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What can we learn from an ancient text about war and peace, among the many other topics in the Mahābhārata? Or as a new adaptation puts it: “In times of division, how do we find wholeness? Are we destined to repeat the mistakes of our ancestors? And how can we build a new world when we have nearly destroyed this one?”

The production’s co-author, Miriam Fernandes, also stars as a storyteller – a key role in the Mahābhārata’s own story. It’s been told and retold in many different forms over the centuries, and part of its appeal is that it leaves us with questions, inspiring us to think for ourselves what to do with its message.

Among other topics, our conversation explores:

* Why dharma – or doing the right thing – is “a slippery fish”

* What this says about contemporary problems such as ecocide

* How to end cycles of revenge in which both sides feel righteous

* The extent to which fate and free will define human activity

* Who gets edited out, and which themes are prioritised

Links to resources discussed in the podcast are posted here. Meanwhile, stay tuned for a retreat based on the Mahābhārata – more news soon at danielsimpson.info.

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