The Ritual of Battle: Krishna in the MahābhārataThis book is a study of India's great epic, the Mahābhārata, against the background of Indo-European myth, epic, and ritual. It builds upon the pioneering studies in these areas by Georges Dumezil and Stig Wikander to work toward the goal of understanding how this epic's Indo-European heritage is interpreted and reshaped within the setting of bhakti or devotional Hinduism. The book begins with a comparative typology of traditional classical epics, arguing that epic is a distinctive mythical genre, and that the Mahābhārata in particular should be studied as part of an Indo-European epic and (and not just mythical) continuum. The reshaping of Indo-European themes is then examined in relation to the Mahābhārata's central mystery: the figure of Krishna, hero and ally of the Panbrothers in their struggles against their cousins, the Kauravas, and incarnation of Vis. The study argues that Krishna figures in the epic at the center of a coherent theological ensemble that builds upon continuities in Indo-European, Vedic, and particularly Brahmanic sacrificial idioms. Ultimately, Krishna guides the forces of dharma or righteousness through a great "sacrifice of battle" whose eschatological background recalls Indo-European and Vedic themes, while projecting them into the Hindu bhakti cosmology of universal dissolutions, recreations, and divine grace. The study vigorously opposes attempts to "explain" Krishna by arbitrary theories of the Mahābhārata's growth through interpolations. |
Contents
13 | |
23 | |
25 | |
Traditional Epics | 53 |
Variations on a Theme | 60 |
PART TWO BEFORE THE WAR 13 333 23 | 77 |
27 | 82 |
The Marriage of Draupadi | 83 |
The Royal Virtues | 192 |
Sins of the Sovereign | 229 |
The Deaths of the Four Marshals | 244 |
Absolutions | 289 |
PART FOUR THE END OF AN | 297 |
Epic Eschatology | 299 |
Renaissance | 336 |
Conclusions | 354 |
Krishnas Absence from the Dice Game and the Disrobing of Draupadi | 86 |
Interventions | 102 |
Two Theophanies Three Steps | 129 |
PART THREE WORLD SOVEREIGNTY | 141 |
Śrī and the Source of Sovereignty | 143 |
Genealogical Table | 361 |
362 | |
364 | |
365 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Abhimanyu Agni ancient Arjuna Asuras Aśvamedha Aśvatthāman Baldr battle Battle of Brávellir Bhisma Biardeau Brahmā Brāhmaṇa brahmin Bṛhaspati brothers Buitenen Chapter cited color concerning connection Dakṣayajña death Destiny dharma Dhṛtarāṣṭra dice game discussed divine Draupadi Drona Dumézil Duryodhana earth epic epic's episode eschatological figure five Indras Ganguli-Roy Gītā goddess gods Gonda heroes heroic age Hiltebeitel Ibid incarnation Indian Indo-European Indra Jaiswal Karna king kingship Krishna kṣatriya Kuru legend Mahābhārata matter Mitra myth mythic mythology Namuci Nārāyaṇa narrative Odinn Pandavas parallels passage poets pralaya Ragnarök Rājasūya Rāma ritual role royal virtues Ruben Rudra Śacī sacrifice Sahadeva Śalya satya Sauptikaparvan says scene sins Śiśupāla Śiva Śiva's slain slaying Soma sovereignty Śrī Śrī's story Svayamvara symbolism tejas tells theme theophany three Kṛṣṇas three worlds tion traditions trans translation trifunctional truth Vasudeva Veda Vedic Vişņu vows Vṛtra Vyāsa warriors weapons Wikander words Yakṣa yasas Yayāti Yudhisthira yuga