Mahabharata Quiz - 3

Click here for the previous question

Question - 3

What was the original name of the Mahabharata? Was it Jaya or Bharata?

Answer:

The first chapter of the Mahabharata that appears with Sauti's narration to the sages at Naimisha forest repeatedly refers to the text as 'Bharata" only. At the conclusion of his narration, Sauti says that since the story is on the topic of the Bharatas, it is called Bhārata. After so saying, he continued that this history is known as "Jaya" and lists out the success to be got by different people who recite this.

"Jaya" is repeated by Vaishampayana twice at the conclusion of the narration of the story to king Janamejaya and says that those who are desirous of victory must listen to the story of Bharata.

"Jaya" is mentioned by Kunti as the name of the history of the Bharatas. 

Looking at the contexts, "Jaya" appears as the name of the story of Bharata in the concluding part to say that reading or listening of the Bharata brings victory. 

Jaya also appears at the beginning of all chapters of the Mahabharata where an invocation is done to Narayana, Nara and Saraswati by uttering Jaya. 

The same invocation with Jaya is found in the beginning of the chapters of the Puranas which were also composed by Vyasa. This makes us think that Jaya was a generic term used by Vyasa to invoke victory. 

The term "Jayābhyudaya" is found on top of the inscription issued by king Janamejaya to a group of sages near River Tungabhadra which is now in the possession of a Madhwa mutt in Bhimanakatte in Shivamogga. 

Many inscriptions found in Shivamogga issued in the last 2000 years also begin with "Jayābhyudaya".

Abhyudaya means increasing or beginning. Increase of Jaya or victory was invoked by Vyasa at the beginning of his compositions and was followed by Janamejaya in his edicts. The practice of invoking Jayābhyudaya seemed to have survived in Shivamogga where four of Janamejaya's edicts have been found. 

There is no direct reference to say that Vyasa called his composition, Jaya. In fact he didn't seem to have given any name. 

Jaya or Bharata was what others called. 

The second version of 24,000 composed by Vyasa was known as "Bharata" by the learned. This is being repeated in other contexts too. This was not released to mankind, until the sons of Vyasa, namely, Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura left the world. 

Sometime later, the text came to be called as "Mahabharata". It is told in the first chapter of the Mahabharata that the celestials placed the Bharata on one side of the balance and the four Vedas on the other side and found that the Bharata weighed heavier than the Vedas. From that period onwards, it came to be called as "Mahabharata" - the great Bharata. 

 Click here for the next question