There is a lot to be said for samvada — conversation. When a conversation is meaningful, then the results are beneficial. Lectures, not being interactive, lack the advantage of conversations. Information that comes through conversations gets imprinted in the mind. That is why in the Upanishads, a lot is conveyed through conversations.
In the Upanishads, seekers of Brahma Vidya put questions to jnanis about the nature of the Supreme Brahman. The samvada pattern is seen in the Ramayana too, explained M.A. Venkatakrishnan in a discourse. In fact, the Ramayana begins with a conversation between Valmiki and Narada. Sage Narada comes to sage Valmiki’s ashram. Valmiki asks Narada who is the one who possesses sixteen desirable qualities. Narada has no hesitation in replying that Rama is the One who possesses such admirable traits. So, the Ramayana begins with Valmiki posing a question and Narada supplying an elaborate answer.
Upon King Janamejaya’s request, sage Vyasa narrated the Mahabharata to his disciple Vaisampayana. So, this epic too begins with an interaction. The Mahabharata is full of many conversations. The Bhagavad Gita results because of the questions that Arjuna puts to Lord Krishna. Sanjaya updates Dhritarashtra about the happenings on the battlefield. He also tells Dhritarashtra about Lord Krishna’s advice to Arjuna in the form of the Bhagavad Gita. So here again events are described through a conversation between two people.
When Yudhishthira needs spiritual advice, Lord Krishna tells him to approach Bhishma who is on the bed of arrows and is awaiting Uttarayana to give up his life. So, Yudhishthira puts his questions to Bhishma. And these questions result in Bhishma giving the Vishnu Sahasranama. Thus, the Sahasranama too had its origins in a conversation.
