Bibek Debroy: Why Ramayana & Mahabharata Are History, Not Myth | Itihasa & Purana Explained

Bibek Debroy reveals the scholarly truth about Itihasa and Puranas in this profound exploration of India's epic literature. Discover why Ramayana and Mahabharata are historical accounts, not mythology, and learn how Puranas form the foundation of Hindu Dharma practices. Bibek Debroy, renowned Sanskrit scholar and translator of the complete Mahabharata and Valmiki Ramayana, exposes the colonial misinterpretation of sacred texts while demonstrating their encyclopedic knowledge systems.

Key Points:
Etymological proof that Itihasa means "this indeed happened" - history, not myth
Three complete Sanskrit Ramayanas explained: Valmiki, Adhyatma, and Yogavasishta
How Puranas govern temple architecture, funeral rites, and Dharma practices
Difference between Kanda and Parva in epic structural organization
Akalabodan tradition and Durga worship connection to Ramayana
Why Manu Smriti's 17 civil cases remain relevant to Indian jurisprudence
The tragedy of reducing Puranas to Amar Chitra Katha and television retellings
Raghunandan Bhattacharya's transformation of ferocious Mahishasuramardini into homely Durga
Critical editions vs regional variants of Valmiki Ramayana
Sanskrit accessibility: starting with simpler texts like Valmiki over complex Kalidasa

About speaker:
Bibek Debroy is an economist and was educated in Ramakrishna Mission School, Narendrapur; Presidency College, Kolkata; Delhi School of Economics and Trinity College, Cambridge. Presently, he is Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister and Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India. He has worked in Presidency College, Kolkata (1979-83), Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune (1983-87); Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi (1987-93); as the Director of a Ministry of Finance/UNDP project on legal reforms (1993-98); Department of Economic Affairs (1994-95); National Council of Applied Economic Research (1995-96); Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies (1997-2005); PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2005-06); and Centre for Policy Research (2007- 2015).

Topics covered:
00:00:00 Introduction: Manu Smriti and Purana's Role in Hindu Dharma
00:01:01 Puranas as Encyclopedias: Beyond Amar Chitra Katha Stereotypes
00:01:22 Welcome and Context: Rainy Saturday Evening Lecture Setup
00:02:04 Defining Itihasa: Etymology and Historical Meaning
00:02:46 Itihasa Applied to Ramayana and Mahabharata
00:03:30 Three Sanskrit Ramayanas: Valmiki, Adhyatma, Yogavasishta
00:05:28 Kanda vs Parva: Structural Differences in Epic Organization
00:07:12 Mahabharata as Unified Whole vs Multiple Ramayana Versions
00:23:30 Puranas as Historical and Cultural Encyclopedia
00:28:45 How Funeral Rites and Temple Architecture Come from Puranas
00:35:15 Colonial Reduction of Puranas in 19th-20th Century Scholarship
00:45:20 Learning Sanskrit: Starting with Valmiki Ramayana Over Kalidasa
01:02:31 Breaking Down Sandhi and Samasa for Sanskrit Comprehension
01:03:45 Akalabodan Story: Durga Worship Connection to Ramayana
01:04:15 Critical Edition vs Regional Variants on Ram Praying to Durga
01:05:10 Krittibashi Ramayana and Meghnath Bodh Kavya References
01:06:26 Markandeya Purana: Foundation of Durga Puja Liturgy
01:07:10 Mahishasuramardini Origins in Vindhya Mountains
01:08:00 Raghunandan Bhattacharya's Domestication of Durga Worship
01:09:17 Concluding Remarks on Puranic Traditions and Cultural Continuity

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