I have to be honest, the movie was quite a load to have to take in a single setting. I found the book to be significantly easier to understand, though my western manner of thought still left me at times scratching my head. As someone who doesn't entirely accept that destiny is pre-determined, some of the attitudes about wealth kinda pertubed me a bit.
On page 101 of The Mahabharata (as translated by Chakravarthi Narasimhan), during the second paragraph of Udyoga Parva, Book XL, Yurdhisthira states the following:
"Wealth is said to be the best virtue. Everything is established on wealth; and rich men live in this world, while poor men are practically dead. Poverty is a greater danger to a man than death; for it destroys his prosperity, which is the source of his virtue as well as his pleasures. A man who is born poor does not suffer so much as one who, after having enjoyed great prosperity and a life of great happiness, is deprived of it."
I have trouble processing that this statement comes from the King of the Pandavas who is reknown for performing sacrifices.
My question to you, however, is this: do you agree with Yurdhisthira? Why or why not?
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
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