Yoga and the Mahābhārata:

Engaged Renouncers

Abstract

The article "Yoga and the Mahābhārata: Engaged Renouncers" by Christopher Key Chapple explores three narrative episodes from the Mahābhārata that demonstrate a form of renunciation embedded within social engagement. Focusing on the stories of Tulādhāra and Jājali, Sāvitrī and Satyavān, and a discourse on vegetarianism from the Anuśāsanaparvan, Chapple analyzes how the text models ethical living through yogic values—particularly nonviolence, self-discipline, and moral integrity—while remaining actively involved in worldly life. He argues that these exemplars of “engaged renunciation” challenge the dichotomy between ascetic withdrawal and household duty, offering instead a middle path where yogic ideals inform compassionate social action. The article underscores the Mahābhārata’s rich capacity to frame yoga not merely as solitude and austerity, but as a dynamic force for dharmic living in the world.

Keywords: Christopher Key Chapple, Mahābhārata, yoga, engaged renunciation, Tulādhāra, Sāvitrī, nonviolence, ethics, vegetarianism, dharma, householder spirituality.