The 3 Great Truths of the Mahabharata

In one of Swami's early visits to Venkatagiri in Andhra Pradesh, Swami Sathya Sai Baba gave a wonderful Discourse on the great Truths of the Mahabarata, The Divine Discourse is wonderful, following are some excerpts :

" If the Puranas are described as constituting an Upanga of the Vedas, the itihasas(the epics) are so highly thought of as to be placed on an equal footing with the Vedas. The Mahabharata is indeed called the fifth Veda ("pancamo Vedah").

The Mahabarata teaching everyone three great truths that are

1 ) Devotion

Bhakti of Arjuna to Lord Krishna, Arjuna never ever even once went against anything that Sri Krishna ever told him or commanded him, his was the great form of Devotion, many many times During the Mahabarata war on the battlefield, when the war was in full swing, Krishna would suddenly take his chariot away and go far away, Arjuna never questioned Krishna even once,that is why Krishna told all the great truths in the form of Bhagawad Gita to Arjuna only.

In the history of the world, the greatest Form of Devotion is seen in Arjuna, Krishna was everything for Arjuna, that is why Arjuna lost all his warrior skills when Krishna went back to Vaikunta. Krishna gave Sudama Riches, gave Yashoda his Love, showed many many people his greatness, but gave himself to Arjuna, That is why Swami says when you have great devotion and love for the Lord, He Gives himself to you, He becomes you. You become Him.


2) Dharma

The Second Great Truth of the Mahabarata is Dharma.

Dharmaraja, Yudhistira,Dharmateja was the centre of everything that was Dharma in this world, He never ever Wavered from the path of Dharma, the Pandavas suffered humiliations like no others in their lives, but Dharmaraja never wavered from the path of Righteousness, His is the greatest example of what a righteous man should be, he is the great example of Truth and truthfulness, everyone should follow his ideals.





3) Sacrifice

The Third Most Wonderful Truth of the Mahabarata is Sacrifice -

Thousands of kings and princes, hearing of Drona's skill, came to Hastinapur with the purpose of learning from him. Among them was Ekalavya, son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas.Drona, prudent in dharma, refused to accept a Nishada as his pupil. But Ekalavya bent his head at Drona's feet and went to a forest where he made a clay statue of Drona.Worshipping the statue as his acharya, Ekalavya started practicing the use of weapons before it without fail, every day.

Dronacharya's main ambition was to make Arjuna the greatest archer of all times, he gave special training to Arjuna, showed great interest in him, one day during an expedition in the forest, the leading dog in the hunting pack was missing, they found it with its mouth open and seven arrows in it, everyone was dumb struck, who was the great archer who did this, Dhrona himself had never seen anything like this before.

Suddenly a Nishada appreared and Dhrona knew that he was not an ordinary man but someone driven with a strong will to suceed, The Young Boy led him to a statue in the clearing in the Forest and everyone was shocked to see Dhronacharya's Statue there, Dhronacharya understood everything , He also understood that while this boy was alive, Arjuna could never become the greatest archer, so as a Guru Dakshina he asked for the Thumb of the Right hand of Ekalavya, It was given to him without Ekalavya even Blinking his eyes.


Do any of you hear Ekalavya's name again in the Mahabarata ?, But his greatest Sacrifice is known even today, Ekalavya knew that Dronacharya was asking him the Dakshina because he never wanted him to shoot an arrow,all his years of Lonely practise would be nothing, But He sacrificed everything for His Master. He sacrificed whatever he had to Dhronacharya. This is Supreme sacrifice, Everyone's sacrificing something in the Mahabarata had some selfish Motive, Ekalavya's was totally unselfish that is why we remember him till this very day.


With love and passion,
Amreish Siman