A slim, curated volume of maxims gleaned from different parvas of the Mahabharata, the book is another glimpse into the vast canvas of what is arguably ancient India’s greatest epic.
Indeed it would not be hyperbole to repeat what is mentioned within the epic itself- loosely translated as ‘What is not found here cannot be found anywhere else’. A veritable encyclopedia of the Indian mindscape, it would sound cliched to repeat that it has had an indelible impact on the collective psyche.
In the introductory pages, the author says that his intention was also to create a dharmic ‘maxim’ template for the Indian student of disciplines including law that are steeped in British jurisprudence and Latin reference points et al. However, frankly, I do not think that unless there is a dharmic underpinning(Adhistana) or ancient Indian nyayas from which some historians believe that even colonial law statutes in general/for the subcontinent evolved, there would be any sort of widespread systemic change.
The shallow and sometimes deep connection we have with our ancient traditions has been due to the rich tapestry and wealth of practical/spiritual experience that they had along with family traditions. But, in an age of marketing, even slick and meaningful productions such as the Samskrita animation movie Punyakoti do not perform well at the box office due to a preponderance and attraction for the crass and the banal.
The author has made an earnest attempt at educating us with some truly insightful slokas/subhashitams. However, it was too sparse for my liking. I would have liked a wider, more structured selection that went into the different points mentioned in the book with some more detail.
As Mr. J Sai Deepak eloquently puts it. ‘We may be the progenitors of an advanced civilization, but we are in an advanced state of decay.’ To appeal to the contemporary demographic, the author could have put in a larger amount of short, pithy, memorable slokas. Klishta samas-filled(Long compound words) verses may indeed be very insightful, but they are not top of mind when it comes to recall in my opinion. Perhaps Mr. Sampadananda Mishra, K. Aravinda Rao could have been suitable reference points.
Glad to read about the great Mr. Nani Palkhivala’s appreciation for Sanskrit and the cultural wealth of ancient India, but the introductory pages have many typos which take away from the overall message of the book that is superlative. The author has provided the reader with an excellent starting point to further explore the ocean of the Mahabharata that is endless and forever enchanting.
To sum up, another Sanskrit subhashitam(not from the Mahabharata) comes to mind;
उद्योगिनं पुरुषसिंहमुपैति लक्ष्मी-
-र्दैवेन देयमिति कापुरुषा वदन्ति |
दैवं निहत्य कुरु पौरुषमात्मशक्त्या
यत्ने कृते यदि न सिध्यन्ति कोत्र दोषः ||
The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi comes to men who are diligent like a lion, “It will be by God or luck” is said by cowards. Disregard luck and work hard as per your own capabilities, Even then if work is not done then the deficiency is not at your end.
