That's not how its pronounced though... - Edit 1
Before modification by fionwe1987 at 03/07/2010 08:56:19 PM
The final "ta/tha" doesn't sound like TAble, but THAi.
So? The Bhagvat Gita, far from calling war futile, urges man to righteous war.
Just because the Pandavas fight for theit kingdom doesn't mean the story glorifies war. The way the war ends, and the fact that an entire Parva is devoted to the lamentation of the wives, makes it clear that the author(s) thinks that even a righteous war is futile. The Pandavas lose all their relatives, including all their sons. Even their grandson is killed in his mother's womb, and survives only because Krishna intervenes.
Krishna's own people become arrogant over their survival, and self-destruct. The Pandavas find no joy in their success. The story goes to great lengths to show that yes, the "good" side triumphed, but at a cost too great to the characters. And the death of the great heroes in the war is to serve as a reminder, a warning that greed should not triumph over morals, but the characters are aware that in the Age of Kali, such incidents will happen again and again. What was the point of the war, then?
It sounds like you are talking exclusively about the Gita. The Mahabharata does not emphasize the futility of war. Quite the opposite - the Pandavas have to fight to regain their kingdom.
So? The Bhagvat Gita, far from calling war futile, urges man to righteous war.
Just because the Pandavas fight for theit kingdom doesn't mean the story glorifies war. The way the war ends, and the fact that an entire Parva is devoted to the lamentation of the wives, makes it clear that the author(s) thinks that even a righteous war is futile. The Pandavas lose all their relatives, including all their sons. Even their grandson is killed in his mother's womb, and survives only because Krishna intervenes.
Krishna's own people become arrogant over their survival, and self-destruct. The Pandavas find no joy in their success. The story goes to great lengths to show that yes, the "good" side triumphed, but at a cost too great to the characters. And the death of the great heroes in the war is to serve as a reminder, a warning that greed should not triumph over morals, but the characters are aware that in the Age of Kali, such incidents will happen again and again. What was the point of the war, then?