The full Mahabharata contains almost two million words, but it’s possible to summarize much of the book with just one word: dharma. Dharma is a Sanskrit word that embodies several concepts, including “duty,” “justice,” or even “fate.” All of the figures in the Mahabharata have their own individual dharma, and each of them struggles to live out their destiny and avoid doing things that are “adharma” (against dharma). Yudhishthira, for instance, is a king who earns the title “lord of dharma” on account of his wise judgment, and yet even he struggles with accepting his fate and with fulfilling his sacred duties. His biggest moment of doubt comes after the end of the Kurukshetra War, which is the result of the conflict between the Pandavas (Yudhishthira and his brothers) and the Kauravas. After the death of so many friends and family members (since even the enemy Kauravas were Yudhishthira’s relatives in the Kuru lineage), Yudhishthira wants to give up his kingship and become an ascetic in the forest. But Yudhishthira’s allies, particularly Krishna, help convince Yudhishthira that, while it might be dharma for some to live an austere life in the woods, it is still Yudhishthira’s dharma—that is, his duty and purpose as king—to be a leader for his people.
But while dharma offers a guide for living life, it doesn’t always deal in clear-cut morality, and the dharma of someone from the Brahmin priest class can be very different from the dharma of someone in the Kshatriya warrior class. During one of the most climactic battles of the story, the supposedly heroic Bhima follows Krishna’s advice and uses a dirty trick to defeat Duryodhana, striking him in the thigh (which is dishonorable). Many, including Krishna’s brother Balarama, feel that Bhima’s victory is against dharma because of his tricky tactics, but Krishna explains that in the grand scheme of things, Bhima’s actions are justified due to the many wrongs the Pandavas have suffered at the hands of the Kauravas. And so, while the Mahabharata and—more broadly—the concept of dharma provide a guide for how humans should live their lives, they don’t offer easy answers, suggesting instead that in order to make moral decisions, a person must consider their own specific circumstances.
Related Themes from Other Texts
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Dharma Quotes in Mahabharata
Ugraśravas the Suta, teller of ancient tales, son of Lomaharshana the Suta, once approached the Brahmin seers assembled in the Naimisha forest to attend the twelve-year sacrifice of Śaunaka their chief, bowing politely to those keepers of keen vows.
But even as the priests talked, some saying one thing, some another, Arjuna stood next to the bow, unmoving as a mountain. The afflicter of his enemies walked around it in respectful circumambulation, bowed to it with his head, then took hold of it in joyful excitement. In the time it takes to blink, he strung it; and he took up five arrows and swiftly pierced the target through the opening. It fell to the ground.
Once, in the middle of the hall, Dhritarashtra’s royal son came upon a crystal floor; fooled into thinking it water, King Duryodhana drew up his garments. After this he walked about the hall with angry heart and averted gaze. Next, seeing a pond of crystalline water adorned with crystal lotuses, he thought it was a floor, and fell, fully clothed, headlong into the water; when the servants saw that he had fallen in the pond, they laughed uproariously, before giving him clean clothes at the king’s command. Then mighty Bhima and Arjuna and the twins saw him in this state, and they too all burst out laughing.
‘I choose fame in the world, O Sun, even over life itself; for he that has fame gains heaven, whilst he that has none perishes.’
‘Prince of men,’ replied Arjuna, ‘here on this peak is a huge, dense śami tree. It has awesome branches, so it is hard to climb, and it stands next to the burning-ground; no one comes here, lord for it is growing off the path, in forest frequented by beasts and savage creatures. Let us stow our weapons in it and then set out for the city; in this way we shall be able to pass our days here free from worry, heir of Bharata.’
When Kunti’s son the wealth-winner heard Krishna’s words, he chose Krishna Keśava, though he would not fight in battle.
Anyone seeking pleasure and wealth should also practice dharma from the outset, for neither wealth nor pleasure is ever found away from dharma.
