Essay name: Archaeology and the Mahabharata (Study)
Author:
Gouri Lad
Affiliation: Deccan College Post Graduate And Research Institute / Department of AIHC and Archaeology
This study examines the Mahabharata from an archaeological perspective. The Maha-Bbharata is an ancient Indian epic written in Sanskrit鈥攊t represents a vast literary work with immense cultural and historical significance. This essay aims to use archaeology to verify and contextualize the Mahabharata's material aspects.
Chapter 10 - Utensils in the Mahabharata
6 (of 20)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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hundred different kundas filled with medicinal ghee (I.107.18). Likewise, the gold niskas in Yudhisthira's posession were kept sealed in a hundred kundas (II.54.2). There is no mention of a lid for these hollow basins. 18 Lohakumbhi was an iron 'ka岣峢ai' in which 371 oil was kept boiling in the region of Hell. It is portray-
-ed as a torture device and sinning souls were supposed to
be thrown into this boiling cauldron (XVIII.2.24).
19 Patra or patri was a metal vessel, and from
the references in the Mbh was also a serving vessel.
The word, in all likelihood, is derived from 'patra', a
thin sheet or plate of metal, particularly gold.
Gold patras were used in the palace of Drupada
(I.186.13), in the palace of the Pandavas at Indraprastha
(III.28.15), and during the sacrificial feast of
Yudhisthira (II.45.18) and Rantideva (XII.29.11) to serve
food to thousands of guests at a time. Some of the
expensive specimens were studded with diamonds (XII.165.
14).
The eatables served in these vessels were
mainly liquids, often sticky liquids such as curds (VIII.
1.11), ghee (V.141.30; VIII.1.11), honey (XII.165.14),
the rice 'kheer' payasa (V.141.30) and oil (XII.304.22).
Besides gold, kamsya or copper too, was used in
the making of patras (IV.63.47). These metal vessels
