Mahabharata Podcast

Mahabharata Podcast episodes:

• 04.12.2012

  Episode 100 - Summing up

  Episode 100 - I've put together my review of the epic, in its totality.  I discuss the strange way in which the epic goes into fine detail on some parts of the story, and breezes over others.  Some of the most...

  
• 03.28.2012

  Episode 99 - Epilogue 2: The Snake Sacrifice

  Episode 99 - This is the final piece that brings us around, back to the beginning.  We covered some of this territory before, back in Episode 2, but at the time, it was hard to explain that Parikshit was Arjun's grandson...

  
• 03.22.2012

  Episode 98 - Epilogue 1: The Beginning

  Episode 98 - This is the first of two episodes that take us from the death of the Pandavas down to the Snake Sacrifice, held by Arjun's great-grandson.  We skimmed over this back at the beginning of the podcast, because back...

  
• 03.16.2012

  Episode 97 - The End

  Episode 97 - So this is it-- the final installment from the Mahabharata.  Book 18, the Svargarohanika Parva, is done, and the 18 parvas of the Mahabharata are now complete. Please be sure to visit my blog and let me...

  
• 03.15.2012

  Episode 96 - The Death of the Pandavas

  Episode 96 - Arjun returns home with some bad news and some good news.  The bad news is that they have lost their powers and have lost their friends.  The good news is that they finally get to retire.  Yudhistira...

  
• 03.13.2012

  Episode 95 - Arjuna's Defeat

  Episode 95 - Krishna is dead.  Balaram is dead.  The city of Dwarka sinks beneath the waves, and the refugees of that once-great city are making their way to Indraprastha with only Arjun as their protector.  But the influence of...

  
• 03.06.2012

  Episode 94 - The Kali Yuga

  Episode 94 - The Dark Age is now unquestionably upon us.  The elder Kurus, living austere lives in the forest, found themselves consumed by a forest fire of their own creation.  Let this be a lesson to all you Hindu...

  
• 02.28.2012

  Episode 93 - The Ashwamedha Sacrifice

  Episode 93 - The white horse returns home, only to be tied to a post, killed, & cut up into little pieces.  The priests do their best to follow the old rules, but there's no way Draupadi is going to...

  
• 02.21.2012

  Episode 92 - The Anugita and the Wayward Stallion

  Episode 92 - This is another eventful episode.  Krishna & Arjun take a break and go on a leisure trip to Indraprastha, where it appears Arjun is king.  Both heroes have forgotten the Gita, so Krishna recalls another dialog along...

  
• 02.15.2012

  Episode 91 - The Death of Bhisma

  Episode 91 - We get treated to a last handful of the Final Teachings, and then Bhisma dies.  The poor guy set quite an objective for himself.  It must have been mid autumn when he was shot through with arrows, yet...

  
• 02.07.2012

  Episode 90 - The Final Teachings, part 2

  Episode 90 - A few more stories from Bhisma's final teachings.  We learn that Vyasa had a son, named Suka, who really did not seem to be pleased to be born.  And Bhisma himself tells us what he really thinks of...

  
• 02.01.2012

  Episode 89 - The Final Teachings, part 1

  Episode 89 - For some reason, the first three full-fledged stories from the Anusasana Parva all center around a Banian tree.  They also share the theme of low-caste hunters and their cruelty.   Remarkably, in the 2nd story the three...

  
• 01.12.2012

  Episode 88 - The Book of Peace

  Episode 88 - This episode begins the voluminous Last Teachings of Bhisma.  As Bhisma lies on his bed of arrows, the Pandavas, Krishna & Satyaki gather around to listen.  Yuddistira poses the questions, which mostly revolve around Dharma and kingship, and...

  
• 12.28.2011

  Episode 87 - Rama's Famous Genocide

  Episode 87 - Yuddistira is finally convinced that he should remain king, and he gets down to business.  He marches straight to the palace and has himself anointed and consecrated.  He appoints his council and gets his kingdom in order.  As...

  
• 12.21.2011

  Episode 86 - To be (king), or not to be...

  Episode 86 - It seems like Yuddistira always had a secret desire to give up the world and live like a sadhu.  But now he has a pretty good justification-- after all, he even killed his elder brother.  Crimes like this...

  
• 12.14.2011

  Episode 85 - Remembering Karna

  Episode 85 - We begin the Book of Peace, the Shanti Parva.  After boasting to his uncle about his special clairvoyant powers, Yuddistira is blindsided by the news that he & Karna shared the same mother.  Now the Dharma Raja has...

  
• 12.07.2011

  Episode 84 - The Book of the Women

  Episode 84 - Vidur & Vyasa tell a few parables to help Dhrtarastra pull himself together.  When the king is finally pacified, he leads all the bereaved women of Hastinapur in a great procession to deal with their fallen men....

