For Chettiar Group children

Prayer:
nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya naraṁ caiva narottamam devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ tato jayam udīrayet
Meaning:
Before reciting this Mahabharatham, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances
unto the Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, unto Nara-nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, the supermost human being, unto mother
Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, and unto Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the author.

vyAsam vasishta-naptAram Sakteh pautram akalmasham

parAsarAtmajam vande Suka-tAtam tapo-nidhim.
Vyasaya Vishnu Roopaya, Vyasa Roopaya Vishnave |
Namove Bhrama Nithaye, Vasishtaya Namo Namaha:||
Meaning:
vyAsa is the Great-Grandson of vasishta and the grandson of Sakti. He is the son of parAsara and the father of Suka. I offer
my obeisance to that vyAsa who is free from all defects and is a mine of austerities.
Salutation to Vyas who is in the form of Vishnu and Vishnu who is in the form of Vyas and one who is the treasure house of the
Vedas. Salutation to one who was born in the noble family of Vasishta. The honour of being equal to Vishnu belonged
to Maharushi Vyas.
நீ டாழி உலகத்து மறை நாலலாடு ஐந்து என்று நிறல நிை் கலே (Needali Ulgathu Marai Naalodu Ainthenru Nilai Nirkave
ோடாத தே ோய் றம முனி ராசன் மாபாரதம் சசான்ன நாள் (Vaadatha thava vaaimai Munirasan Maabaratham Sonna Naal
ஏடாக ேட லமரு சேை் பாக ேங் கூர் எழுத்தாணி தன்(Yedaga Vada Meru verpaga Angoor Yeluthani than)
லகாடாக எழுதும் பிராறனப் பணிந்து அன்பு கூர்ோம் அலரா. (Kodaga Eluthum piranai paninthu Anbu kurvamaro)
1.MAHABHARATHAM- NAME & USE
• Original Name “Jaya”
• Why – 18 number
• Jaya- represents 18
• Mahabharatham – 18 Parvas ,18 – Chapters Bagavat Gita, 18 days Yuddham
• Importance of Mahabaratham
1) Equal to 4 Vedas
2) You get the Punya of 100 Cows(with golden crown) offered as gift
3) Journey itself becomes a destination – Mahabaratham- Hero Veda Vyasar- He was praised by his father himself as against
the Sasthras which say father should not praise son.
Bharavi charithram
4) Essense of Mahabharatha- a) Bagvad Gita 2) Sahasara Nama 3) Vidura Needhi 4) Yaksha Prakshnam 5) Sanad Sujati
Dharme Cha Arthecha Kamecha Mokshecha Bharatarshabha
Yad Ihaasti Tad Anyatra Nehasti Na Tat Kvachit"
About Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha whatever
is there in this Mahabharata can be found elsewhere in
the world and whatever is not here cannot be found
anywhere in the world.
 2.ABOUT VYASA DEVA
• Once upon a time in the existence, there was a sage called Maharishi Parashara. He was the author of
the first ever Puran- The Vishnu Puran. Once he was travelling near the river Yamuna, he saw a young
lady who was from the family of fisherman and helped the travelers to cross the river in her wooden
boat

• The sage got attracted to the girl. He went towards the girl and asked her to take him across the river,
she paddled on. In the mid of the river, Parashara grabed her hand and told her about his feeling
and asked her to make love.

• Her name was Satyawati also known as Matsyagandha due the fishy smell that came out of her body.
Satyawati hesitated but after his repeated request she agreed for the same. However, she had some
conditions for the sage.

• The second condition – Satyawati asked that the fishy smell from her body should turn into fragrance
and her virginity shall be maintained even after this togetherness. The sage agreed and pronounced
the mantras to turn the fishy smell to a beautiful fragrance and gave the boon that her virginity shall
be maintained even after their relationship.

• Then she asked him to give her a boon that her child shall be knowledgeable and learned and a big
sage himself not a fisherman instead. The sage welcomed this condition too and said TATHASTU.

• The two then went on to make love on the foggy island. The sage then left the island. On the same day
Devi Satyavati gave birth to a boy who was later known as Veda Vyasa. He was dark so he got his
name Krishna and since he was born on an island (dwip), he was named Dvaipayana.

• So, these were the legends behind the birth of the great Maharishi Ved Vyasa. If he wouldn’t exist,
Mahabharat wouldn’t exist, and we wouldn’t know who were Pandavas, Kauravas, Guru Dronacharya
and Bhishma pitama!
3.WHEN AND HOW VYASADEVA STARTED
WRITING MAHABARATHA
• Once when Veda Vyasa was meditating in the Himalayas, the God of creation – Lord Brahma
appeared before him.

• Brahma asked Veda Vyasa to write the story of Mahabharatha. Brahma told Veda Vyasa that as he
had seen the entire story and knew all the characters intimately, he was the best person to write the
story.

