The proofs of MAHABHARATA
Did Mahabharata really happen? Is Mahabharata Real?
Hello Guys, This is Yashprit back with a new topic…Yes today we will know about the proofs of Mahabharata. So, without any delay Let's start our today's topic only on Mysteries and facts [DARK HORSE].
You are reading the most detailed analysis on the historicity of Mahabharata
Mahabharata has a deep association with Hinduism and an enormous influence on modern Hindus and their cultural traditions. Many in India consider Mahabharata as real history and they quote events from the epic as true accounts of history. It has always been a topic of debate if the great epic of Mahabharata can be considered a historical account.
If you ever attempt to find if Mahabharata narrates real accounts of ancient Indian history, you will most likely get one side of the opinion and not the actual facts. People of faith would say that it is indeed real and there is not a shred of doubt that it is indeed our Indian history.
Surprisingly yet, most even come up with a list of points to show that Mahabharata happened for real. This includes a large number of websites, some even with reputation. Furthermore, they claim they have real proof of Mahabharata and its historicity but they severely lack historical evidence and are not free from bias.
On the other hand, people of the scientific community and skeptics out-rightly reject it as history and call it mythology. But they do not address the fact why mythology has such a profound impact on modern Hindu Society.
Hoysaleswara Temple 12th century depiction of Mahabharata battle
Surprisingly the evidence-based exploration of Indian History based on archaeological and scientific evidence available to date — has a clear verdict.
However, one has to consider both sides of the argument and examine every piece of evidence available to us to see where they stand the test of the modern scientific evidence-based approach.
How can the collective memory of so many diverse cultures be wrong? Mythology is normally believed by one or two cultures. Not so many as in the case of Mahabharata.
Bhagvat Geeta and its Significance in Mahabharata
Artist depiction of Krishna narrating Bhagvat Geeta to Arjun
Bhagvat Geeta which is one of the most well-known and important holy books in Hinduism is a part of Mahabharata.
Bhagvat Geeta is said to be a documented narrative of god Krishna to Arjun to fulfill his moral obligation and fight in the war of Kurukshetra. It always further raises the question that if Mahabharata is not real then who wrote Geeta and what was the purpose?
We have tried to answer some of the questions by first analyzing what are the available pieces of evidence that suggest Mahabharata is real. I would rather call them arguments for claiming that Mahabharata is a true account of history.
I must acknowledge that some of them present strong reasoning and not mere faith-based arguments.
Let us now examine them. Let us observe the ‘Scientific proof of Mahabharata’
Facts proposed by those who support Mahabharata happened for real
DPS Bali Indonesia Kuta. Statue of Arjuna, Krishna, and Bima, the introductory scene of Bhagavad Gita
1. Records of Bharat dynasties and real historical lineage
Bharat childhood image artist depiction
It is mentioned in Aadiparva, the book of the beginning, which is the first of eighteen books of the Mahabharata (chapter 62) about the records of the Bharat-Dynasty (interestingly the name of India ‘Bharat’ has the origin from it), and its lineage are chronologically recorded.
More than 50 kings and their dynasties starting from king Manu have been mentioned in detail. It seems unusual for a fictional tale to use so many kings and their lineage when just 5-6 kings would be enough for any functional construct.
2. It is written as Itihas (History)
Cenotaph of Sage Vyas who wrote Mahabharata
In Mahabharata, the author clearly claims that it is an “Itihas’ (Sanskrit word for History). The words “Puraan” and “Itihas” were explicitly coined by the ancient people to categorize the “ancient” and “recent” events. Both the words denote history that has occurred at different times.
Proponents of those who support the Mahabharata and Kurukshetra war are historical events claim that If the intention of the writer was to write a poem or a work of fiction, he would have stated it to be a “Mahakavya” (epic) or “Katha” (story) which was a tradition at that time.
3. Description of the modern world in ancient times
A depiction of God Krishna
If you get a chance to read the description of Kaliyuga as mentioned in Mahabharata. Whatever Krishna predicted about future civilization in Kalyug (Modern Times) came true, but please note that these were not prophecies but are part of Geeta.
