Ishwa helper Reged: 03/03/02 Posts: 553

Re: Mahabharata [Re: chetangandhi] #17057 - 06/04/02 04:48 AM Edit Reply Quote

Actually the Mahabharata has many layers, out of which the Dharmika feature is one of the last: 1. The original was named "Jaya" and had only 8800 verses in the oldest metre. (of Veda Vyasa) 2. The extension was known as "Bharata" and had 24.000 verses. (Of Vyasa) 3. The further extension and recast, mainly done by the Bh�rgava family, gave finally ca. 88.000 shlokas. 4. The last part/appendix was the Harivansha of 12.00 shlokas, making the whole into a Vaishnava-Bh�gavata work of Krishnaite flavour. In the beginning it was an Itih�sa, then it absorbed slowly more of the original Aadi-Pur�na. When it passed over from Vyasas family to other families, especially the Bh�rgavas, more bardic material was included besides a recasting into a Dh�rmika work in the S�tra and Sh�stra periods. In the Dh�rmika period (around the vanishing Indra cult, and rising complexer N�r�yana cult) Vishnuism and Narayanism fused. After this period Vishnu-Narayanism fused with Krishnaism.