• However Veda Vyasa was perturbed when he heard this. He knew that the Mahabharatha was a
very complex story. He could not compose and write such a huge story at the same time. He needed
somebody's help to write the story.

• Brahma asked Veda Vyasa to ask Lord Ganesha – the elephant headed God, for help.

• Veda Vyasa started meditating on Lord Ganesha. When Lord Ganesha appeared before him, Veda
Vyasa saluted Lord Ganesha and told him of the reason of his meditation.

• However Lord Ganesha was a very playful God. He came up with a mischievous idea.

• He knew that Vyasa was capable of composing the epic at a very fast pace. In order to test Vyasa,
he imposed a very novel condition. Once Veda Vyasa started narrating the epic, he would not stop.
If Veda Vyasa stopped the narration at any time, Ganesha would stop writing and walk away from
the whole project.

• Veda Vyasa knew that Lord Ganesha being the God of Knowledge would take down the narration
very fast. Though Veda Vyasa was confident that he could compose the epic at a very fast pace, he
doubted whether he could match the speed of Lord Ganesha. He wondered how he could meet up to
that condition, when he had a sudden idea.

• He smiled and asked a favour of Lord Ganesha. He said that Lord Ganesha was not to write
anything unless he understood the meaning of what was narrated to him.

• Lord Ganesha smiled and accepted the condition.

 4. MAHABHARATHA INTRODUCTION

• Vyasa’s Mahabharatham starts with Janamejeya who was the grandson of Abhimanyu
and the son of Parikshit. Janamejeya was one of the last rulers of the Pandava
dynasty.

• Process of creation:
• MahaVishnu [Narayana], lying on his snake bed contemplated upon creation. Brahma
emerged on a lotus from his navel. After going hither and thither, Brahma returned to
the lotus and heard the words ‘Ta’ and ‘Pa’ from the sky. He indulged in severe
penance and the super soul appeared before him and ordered him to create. Brahma
then created his sons Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanatkumara and Sanandana. They did not
have worldly desire , surrendered to Lord Narayana and attained Salvation as
infants. Brahma next created Rudra, who also did not contribute to creation. He
therefore created Svambumanu and his wife Satarupa from his left and right limbs. He
also caused appearance of his mind sons- Vasishta, Bhrigu, Pulaha, Pulastaya, Atri,
Marici, Angiras and Atharva. He also created Ruci, Kardama and Daksha Prajapatis.

• Swayambu Manu had two sons – Priyamvrata and Uttanapada and 3 daughters
Ahudhi, Prasuthi and Devahuti. Priyamvrata had son called Agnidhara. Uttanapada
had sons Uttama and famous Dhruva.

• Kasyapa was born to Kala and Marici. He and his wives gave rise to Devas, Asuras,
Animals, Birds, insects etc.
 5. AADHI PARVA- JANAMEJEYA
• Janamejeya son of Parikshit and grandson of Abhimanyu was performing a yaga in
Kurukshetra along with his brothers and a dog born to celestial bitch called Sarama,
strayed into sacrificial site. The brothers bullied the dog severely and the scared dog ran
to its mother Sarama and complained. She asked her son if he had committed any crime
for which he replied no and said he did not touch the food or even look at the sacrificial
offerings. An angry Sarama confronted Janamejaya and his brothers and asked them
the reason for troubling the innocent dog. As they had no answer she cursed Janamejaya
that evil will befall him when he least expects it.

• Janamejaya was worried and looked for Purohit to help atone his sin. He seeked Guru
Somasvara. Janamejaya enquired his ministers about Takhsaka and Kasyapa. Takshaka
killed his father and also prevented Kasyapa to rescue the king. His heart filled with
revenge and Utanka who already had a grudge against Takshaka fueled Janamejeya’s
anger. He asked his ministers to arrange for a snake sacrifice to exterminate all snankes.

• Takshaka fearing for his life took refuge of Indira. They sent snake Aspita to rescue and
he reached site and praised Janamejaya sky high and impresessed Janamejaya granted
him a boon and stopped the sacrifice upon his request.
Varaha Charana Sloka
sthite manasi suswasthe sareere sati yo narah /
dhaatu saamye sthite smartaa viswaroopam cha maam ahjam //
tatas thum mriyamaanam tu kaashta-paashaana sannibham /
aham smaraami mad bhaktam nayaami paramaam gatim //
Meaning:
If a person who while having mind and body in good shape with all the natural
elements in fine fettle, thinks of me as the birth less one, when such a person
reaches the time of death lying insentient like a log of wood or stone and
becomes unable to think, I will remember that person at that time and take him
to the highest state.
Rama Charana Sloka

Sakrud eva prapannaaya tavaasmeeti ca yaacate lAbhayam

sarva bhootebhyo dadaamyetad vratam ma-ma ll
To all those beings that fully seek My shelter and plead for My
mercy, and say I am yours, I shall certainly offer My protection
to all of them. This is My vow.

Krishna Charana Sloka

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I
shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.