The earliest form of the Mahabharata is believed to have originated between the 5th and 6th centuries B.C.E., recited by sutas or charioteers who accompanied Kshatriya warriors into battle and composed songs in honor of their feats of heroism and bravery. These oral compositions were mostly narrative in form, and were later adopted by the Brahmins and put down into writing. This was around the time that the Panchala and Kuru dynasties came into power. The period between 200 B.C.E. and 200 C.E. was also the period when worship of Vishnu was gaining prominence, and Krishna was increasingly being associated with Vishnu. In the 200 years following large portions of didactic (or prescriptive) text were added to the text, increasing its length tenfold- …show more content…
Lal in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh revealed a city called Hastinapura, whose name and location coincided with the Kuru capital mentioned in the Mahabharata. Further excavation revealed a layout, building plans and materials similar to the ones described in the text. It is not yet definitively confirmed whether it is the original site mentioned in the story or if it was just modeled after the city in the story.
Message of the Mahabharata
The Mahabharata, the largest literary history, preaches the principles of Dharma which are unique and relevant at all times. It portrays both good and bad qualities and illustrates how people practicing virtues attain higher goals while people of vices succumb to weakness and eventually meet their downfall.
The epic was a response to an age of decline of tradition when society was falling into a crisis of diminishing values. Sage Vyasa, the alleged author, wanted to spread the message that man has a choice between two kinds of life, but it is a life of pursuit of light which leads to disorder and this violation is sooner or later bound to disrupt social harmony.
Therefore, the Mahabharata preaches elaborately the ethics which ensure social order and harmony. These ethics are universal and are being followed to this