Is India’s Mahabharata of relevance in today’s digital world

The epic narrative of Mahabharata had been written ages ago. Yet the legendary tale continues to find prominence in every form of art and continues to overwhelm us even today. Here are seven important lessons that we can learn from the Mahabharata.

Mahabharata may revolve around the war of duty. But we cannot escape the fact that the major reason behind the destruction of all was revenge. In today’s world, there are very frequent instances to be seen where the more affluent, the more influential, the more well-connected find the flimsiest of reasons to take revenge, simply to pamper their egos.

“More than half of the world’s problems exist because even the righteous hesitate from voicing their correct stand.”

Stand by what is right; even fight for it. Arjuna was initially hesitant to wage war against his kin. But Krishna reminded him that one must stand by Dharma, duty, as long as it was always on the side of justice. More than half of the world’s problems exist because even the righteous hesitate from voicing their correct stand, albeit politely.

The friendship between Krishna and Arjuna is something all of us look up to. The friendship between Karna and Duryodhan, on the other hand, is no less inspiring. While friendship is always on equal basis, more often than not, the onus, at many times, would tend to lie on the senior or more influential friend to go that little extra in the relationship.

“Returns cannot and should not be measured only on financial and money investments”

Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu teaches us how half-knowledge can have an adverse impact. While Abhimanyu knew how to enter the Chkaravyuh or the web, he did not know the way out. Creating or concocting a web can seem exciting initially, but ultimately leads the one creating it to getting caught in his or her own web.

What did Yudhishthir win out of greed? On the contrary, he lost everything he possessed. Returns cannot and should not be measured only on financial and money investments.

We cannot give up on life despite all hurdles. Who can be a better example for this than Karana? Right from his birth, he battled his way through life, fighting discrimination and disgrace. But no obstacle could ever deter him from pursuing his goal.

“Creating a web can seem exciting initially, but ultimately leads the one creating it to getting caught in his or her own web.”

Draupadi was manoeuvred into taking five husbands, she was humiliated by the Kauravas for the fault of her own husband. She ensured she got justice by vowing to wash her hair with the blood of Duryodhana and Dushasana, perhaps another reason that led to the war. A woman like Draupadi will not be passive, she will fight for herself.

Inculcating values of justice, boldness and standing up for one’s rights needs to be inculcated in the right manner in half the world’s population. The onus clearly rests with the other half of the world’s population.

7 lessons from Mahabharata:

• A revengeful instinct can only lead to one’s ultimate doom.
• Stand by what is right; even fight for it.
• The eternal bond of friendship.
• Half knowledge can be dangerous.
• Do not be swayed by greed.
• We cannot give up on life despite all hurdles.
• Being a woman does not make you a lesser individual.

The stories of epic Mahabharata hold relevance in present times and have a lot to teach us about the art of living, writes Niranjan Gidwani.