Recommended Movies
The Mahabharata – Peter Brook
Peter Brook’s original 1985 stage play “The Mahabharata” was 9 hours long and toured around the world for four years. In 1989, it was reduced to under 6 hours for television.
Mahabharata {[“maha” means “big” or “great” in most Indian languages; “bharat” is what the contemporary nation of India calls itself,and can be translated as Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty}, a legendary dynasty of northern India in the fabled kingdom of the Kurus, from which Vedic and Hindu rulers and peoples claim their descent. However it really is the story of all humankind.
The Mahabharata‘s main story concerns a great war on the battlefield Kurushetra (“field of the Kurus”) between two ancient clans, the Pandavas (“sons of Pandu”) and the Kauravas (“sons of Kurus”) – actually two branches of the same Kurus family.
The Bhagavad Gita is just one small chapter in this great sacred epic Mahabharata and it begins on the battlefield just as the armies assemble opposite each other. Lord Krishna drives Ajuna’s chariot right between the two warring armies and when Arjuna sees the opposing army which comprises his cousins, grandfather, uncles and beloved teachers he becomes totally despondent and does not want to fight.This moment is the beginning of the Bhagavad Gita – the Song of the Lord, which is the sublime dialogue between Krishna and Ajuna.
Whereas it is not essential to know or watch the Mahabharata if one studies the Bhagavad Gita – as the Gita is a stand alone wonderful scripture, but knowing the Mahabharata will add much more depth to your understanding of the Gita, and thus life.Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata, says at the beginning of his epic –
“If you listen closely, at the end you’ll be someone else.” Vyasa.
