- Passage 1
Why kinfolk quarrelled
This is an excerpt from the Adi Parvan (literally, the first section) of the Sanskrit Mahabharata, describing why conflicts arose amongst the Kauravas and Pandavas:
The Kauravas was the … sons of Dhritarashtra, and the Pandavas … were their cousins. Since Dhritarashtra was blind, his younger brother Pandu ascended the throne of Hastinapura (see Map 1) … However, after the premature death of Pandu, Dhritarashtra became king, as the royal princes were still very young. As the princes grew up together, the citizens of Hastinapura began to express their preference for the Pandavas, for they were more capable and virtuous than the Kauravas. This made Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, jealous. He approached his father and said, “You yourself did not receive the throne, although it fell to you, because of your defect. If the Pandava receives the patrimony from Pandu, his son will surely inherit it in turn, and so will his son, and his. We ourselves with our sons shall be excluded from the royal succession and become of slight regard in the eyes of the world, lord of the earth!”
Passages such as these may not have been literally true, but they give us an idea about what those who wrote the text thought. Sometimes, as in this case, they contain conflicting ideas.
Questions / Answer:
Question 1: Who were the Kauravas and the Pandavas, and what was their relationship?
Answer: The Kauravas were the sons of Dhritarashtra, and the Pandavas were their cousins. Dhritarashtra was the father of the Kauravas, and Pandu, his younger brother, was the father of the Pandavas.
Question 2: Why did Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, become jealous of the Pandavas?
Answer: Duryodhana became jealous of the Pandavas because the citizens of Hastinapura expressed a preference for them, considering them more capable and virtuous than the Kauravas.
Question 3: What argument did Duryodhana present to his father Dhritarashtra to express his concerns?
Answer: Duryodhana argued that if the Pandava received the patrimony from Pandu, his son would inherit it in turn, leading to a continued succession. He expressed concern that he and his sons would be excluded from the royal succession and become of slight regard in the eyes of the world.
Question 4: Why did Dhritarashtra become king after the premature death of Pandu?
Answer: After the premature death of Pandu, Dhritarashtra became king because the royal princes (including the Kauravas and Pandavas) were still very young.
Question 5: According to the passage, what insight does the author provide about passages like these in the Mahabharata?
Answer: The passage suggests that passages like these may not have been literally true but were written to convey the ideas and perspectives of the authors. It acknowledges that such passages may contain conflicting ideas and are meant to give readers an idea about the thoughts of the writers.
- Passage 2
Eight forms of marriage
Here are the first, fourth, fifth and sixth forms of marriage from the Manusmriti:
First: The gift of a daughter, after dressing her in costly clothes and honoring her with presents of jewels, to a man learned in the Veda whom the father himself invites.
Fourth: The gift of a daughter by the father after he has addressed the couple with the text, “May both of you perform your duties together”, and has shown honour to the bridegroom.
Fifth: When the bridegroom receives a maiden, after having given as much wealth as he can afford to the kinsmen and to the bride herself, according to his own will.
Sixth: The voluntary union of a maiden and her lover … which springs from desire …
Questions / Answer:
Question 1: What is the first form of marriage described in the Manusmriti, and how is it initiated?
Answer: The first form of marriage involves the gift of a daughter, dressed in costly clothes and honored with presents of jewels, to a man learned in the Veda. The father himself invites the eligible man for this marriage.
Question 2: How is the fourth form of marriage conducted, and what does the father do to initiate it?
Answer: In the fourth form of marriage, the father gives away his daughter after addressing the couple with the text “May both of you perform your duties together” and showing honor to the bridegroom.
Question 3: Describe the fifth form of marriage according to the Manusmriti.
Answer: In the fifth form of marriage, the bridegroom receives a maiden after giving as much wealth as he can afford to the kinsmen and the bride herself, according to his own will.
Question 4: What characterizes the sixth form of marriage, and how does it come about?
Answer: The sixth form of marriage involves the voluntary union of a maiden and her lover, which springs from desire.
Question 5: What common element can be observed in the initiation of the first, fourth, and fifth forms of marriage?
Answer: The common element is the act of giving a daughter in marriage, either through the father’s invitation, addressing the couple with specific texts, or through the bridegroom giving wealth to the kinsmen and the bride.
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