Tag Archives: mahAbharata

Origins of the serpent cult and Bhāguri’s snake installation from the Sāmaveda tradition

Posted on December 27, 2022 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

Mathuran Nāga installations From the few centuries preceding it down to the first few centuries of the Common Era we see numerous installations of snake deities, i.e., Nāga-s, at various archaeological sites throughout northern India (most famously at the holy … Continue reading →

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Some words on “para-Rāmāyāṇa-s”-I

Posted on August 12, 2016 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

I use the hybrid Greek-Sanskrit word para-rāmāyāṇa for all rāma-kathā-s other than that of Vālmīki. These span a great diversity of literature going back to relatively early times in Indo-Aryan tradition. Lots of people have said a lot of things … Continue reading →

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upakathā of previous: śūlapuruṣa-catvārakam-2

Posted on April 29, 2015 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

upakathā of previous: śūlapuruṣa-catvārakam-1 It was a Saturday afternoon. The caturbhaginī-s had returned from their weekly visit to the museum library and were in a huddle at their home. Lootika was seated on the floor and was classifying and labeling … Continue reading →

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bhR^igu smR^iti

Posted on March 8, 2014 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

We provide below a translation of the proto-scientific section of bhR^igu smR^iti along with a comparative analysis vis-a-vis Miletian school of Greeks: Translation of the bhR^igu smR^iti 1-4 We are not entirely happy with this translation done sometime back: Despite … Continue reading →

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The successors of the kaunteya-s in the national memory of bhArata-s and bhoTa-s and related discursions

Posted on December 26, 2013 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

As per the mahAbharata, the great war on the kuru field came to a conclusion with the smashing of duryodhana’s thighs by bhIma. While balarAma wanted to kill bhIma for unfairly defeating the kuru prince in the gadAyuddha, kR^iShNa convinced … Continue reading →

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A brief note on prahlAda, hiraNyakashipu and an early nArasiMhAkhyAna

Posted on July 25, 2013 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

The daitya-s prahrAda/prahlAda and virochana are known in the veda itself. The killing of prahlAda and his clan by indra in a battle in the high heavens is alluded to in more than one post-RV vaidika text. This great battle … Continue reading →

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Vignettes of the wisdom of the kuru and the pa~nchAla

Posted on May 14, 2013 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

The defining element of our identity was the formation of the rAShTra by the kuru and the pa~nchAla, the foremost of the bhArata clans. It is the legacy of this rAShTra of the bhArata-s, rather than documents like the constitution … Continue reading →

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ghaTotkacha

Posted on May 5, 2013 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

In mahAbharata the fiercest fighting takes place on the 14th day and vyAsa excels himself in the description of this awe-inspiring conflict on the kuru field. After the killing of jayadratha by arjuna during the evening solar eclipse the rage … Continue reading →

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A brief note on the Spitzer manuscript and related issues

Posted on May 1, 2013 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

In his famed kAvya the buddhacharita, ashvagoSha states that when the tathAgata was about to renounce the world he had an “akShaya-dharma-jAta-rAgaH”, i.e., a “passion” of the indestructible dharma was born in him. When we encountered this term we realized … Continue reading →

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The lesson of arjuna

Posted on March 5, 2013 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

The third paNDava, as an impetuous warrior, the embodiment of the great indra on earth gave a powerful lesson to his brother yudhiShThira when urged by his wife yAj~nasenI. The pith of this lesson is truly one for the kali … Continue reading →

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Some considerations on Indian polity

Posted on November 13, 2011 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

Along with the failure to restore saMskR^ita, one of the congenital defects of modern India was its failure to reacquire its tradition of political thought. While such visions might have existed in the world of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio, they were … Continue reading →

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