You say that you have read the unabridged Mahabharata. This cannot be true, as Vedic sages and astrologers have definitively stated that if the whole Mahabharata were ever to be read by even one person, this current universe we inhabit would collapse to the size of a pinhead and then a new one would be born. 😄
Naomi, it's like Sagan speaking about the Earth as a blue dot and then expressed through lyrical prose that has us look from above with a fresh perspective that had to take so much research and then the gift of poetry in prose. Absolutely beautiful novel that is not a fast read--but holds you in Harvey's embrace.
Awesome! It’s on my list. I’m going through the Bhagavad Gita as part of an exploration into non-dualist Vedanta, right now with lectures in parallel. That alone is a mind altering substance!
I don't know exactly when I subscribed, but I think I've read most of your posts on this topic and always found them very interesting. You've inspired me to read the Bible. Will report back if I start practicing Catholicism or enter the kingdom of heaven (maybe there are monetary rewards too - I'll find out!).
Great that you stay focussed on this topic, despite all the distractions. I thought I'd commented on that very first post, and just checked... yes I did.
Thanks for all the discussions about classic books, Eastern and Western!
I really enjoyed this. I do have a question (and I might find the answer by re-reading your previous Mahabharata posts).
You quoted the text as "If one faithfully studies the sacred Mahabharata, or even if one studies one quarter of it, one is purified and all one’s sins are destroyed." That strikes me as language that overlaps a lot with Christianity ("purified," "sins destroyed," etc. Even waking up early to read the scriptures shows up a lot). Are these not actually the same, but an English-language translator has to use the closest concepts they can and those happen to be Christian-adjacent? Or are these spiritualities on some level concerned with the same things? I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Purity is central to Hinduism, but the conception of sin is very different to Christianity—it’s about accumulating bad karma over the cycle of lives, which can in fact be washed out with good karma, unlike Christian sin which can only be forgiven by unmerited grace via faith in Christ (which is, at least, potentially much faster!) I’m not at all knowledgeable about Hinduism but hopefully I managed to get that out without fully lying.
This seems about right. The Hindu conception of sin is quite different from the Christian conception in that ...you can actually purify yourself and be largely free of sin
I’ve been reading the Bible straight through and am currently 1/4 into New Testament, and I’d have to agree, required reading for the literary, but I also hate it, can’t wait to finish it. So many parts are boring, redundant, and ideologically terrible.
This sounds a lot like the Bhagavad Gita, I'll check it out. My perception of reality is very close to the Hindus. I think the universe is god and reincarnation is probable as consciousness cannot be destroyed, simply reconfigured. Non duality concepts fascinate me. Its fascinating to me that hindus were on to this stuff thousands of years ago too.
I'd love to learn about the reading experience of the various abridged versions. As a Westerner, I am new to the story and should start there. I read The Bhagavad Gita (Easwaran's Classics version) and loved it.
I loved this post! I'm not of this tradition, and when I first heard in grad school (from a Hindu friend) the idea from the Gita that we don't have a right to the fruits of our actions, to be honest I found this *unappealing*. Many years -- and lots of painful confrontations with reality -- later I started assigning the Gita in a gen-ed class I teach, and this idea has become a cornerstone of what I believe. Arti Dhand has done a fabulous podcast of the first bits of the Mahabharata that has gotten me really interested in reading that now. Thanks for the great reflections in here; I'm going to go back and read your earlier posts on the MBh.
You say that you have read the unabridged Mahabharata. This cannot be true, as Vedic sages and astrologers have definitively stated that if the whole Mahabharata were ever to be read by even one person, this current universe we inhabit would collapse to the size of a pinhead and then a new one would be born. 😄
😂
What abridged version of the Mahabharata would you recommend for someone new to this world? 🙏
I've been thinking on this. My knee jerk response is the Subramanian, bc that's what I read at age 12, but I need to do more analysis
Ok🙏 Thanks for taking the time to respond!
RK Narayan has written a single volume version.
Thanks! Jotting it down as an option!!
Just finished _Orbital_ by Samantha Harvey: gorgeous lyrical amazing read.
