Was Mahabharata a Vaishnava Text?

 

No. It is basically a text for advocating importance of Dharma and TRUTH, but due to incorporating the some interpolated major episodes, it was made a Vaishnava text. Ṛṣi Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana projected Krishna as a great strategist,warrior and a person adhering to TRUTH and DHARMA.

Krishnarevived dead Parikshit by invoking his austerity power in adhering to TRUTH and DHARMA, but not by stating that he was VISHNU. This episode still exists in Ashvamedika Parva.

 

However, in view of some major interpolations, Krishna was made an incarnation of Vishnu.

·        There was no episode of disrobing/vastraharana of Draupadi. Due to incorporation of that episode, an attempt was made to elevate the status of Krishna to that of Vishnu

·        Incorporation of the episode of Krishna’s fight with Salva in Dwaraka. This appears in the Vana Parva. This episode has no relevance with the Mahabharata. This episode elevates Krishna as Vishnu

·        Vishvarupa Darshana in Udyoga Parva. According to my understanding, this is an interpolated episode

·        Bhagavad Gita, containing 700 shlokas. Why should a spiritual discourse be added to Arjuna in a battlefield? It must be an interpolation.

·        Bhishma died on 10th day of the war itself. However, a few shlokas were added in that episode, so that it was twisted to make appear that Bhishma was alive till Uttaraayana arrived. This paves way to Bhishma’s discourse with Yudhisthira in Shanti and Anushashana Parvas and specifically exposition of VISHNU SAHASHRANAMA, a Vaishnava stotra.

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Ṛṣi Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana, aka Vyasa, composed Jayasaṃhita, ie., the original version of Mahabharata, in 8,800 shlokas.

A shloka appears in the 1st Chapter of Adi Parva of Southern recension/Chitrasala edition, which mentions that there existed an earlier version, consisting of 8,800 shlokas, to the present form of Mahabharata (around 1,00,000 shlokas) epic.

अष्टौ श्लोकसहस्राणि अष्टौ श्लोकशतानि च।

अहं वेद्मि शुको वेत्ति संजयो वेत्ति वा न वा॥

I am acquainted with eight thousand and eight hundred verses, and so is Shuka, and perhaps Sanjaya.

Please also note that this shloka mentions Sanjaya also, who was a close associate of King Dhritarashtra. Thus, we can infer that the first expansion of Jayasaṃhita might have taken place, most probably by Vaisampayana, the disciple of Ṛṣi Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana, when Sanjaya was very much alive.

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Jayasaṃhita composed by Ṛṣi Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana, contains episodes/narrations giving stress on the importance of Dharma and TRUTH.

There still exists an episode, in the midst of all interpolated stories, in the fag end of Vana Parva, wherein Yudhisthira, after observing the death of his 4 brothers, answers all questions of Dharma. After the revival of 4 dead Pandavas, the final shlokas describe DHARMA, who will be adored by all.

इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दधे धर्मो भगवाँल्लोकभावनः ।

समेताः पाण्डवाश्चैव सुखसुप्ता मनस्विनः ॥

'After saying this, the Dharma, whom all worlds contemplate, vanished.