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A Long Walk Through the Mahabharata

sealchan

Well-Known Member
I am going to be adding the Mahabharata to my already years long study of other (Christian) sacred literature. I have admired this work from a far for a long, long time. I watched a play version of the Mahabharata (about 5.5 hours long) and deeply enjoyed it over the years. Now I am on the 75th episode of B.R. Chopra's TV series and falling in love. I just finished the two and a half episode depiction of the Gita.

I am a Christian but i hope to make it very clear that I have absolutely no interest in trying to argue with anyone about exclusivity. I come not as a conqueror but as a devotee. As with my years long forum based study of Genesis and the gospel of Matthew, I hope to engage in educational discussions about this sacred text with others.

My perspective is one of comparative religion, comparative mythology, literary analysis, depth psychology and a love of story. I have some small experience with Zen and a deep appreciation for meditative and mystical approaches to spirituality and life.

This post is to introduce me and my intentions and to ask for anyone who might be interested (without commitment) to participate. I get moderate to sometimes little participation in my other threads so I do not expect too much.

Anyway I hope others who are familiar with this story and its teachings will join me and help me to learn and grow regarding this epic narrative and the spiritual practices and teachings that it references.

I am planning to post in this forum as I expect that my interests will be far ranging regarding interpretation and comparison to my own background.

Any and all comments are welcome.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
I'm thinking I might do these threads in the Scriptural Debates forum where I do my other threads (on Genesis and Matthew). That way participation will be more open.

I actually want atheists and everyone who enjoys scriptural interpretation to feel free to participate. My focus is on reading and understanding the story as the original authors might have intended.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
You are welcome Sealchan and I will certainly participate. Just leave Mathews and Lukes for some other forum.

So you would prefer I kept the discussion of the Mahabharata threads in this forum rather than have them in the Scriptural Debates forum?
 

sayak83

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I am going to be adding the Mahabharata to my already years long study of other (Christian) sacred literature. I have admired this work from a far for a long, long time. I watched a play version of the Mahabharata (about 5.5 hours long) and deeply enjoyed it over the years. Now I am on the 75th episode of B.R. Chopra's TV series and falling in love. I just finished the two and a half episode depiction of the Gita.

I am a Christian but i hope to make it very clear that I have absolutely no interest in trying to argue with anyone about exclusivity. I come not as a conqueror but as a devotee. As with my years long forum based study of Genesis and the gospel of Matthew, I hope to engage in educational discussions about this sacred text with others.

My perspective is one of comparative religion, comparative mythology, literary analysis, depth psychology and a love of story. I have some small experience with Zen and a deep appreciation for meditative and mystical approaches to spirituality and life.

This post is to introduce me and my intentions and to ask for anyone who might be interested (without commitment) to participate. I get moderate to sometimes little participation in my other threads so I do not expect too much.

Anyway I hope others who are familiar with this story and its teachings will join me and help me to learn and grow regarding this epic narrative and the spiritual practices and teachings that it references.

I am planning to post in this forum as I expect that my interests will be far ranging regarding interpretation and comparison to my own background.

Any and all comments are welcome.
People who do not subscribe to one of the Dharmic religions are not allowed to post anything other than questions here in the DIR. That's the forum rule. I believe interfaith discussion is a good place for your threads about Mahabharata. I will surely participate. :) Mahabharata is my favorite scripture/literature.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
Mahabharata surely suits (one of the) Dharmic religions. Why not, unless you desire otherwise.

I do the Bible threads in Scriptural Debates because I take a comparative approach to other mythic traditions oftentimes. I'm also not strictly wanting only Christians in those cases but also atheists or people from any background to participate. I want to get at the meaning of the text more than debate about what the "truth" is.

I'm not sure if it would keep anyone away who might have more knowledge of the Mahabharata to discuss it in a more open context.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
People who do not subscribe to one of the Dharmic religions are not allowed to post anything other than questions here in the DIR. That's the forum rule. I believe interfaith discussion is a good place for your threads about Mahabharata. I will surely participate. :) Mahabharata is my favorite scripture/literature.

Okay well my format might work here as I always post questions to discuss, but it might be better to go with Scriptural Debate then as I might be a bit more debate oriented than just asking questions. Maybe I will have some "pure" questions as well that I could post here.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
I want to get at the meaning of the text more than debate about what the "truth" is.
Mahabharata is an old pre-Aryan folk story (perhaps older than 2,000 BC), presented later in Sanskrit form. Of course, the original story was embellished in later times. Perhaps BhagawadGita also is a later addition to the story. Go ahead.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
Mahabharata surely suits (one of the) Dharmic religions. Why not, unless you desire otherwise.

I am almost ready to begin. I have decided to focus in as tight as sub-sections of sections of the books. For example the first subsection will be the first part of the Adi Parva, Section I which begins at the beginning and goes up to (but does not include) where Sauti begins to describe briefly the events at the beginning of creation.

I will be using the Ganguli English translation available in html and pdf from www.sacred-texts.com

I will be posting in Scriptural Debate as I want the discussion to be as general as possible. I'm hoping that I can focus the discussion and make it useful to beginners (which is what I am) as well as relate it to the Bible, not to compare value so much as to compare style and aspects of understanding the divine.

Truly this epic needs further exposure in the West not only for its great narrative structure and wealth of drama but also for its spiritual insight and its valuable alternative perspective to that of Western Abrahamic literature.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
You are welcome. Only that you should request the Mods to transfer the topic to Comparative Religion forum. It does not suit Dharmic Religions forum. You said "compare style and aspects of understanding the divine", that still is a comparison. Do it freely in Comparative Religion forum.
 
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