I've heard mixed things. I'll have to check it out someday
Naomi, it's like Sagan speaking about the Earth as a blue dot and then expressed through lyrical prose that has us look from above with a fresh perspective that had to take so much research and then the gift of poetry in prose. Absolutely beautiful novel that is not a fast read--but holds you in Harvey's embrace.
Could not love this more!!! Congratulations both on completing it and on your success, and count me as suspecting they’re related!
Thank you!
Congrats
What an achievement! Congratulations Naomi!
Awesome! It’s on my list. I’m going through the Bhagavad Gita as part of an exploration into non-dualist Vedanta, right now with lectures in parallel. That alone is a mind altering substance!
Nice! I know very little about Vedanta but keep meaning to learn
I don't know exactly when I subscribed, but I think I've read most of your posts on this topic and always found them very interesting. You've inspired me to read the Bible. Will report back if I start practicing Catholicism or enter the kingdom of heaven (maybe there are monetary rewards too - I'll find out!).
That would be so fun! Please let me know
Great that you stay focussed on this topic, despite all the distractions. I thought I'd commented on that very first post, and just checked... yes I did.
Thanks for all the discussions about classic books, Eastern and Western!
Thank you for sticking with me!
I really enjoyed this. I do have a question (and I might find the answer by re-reading your previous Mahabharata posts).
You quoted the text as "If one faithfully studies the sacred Mahabharata, or even if one studies one quarter of it, one is purified and all one’s sins are destroyed." That strikes me as language that overlaps a lot with Christianity ("purified," "sins destroyed," etc. Even waking up early to read the scriptures shows up a lot). Are these not actually the same, but an English-language translator has to use the closest concepts they can and those happen to be Christian-adjacent? Or are these spiritualities on some level concerned with the same things? I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Purity is central to Hinduism, but the conception of sin is very different to Christianity—it’s about accumulating bad karma over the cycle of lives, which can in fact be washed out with good karma, unlike Christian sin which can only be forgiven by unmerited grace via faith in Christ (which is, at least, potentially much faster!) I’m not at all knowledgeable about Hinduism but hopefully I managed to get that out without fully lying.
This seems about right. The Hindu conception of sin is quite different from the Christian conception in that ...you can actually purify yourself and be largely free of sin
I’ve been reading the Bible straight through and am currently 1/4 into New Testament, and I’d have to agree, required reading for the literary, but I also hate it, can’t wait to finish it. So many parts are boring, redundant, and ideologically terrible.
I listened to an audiobook, which helped a lot, at least for the OT--easier to zone out for some of these prophets
Yes, in retrospect I should have done the audiobook, but nope, I’ve been reading every single word… 😭
This sounds a lot like the Bhagavad Gita, I'll check it out. My perception of reality is very close to the Hindus. I think the universe is god and reincarnation is probable as consciousness cannot be destroyed, simply reconfigured. Non duality concepts fascinate me. Its fascinating to me that hindus were on to this stuff thousands of years ago too.
The Bhagavad-gita is part of the Mahabharata; it takes place right before the big war.
Definitely not one of the boring parts -- not to me, anyway. I loved it.
Ah that makes sense. So its just an excerpt.
Yes the Bhagavad Gita is definitely one of the less boring parts
“I have no idea what non-Hindus would make of the Mahabharata. It is so alien, this world. There is nothing recognizable in it for the Westerner.”
Did you mean non-Indians? Because most Indians grew up with the Mahabharata even if they were not Hindu.
Maybe...I do think some Muslims and dalits and adivasus are less familiar with it, just like many Jews in America are less familiar with the Bible
Also, massive congrats on finishing the 10-volume epic!!! It's an achievement!
I'd love to learn about the reading experience of the various abridged versions. As a Westerner, I am new to the story and should start there. I read The Bhagavad Gita (Easwaran's Classics version) and loved it.
I loved this post! I'm not of this tradition, and when I first heard in grad school (from a Hindu friend) the idea from the Gita that we don't have a right to the fruits of our actions, to be honest I found this *unappealing*. Many years -- and lots of painful confrontations with reality -- later I started assigning the Gita in a gen-ed class I teach, and this idea has become a cornerstone of what I believe. Arti Dhand has done a fabulous podcast of the first bits of the Mahabharata that has gotten me really interested in reading that now. Thanks for the great reflections in here; I'm going to go back and read your earlier posts on the MBh.