1. Was Yudhistra really upholding his code of honor by accepting the challenge of the chess game, or was he unable to resist the temptation to gamble? Examine his behavior during the match and analyze the human failures that he displays. Do we expect more of the "good" characters?

2. The Hindu law of karma dictates that each individual is rewarded or punished according to his or her deeds.

Examine the major characters and see if there is a correlation between their actions and ultimate fate.

3. Can the ending of the epic be interpreted as a destruction myth in which the gods destroy civilization? Compare and contrast the fate of the Bharatas and Yadus to the story of the Flood in the Bible or in Gilgamesh.

4. Are the various interpolations (sections that were later inserted into the main story), on the duties...