Pranipat! Welcome to the Blog,
I am Mayank, and welcome to the first-ever blog on my website!
Note: The wisdom and dialogues you'll find in this blog don't come straight from the ancient manuscripts—they're drawn from the Mahabharata TV series adaptations. I discovered such profound, life-changing depth in these versions that I just had to share them with you. This is my small attempt to timeless wisdom into how we live today. So, dive in and enjoy the journey!
There are history that simply entertain, and then there are those that live on long after the characters are gone. The Mahabharata is one of those epic itihasa. It doesn’t shout its wisdom; instead, it lets you discover it quietly, almost like a gentle voice reminding you of truths you always knew but never quite accepted.
Six timeless lessons that can transform how we live.
1. We Are Not Victims of Time—We Are Creators of Our Destiny
Imagine standing at a crossroads where the weight of your decision will echo through generations. This was Devavrata's moment. He stood before Satyavati's father and made a vow that would define his entire life. He promised to give up his right to the throne, to remain unmarried, and to commit himself to a life of celibacy. His sacrifice would ensure that Satyavati's sons could rule the kingdom.
The royal priest was horrified. "Do you understand what you are sacrificing?" he asked, desperate to make Devavrata see the consequences. "Think of what will happen after you make this vow!"
But Devavrata—known to history as Bhishma—replied with unwavering clarity:
“Time,” he said, “is only a witness. We are men of action, responsible for what we choose.”
How often do we blame time, circumstance, or bad luck for where we are in life? We say, "If only I had been born at a different time," or "The timing just wasn't right." We make time our enemy, imagining that it controls us.
Bhishma's wisdom teaches us something different. Time is neutral — it simply moves forward. What matters is what we do within that time. Every choice you make is your responsibility. Every action shapes your future. The power lies not in waiting for the perfect moment, but in taking action today, even when the path is difficult.
You are not a leaf floating down a river of time. You are the river itself, carving your own path.
2. Just Because Something Is Old Doesn't Make It Right
Throughout the Mahabharata, traditions and customs chain people to harmful practices. Women are treated as property. Rigidity in social roles prevents people from living authentically. In response to this, Lord Krishna makes a startling statement:
"Tradition is not a Dharma."
To understand this, we must know that "Dharma" means duty, righteousness, and moral law. Traditions, are simply actions that have continued from past to present. Just because something has been done for a hundred years—or a thousand years—does not make it right or moral. Tradition is merely inertia, the continuation of old habits. Dharma is the living principle of what is actually right for this moment, in these circumstances.
This wisdom invites us to wake up: examine what we've inherited, ask if it still serves life, and have the courage to transcend it when it doesn't. Because the greatest tragedy isn't being bound by traditions; it's never questioning them at all. This doesn't mean rejecting everything old. Some traditions carry genuine wisdom and beauty. However, we should think carefully about what we follow instead of just doing things because our families or society have always done them.
A woman who chooses not to marry because she has found meaning in her work is honoring Dharma, not betraying tradition. A family that decides to relate differently than their ancestors did is honoring Dharma, not betraying tradition.
3. True Wisdom Comes from Principles, Not from People
Picture the most tragic moment of the Mahabharata's great war. Bhishma, the invincible warrior, lies on a bed of arrows. His body is broken, his strength gone, but his mind remains sharp. Yudhishthira, the righteous king, approaches his grandfather's bedside, desperate and lost.
"Pitamah," Yudhishthira pleads, using the affectionate term for grandfather, "how will we manage Hastinapur without you? We need your guidance to rule this kingdom. Please, tell us what we must do."
In that moment of vulnerability, when the king expected personal advice tailored to his situation, Bhishma said "Guidance should not be taken from people, but from principles."
In our modern world, we are drowning in advice. Everyone has an opinion about how you should live: your parents, your friends, social media influencers, celebrities, and self-help gurus all claiming to have the answer to your problems. The noise is deafening.
When you take advice from a person, you inherit their biases, their experiences, and their limitations. But when you understand a principle, you own the wisdom. You can apply it to your unique situation and make decisions that are truly yours.
Imagine you're facing a difficult choice at work. Instead of asking your mentor, "What should I do?" ask yourself, "What does honesty (a principle) demand of me?" or "What does courage (a principle) require?" When you ground yourself in principles rather than seeking approval from people, you become your own authority.
A person can only guide you down paths they have walked themselves, but a principle guides you through every unknown. When you anchor your life in principles, you are never truly lost—because that wisdom becomes your internal compass, offering direction in every single moment
4. Taking Action Can Change Your Fate
King Pandu sat in the presence of a great sage, learning about the nature of human existence. The sage explained a profound truth and said, "Every person carries three debts from the moment they are born.
1. देव ऋण (The debt to God) -- which is paid through prayer and devotion.
