. What is the object of writing the Mahabharata by the author?

Answer: Vedvyasa had already composed the Mahabharata but he wanted it to be written to make it accessible to the common man.

Q25. Why did Krishna preach the Gita to Arjuna in Mahabharata?

Answer: Krishna preached the Geeta in the Mahabharata because Arjuna was stepping back from fighting the war of Mahabharata since he was not able to decide his dharma (righteousness).

Q26. Why did the Pandavas live in exile?

Answer: The Pandavas lived in exile because they had to fulfill it as a condition of losing in the game of gambling.

Q27. What do Bhisma , Kunti, Drona and Karna represent?

Answer: Bhisma represents a perfect knight, Kunti, the worthy mother of heroes, Drona, the venerable, and Karna the vain and chivalrous warrior.

Q28. What is Krishna’s place in the Mahabharata?

Answer: Krishna was advisor to Pandawas and they owe their victory to Krishna.

Q29.In what code was the war fought in that period?

Answer: During the age of Mahabharata, people followed the code of war like not attacking;an unarmed warrior and fighting was stopped at the sunset and so on.

Q. 30. Why were Ashrams established in the forests?

Answer: Ashramas were established in the forests, the saints wanted to live in the proximity of nature in pursuit of knowledge and impart this knowledge to pupils peacefully.

Q31. What was the role of Ashramas?

Answer: The Ashramas were the centres of education, cultured life, knowledge, spiritual thoughts and learning.

III. Long answer questions

Q. 1. What role do literary characters play in the making of a nation?

Answer: Literary characters are no less important than real heroes of a nation. Literary characters may influence people more than the real heroes. Since literature is sung, its influence is more and to a great extent they form the national character.

Q.2. How did Mahabharata mould the character and civilization of India?

Answer: Since Mahabharata is related to Dharma (righteousness), Lord Krishna has in fact explained Pandavavs their Dharma. People too understand the path of Dharma through Mahabharata and its characters. Thus Mahabharata has moulded Indian national character, civilization and culture.

Q3. What do children learn from the characters such as Sita and Draupadi, Rama and Arjuna, Lakshmana and Hanuman?

Answer: Children learn from Sita and Draupadi to remain loyal to husband and stand by husband even in adverse circumstances. Similarly, from Rama and Arjuna, children learn to follow the path of Dharma in all circumstances. Lakshmana and Hanuman teach our children how to be obedient and devoted servant to their master.

Q4. In what way does the modem narration differ from the original epics of Valmiki and Vyasa?

Answer: Modern narration of Mahabharata is different from the original epics of Valmiki and Vyasa because it is heavily loaded with music, drama and some changes required for the present times, not in conformity with the original epic nature of the Ramayan and the Mahabharata.

Q5. What elements have been added to the Mahabharat during the past thirty centuries?

Answer: During the past thirty years, a lot of material, and floating stories have been added to great epics by singers and experts.

Q6. Write a brief note on the women characters as given in the Preface?

Answer: Sita is another name of loyalty to her husband which is why Ram and Sita are still more relevant to Indian masses. Gandhari covers her eyes with cloth permanently as soon as she comes to know that her husband is blind.Kunti is a proud mother of heroes. Draupadi stands by her husbands in adverse circumstances.

Q7. Attempt a note on the role of Krishna in the Mahabharata?

Answer:- Lord Krishna is said to be Avatar of Lord Vishnu. He is in the role of advisor to Pandavas. He explains dharma to Pandavas which ultimately leads to the victory over kauravas who were trading on the path of Adharma. His message to the world is that if you tread on the path of dharma, you shall emerge victorious.

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