PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPTS IN THE MAHABHARATA By 3<Cm. sSawita *Skarma, m. a., U. G- C- Mor Research Fellow/, Department of Sanskrit, Aligarh Muslim University THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN SANSKRIT OF THE ALIQARH MUSLIM UNIUERSITY ALiqARH 1966 T683 PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPTS IN THE MAHABHAEATA P S B I" A c B Uhe present work is an atteapt at presentijng a critical study of the great epic^ the Mahabhirata, from the paint of view of Indian Philosophy, fhe Kahabharat^, as is well known, is primarily an epic, a histoiy and a book of religion, To find out philosophy in a popular epic devoted to the narra- tion of the stories of kings seems queer at the first sights But that is the peculiar feature of Indian Philosophy or liteiature in general that it sees life in its totality and none of its aspects is ever ig- nored in ai^r record of its cultural adiiovements. This great national epic, therefor©, contains much (i) ( ii ) that can attract a student of Indian philosophy. It represents an important stage in the evolution of philosophical concepts and it is precisely the study of these pliilLosophical concepts in the Hahabharata that is EQr aijn ict the present work* fhe histojy of Indian philosophy is a long coulee of progressive and earnest thought through ^iSiich its important concepts have travelled. Behind all the diversity of thought there is a unity the unitgr of purpose and the unity of its ethical out— look, Indian Philosophy is a panorama of irationa- listic intellectual labieories and highly speculative doctrines, Uonotheless,it is practical, ethical, tteoipoughly spiritual and simple, (Cha|iter I), To introduce a popular epic like the Hahahha- rata is indeed superfluous and a detailed study of its external features is not under the purview of Ecy study, A conci-ete idea of its comprehensive Scope and its age is, however, desirable at -ttie outset and it also appeara necessaiy to emphasize in the modern age the nianifold significance of the epic - ethical, religious and philosophical,(Chapter 11^, ( ill ) Here, I must maira it clear that in the present study I have not treated the Bhagavadgita as sepa- rate from the llahabharata, as is the general p^rao- tice for philosophical studies. I have> on the other hand, excluded the Harivaftsa, which is apparont3^ a Purina and admittediy a later supplement to the epic. Of the important philosophical concepts of Indian philosophy wo come ac3ross in the ttahabharata with the realistic doctrine of the Sai5kiiya, the Spi- ritual Discipline of Yoga, the Yoga of Action, Devotion ar^ Knowledge, the concept of the Absolute, the philo- sophy of soul and Maya and the theories of Ritualism and Kanaa. (Chapters III - VIII). Besides, we have references to the ideas and concepts pecualiar to the Logical Realism of the -Taisesii:a, the Materialism and heretic atheism of the Hastiiffi schools and lastly also those of the religious philosophies of sectarian theism,e.g., the Pancaratria, Tasudeva-Zrsna Cult or Yaisnavism, • • • . • Rudra-siva cult or pasupata and the Durga-cult or Sakta gystem. Oainly due to their being of m4nor ( iv ) Importance la the Mahabharata or of religious (diarac- ter in some cases, they have beon treated here in one Chapter, though in their contents and outlook they are wi(ie3y at variance. The difference is, how- ever, marked out in the Chapter by placing these con- cepts under different and detached secirtons. (Chapter IX) It must also he remarked that in the epic we cannot hope to find ai^ ^stematic and thorough enun- ciation of these philosophical concepts, a job to be executed by the schools of the so-called classical philosophy. Host of the schools have been definitely rreferred to, yet the period of the epic is that of the making of philosophy and not of settled dogmas. And hence I have occupied n^rself with philoso|>hical concepts, t^idh are characteristic of one or the other school of Indian philosophy• For the most part, mine is a comparative stu^ of different stages in the evolution of Indian Jhilosoj^ with respect to these concepts and with emphasis on the Mahabharata, • But a work on the philosophical concepts in the Mahabharata must needs be useful for the man of the present and it is the ethical side of philosophy ( viii ) that has incsaaant apfeal for men of all ages* I wl^ to eiaphaaize the prominent |lace of ethics in the llahabharata* A definite and sound attitude towards life, tovm3:;ds man and the creatures of the world is an integral part of the living philosophy and religion* fhe scope of ethics and religion is veiy extensiTe as it comprehends eveiy aspect and relation of human