It is amazing to see the influence of epics such as
Mahabharata on the Indian psyche and therefore in the beliefs and conduct of
the people of India. The best example is the respect for elders. It is such a
pleasure to see the younger ones consider it their duty to take care of the
elders. It is to show respect for their knowledge and to thank them for all
their sacrifice. This is lacking in many western cultures.
Two practical examples are 1. Treating elders with respect
and not addressing by their first name. Mahabharata has a passage on this topic in Book
13. 2. As a mark of respect, the habit of getting up when an
older person comes on the scene. Soon after I arrived in US many years back, I
was appalled when I found my colleagues sitting with their feet up on the table
with cigarette in their mouths and addressing teachers by their first name.
Even after 60 years in US, I cannot bring myself to calling my teachers by
their first name. Dr. Lewis Coriell was my teacher and was as close to me as my
father and my brother. I could never bring myself to addressing him by his
first name.
But then, people in India go to the other extreme of not
questioning wrong and false statements by elders purely out of respect. Elders
also demand respect just because of their age and demand obedience. It is
possible to respect elders without “obeying” every one of their commands and
dogmas. It is not a mark of disrespect when the younger ones ask questions. That is the way they learn.
It is not just what we do and ask. It is how we do (and ask) that makes a difference.
It is not just what we do and ask. It is how we do (and ask) that makes a difference.
Other statements we commonly make in our daily lives seem to
go back to the Mahabharata period. Some examples: “Whatever I say to you seems to be just carried away by the wind” (Vyasa speaking to Yudhistra when he keeps
persevering with his guilt trips).
“Your head will burst if you disobey” - a rishi talking with a king
“I will burn you to ashes”
“It is as clear as a gooseberry (amlaka in Sanskrit and nellikkani
in Tamizh) on the palm of the hand”
“When the proper time comes, it will happen”
Gift-giving (dana)
as a virtue is mentioned in several places in the Mahabharata. In Book 13,
towards the end there is a whole section on this topic. The two main points are
1. Give gifts according to your capacity. 2. The recipient should be worthy of
the gift.
There is also a classification of the motives for
gift-giving. Bhishma says that some give gifts with a desire for merit,
some with a desire for profit, some out of fear, some out of pity for the
recipient and some just because it is
the right thing to do in that context.
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