The Mahabharata is an important source of information on the development of Hinduism between 400 bce and 200 ce. Appearing in its present form about 400 ce, the Mahabharata tells of the struggle for sovereignty between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas (sons of Dhritarashtra, the descendant of Kuru) and the Pandavas (sons of Pandu). The poem is made up of almost 100,000 couplets—about seven times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined—divided into 18 parvans, or sections, plus a supplement titled Harivamsha (“Genealogy of the God Hari”; i.e., of Vishnu). Although it is unlikely that any single person wrote the poem, its authorship is traditionally ascribed to the sage Vyasa, who appears in the work as the grandfather of the Kauravas and the Pandavas. The date and even the historical occurrence of the war that is the central event of the Mahabharata are much debated.

The main motto behind the passionate devotion towards the epic and the protagonist lay in the simple message it sent forth. Sree Aravinda Lochana Swamigal's heart rending narrations brought people in plenty to listen to Srimad Ramayana, often inspiring awe in listeners and organizer?s alike. He uses simple language that can be easily understood by the masses and the quotes and illustrations from it are easily grasped by the bhaktas.