life. An elaborate treatment of Bthics and iielgion of the Mahabharata might well assme the shape of a irolminous t'fceatise in itself • I thereSore examine only certain aspects of ethics and religion tix>m the point of view of philosophy* (^Chapter X )* This work is far from being exhaustive ,inasmudi as it aims at dealing with thei important and striking concepts of Indian philosophy and does not claim to have dealt with each and eveiy utterance of philoso- phical sentiment in the epic, « t do not find words to express lay deep sense of gratitude to s^ supervisor Br. Suiyakanta, P3rof. and Head of the Dept. of Sanskrit, Aligaih uuslim University. It is the fostez^ing care and filial ( Vi ) affection bestowed by him on me^and still aore b^ his wife Bespected Mrs. Suldiada that have ena- bled me to complete this work, fo iqy revered teacher, Br^ G.B.Akincana, I owe sany «bad debts' of obliga- tion. He has kindly initiated me in the serious yet pleasant task of resear<^ and has affectionately shaped E^r career treating me like his own child. Dr, (Mrs») Chandra Kanta ^i, Head of the Bept* of Ssaakrit in my old alma matert Raghunath Girls' College, l!eerut, has obliged me by her valuable counsels in the moments of conflict and aareo. I sincerely record uy gratefulness to her. lastly, 1 am thankful to the authorities of the Aligaih Muslim tJniversity and the University Grants Commission for awarding me a Eesearch scholarsiiip and the Junior Fellowship resepectively and also for so maijy facilities generously provided by then* (Km* savita Siaraa) fMSimmflOH ©le following are noteworthy t ^ r % A n ^ s ^ s • * « A (Aausvara) ' (Visarga) ABBESVItflOHS HV = Bi-Teda. B 3S1 .Up * = Ba liiad a ram• r aica-Upani• s ad, dbh, = iiahabha rata» ( vii ) COHfBWfS PR3PAC1 ... page i fRAHSMIPBRATION AHD ABBRBVIATIOITS ... vii CHAPITBH I 8 IIDIAS HIIIOSOPH? ASD THB IIAHI&HAHATA pp. 1 - 55 philosophy 9 Its Heoessity and lleaning 5 Indian philosophy and its Peculiar features 7 •Kie philosophical saclsground of the tlaiiabharata ... ... 15 philosophy in the iSahabharata ».. 52 CRAPfBR II ! mn tmHOTARAf A AlTD IfS SimimOMCB ... 60 1?he Bxtent and Auldaorship ... 36 fhe Great Bharata War ... 39 The Bate of the Mahabharata 4.I fhe Slgaifioanoe of the Hahabharata 45 Cultural Importance 48; Literaiy impoj?- tance 49$ Religious 49} Sthical 52; Philosophical Significance 54 ) (viii) ( ix ) CHAPTSH Ill's THB IfSMHTSICS OF THE SAHKHYA pp. 61- 102 Prakrti, purusa aad the Absolute 82 fhe Dhree Gunas ,,, 89 fhe fheoiy of Causation or Satkajyava^da 92 Bvolution and the Categories 93 fhd Dissolution or pralaya 100 CHAPT3R IV' 8 1?HE SPIRlftTAIi DISCrPlITTS OF TOGA pp» 105 - 156 BQ^sg-oga ona its Bight Steps 109 Yama 110 loEbrfcilling or Ahimsa nOj "iimthfulfless or Satya 116} Goliba<gr or Brahmacaxya 122 IJon-stealing or a-ateya 125? ContinencQ, A-parigraha or aon-receivins ^'26) Hiyazaa 128 Cleanliness 129$ Contentment 130 fapae 131? Bedication to God 136 AsajEta 139 Prai^ama 139 pratyaiiiTra 141 Dharana •.• 143 Dhyaiia 144 Saraa^i 145 CHx\P1!SR 7 $ mm Vkm OF ACTI0H,l>3?0fI01J A!TD KIIOWLBDGB pp.157- 199 Karma-yoga or the Diecipline of Selfless Action »*• 138 Bhakti-yoga or the path of Devotion 176 Jnaha-yoga or the pgth of Knowledge 186 Intei>-relation of Jnaaa, Bhalsti and Karma 194 Yoga and the Doctrine of saiakfaya 197 GHATfBE 71 t TEE QUEST FOR THB ABSOnTPS pp^ 200-228 TJpanisadic doctrine of the Absolute ... 207 Absolutism of the TManta ... 211 Brahman in the Mahabharata 213 Bhagavadgita aM the Sodhead . •. 222 CHAPTER VII : M^A'AWD TH3 IllBIVIDTJAIi SOUL pp.229- 255 The Doctrine of l^a in fedanta 229 In theUpanisads 255; in the <5ita 237j In other portions of the.!lbh.240 Individual Soul, Atman and Jiva 244 The Doctrine of Soul in the Upanisads p. 244$ in the Gita'248} in the I!bh252. CHAPTSE VIII s TSE mMAMSA RITUALISf! AlID TH3 THlSORf OF KARMA pp. 256 - 286 iSiaHaa,according to the Himaasa 258 The Veda and the Sacrifices •.. 265 The Theory of Karma 276 In the trpanisada 279; in the Gita 280; In the Mbh. 285. CHAPTER I INDIAN PHILOSOPHY AND THE MAHABHAKATA CHAPTER I^TDIAn P!IIJi)r,OPHY AlTD THl IIAHABIIARATA Han io nature•s supremo creation,eiK3o\7ed v/ith great qualitios of head and heart not to be witnooscd in anj other living being and this is indeed the real beauty of this v/orld.^ l^an has been the main object of evolution since the veiy beginning of an inhabitable \7orld, as Dr.^roon reckons in his recent i7ork con- taining the latest resoarcho® in anthropology, human being has been undergoing this ceaseless process of evolution for pei±iaps 1500 nillion years. 2 1» llahabharata, Santiparva, Chapler 299, verse 20: 2. rahadeva Desai, Tie Gospel of Selfless Action, p.257 .