2. ऋषि ऋण (the debt to the sages) -- which is paid through knowledge and learning.
3. पितृ ऋण (the debt to your ancestors) -- which is paid through your descendants and through honoring your lineage."
The sage continued, "These are not ordinary debts, O King. A person should not die before fulfilling these debts. To do so would be an insult to life itself."
King Pandu listened carefully, then asked a question that revealed his deep thinking, "But what if a person is not fated to fulfill these debts, sage? What if destiny has already written something else for them?"
The sage looked at the king with knowing eyes and replied, "Action should overcome fate, King Pandu."
In our lives, we often tell ourselves stories about what is "meant to be" for us. "I wasn't born into a wealthy family, so I'll never be rich." "I didn't get into the top college, so I won't have a successful career." "I come from a broken home, so my relationships are doomed." These narratives feel like facts, but they are merely our interpretation of fate.
The sage's wisdom teaches us that fate is not a prison, It is a starting point. Yes, you inherit certain circumstances—your family situation, your socioeconomic background, your genetic gifts and limitations. But these are not your destiny. Your destiny is what you do with what you've been given.
Consider the story of someone who grew up in poverty but worked relentlessly to educate themselves. No one would have blamed them for accepting their circumstances. But they took action, and their action overcame the fate that poverty seemed to promise. Or think of someone who lost their job in middle age but learned new skills and started fresh. They refused to let their circumstances define their future.
The universe sets the stage, but it is your actions that write the script. Fate is not a story decided in advance; it is simply the outcome of every choice we make. So, move with purpose. By staying persistent and focused, you have the power to pick up the pen and reshape your own destiny.
5. Marriage Is Not Just Love—It Is a Mirror of Two Souls
Draupadi, the central female character of the Mahabharata, married not one husband but five brothers. She faced judgment, criticism, and confusion. How could this work? How could one woman be devoted to five men?
It was Lord Krishna, who helped Draupadi understand the deeper nature of her marriage. He explained something beautiful about the nature of love and partnership:
"The husband's love reflects in his valor. The wife's love reflects in her patience. Both are expressions of the same devotion, just in different forms."
Marriage and long-term partnerships are often portrayed as romantic fantasies—two people who feel butterflies when they see each other, who finish each other's sentences, who live in permanent euphoria. When reality doesn't match this fantasy, people conclude something is wrong.
But Krishna's wisdom offers a different understanding. He teaches us that marriage is not primarily about feelings. It is about two people committing to a shared purpose and expressing their love through action.
A husband's love is not measured by poetic words. It is measured by his courage, his commitment, his efforts to protect and provide for his family. A wife's love is not measured by her willingness to be ornamental or submissive. It is measured by her strength, her perseverance, her ability to hold the family together through challenges. It means that in a partnership, each person brings their unique strengths. When one partner takes action with courage, they are expressing love. When another shows patience through difficulty, they are also expressing love. Different forms, same devotion.
Think of couples who have been together for decades. They may not feel the same butterflies they felt when they were young, but their love has grown deeper. The man who works through hardship to provide for his family, the woman who supports her partner's dreams while raising their children—these are love stories, just told differently than our Bollywood imagines.
Love is not merely a feeling that drifts in and out. It is a steadfast commitment—lived out through action, sacrifice, and the enduring support we build together over time.
6. The Sacred Role of Women in Human Society
Early in the Mahabharata, Kunti—a woman of great wisdom—asks a sage an important question, "What are the duties of women?"
The sage's answer goes far beyond the limited ideas of women's roles that were common even in his time. He explained.
"Women means awakening, inspiration, and enthusiasm. A woman is the Earth itself, O Queen. She carries the seeds of life within her. She is the soul of the household. Through her, the way is shown for sons to be born and futures to be created.
यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः
Where women are worshipped and honored, there the gods themselves delight in staying."
The sage then makes a powerful statement: "One who disrespects a woman is not a human being. It is every man's duty and moral obligation to protect women and honor them. Women are the foundation of human civilization. They are the creative force, the carriers of life, the teachers of the next generation, She is SHAKTI."
Think about the role of women in your own life. The mother who raised you, the teacher who inspired you, the partner who stands beside you, the friend who listens—each of these women has shaped who you are now. In the sage's language, they have been your "awakening, inspiration, and enthusiasm."
Thank you for joining me on this first journey into ancient wisdom. This is just the beginning.
I hope these thoughts have sparked a light within you as they have for me. Stay tuned for Chapter 2. Until then, keep writing your own script.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥
(तुम्हारा अधिकार केवल कर्म करने में है, उसके फल में कभी नहीं। तुम कर्म के फल के कारण मत बनो (यानी फल की इच्छा मत करो), और न ही कर्म न करने में तुम्हारी आसक्ति (लगाव) हो।)