Course Details

Mahabharata IV: Dharma and Darshana

$1,500.00

Course Code:

TAT7204

Credit Hours:

3

Course Level:

700

Area of Study:

Texts and Traditions

Course Description

TAT7204 – (DHS/PhD – None) This is the fourth and final installment of our comprehensive series on the Mahābhārata. In this course, we will focus on the main philosophical sections of the epic and evaluate different approaches to interpreting it. We will read these philosophical sections closely to learn why the epic is also referred to as dharmaśāstra, mokṣaśāstra, and pañcama veda (the Fifth Veda). Additionally, we will trace the Upaniṣadic, theistic, bhakti, and dharma elements within the Mahābhārata and gain a deeper understanding of how they come together to shape 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. Join us on this insightful journey through the Mahābhārata and discover its timeless wisdom.

Program of Study

This course is part of the following programs:

All four Mahabharata courses are housed in the DHS program, but MA students may register for them with the instructor’s permission.

Division

Graduate Division

Required / Core / Elective:

Prerequisites:

Semester / Quarter System:

Semester

Number of Weeks:

Semester / Quarter Offered:

January 2023

Days of the Week:

Time:

Start Date:

End Date:

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.

vishwa.adluri@hua.edu

Course Learning Objectives:

As a result of taking this course, students will be able to:

Critically engage with the text from a variety of interdisciplinary approaches such as theology, philosophy, literary theory etc.
Analyze various interpretations of the text: Western and traditional, and negotiate interpretations that clarify the relationship of the text to classical and contemporary Hinduism.
Reconcile texts, traditions and practices.
Organize textual passages to synthesize creative interpretations that defend Classical Hinduism, while adapting these interpretations to contemporary concerns and critical issues.

Featured Testimonial

Course Content:

In this course we will read Śāntiparvan and Anuśāsanaparvan, and sections such as Sanatsujātīya, Bhagavadgīta, etc. Sections from other texts such as Bhagavatapurāṇa will be used where necessary. We will study both traditional approaches which focus on dharma and mokṣa as well as modern approaches which focus on historical aspects of the text; and investigate whether we can envision an appropriately contemporary approach.

We will also read a selection of pertinent secondary literature on the Mahābhārata. The course investigates the role of the epic in Indian philosophy, theology and religion. In addition, the course will teach basic analytic and critical skills, especially how to read texts carefully paying attention to literary form, structure, context, and nuance. Students will learn how to interpret texts rigorously, to research secondary sources, and to reconstruct an argument in their own language.

Class Structure:

The class will meet for three hours each week. Attendance is mandatory. If you miss more than one session, your grade will suffer. If you miss two sessions, you will have to retake the course for a grade.
An online session is exactly like a classroom session, so proper etiquette is expected. Please make sure you secure a quiet place with access to the online session. Please switch off your phones. Do not eat during the class (drinking water, tea, or coffee is permitted). Make sure you have access to a camera: if you switch off your camera, you will be marked absent. We will take a 10-minute break halfway through each session.
Please keep up with the required reading. This will facilitate participation in discussions. It will also help you get the most out of the course.
Each student is required to present a portion of the text in class for discussion. Within two weeks, this presentation should be turned into a paper and submitted. The paper should be minimum 12 pages in length and should be written according to academic standards. If you require assistance in learning how to write a paper, please contact the Academic Writing Center at Hindu University of America.
The following textbooks are required. Please purchase them. I recommend physical copies so you can mark them up for future use:
- Van Buitenen, J. A. B., trans. The Mahābhārata, Volume 3: Book 4: The Book of the Virāṭa; Book 5: The Book of the Effort. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978.
- Fitzgerald, James L., trans. The Mahābhārata: 11, the Book of the Women; 12, the Book of Peace, Part One. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004.
- Swami Gambhirananda, trans. Bhagavad Gītā: With the Commentary of Śaṅkarācārya. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 2003.

We will read the Nārāyaṇīya in my translation. You do not need to buy this book.
We will read the Anuśāsanaparvan in Ganguli’s translation. You can download this book here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/.

Prerequisites:

Admission into a qualifying Program of Study
Any prerequisite courses: NONE
Any prerequisite knowledge or skills (i.e., Sanskrit, reading research): All students are required to have read Sukthankar’s “On the Meaning of the Mahābhārata” before the first class.

X

Mahabharata IV: Dharma and Darshana

$1,500.00

Quarter / Semester Offered

Clear

Hindu University of America

Course Details

Mahabharata IV: Dharma and Darshana

Course Code:

TAT7204

Credit Hours:

3

Course Level:

700

Area of Study:

Texts and Traditions

Course Description

Program of Study

Division

Required / Core / Elective:

Prerequisites:

Semester / Quarter System:

Number of Weeks:

Semester / Quarter Offered:

Days of the Week:

Time:

Start Date:

End Date:

Faculty

Vishwa P. Adluri

Course Learning Objectives:

Featured Testimonial

Course Content:

Class Structure:

Prerequisites:

X

Mahabharata IV: Dharma and Darshana

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