  
• 11.29.2011

  Episode 83 - Daksha's Sacrifice

  Episode 83 - The brothers learn of the massacre of their sons & allies, and summon Draupadi to break the news.  As usual, all she wants is revenge.  Thus the Pandavas go off on one final mission to avenge the...

  
• 11.22.2011

  Episode 82 - Blowback

  Episode 82 - Well, it seems there is no end to the tit for tat revenge cycle that Duryodhana forced into motion so long ago.  Now that he has been defeated, his survivors seek revenge for his fall.  Ashwatthaman is...

  
• 11.14.2011

  Episode 81 - Downfall

  Episode 81 - So this is it; the moment everyone has been waiting for.  Ever since Episode 7 when Duryodhana was born, he has finally received his well-deserved defeat.  But even as he falls, the finger pointing, hand-wringing and grief...

  
• 11.09.2011

  Episode 80 - Kurukshetra, Day 18: Shalya & the dissolution of the Kauravas

  Episode 80 - This episode covers the final day of the great war.  If you were expecting things to go out with a bang, you'll be disappointed.  Once the Kaurava general Shalya is killed, things just sort of disintegrate.  Duryodhana's...

  
• 11.01.2011

  Episode 79 - Kurukshetra, Day 17: Down with Dushasan/Killing Karna

  Episode 79 - This is a big day in the war.  Bhisma fulfills one of his oaths by killing Dushasan and drinking his blood.  Now he will be gunning for Duryodhana. Arjun & Karna finally get busy with their final...

  
• 10.25.2011

  Episode 78 - Kurukshetra, Day 17: A Counterfeit Curfuffle

  Episode 78 - Karna begins the 17th day of the war by fighting each Pandava except Arjun.  He is actually defeated by both Yuddistira and Bhima, but then he defeats Nakul and Sahadev.   Both of the elder brothers spare...

  
• 10.18.2011

  Episode 77 - Kurukshetra, Day 16: Karna's in charge

  Episode 77 - Drona is dead and a new commander is needed.  Ashwatthaman proposes that Karna be given the position and everyone else agrees.  Karna leads the army through a rather desultory day of fighting and then complains that what...

  
• 10.12.2011

  Episode 76 - Some thoughts on the story so far...

  Episode 76 - I present my wild theories and hypotheses about the Mahabharata.  Among other things, we discuss its relationship to the Precession of the Equinoxes and the Yuga cycle as defined by Markandeya and Sri Yukteshvar.  We look into...

  
• 10.04.2011

  Episode 75 - Kurukshetra, Day 15: Ashwatthaman goes Ballistic!

  Episode 75 - Earlier in day 15, Drona is killed by Dhrstadyumna.  The Kaurava army literally comes unraveled until Ashwatthaman hears the news.  The boy is outraged at the way his father was treated and swears revenge on both Dhrstadyumna (for killing...

  
• 09.27.2011

  Episode 74 - Kurukshetra, Day 15: Drona

  Episode 74 - Two significant deaths this episode-- first Gatotkacha basically gets sacrificed by Krishna so that Arjun need not face Karna's special unstoppable Indra Dart.  It's a mean trick, but Krishna explained that one of the purposes of this...

  
• 09.20.2011

  Episode 73 - Kurukshetra, Day 14: Killing Jayadratha

  Episode 73 - We continue with the events of the 14th day of war.  You can relax because we find out that both Satyaki and Bhim made it to Arjun's side, and everyone is OK after all.  Arjun finally spots...

  
• 09.14.2011

  Episode 72 - Kurukshetra, Day 14: Killing Alambusha

  Episode 72 - We begin the 14th day of the war.  The morning starts with many dark omens, but no one is quite sure for which side they portend doom.  Arjun sets off immediately to fight his way through the...

  
• 09.06.2011

  Episode 71 - Kurukshetra: A Dramatic Interlude

  Episode 71 - Vyasa finishes his comforting storytelling, and then vanishes, leaving it up to Yuddistira to deal with breaking the news to Arjun that his son is dead.  Arjun comes home expecting a party, only to find the camp...

  
• 08.31.2011

  Episode 70 - The death of Abhimanyu

  Episode 70 - Drona has been in charge now for two days, and so far he has failed in his mission to capture Yuddistira.  This despite the fact that they have sacrificed a whole nation of warriors just to keep...

  
• 08.24.2011

  Episode 69 - Kurukshetra, Days 11 & 12: The Drona Parva

  Episode 69 - Bhisma is out of commission, and his book is nearly over.  In one last scene, Karna comes to meet his fallen nemesis.  Bhisma is quite affectionate toward his prodigal nephew, and he tells him that he was...

  
• 08.16.2011

  Episode 68 - Kurukshetra, Day 10: The Bed of Arrows

  Episode 68 - I know it feels like this war is really dragging on; but I think that is precisely how Vyasa wanted us to feel by this point in the battle.  We are all getting tired of the unending...

  
• 08.10.2011

  Episode 67 - Kurukshetra, Day 9

  Episode 67 - On the previous day, Duryodhana was quickly losing faith with his uncle.  He began to suspect that Bhisma was throwing the contest in favor of the Pandavas.  Karna didn't help any when he offered to take charge in...

