This is Part 4 of a four-semester course on the entire Mahābhārata. The course focuses on an overview of the main philosophical sections of the Mahābhārata and evaluates approaches to interpreting it. We will read these philosophical sections closely to discover why the epic is called dharmaśāstra, mokṣaśāstra, and the Fifth Veda.
We will trace the Upaniṣadic, theistic, bhakti, and dharma elements in the Mahābhārata and understand their synthesis to generate Classical Hinduism. The Mahābhārata occupies a central position within the textual tradition of the Veda culminating in the Itihāsapurāṇa and Āgama texts. This literary-philosophical tradition buttresses various forms of art, iconography, philosophical schools, and rituals such as temple worship.
All four Mahabharata courses are housed in the DHS program, but MA students may register for them with the instructor’s permission.
Division
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Quarter
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January 2023
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Faculty
Vishwa P. Adluri
Dr. Vishwa P. Adluri is a Professor in the Philosophy Department at Hunter College, New York. He holds Ph.D.s in Philosophy (New School for Social Research, New York), Indology (Philipps University, Marburg), and Sanskrit (Deccan College, Pune). Prof. Adluri’s work focuses on the reception of ancient Greek and Indian thought in modernity. He is the author of three monographs (Bloomsbury, OUP, and Anthem); four edited volumes (Brill, Bhandarkar Oriental Institute, and de Gruyter); and numerous articles and essays.
