The Great Mahabharata After-Dinner Talk: Making the Bharata Great

The "greatness" of the Mahabharata, its mahatlmaha quality, refers primarily to its intended dynamism as a powerful engine generating the spread of Brahminic teaching throughout the world, casting "heathen" (nastika) teachings and their patrons into shadow for all time. The Brahm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of the American Oriental Society Vol. 143; no. 3; pp. 491 - 497
Main Author Fitzgerald, James L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ann Arbor American Oriental Society 01.07.2023
Subjects
Brahmans
Criticism and interpretation
Epic poetry
Food
Forgiveness
Ideology
Meals
Monopolies
Patrons
Portrayals
Power
Teaching
Violence
India
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Summary:The "greatness" of the Mahabharata, its mahatlmaha quality, refers primarily to its intended dynamism as a powerful engine generating the spread of Brahminic teaching throughout the world, casting "heathen" (nastika) teachings and their patrons into shadow for all time. The Brahmin authors worked to accomplish this end in two main ways. First, they devised a tremendously engaging tale that depicted the decisive victory of a king (Yudhisthira Pandava) who accepted Brahmin claims to deserve monopoly-control over teaching the norms of society. Second, they made this tale an extensive magisterium of Brahmin ideology and philosophy, affording to all in society, women and sudras as well as Aryan men, encouragement to seek the forgiveness of past wrongs at tirthas and access to the teachings of moksa without Vedic initiation.
ISSN:0003-0279
2169-2289
DOI:10.7817/jaos.143.3.2023.ar018