What is Mahabharata?

The Epic Mahabharata has been given to us, the people of Kali Yuga, as the fifth Veda. Why has this fifth Veda been named ‘BhArata’? The epic does not refer merely to the one lakh slokas contained in it. ‘BhArata’ is explained in Sanskrit as — ‘Bha rupE brahmaNi ratah iti BhArata’ – anything that draws us towards the ‘Brahman’ is ‘BhArata’. Thus, the fifth Veda that entices us towards Brahman, is verily BhArata.
All sounds that allure us towards the Brahman are the fifth Vedas.
Thus, BhArata does not refer merely to the one lakh slokas but means all words and sounds that allure us towards the Brahman; it includes all the ‘Granthas’ [Holy writings] of Mahans down the ages.