Mahabharata Quotes

“Please explain to me," Yudhishthira asked him, "why the wicked prosper, while such as I, who strive to follow virtue, have to suffer?"
Lomasha said, "If you take the long view the wicked do not flourish. They are like plants with showy flowers but weak and shallow roots. The virtuous are well grounded in dharma and, through devoted discipline, they weather bad times and good, seeing them as the same. Like the demons before them, wicked people lose direction, and fall prey to discord. Given to restless searching after pleasure, true and lasting happiness eludes them.”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling

“Yudhishthira,” said Krishna with a smile,
“time flows on, day by day, and waits for no one.
We do not know when we will meet our death.
To hesitate, to turn away from dharma,
Never prolongs life. But it costs a man
His honor – and that loss is worse than death.
Do not divide your mind against itself
Through doubt and paralyzing cogitation.
The great man acts, as time demands of him.”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling

“One in whom goodness is dominant moves through the world as a swan does through water, never drenched or dragged down, but rather buoyant, tranquil, treating all experience equally. That person generates virtue as a spider spins its threads. Such a person knows true happiness.”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling

“This is our task: be serene at all times, do not be vengeful, nor scorn your enemy; speak truthfully, befriend the virtuous, be equable in the face of disaster. Be aware that everything must pass, just as clouds arise, drift, and disperse, so do not seek to cling to anything.”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling

“Success on earth rests on both fate and effort. One cannot change the course of destiny but heroic acts can achieve wonders;”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling

“Yes, greed is the worst vice. To escape its grip one must cultivate that self-control which is the scaffolding of every virtue. With self-control come patience, moderation, gentleness and generosity. Some people might take self-control for weakness but it is really tolerance, openness to all experience, a non-judgmental acceptance of all that life may send our way. A person does not need a forest ashram if they can exercise such self-control while engaged fully in the daily round.”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling

“What causes evil?" asked Yudhishthira.

"Greed is the ultimate root of every evil. People who covet what they do not have are prone to anger, and become obsessed. They are mean-spirited, enslaved by wanting. Those who pile up wealth for its own sake are often ruthless and contemptuous, despising those less well off than themselves. Lust comes from greed. Dishonesty, ill will, envy, ruthlessness - every kind of sin starts with desiring more than one possesses.

Ignorance springs from the selfsame root. Greed spreads its branches and the mind grows dark, unable to judge clearly...”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling

“Vyasa arrived and spoke to Yudhishthira. "Virtuous conduct is always rewarded in this life or the next. Control your sorrow. Live each day with a calm and even mind, treating success and setback equally. Once, you lived in luxury and wealth; now you are suffering. To be happy, one has to suffer first. Each of these states is simply how things are...”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling

“The world is caught up by appearances, dazzled by their infinite variety, snared by illusion, endlessly distracted, and does not recognize me, the eternal principle that connects the humblest flower with the grandeur of the constellations.”
― Carole Satyamurti, Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling