From: "vrnparker" Mailing-List: list vediculture@yahoogroups.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 07:14:16 -0000 Subject: [world-vedic] Ancient World's Largest Epics Shri Rama to Shri Krishna by Niranjan Shah During Rama Navmi celebrations around April 11, we learnt about Shri Rama, how the Ramayan was written, whether Pushpak Viman was an imagination or a fact, period of Shri Rama and spread of the Ramayan around the world. Before we move to the period of Shri Krishna, period of Maha-bharat, let us know about other epics also. The most famous epics of the West, are Illiad, Odyssey and Aeneid. The gigantic epic Mahabharat is the longest work of ancient India and of the whole world. ------ Epic---------- Lines 1.The Mahabharat 215,000 2. The Ramayan 48,000 3. The Illiad 15,000 4. The Odyssey 12,000 5. The Aeneid 10,000 Thus, first longest epic is the Mahabharat, second longest epic is the Ramayan, both from India and composed thousands of years ago. The Ramayan, though shorter one is still longer than rest of the three combined. French Indologist, Gustave Le Bon, who translated many ancient indian literary works and who discovered many ancient monuments writes: "The moral content of these epics (The Mahabharat and the Ramayan) is high - certainly higher than that of the Illiad and the Odyssey. So the Mahabharat is the longest epic and has high moral contents. Now let us see the historicity of the Mahabharat. Brihadbal, last king of the Solar dynasty of Shri Rama, was on side of Duryodhan, in the Mahabharat war. Scholars estimate a period of about 2000 years between Shri Rama and Brihadbal. The Ramayan is supposed to have happen around 5100 B.C. so, the Mahabharat should have happened about 3100 B.C. Bankimchandra Chatopadhyaya, poet, patriot and author of "Ananndmath" which includes famous national song "Vande Mataram" concludes that this period is about 1450 B.C. Dr. David Frawley, Vedic scholar, also estimates the same period based on astronomy. Dr. S.R. Rao of the Institute of Oceanography, has recently discovered the walls of fort Dwarka under the sea. Articles found around these walls, when carbon-tested, gave the age of 1400-1500 BC. Some scholars believe that there should be older city of Dwarka under this discovered Dwarka. The ancient name of Dwarka was Kushasthali, which was supposed to be founded by Kush, son of Shri Rama. The great astronomers Aryabhatta and Varahmihir according to astronomical conditions place Shri Krishna around 3100 BC. The Vishnu Puran IV 24-32 writes Kali Yuga started with the Mahabharat war in 3100 BC. Nandulal Dey, former chief archeologist during British period, states that Kaliyuga happened at the end of the Mahabharat war in 3100 BC. Tradition accepts 3100 BC. There is ample evidence in favor of the historicity of Shri Krishna. The Chandogya Upanishad refers to Krishna, Devakiputra, the son of Devaki, and speaks of him as the pupil of Ghora Angirasa, who is a priest of the Sun, according to Kaushitaki Brahmana. Krishna plays an important part in the history of the Mahabharat, where he is presented as friend of Arjuna. Great Sanskrit grammarian of 400 BC, refers to Vasudeva and Arjun as objects of worship. Krishna belonged to ancient Vrshni or Satvata branch of the family of Yadu, who was perhaps in the neighbourhood of Mathura, a town with which Krishna's name has been associated in history, tradition and legend. By the fourth century before Christ, the cult of Vasudeva was well established. In the Buddhist work Niddesh of fourth century BC, included in Pali Canon, the writer refers to the worshipers of Vasudeva and Baladeva among others. Megasthenes of 320 BC states that Herakles (Harekrishna) was worshiped by the Sour-senoi (Sursenas) and Mathura and Krishnapura are named as two big cities. Heliodorus, the Greek Bhagavata of Takshashila, calls Shri Vasudeva as Devadeva in the Besnagar inscriptions of 180 BC. Shri Krishna's name is heard in every nook and corner of India. We shall see in another letter that his name is heard all around the world, through ISKCON, whose centers are almost everywhere on this planet. He is worshiped in every home. Some tattoo his name on their body, some print his name on their clothes. His name is taken when one embarks on a journey. His name is written at the head of every letter. Public and private buildings bear his name. Fond parents give their sons one of his many names so that everywhere hundreds of thousands literally respond to his name. His name is uttered and reverentially repeated at all hours of the day - in sleeping, During festivities and rejoicings, nuptial ceremonies and cremation rites, in birth as well as death the name of Shri Krishna is uttered by millions of worshipers with deepest feelings of devotion and love. He has ruled over the heart of the nation as the most beloved Lord and Saviour of all. He has inspired more poets, painters, dancers and musicians than any other figure in India, if not the world. -- blessings from Grandapa.