The Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic, places significant importance on the number 18. Many events and elements in the Mahabharata are associated with the number 18. Let’s take a look:
- The Mahabharata war lasted for a total of 18 days.
- The armies of the Kauravas (11 Akshauhinis) and Pandavas (7 Akshauhinis) also comprised a total of 18 Akshauhinis.
- The sum of the digits in each part of the Akshauhinis’ armies adds up to 18.
- The Mahabharata consists of a total of 18 parvas or books: Adi Parva, Sabha Parva, Vana Parva, Virata Parva, Udyoga Parva, Bhishma Parva, Drona Parva, Karna Parva, Shalya Parva, Ashwamedhika Parva, Mahaprasthanika Parva, Sauptika Parva, Stri Parva, Shanti Parva, Anushasana Parva, Mausala Parva, Swargarohanika Parva, and Ashramavasika Parva.
- The Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Mahabharata and consists of 18 chapters, each with its unique teachings.
- In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna provides 18 characteristics of an ideal person.
- After the Mahabharata war, only 18 warriors from both sides survived: 3 from the Kauravas (Ashwatthama, Kritavarma, and Kripacharya) and 15 from the Pandavas (including Lord Krishna, the Pandavas, and Satyaki).
- Both the Mahabharata and the Puranas are highly respected, and there are 18 main Puranas along with additional sub-Puranas.
- The Mahabharata comprises around 18 lakh (1.8 million) words.
- The original name of the Mahabharata is “Jaya” or “Vijaya,” and its Sanskrit numeric value is 18.
Similarly, Lord Krishna’s life is also intricately connected to the number 8:
- Lord Krishna is considered the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu.
- His birth occurred during the 8th prahar (a division of a day) of the night.
- During his birth, 8 planets (excluding Saturn) were favorably aligned.
- He was the 8th child of his parents, with 7 elder siblings.
- Lord Krishna had 8 principal queens or wives: Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati, Kalindi, Satya, Mitra, Bhadra, and Lakshmana.
- He had 8 principal sons: Pradyumna, Bhanu, Samba, Veer, Shruta, Praghosha, Vrik, and Sangramjit.
- Lord Krishna is known by 8 principal names: Krishna, Gopal, Govind, Vasudeva, Mohan, Giridhari, Shyam, and Hari.
- His life revolved around 8 significant cities: Mathura, Gokul, Govardhan, Vrindavan, Avantika, Hastinapura, Dwarka, and Prabhasa.
- Lord Krishna had 8 close friends and companions: Uddhava, Satyaki, Kritavarma, Sudama, Arjuna, Daruka, Ghor Angira, and Shridama.
- In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna imparts special teachings in the 8th chapter, known as “Akshara Brahma Yoga.”
- During the Mahabharata war, Lord Krishna primarily protected Arjuna’s life 8 times.
- It is said that Lord Krishna had 8 principal gopis, with Radha being the most prominent among them.
- Lord Krishna consumed 8 meals a day. This is why, when he couldn’t eat for 7 days during the lifting of Govardhan Hill, the people of Braj offered him 8×7=56 dishes, a tradition that continues today.
The number 18 holds great significance in the Mahabharata and Lord Krishna’s life, with numerous references and connections throughout these ancient Indian narratives.