Hear, lord of the earth, how those heroes, the Kauravas, Pandavas and Somakas, fought on Kurukshetra, that place of asceticism. The mighty Pandavas came to Kurukshetra with the Somakas and advanced against the Kauravas, for they were eager for victory. Accomplished Vedic scholars all, they revelled in warfare, hoping for victory in combat but prepared for death on the battlefield.
The blessed lord replied, ‘I am Time, the destroyer of worlds, fully developed, and I have set out here to bring the worlds to their end.’
The hero who had laid waste the entire Kuru army, like an elephant in a lotus pond, now lay resplendent in death, like a wild elephant slain by hunters.
‘Karna, if you challenge Arjuna to battle, you are a hare challenging a mighty elephant with tusks like plough-shafts, its temporal glands bursting with rut. If you want to fight the son of Kunti, you are a silly child poking with a stick a deadly poisonous king cobra in its hole, its hood expanded.’
The glorious standard of Karna the mighty chariot-fighter was now destroyed by the noble wearer of the diadem with a razor-edged, gold-shafted arrow that he shot with the greatest of care; and with the fall of that standard there fell too the Kurus’ fame and dharma, and their hopes of victory, sir, and all that they held dear, and their very hearts.
Bhima of fearful deeds brought down that club with an impact like that of a thunderbolt, and it smashed Duryodhana’s two handsome thighs.
Seeing these most wonderful happenings, and the honour paid to Duryodhana, the Pandavas felt ashamed; they grieved mightily to hear it said that Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and Buriśravas had been killed unfairly. But Krishna, seeing them anxious and downcast, proclaimed in a voice sounding like thunder or drums, ‘Duryodhana here with his swift weapons, and those other valiant chariot-fighters, could not have been slain by you on the battlefield in a fair fight. That is why I devised these stratagems, lords of men—otherwise the victory of the Pandavas could never have happened.’
Drona’s son Aśvatthaman watched that owl carry out its guileful attack at night. The bird’s behaviour filled him with new resolve, and he said to himself, ‘This bird has given me good advice in warfare!’
‘Here is the jewel, and here am I.’
‘Do not grieve, Dhritarashtra. You have not slain Bhima. This was an iron effigy, king that you laid low.’
Thus Yudhishthira lord of dharma lamented again and again; then, weeping softly, O king, the lord of men made an offering of water to his brother.
Bhishma agrees to expound his knowledge, but insists that it must be Yudhishthira who questions him. Krishna explains that Yudhishthira is filled with shame and fears Bhishma’s curse, but Bhishma insists that the killing even of relatives and elders is in accord with the Kshatriya dharma.
Bhishma replies that nothing can grow if no seed is sown: one should practice austerities, give gifts, abstain from violence and live virtuously, for this is what will determine one’s future condition.
‘Perform the horse sacrifice in due form, with gifts to all the Brahmins; for the horse sacrifice purifies one of all sins, lord of kings, and after sacrificing with that rite you will be sinless, make no doubt.’
So, like a cloud sating the earth with rain, King Dhritarashtra sated those priests with the torrents of wealth he showered upon them; and when all was done, that lord of the earth then deluged his guests of every class with downpours of food and drink.
Thinking that he had committed a dreadful crime, he touched his head to Krishna’s feet in distress; but noble Krishna reassured him, even as he soared aloft, filling all heaven and earth with his glory.
‘Great Indra,’ said Yudhishthira, ‘abandoning one who is devoted is considered an extreme sin in the world, equal to that of killing a Brahmin. Therefore for my own well-being today I shall certainly not abandon him.’
‘All kings shall see hell—this is inescapable, son. One’s merits and demerits form two heaps, bull-like hero. He who first enjoys the merit of his good deeds goes afterwards to hell, whereas he who first endures hell goes afterwards to heaven.’
This Bharata that emerged from the lips of Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa is without measure;
holy purifying and auspicious, it drives away sin.
If a man studies it as he hears it recited,
what need has he to bathe in the waters of holy Lake Pushkara?
