A Journey Through World Mythology: Indian Mythology Episode 2 - The Mahabharata: The Great War of Brothers Who Upheld Justice
The Mahabharata is the world's largest epic, passed down in ancient India.
We will explain the conflict over the throne between the five Pandava brothers and the hundred Kaurava brothers, as well as the eighteen-day great war that unfolded at Kurukshetra, in a way that is faithful to ancient Indian tradition.
We will also introduce the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, which Krishna preached to Arjuna on the battlefield.
In this series, we will deliver the story based on the original texts of Indian mythology and ancient epics, without any arrangements to the era or setting.
The 'Mahabharata' from ancient India is the world's largest epic, consisting of approximately 100,000 verses.
The story depicts the conflict between two royal families over a single kingdom: the five Pandava brothers and the hundred Kaurava brothers.
The Pandava brothers are the sons of King Pandu.
The eldest brother, Yudhisthira, valued law and truth; the second brother, Bhima, boasted of his immense strength; and the third brother, Arjuna, was known as an unparalleled master of the bow. The fourth brother, Nakula, and the fifth brother, Sahadeva, were also excellent warriors.
Meanwhile, the eldest son of the blind King Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana, grew increasingly jealous of his cousins, the Pandava brothers.
He plotted conspiracies to monopolize the throne.
His plan was realized through a dice game held in front of the royalty.
Yudhisthira, who valued justice, accepted the challenge, but he was defeated by clever schemes and lost both his kingdom and his wealth.
Furthermore, the brothers and Queen Draupadi were ordered into thirteen years of exile.
The brothers endured hardships and finished their life in exile as promised.
Then, they demanded the return of their kingdom.
However, Duryodhana refused, saying, 'I will not give you even a needle's point worth of land.'
Peace was broken, and finally, a great war lasting eighteen days began on the vast plains of Kurukshetra.
Before the battle, Arjuna saw his teachers, grandfather, relatives, and friends in the enemy ranks.
'What meaning is there in winning if I must kill those I love?'
Deeply distressed, he lowered his bow.
At that moment, Krishna, who was serving as his charioteer, began to speak quietly.
Krishna is an incarnation of the supreme god Vishnu.
He taught that the human soul never perishes, and that fulfilling one's duty to protect justice is the true path.
These teachings, known as the 'Bhagavad Gita,' still form the foundation of Indian philosophy today.
Having cut through his hesitation, Arjuna took up his bow again and returned to the battlefield.
After eighteen days of fierce fighting, the Pandava brothers were victorious.
However, the cost was too great, and almost all the heroes of both armies lost their lives.
The 'Mahabharata' continues to be read around the world today as the greatest epic of Indian mythology, questioning what justice is and how people should live, while showing that sorrow remains for both the victors and the defeated.
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Director: Ko-ji
Story and Prompt: ChatGPT
Images and Video: Flow (Nano Banana 2)
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