Morals and Principles in the Mahabharata: A comparative analysis of IrawatiKarve’s Yuganta and C. Rajagopalachari’s Mahabharata

Abstract

In his brief essay entitled ‘On Values, Ethics Morals and Principles’, Paul Chippendale brings about a clear distinction between values, morals and ethics. He expresses that, “Values motivate, morals and ethics constrain.” Values describe what is important in a person’s life. With the onslaught of technology and blurring of physical boundaries, the value systems have changed and metamorphosed to suit current times. In such a scenario, one is forced to question whether values advocated in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata still an intrinsic part of us? Can we still go to epics in search of some truths about ourselves and our conditions? The answer, interestingly, lies with technology-with the high TRPs that the serialised versions of epics receive or the urge to represent the Mahabharata in thirty six tweets, felt by mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik, goes to prove the malleability of the epics and the important position they enjoy in our lives, even today. C. Rajagopalachari aptly credits the Ramayana and the Mahabharata to bind people as one, despite differences.