What are 10 lessons I can learn from the Mahabharata?

 

• It is okay to break a promise if the result would be good to all. Bhishma could have married and become the King after the death of Shanthanu’s other sons, which would have done good to the country.
• No one is completely good, no one is completely bad. Every human in Mahabharata was a shade of grey. No one was totally black. No one was totally white.
• Use words carefully. Once said, they cant be taken back. Draupadi used the words ‘Is son of a blind, blind too?’ Karna called Draupadi a prostitute. All these led to destruction.
• Take right decisions at right time. Yudhistra failed to withdraw gambling before he had to bet on his family and kingdom. Duryodhana failed to accept the deal from Krishna to avoid the war.
• Respect women. In both Ramayanam and Mahabharatam, the death-chapters of antagonists were written because they ill-treated women.
• If you have a dilemma, then choose the one which is your duty. Arjuna got into a dilemma whether he should fight or not. Krishna advised him to fight as that was his duty.
• War is never good. Mahabharata war ended with victory of the side which was relatively more Dharmic, but they too had to pay a lot for the win.
• Never be egoistic or arrogant. In the whole Mahabharata, the job Krishna did was slashing the ego of people.
• Do not support your friends or family in their misdeeds. Had Bhishma, Drona refused to join Duryodhana’s side, he would not have dared to start the war at all.
• Half-baked knowledge is dangerous. Abhimanyu and Ashwattama did the same mistake and they had to pay for it.