Reading Notes: The Mahabhrata Part A
The Mahabharata, Pages 1-39
POV: Narayan's translated version of The Mahabharata
Favourite sentences/phrases:
The Eighth Baby
Story of Ganga and Santanu (he could not question her); how she drowned the first seven of her children to release them from their mortal existence and the last had to stay on earth; the last was Devavratha/Bhisma ("one of firm vow"); Santanu takes back his promise to make Bhisma heir upon when he happens upon a woman (Satyavathi) he wants to marry and the condition is that her son is named heir apparent (what is it with deer and leading people astray?); lots of confusion over who will bear a son after Satyavathi's sons do not as yet; Vyasa becomes the father of the next generation to the kidnapped girls Ambika and Ambalika (Amba runs off) who each give birth to Dhritarashtra and Pandu; the third son in the generation is Vidura born from a servant maid; Pandu wants sons when he ascends the throne after Dhritarasthra surrenders it to him, but he is cursed by a deer (another deer!) and cannot sleep with any of his wives lest he die; Kunthi (who already had a son named Karna) and Madri his wives give birth to the Pandavas through divine conception: Yudhistira (from Yama, god of death), Bhimasena (from the god of wind Vayu), Arjuna (from Indra), and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva (from the Aswins); Pandu dies after sleeping with Madri who kills herself at his pyre in grief (??)
Enter- the Players
The cousins live together and torment each other; growing aggressions between the Pandavas and their hundred cousins from Dhritarashtra's line; Drona the guru enters here and trains them all, favouring Arjuna; enter the king Drupada who wronged Drona and Drona's sends the children after him as revenge
House of Joy-and Ashes
Essentially out of jealousy and worry for his sons and their image, Dhritarashtra sends the Pandavas from the kingdom convinced by his first son Duryodhana; after they are sent to Varanavata, a plot is hatched to get rid of them for good; the house where they and their mother Kunthi stay is set afire but because they figured out the plan, they escape in the underground tunnel; all believe the Pandavas to be dead.
Bride for Five
Starts with the story of Bhima and Hidimba (a rakshasa), and how they came to have the child Ghatotkacha; Bhima slays another rakshasa at Ekavrata where they go next and so he is known as the strongest brother;
The Story of Drupada
Enter Draupadi! She and her twin Dhrishtadyumna are born of fire; at Draupadi's swayamawara, many come to win her hand but the bow is to strong and the challenge to difficult for them; she rejects Karna though he is able to string the bow (lol); Arjuna completes the challenge in the end after fuss because he is of 'apparent' brahmin class; because they apparently share everything, at their mother's jest, the Pandavas decide to share Draupadi as one wife. (The Lives of Draupadi: explains why this is possible that a woman could have more than one husband)
reference: R K. Narayan. The Mahabharata, [Print].
POV: Narayan's translated version of The Mahabharata
Favourite sentences/phrases:
"...the 'whole mansion of the womb of Nature'." -Vyasa (interesting idea, as nature is mother)
"I will always be your friend; have no doubt about it." - Drona to DrupadaSection Summaries:
The Eighth Baby
Story of Ganga and Santanu (he could not question her); how she drowned the first seven of her children to release them from their mortal existence and the last had to stay on earth; the last was Devavratha/Bhisma ("one of firm vow"); Santanu takes back his promise to make Bhisma heir upon when he happens upon a woman (Satyavathi) he wants to marry and the condition is that her son is named heir apparent (what is it with deer and leading people astray?); lots of confusion over who will bear a son after Satyavathi's sons do not as yet; Vyasa becomes the father of the next generation to the kidnapped girls Ambika and Ambalika (Amba runs off) who each give birth to Dhritarashtra and Pandu; the third son in the generation is Vidura born from a servant maid; Pandu wants sons when he ascends the throne after Dhritarasthra surrenders it to him, but he is cursed by a deer (another deer!) and cannot sleep with any of his wives lest he die; Kunthi (who already had a son named Karna) and Madri his wives give birth to the Pandavas through divine conception: Yudhistira (from Yama, god of death), Bhimasena (from the god of wind Vayu), Arjuna (from Indra), and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva (from the Aswins); Pandu dies after sleeping with Madri who kills herself at his pyre in grief (??)
Enter- the Players
The cousins live together and torment each other; growing aggressions between the Pandavas and their hundred cousins from Dhritarashtra's line; Drona the guru enters here and trains them all, favouring Arjuna; enter the king Drupada who wronged Drona and Drona's sends the children after him as revenge
House of Joy-and Ashes
Essentially out of jealousy and worry for his sons and their image, Dhritarashtra sends the Pandavas from the kingdom convinced by his first son Duryodhana; after they are sent to Varanavata, a plot is hatched to get rid of them for good; the house where they and their mother Kunthi stay is set afire but because they figured out the plan, they escape in the underground tunnel; all believe the Pandavas to be dead.
Bride for Five
Starts with the story of Bhima and Hidimba (a rakshasa), and how they came to have the child Ghatotkacha; Bhima slays another rakshasa at Ekavrata where they go next and so he is known as the strongest brother;
The Story of Drupada
Enter Draupadi! She and her twin Dhrishtadyumna are born of fire; at Draupadi's swayamawara, many come to win her hand but the bow is to strong and the challenge to difficult for them; she rejects Karna though he is able to string the bow (lol); Arjuna completes the challenge in the end after fuss because he is of 'apparent' brahmin class; because they apparently share everything, at their mother's jest, the Pandavas decide to share Draupadi as one wife. (The Lives of Draupadi: explains why this is possible that a woman could have more than one husband)
Draupadi, and her five husbands, the Pandavas. Source: Wikimedia Commons
reference: R K. Narayan. The Mahabharata, [Print].
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