  
• 08.03.2011

  Episode 66 - Kurukshetra, Days 7 & 8

  Episode 66 - The seventh and eighth days of the War.  Bhisma kills a few more Dhartarastras, king Virata loses another son, and we meet Arjun's son Iravat, a Naga prince from Arjun's tour of the holy places, long long ago....

  
• 07.27.2011

  Episode 65 - Kurukshetra, Days 5 & 6

  Episode 65 - The fifth and sixth days of the great war.  Arjun wipes out an army of 25,000, and we find out Satyaki has 10 fully grown sons.  Soon after we learn about these sons, they get decapitated by King...

  
• 07.18.2011

  Episode 64 - Kurukshetra, Days 3 & 4

  Episode 64 - The third and fourth days of the great war.  It seems like the tide may be turning somewhat, since both days of fighting were dominated by Arjun and Bhimasena.  Despite having the honor of receiving Krishna's teaching firsthand,...

  
• 06.29.2011

  Episode 63 - Kurukshetra, Day 2

  Episode 63 - The second day of battle comes and goes.  If the first day went to the Kauravas, the 2nd day certainly belonged to the Pandavas.  The day ends with Bhimasena and Arjun dominating the field, and the Kaurava soldiers...

  
• 06.22.2011

  Episode 62 - Kurukshetra, Day 1: Concluded

  Episode 62 - Let's admit it, we were all impatient for this war to get started.  Like the characters in the story, we concluded many episodes back that there was never going to be a peaceful solution, and it would take...

  
• 06.15.2011

  Episode 61 - Kurukshetra, Day 1: War is Hell

  Episode 61 - It is the morning of the first day of battle.  Already Krishna has revealed his great song to Arjuna, and now there are some final formalities, as Yuddistira runs to his elders on the enemy side for...

  
• 06.06.2011

  Episode 60 - The Gita, part 2: The Godhead

  Episode 60 - This concludes Krishna's dialog with Arjun about Dharma, Bhakti, Yoga, and the Gunas.  During the course of this, Arjun is granted divine sight, and is able to catch a glimpse of Krishna's true appearance; it nearly blows...

  
• 05.24.2011

  Episode 59 - The Gita, part 1: Arjun's Dejection

  Episode 59 - We begin the famous holy book, the Bhagavad Gita.  The scene for this revelation is the midst of the fateful battlefield of Kurukshetra.  Arjun surveys the field, seeing his relatives, friends, cousins, uncles, elders and gurus, all ready...

  
• 05.17.2011

  Episode 58 - The Bhisma Parva

  Episode 58 - The Battle Books, but not the battle, begin here.  Since we are at the second most important beginning of the epic, aside from the very beginning, there is a lot of unnecessary material stuffed into the narrative.  I tried...

  
• 05.11.2011

  Episode 57 - Amba, part 2

  Episode 57 - Bhisma finishes bringing us up-to-date on who Sikhandin is, who he used to be, and why Bhisma won't fight him. This also finishes the Udyoga Parva; the Book of the Effort.  Next time, we start in on...

  
• 05.03.2011

  Episode 56 - Amba, part 1

  Episode 56 - Bhisma begins telling the story of Amba/Sikhandin-- the only person, barring the Pandavas, whom he will not fight in the coming battle.  The reason for this is that Sikhandin had once been a female.  She was not...

  
• 04.27.2011

  Episode 55 - Cutting the Muster

  Episode 55 - As if intending to seal his fate, Duryodhana warms up the Pandavas by sending over an odious gambler Uluka as a messenger to goad them into fighting.  Then Bhisma kindly gives us an inventory of the fighters who...

  
• 04.26.2011

  Episode 54 - The March on Kurukshetra

  Episode 54 - Krishna returns from his mission to Hastinpur with war on his mind.  Yuddistira, having spent the last 12-14 years undergoing massive hardship to prevent this war, is reluctant to accept this truth.  He begs for more information, trying...

  
• 04.19.2011

  Episode 53 - The Temptation of Karna

  Episode 53 - This episode is devoted to the classic scene of the Mahabharata in which Krishna reveals to Karna his true descent.  He never was the Son of a Suta, which everyone called him with scorn.  No, he was...

  
• 04.12.2011

  Episode 52 - Krishna reveals Himself

  Episode 52 - The peace talks break down completely.  It starts well, when no one can come up with a rebuttal to Krishna's speech.  Narada and Kanva tell a couple of parables to help with the decision making, but Duryodhana...

  
• 04.04.2011

  Episode 51 - Krishna comes to Town

  Episode 51 - Sanjay's mission clearly did not accomplish much, so this time Krishna offers to go to Hastinapur as the Pandavas' chief negotiator.  When the Kauravas hear he is coming, Dhrtarastra plans on bribing him, while Duryodhana hopes to...