The Mahabharata- An Ode to the Future

It may amaze many to hear me saying this but my favourite book even today remains one that was written earlier than most others – the Mahabharata. Before anyone mistakes me for a forlorn widower who is in a committed relationship with his religion or a religiously fanatical Hindu who is strapped in a static whirlpool of dogmas and beliefs, might I also add that I’m almost 19 and an ex-student of a reputed missionary school in one of the biggest and most open-minded metros of a developing nation!

What attracts me to the Mahabharata or for that matter attracts it to me is it’s futuristic appeal. Written more than a thousand years ago, the Mahabharata stands obstinately as an ode to the future. Although doubts may remain as to the truthfulness of the entire classic –the divinity of Krishna for instance or the fact that the Pandavas were borne through religious orgasms with specific Gods rather than sexual orgasms –yet the story and it’s elements remain as relevant today as it did for the past centuries.

The fact that the Mahabharata was way ahead of it’s times comes across clearly through the many aspects of the story which continue to pleasantly surprise me with every read. The fact that 100 Kaurava babies were conceived in the womb of their mother Gandhari is unthinkable and as the Mahabharata puts it, impossible. Hence according to the story they were conceived in earthen pitchers- a fact which is consistent as many students of medicine will recognize with the present day practice of IVF (In-Vitro fertilization) or “test-tube baby” to the layman for which Dr. Robert J Edwards received a Nobel Prize as late as the 21^st century.

The concept of nuclear weapons though only blown to frightening proportions during and after the 2^nd World war, existed during the time the Mahabharata was composed although the warriors and the readers would have identified nuclear weapons as the highly destructive “Brahmastra “which in an uncannily similar fashion to a hydrogen bomb required a set of codes (which the warriors uttered as a “mantra”) to unleash it’s power. In fact the fact that the weapon without the code was useless(as is the case with modern day nuclear weapons) becomes clear when towards the end of the 18-day war Karna forgets the codes and hence is unable to unleash the “Brahmastra” on Arjun in a moment of need. No wonder Hitler was in awe of the erstwhile Indian warriors!

The television invented by John L Baird in the early 20^th century is considered a fairly modern addition to the human life but in fact existed during and is mentioned in the Mahabharata. The fact that Sanjay, the aide of the blind king Dhritarashtra could see everything that was going on in the battlefield while comfortably ensconced in the warmth and safety of the palace and hence relay the news to his majesty may be looked upon as the miracles of the “third eye” by many but in reality is a clear allusion to the idiot box that would be “re-invented” many centuries later.

One of my favourite films of 2012 was the path-breaking box office success “Vicky Donor” starring Ayushmann Khuranna as a sperm donor and as is mentioned in the film by Annu Kapoor who plays Dr. Chadha of the Fertility Clinic (a role which won him a Filmfare and a National Award),”Sperm donation is not new, it was there from the time of the Mahabharata where the sages and Brahmins performed the act which was mentioned as the utterance of mantras that led to the birth of children in infertile women as an euphemism to the real act” hence proving my point again.

Another very disturbing incident which has increased manifold in occurrence in recent months especially in Delhi and Kolkata is rape of women. Although seen by many politicians and society elders as an outcome of the modern facelift that Generation Y has received vis-à-vis shorter clothes and more show of skin, they tend to forget that rape was committed in the Mahabharata as well where Draupadi was raped in front of an assembly of kings and princes, elders and relatives by the lusting Dushashan and not a single of the people present there rose to help her although each of the Kshatriyas in attendance there were supposed to be the bravest people on the planet. It was in fact Krishna who came to his “friend” Draupadi’s rescue supplying her with a never-ending sari pulling which tired out Dushashan so much that he ultimately gave up. What the city elders and the pedantic white haired know-it-alls should also know is that India has been historically a land of less clothes and more skin show since the ancient times and the expression of a person’s individuality can in no way justify the dastardly act of rape.

Here I have listed only a few of modern day phenomena that the Mahabharata boasted of centuries ago. This list is in no way conclusive or exhaustive and the clairvoyance and prophetic clarity of the Mahabharata becomes clearer in the mention of abortion ,alarm clocks ,ultra-modern glass rooms in the build of the confusing House of Mirrors in amusement parks(the first of which was devised only in the early 20^th century),a solar eclipse choreographed from earth(something which the Chinese scientists achieved only in the later of the 1^st decade of the 21^st century)and much more. 

In fact what I have mentioned here are only those aspects of the Mahabharata which make it an ode to the future , the Mahabharata is a fantastic read not only because of this but also because it has in store every human emotion possible , subplots that cover almost all the problems that plagues humankind emotionally and mentally and of course concepts that show utter disdain for religious , national , social or regional boundaries .

The Mahabharata is my favourite novel because it defies time. If you enjoy films of any kind you’ll enjoy this so if you haven’t read it yet go give it a read. It has everything you could possibly want in a story book.