Maha means great, and bharata means this land. Actually it is a history. But foolish people, without understanding through the guru-parampara system, they manufacture their own way of understanding; therefore they are misled

Expressions researched:
"Mahā means great, and bhārata means this land. Actually it is a history. But foolish people, without understanding through the guru-paramparā system, they manufacture their own way of understanding; therefore they are misled"

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Mahābhārata is also history. Mahā means great, and bhārata means this land. Actually it is a history. But foolish people, without understanding through the guru-paramparā system, they manufacture their own way of understanding; therefore they are misled. They cannot take full advantage of this Vedic literature because they are misled.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Mayapur, April 8, 1975:

You take advantage of this cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness which was spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself, in this land of Bhārata-varṣa, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1).

That kurukṣetre is still existing. It is not a myth or mythology. The nonsense people, they may say like that, but Kṛṣṇa is the supermost person both in history. . . Purāṇa means history, itihāsa purāṇa. Saraṁ saraṁ samuddhṛtam (SB 1.3.41). Vyāsadeva compiled the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by collecting the most important news from history. Purāṇa. Purāṇa means old history. It is not mythology. The foolish people, they say like that: "Mythology means something created." No. Don't take it that way. It is the essence of important historical incidences. Record. Both itihāsa, history. . . Mahābhārata is also history. Mahā means great, and bhārata means this land. Actually it is a history. But foolish people, without understanding through the guru-paramparā system, they manufacture their own way of understanding; therefore they are misled. They cannot take full advantage of this Vedic literature because they are misled. We should not be misled. Here, we should know always that we are lame, paṅgoḥ. Just like a lame man cannot go very fast. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, even a lame man can go fast—not only go fast, but cross over the mountain.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ

paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim

yat kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande

śrī guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam

(CC Madhya 17.80)

It is possible if we become obedient student of guru, then even though we may be dumb, deaf and dumb, still, we can become good lecturer. Mūkaṁ karoti vācālam, talk very much about Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's grace, mūkaṁ karoti. . . Paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim: if one is lame man, he is made to cross over the hill, mountain. This is the mercy of guru.