And remember – this was written thousands of years ago! Fiction? many say that it’s likely because there are way too many corroborations and tallying circumstances for it to be fiction.
4. Archaeological evidence of the lost city of Dwarka
Image circulated as Dwarka Submerged city
Marine archaeology while exploring the ancient submerged city of Dwaraka in Gujarat, uncovered further evidence in support of statements in the Vedic scriptures.
An entire submerged city at Dwaraka, the ancient port city of Lord Krishna with its massive fort walls, piers, wharves and jetty has been found in the ocean as described in the Mahabharata and other Vedic literature.
Please note that these are claims made by those who support Mahabharata narrates real historical event.
5. Real places mentioned in Mahabharata and archaeological evidence
Hatinapur-The capital of Mahabharata kingdom
More than thirty-five sites in North India have yielded archaeological evidence and have been identified as ancient cities described in the Mahabharata.
Copper utensils, iron, seals, gold & silver ornaments, terracotta discs, and painted grey ware pottery have all been found in these sites. Scientific dating of these artifacts corresponds to the non-Aryan-invasion model of Indian antiquity.
All places mentioned in Mahabharata are real places, all are identified and still exist with the same name. For instance, Hastinapur is in UP with multiple pieces of evidence of Mahabharata in Hastinapur.
Indraprastha is present-day Delhi. Dwarka is located on the Gujarat coast. Kurukshetra where the war actually happened is in present-day Haryana very near to Delhi.
Interestingly this is not limited to only India. The Kekaya kingdom is located in today’s Pakistan, the Madra Kingdom is located in today’s Pakistan. The Gandhara Kingdom is located in today’s Afghanistan. The Kambojas Kingdom is located in today’s Iran. The Parama Kamboja Kingdom is located in today’s Tajikistan.
Recently researchers have found the city of Dwarka under the sea in the said place. Mahabharata cities are not limited to present-day India because Mahabharata referred to the Indian subcontinent as Bharat.
6. Progression from Ramayana
Mahabharata is a continuation from Ramayana
Mahabharata is a continuation of the dynasties from Ramayana and it has a well-established coherence in the chain of events. Even the relations between different kings and their dynasties in both the great “epics” match with each other.
If both were mere “epics” written by two entirely different persons, at two different points in times, why would everything match even minute details? Mahabharata occurs thousand of years after Ramayana. What is the need for the author of the Mahabharata to borrow the same ideas and characters as those of the author of Ramayana?
7. Astronomical references
Mahabharata is a continuation from Ramayana
The Udyoga Parva of Mahabharata narrates that, just before the War, Lord Krishna went to Hastinapur in the month of Kartika on the day when the moon was at the asterism Revati.
On His way to Hastinapur, Krishna took rest for a day at a place called Brikasthala, and on that day the moon was at the asterism Bharani. The day on which Duryodhana turned down all the efforts of Krishna and made the war inevitable, the moon was resting at the asterism Pushya.
8. The myth of Aryan invasion theory
Does the Aryan Theory Have Any Basis and Did Aryan Immigration in India Truly Happen
European scholars brought the nomadic Aryan tribes, into India after 1500 BC. How could these Aryans create the Sanskrit language, gain so much knowledge and write all these texts before 700 BC?
Great Indian thinkers including Lokmanya Tilak, Sri Aurobindo, and Dayanand Sarasvati rejected the European theory.
9. Historical references that are true
Maurya, Gupta, and Indo-Greek dynasties are also recorded in our Purana. These dynasties are accepted only because they are also recorded by Greek historians.
What about the dynasties that existed before the Greek historians?
10. Famous Oppenheimer quote
Oppenheimer great physicist mentions Hindu Epic
The architect of the modern atomic bomb who was in charge of the Manhattan Project was asked by a student after the Manhattan explosion, “How do you feel after having exploded the first atomic bomb on earth”.
Oppenheimer’s reply to the question was, “not the first atomic bomb, but a first atomic bomb in modern times”. He strongly believed that nukes were used in ancient India.
As he witnessed the first detonation of a nuclear weapon on July 16, 1945, a piece of Hindu scripture ran through the mind of Robert Oppenheimer: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”. It is, perhaps, the most well-known line from the Bhagavad-Gita, but also the most misunderstood.
