Mahabharata Life Lessons For The 21st Century

It’s a narrative epic that transcends epochs. The Mahabharata is a veritable treasure trove of wisdom, with layered characters and complex subplots. Vedavyasa’s masterpiece presents deep insights on morality, karma, and life itself, through the tale of one royal dynasty: the Kurus. It’s a tale of epic proportions. The narrative meanders across relatable situations at every major plot point. It is this timeless connection that makes the Mahabharata life lessons echo across the gallery of time and resonate in the present day. Let’s draw some parallels between this epic and modern-day situations!

War does not determine who is right – only who is left.

Bertrand Russell

Mahabharata Fast Facts

• The Mahabharata tells the tale of Bharata Varsha and the dynasties that sought to rule the land. The escalation of tensions culminated in the Kurukshetra War. The conflict raged for days, shaping the future of the country in the process.
• The Bhagavad Gita is the crown jewel of this saga. As Arjuna struggles with a moral dilemma. The Gita is a Pandora’s box of life lessons in its own right. In this post, we’ll focus on the Mahabharata.
• Part of the genius of the Mahabharata is that it’s a tale of good vs. evil that doesn’t necessarily pick sides from a narration standpoint. We travel along with the complex characters on this epic journey, empathizing with their quandaries.
• The Mahabharata is arguably the world’s longest poem. Vedavyasa composed it in a single session, due to the conditions placed by Lord Ganesha.

Mahabharata Life Lessons: Bheeshma

Every loose end you leave behind has the potential to trip you up.

Bheeshma, the grandsire of the Kuru clan, was a force of nature in war. Even Krishna knew that the Pandava war effort was a lost cause as long as Bheeshma lived. The problem was, no one knew how to take him down! Ultimately, Arjuna defeated him by bringing Shikhandi into play. As a matter of principle, Bheeshma would never fight a woman. Shikhandi was his Achilles’ heel in that regard, as she was a male-turned-female. Shikhandi was a princess in her previous birth. Princess Amba was spurned by Bheeshma due to his vow of celibacy. Renounced by the world, she immolated herself with the sole wish of guaranteeing Bheeshma’s death. Arjuna shot him down while using Shikhandi as a human shield. The loose end Bheeshma left way back in his past turned out to be his undoing. Never leave business unfinished if you want peace of mind!

Abhimanyu

Half-baked knowledge is worse than ignorance.

Abhimanyu’s valor and bravery precede himself. Like his father Arjuna, he sought to be a game-changer on the battlefield. On day 4 of the War, the Kauravas went with the deadly chakravyuha battle formation. Only seasoned veterans like Arjuna knew how to breach it and live to tell the tale. Young Abhimanyu, however, only knew how to break in. He had no idea how to exit the formation. Being hot-blooded and eager to please, he took a crack at the formation. Consequently, he was cut off from his troops, fighting off veteran warriors from all angles. To his credit, he fought hard. If he’d known how to break out, he might have walked away alive. His patchy knowledge of warfare led to his downfall. If you’re undertaking an endeavor, do your research first!

Karna

Break free from the chains of your past.

Karna is the Mahabharata’s tragic hero. His characterization adds layers to the concept of dharma and adds to the roster of Mahabharata life lessons. In a way, he was dealt a bad hand at crucial points in his life. Karna could have had it all. When he learns of his true lineage, the throne of Hastinapura is his for the taking. From his perspective, his brothers have always symbolized a traumatic past of rejection. On the other hand, he has his comrade, Duryodhana, to whom he owes the life he has now. In the end, Karna opts to let go of a past that has brought him only pain, despite the allure of power it has. Besides being fiercely loyal to Duryodhana, he refuses to jeopardize the life he has. Karna is able to say with conviction that he doesn’t want the throne. Never let your past weigh you down!

Yuyutsu

You will not regret being ethical in the long run.

Yuyutsu is a bit of a wild card in the Mahabharata power struggle. Does his name ring any bells? Well, he’s the unsung Kaurava. Yuyutsu is the illegitimate son of Dhritarashtra. He was conceived with Sugadha, a servant maid in the palace, when Dhritarashtra feared Gandhari’s pregnancy may go south. He was born on the same day as his half-brothers and sister. In theory, he had a claim to the throne. But Yuyutsu was different. He was inherently righteous. When war was imminent, he could have run his own campaign for the throne, or joined his brothers. Yet, he chose to side with the Pandavas, feeling that their cause was just. Yuyutsu was one of the war’s few survivors. In the epilogue, he is appointed as Hastinapura’s Grand Regent after Yudishthira’s abdication. Doing the right thing WILL pay off, given time.

The War

Victory is as much about the cost as it is about the result.

The Mahabharata is a textbook example of a Pyrrhic victory. Yes, the Pandavas won, and decisively at that. But at what cost? Their losses were as bad as the Kauravas, with only a handful of survivors on either side. The Pandavas lost their heirs, their kin, and their allies in the process. The Kuru dynasty itself was near extinct in the aftermath of the war. Countless widows and children stood weeping, mourning their losses on the battlefield. The Pandavas told Krishna right after the final battle that this victory felt… empty. Yudhisthira ruled Hastinapura for around 40 years. He then abdicated the throne in pursuit of salvation along with his brothers and wife. Wanting to win is not a crime. What are you sacrificing in the process, however? Take a moment to think.

Everlasting Wisdom

The Mahabharata’s bountiful wisdom is truly the stuff of legend. There’s some insight to be had from every character, right from Bheeshma to Parikshit. These Mahabharata life lessons are applicable to people from every walk of life. Did you connect with these lessons? Do you have your own insights from this timeless epic? Do comment below! Also, if you’d like to see more Mahabharata-based articles, write to me through the button below!