When the sage Dhoumya instructed the sons of Pandu, he spoke to them of conduct, regulation, courtly decorum, the straight path of righteousness, and, above all, the virtues of humility and endurance in the service of others—virtues unfamiliar to princes born and raised amid honour and privilege. This counsel, though seemingly simple, was the final…
The preparation for their hidden sojourn advanced in silence, and Dharmaraja, having determined the roles of Bheema, turned his thoughtful gaze upon Arjuna. “This Arjuna,” he declared, “who once consumed the Khandava forest with fire, who has beheld Lord Śiva whom even the gods rarely behold, who has delighted Indra beyond measure and shared half…
The Mahābhārata is a sanctifying river of wisdom, washing away sin, drawing fortune near, and fulfilling the deepest desires of those who approach it with reverence. Knowing this exalted benefit, Janamejaya, radiant jewel of the Kuru house, sought the grace of the sage Vyasa. The sage, in turn, entrusted the sacred narration to his beloved…
Nakula first reached the lonely lake, stooped to drink its clear water, when an unseen spirit’s voice rose from the air, saying, “O prince, this lake is mine. If you desire its water, answer my questions with humility.” He heeded nothing, entered the waters, drank deeply, and feel senseless upon the bank. When long had…
The Dharmaraja, troubled by the menace that Karna posed to Arjuna, abandoned all comfort in anxious thought. Meanwhile, the lord of the heavens, wishing to favour the Pandavas, descended in the guise of a Brahmin scholar and stood before the gates of Karna. At midday, Karna, as was his daily vow, bestowed charities upon Brahmins….
When the Sun-born lord had departed, and the warrior of the unshakable oath steadied his heart for the meeting with the king of the celestials, Janamejaya, desiring to understand the hidden origin of that peerless archer, questioned the sage Vaisampayana: “Tell me by what mystery Karna obtained the natural Armor and earrings with which he…
When the divine and gracious Savitri beheld her husband rise again from the noose of life’s departing breath, she perceived in him a strange and sacred change. With a gentle voice, she spoke: “O Satyavan, treasury of noble qualities, darkness already thickens around us. Our hermitage lies far from this place, and thy weariness has…
Savithri rose before the breaking of dawn, her heart weighted with the knowledge that the destined end of her husband drew near. She completed her sacred rites with unwavering composure, served her elders with devotion, and received from them blessings for an enduring marital bond. When the day had reached its warm middle, her father-in-law…
After vanquishing the celestial foes and enthroning the righteous Vibhīṣaṇa upon the regal seat of Laṅkā, the son of Daśaratha, Śrī Rāma, set forth toward Ayodhyā with Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa, and the noble hosts that had shared his trials. The Pushpaka chariot, adorned with rubies and garlands of diamonds and shining with the radiance of a…
Markandeya, ancient witness of celestial deeds, spoke of the next great turn in the war. Indrajit, cherished son of the night-born king, absorbed wholly in his father’s intent, mounted his resplendent chariot and swept onto the field like a storm released. The vanara hosts rose against him, yet he cast them aside as a tiger…
