Inconsistencies, contradictions within the Mahabharata. - Page 4

Originally posted by: .Vrish.

Bharti, wasn't the Khandava Dahan done to build Indraprastha? Or was it just the Maya Mahal that was built after the event? I thought that the Pandavas cleared the Khandava forests to get land on which to build a new city.

Originally posted by: -bharti

No, khandav dahan was after Arjun returned from his 12 years of "vanvaas". All the Upapandavas (except Arjun's) and Abhimanyu were already born by then...

Originally posted by: bheegi

@Ashwini, I'm posting a citation from CE (although you are discussing KMG here)

This is Sanjaya narrating Abhimanyu's death to Dhrit:

On seeing him fallen down on the ground, those on your side were supremely delighted. The Pandus were distressed. O king! Abhimanyu was still a child and had not yet attained youth. But he was killed.

Here is Yudi lamenting Abhi's death: He was only a child. But we placed him at the forefront of the warriors.

Debroy, Bibek (2012-11-15). Mahabharata Vol. 6 (Penguin Translated Texts) (p. 42). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Originally posted by: bheegi

How long was each year in Dwaparyuga? Did they also use 365 days for a year?

400 years as a life span (if used in current terms) seems scientifically impossible...assuming Mahabharat is history and not just mythology

Originally posted by: Ashwini_D

I agree that the 400 year life span hypothesis is a bit too far fetched. When there is still no consensus on the dating of the Kurukshetra war, I think one cannot definitively put a timeline to all the events. There is still some confusion, from what I've read, in how time was measured during those times.

Nevertheless, thanks Bharti for the timeline!

I am curious to know where the number 16 came from, since there is no explicit mention of this in any translation, unless somebody finds a citation to the contrary.

There is an explicit mention in KMG, Lord Soma - whose ansh/son Abhimanyu was, only allowed him live till 16 years, read my citation on the 1st page

Originally posted by: .Vrish.

Bharti, wasn't the Khandava Dahan done to build Indraprastha? Or was it just the Maya Mahal that was built after the event? I thought that the Pandavas cleared the Khandava forests to get land on which to build a new city.

Indraprastha was built first.

During the first year itself, Arjuna left on his twelve year pilgrimage. The pilgrimage couldn't have been for 12 months because after Babruvahana was born in Manipur, Arjuna visits him again in when he was three years old.

And after Subhadra was married to him, he spent a full year in Dwaraka and then spent another year in traveling back to Indraparastha.

The khandava vana dahan (the Krishna- Arjuna- Agni incident) took place after this. The relevant verse mentions that Draupadi and Subhadra accompanied Arjuna and Krishna on their 'picnic' to khandava vana. Almost certainly Abhimanyu was already born and Drauapdi was pregnant (or had just given birth) to Arjuna's son Srutakarman.


Since the asura Maya sought Arjuna's protection, Arjuna / Krishna asked him to build the Maya Palace in lieu of protection.

Originally posted by: ..RamKiJanaki..

Arjun married Subhadra at the end of his vanvaas, so how could Abhimanyu have been born "by then". Depending on how soon after Subhadra haran the khandava dahan happened, Abhimanyu had to have been born during or after it.

Abhimanyu was born after Arjuna returned to Indraprastha.

The khandava dahana took place after Abhimanyu's birth.

Originally posted by: varaali

Abhimanyu was born after Arjuna returned to Indraprastha.

The khandava dahana took place after Abhimanyu's birth.