The Mahabharat and Ramyan are two
well-known epics that have shaped Hinduism. Both epics are distinct in their
differences and similarities, and have contributed to the way Hinduism is
practiced today. In the Mahabharat vs.
Ramayan meeting, we first scratched the surface of both epics by looking at the
major/minor characters and their plotlines, and then we went into depth by
looking at the similarities and differences in both of the epics.
The
Ramayan is a story about when Rama is sent to exile for fourteen years because
of King Dasaratha’s second wife Kaikeyi (Rama’s second mom). Kaikeyi used her
two boons given by the king to make her own son, Bharath, the king and send
Rama, the next heir to the throne, away to exile. When Rama was in exile, his wife
Sita and Laxaman accompanied him as well. Ravan who was seeking vengeance for a
long time, found Sita’s need for a golden deer as a perfect time to kidnap her
to Sri Lanka. After Rama and Laxman discovered that Sita was kidnapped by Ravan,
they teamed up with Hanuman and his monkey army to attack Sri Lanka. In the end
Ravan was killed, and Sita was rescued. But before Sita returned safely to
Rama, she had to pass the test of purity. In Sita’s second test of purity, she
exclaimed Mother Earth to take her if she is pure and within moments a crevice
opens and Sita is engulfed into the earth. Sita’s engulfing marked the end of
the Ramayan. (*It is important to note
that this is a brief overview of the Ramayan, which means important details may
have been left out for the purpose of trying to discuss the similarities and
differences between both epics.)
The
Mahabharat is a story that is based around what happens after Bhishma declares
his celibacy in order for his brother to be king. Somewhere down the lineage,
Pandu and Dhirtarastra were the next in heirs. Pandu had five sons; the eldest
was to be the next heir to throne after his uncle (Dhitarastra) who had taken
over because Pandu’s health was not doing so well. King Dhirtarstra also had
sons of his own, and the eldest Duryodhan believed he deserved the throne after
his brother rather than his eldest cousin. This led to a conflict between the
five brothers and Duryodhan. During a gamble, the Pandu’s five sons gambled
away their kingdom and go for thirteen years of exile. Upon the end of the
exile, Duryodhan did not want to give them the kingdom which resulted in a
major war known as the Kurkshetra. (*It is important to note that this is a brief overview of the Mahabharat,
which means important details may
have been left out for the purpose of trying to discuss the similarities and
differences between both epics.)
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Discussion
Question: Is this information worth knowing and why?
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Discussion
Question: Upon looking at both storylines, what are some similarities and
differences found in both of these epics?
Some
of the similarities we found in the Mahabharat and Ramayan are:
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Battle between good and evil
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Major war and exile in both
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The avatar is a major character in both
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Strong brotherly love
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Both Dhritarastra and Dasaratha were weak in
will
Some of the differences we found in the Ramayan are:
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Rama was the protagonist
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War is strictly good versus evil
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Sita’s kidnapping was the direct cause of the
war
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Manthara causes discord
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Ramayan ends when Sita commits suicide
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Tells how man should live
Some
of the differences we found in the Mahabharat are:
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Krishna was not the protagonist
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War is within the family
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Bhishma’s celibacy was the direct cause of the
war
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Shakuni causes discord
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Mahabharat ends with Krishna’s death
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Tells how man should not live
In
conclusion, the Maharabharat and the Ramayan are well known epics that are
referred to from time to time as a way to live our everyday lives and how not
to live them as well. These two major texts are just some of the texts in Hinduism
that shape the way Hinduism is practiced and interpreted today. There are so
many other texts that have also played a vital role in in how Hinduism is
perceived, and we encourage you to come next week to discover some of these
other texts and their roles in Hinduism.
