Studies in the Mahabharata. Wilfried Huchzermeyer
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Название: Studies in the Mahabharata

Автор: Wilfried Huchzermeyer

Издательство: Автор

Жанр: Языкознание

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isbn: 9783931172442

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СКАЧАТЬ 3.44.20

      See Vanaparvan, Chapters 45-46.

      CWSA Vol. 1, Collected Poems, 311

      Ibid., 312-13

      There is a scene in the Āśvamedhika Parvan (Chapters 78-82) where Citrāṅgadā much later meets Arjuna once more, along with her son Babhruvāhana and Ulūpī.

      Kṛṣṇa’s father Vasudeva was the brother of Arjuna’s mother Kuntī.

      Mbhr. 211.22-23

      Mbhr. 1.213.20

      Mbhr. 3.79.12-13

      2.

      Śrī Kṛṣṇa – The Ritual of Departure

      From the viewpoint of most Indian readers, Kṛṣṇa is regarded as a great personality of key importance in the Mahābhārata, but he is judged differently by some critical scholars in the West. In fact, the tricks employed by Kṛṣṇa in the Great War induced the German scholar Adolf Holtzmann (Sr.) in the 19th century to believe and propagate that the Pāṇḍavas were originally the bad people and the Kauravas the good ones. This ‘inversion theory’ which was further elaborated upon by A. Holtzmann (Jr.) has fallen into discredit since long, but it is remarkable that it could ever have come about at all.

      It was the Indian scholar Sukthankar who defended the Indian position on the scholarly level. In his book On the Meaning of the Mahābhārata he writes:

      We believe that Sukthankar’s observations are correct, at least with reference to the first five Books of the epic which we have scrutinized closely in this respect.

      Several of the following chapters will deal with the personality of Kṛṣṇa and describe his specific role in various situations and circumstances. In this present chapter his role as close and beloved friend of the Pāṇḍavas will be analyzed. We will do this by means of a verse-by-verse interpretation of the second adhyāya of the Sabhāparvan which describes in beautiful poetry Kṛṣṇa’s departure after a long stay with the Pāṇḍavas. It gives deep insight into some special features of Indian culture, some highlights of the ancient tradition. However, before we turn to this scene, we will offer a very brief survey of Kṛṣṇa in the Ādiparvan.

      Another early verse illustrates the relationship between Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍavas through the image of a tree:

      When the marriage of Draupadī with the five Pāṇḍavas was performed, Kṛṣṇa is reported to have sent many precious gifts. Meanwhile the Kauravas grew aware of the new constellation of forces and recognized that the Pāṇḍavas were now backed by Drupada and Kṛṣṇa. Karṇa therefore proposes a surprise attack on the Pāṇḍavas before they would become too powerful to be defeated. Kṛṣṇa’s potential role as a reliable supporter of the Pāṇḍavas, prepared to make any sacrifice for bringing them back to power, is clearly perceived by him.

      Another important scene with Kṛṣṇa is the abduction of Subhadrā, in which he had a leading hand (see previous chapter). The Ādiparvan ends with the burning of the Khāṇḍava forest in the course of which Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna kill numberless innocent creatures in a terrible feast of destruction at the behest of Agni. The meaning of this episode eludes us entirely, it does not appear to be genuine; probably it was added later by some author with an unknown intention, or else we are simply not able any more today to understand its significance. Only seven creatures survived the fire, among them the asura Maya who then becomes the link to the next Book, the Sabhāparvan.

      Maya is the chief architect of the Dānavas, a powerful and efficient master builder who offers his services to Arjuna now for having been protected by him from the fire as well as from Kṛṣṇa’s discus. But Arjuna refers the asura to Kṛṣṇa who suggests that Maya should build a big Assembly Hall for Yudhiṣṭhira, and the asura gladly accepts this proposal. Soon after this scene Kṛṣṇa gets ready for his departure from the Pāṇḍavas, and it is this particular scene which is of special interest in this chapter.