11. Flying vehicles and nuclear war
Brahmastra is compared with modern nuclear weapons
The Indian Epics, especially the MAHABHARATA, pick up the thread of the tale of devastation and destruction. Sanskrit scholars could not understand what was being described in the Epics until the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Japan happened. The effects of radiation poisoning also became clear.
Now, these details have been provided with details in Mahabharata. Details provided in Mahabharata can be roughly translated in English below:
Flying a swift and powerful Vimana (Aircraft) hurled a single projectile Charged with all the power of the Universe. An incandescent column of smoke and flame as bright as ten thousand Suns rose in all its was an unknown weapon, an iron thunderbolt, a gigantic messenger of death, Which reduced to ashes.
The Entire race of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas….the corpses were so burned as to be unrecognizable. Their hair and nails fell out, pottery broke without apparent cause and the birds turned white. After a few hours, all foodstuffs were infected. To escape from this fire, the soldiers threw themselves in streams to wash themselves and their equipment
12. Real places with evidence that correlates with Mahabharata
Chariot and the horses melting the rock
One of the good examples is a place, a few kilometers from Gwalior, Morena (M.P.), India, where the mother of Pandavas the heroes of Mahabharata, Kunti invoked the Mantra given by Maharishi Durvasa and summoned Surya Bhagwan (Sun God) who appeared on a seven horsed chariot.
The dazzling heat of the chariot and the horses melted the rock, leaving imprints on the rock. A picture showing the same.
13. The enormity of details provided
Mahabharata has enormous details more than what ancient people can manage
The Mahabharata is the longest known epic poem and has been described as “the longest poem ever written”. Its longest version consists of over 100,000 shlokas or over 200,000 individual verse lines (each shloka is a couplet), and long prose passages. About 1.8 million words in total, the Mahabharata is roughly ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined. (Source: Wikipedia)
In today’s world of smartphones and computers, it may seem easy to maintain coherence with a large amount of data. Consider this in ancient times, where there was no Ctrl+F to search through the enormous documents, maintain consistency and infer stories and cite references.
14. Physics and advanced science in Mahabharata
God Krishna showing his divine appearance-Did Mahabharata really happen
Proponents of Mahabharata narrates a historical event also claimed that whether it’s that time travel, quantum mechanics, or gravity all find some mention in Mahabharata. Some prominent political figures in India even claimed that test-tube babies originated during those times.
Further, one of the very first-time travel stories recorded in history appears in the Mahabharata. The story follows a king, his daughter, and their search for a perfect suitor.
Revati was the only daughter of King Kakudmi, a powerful monarch who ruled Kusasthali, a prosperous and advanced kingdom under the sea.
Thinking no one could prove to be good enough to marry his beautiful daughter, Kakudmi took Revati with him to Brahmaloka, the home of Brahma, to ask god’s advice about finding a suitable husband for her.
Brahma was listening to a musical performance when they arrived, and so they waited patiently until the performance was finished. Finally, King Kakudmi humbly bowed and made his request:
“O Brahmâ! To whom shall I betroth this daughter? I have come to you to ask on this point I have searched for many princes and seen also a good many of them and none of them is to my liking and so my mind is not at rest.”
Brahma laughed at the foolishness of the King.
“O, King! The princes that you thought would become the bridegroom of your daughter, all died; their sons and grandsons and their friends even have all passed away.”
Time, as God Brahma goes on to explain, runs differently on different planes of existence. During the time they had waited in Brahmaloka to see him, 27 Chatur-Yugas, had passed on Earth.
Everything that Kakudmi had and owned, his friends and family, his sons and wife, his armies and treasures, had vanished with the time that had passed.
The King and his daughter were overcome with astonishment and grief for everything they had lost, but Brahma comforted them and recommended a worthy husband currently on earth: Balarama, the twin brother of Krishna.
15. Radioactivity
Radioactivity finds a similar mention in Mahabharata
There are many claims of radioactivity like in Jodhpur which is at least 710 Km distant from the war of Kurukshetra. Radioactivity has been quoted as one of the scientific arguments presenting evidence at different places in India including giant unexplained crater near Bombay.
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