Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Part D
The Mahabharata, Pages 131-179
POV: Narayan's translated version of The Mahabharata
Favourite Sentences/Phrases:
Action
Yud pleads with Krishna to ask one more chance at peace from the king and his sons; when he arrives he is well received but Duryodhana plots against him to try to take him prisoner; he assumes his godly, universal form and frightens everyone; here Ghandari, his mother even attempts to dissuade Duryodhana from war but to no avail; Krishna tries to also dissuade Karna from his loyalty to Duryodhana but this doesn't work either.
Hesitant Hero
Arjuna is hesitant to do battle (in fact most of the Pandavas are worried about ravishing their cousins);Krishna shares much wisdom and philosophy with him and riles the troops in hi celestial form; the prelude to the battle is included here and it is predicted to last 18 days on the field of Kurukshetra.
Delirium of Destruction
The hour of battle (and death has come); over the course of the days, many fall, Bhishma goes first although he does not die but lies on the arrows that fell him for many days afterward (his mother, Ganga quenches his thirst); Arjuna's son dies by the battle formation of the lotus; Bhima's son the rakshasa is also killed by Karna's weapon once meant for Arjuna; Drona's head in his confusion and despair from a deceit by the Pandavas; Arjuna finally kills Karna after his mantra fails him as predicted; most of the 100 brothers are killed by this point and Yud retreats underwater with his mace (wow); there he is confronted and Bhima and he commence fighting; Bhima ends the fight by smashing his thighs and stepping on his head; he dies but not after a long speech quarreling with Krishna (is Krishna all good, the question lingers...)
Victory and Sorrow
Here, they return back to the kingdom to find the king with much sorrow; he proceeds to ask for Bhima to hug him but Krishna tricks him with a decoy and he smashes it in revenge; with his need for revenge placated he receives his nephews; Ghandari curses Krishna (seems like he tries to undermine her curse by saying it was already foretold but I think Ghandari should be given more credit here); Yud refuses at first to take the throne, but everyone scolds him saying that all the war, suffering and death was thus for nothing if he does not; Yud rules with his brother and Draupadi at his side for many years and when Krishna and his clan are killed, they go too
Reference: R K. Narayan. The Mahabharata, [Print].
POV: Narayan's translated version of The Mahabharata
Favourite Sentences/Phrases:
"The waves of violence never cease. Victory creates animosity; hostilities lie dormant, but continue."- Yud
"One should accept food only if one is desperate or loves the person who offers it." - Krishna to Duryodhana
"...the importance of performing one's duty with detachment in a spirit of dedication."Section Summaries:
Action
Yud pleads with Krishna to ask one more chance at peace from the king and his sons; when he arrives he is well received but Duryodhana plots against him to try to take him prisoner; he assumes his godly, universal form and frightens everyone; here Ghandari, his mother even attempts to dissuade Duryodhana from war but to no avail; Krishna tries to also dissuade Karna from his loyalty to Duryodhana but this doesn't work either.
Hesitant Hero
Arjuna is hesitant to do battle (in fact most of the Pandavas are worried about ravishing their cousins);Krishna shares much wisdom and philosophy with him and riles the troops in hi celestial form; the prelude to the battle is included here and it is predicted to last 18 days on the field of Kurukshetra.
Delirium of Destruction
The hour of battle (and death has come); over the course of the days, many fall, Bhishma goes first although he does not die but lies on the arrows that fell him for many days afterward (his mother, Ganga quenches his thirst); Arjuna's son dies by the battle formation of the lotus; Bhima's son the rakshasa is also killed by Karna's weapon once meant for Arjuna; Drona's head in his confusion and despair from a deceit by the Pandavas; Arjuna finally kills Karna after his mantra fails him as predicted; most of the 100 brothers are killed by this point and Yud retreats underwater with his mace (wow); there he is confronted and Bhima and he commence fighting; Bhima ends the fight by smashing his thighs and stepping on his head; he dies but not after a long speech quarreling with Krishna (is Krishna all good, the question lingers...)
Victory and Sorrow
Here, they return back to the kingdom to find the king with much sorrow; he proceeds to ask for Bhima to hug him but Krishna tricks him with a decoy and he smashes it in revenge; with his need for revenge placated he receives his nephews; Ghandari curses Krishna (seems like he tries to undermine her curse by saying it was already foretold but I think Ghandari should be given more credit here); Yud refuses at first to take the throne, but everyone scolds him saying that all the war, suffering and death was thus for nothing if he does not; Yud rules with his brother and Draupadi at his side for many years and when Krishna and his clan are killed, they go too
The first day of the eighteen day war. Source: Flickr
Reference: R K. Narayan. The Mahabharata, [Print].
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