Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Reading Notes: Public Domain Mahabharata, Part C

Krishna's Visit
In this scene, Draupadi is very upset about all that has happened to her. She even begins to question religion because of the injustice of it all. This is a relevant theme that could be transformed into a more modern story.

Arjuna and Indra
Arjuna is cursed to become a dancer and musician. I thought this was a little strange, but it ends up working out for him.

The Himalayas
Arjuna is reconnected with the other four Pandavas and Draupadi.

Duryodhana and the Gandharvas
Duryodhana decides to end his life and is talked out of it.
Karna vows to kill Ajurna.

Karna and Indra
Indra takes Karna's earrings that make him invincible. Indra trades him one dart which will kill a deadly enemy. I love the use of physical objects that hold their power. I think it would be fun to change this into a story about someone else with some kind of magic accessory that gave them power.

Riddles at the Lake
This is a very interesting scene! All the brothers are killed at the lake besides Yudhishthira, who answers all of the riddles. Yudhishthira received two boons and requests that his brothers be brought back to life and that they will go about unrecognized for a year.

Bhima and Kichaka
Prince Kichaka tries to rape Draupadi. She runs to the king, but he basically laughs in her face. This scene was upsetting and all to familiar to the issues of victimizing rapists that we hear about today.
However, Bhima ends up killing him for Draupadi.

Krishna and His Army
Arjuna is given the chance to choose between Krishna (who will not fight) and his army. Arjuna chooses to have Krishna beside him, because he adores him so much.

Krishna and Karna
Karna finds out that he is a brother to the Pandavas and he doesn't take it well. He believed that Kunti was never a mother to him and waited too long to tell him the truth. This information does not change his mind. He remains loyal to those who have been good to him. I can understand this thinking. He feels betrayed by his real mother and chooses to stay loyal to those who have been with him this whole time. This is similar to modern day children who find out they were adopted. I think this would make an excellent modern-day story.

Armies at Kurukshetra 
The war begins between the Kauravas and Pandavas. Lots of old and some new characters come together to form the armies. This reminds me of the war in the Twilight Saga: Eclipse when the newborn vampires attack. The Cullens form an army of vampires from all over and it reminds me of this scene.

Bhagavad-Gita
Arjuna second-guesses the war but Krishna urges him to fight.

The Battle Begins
The war begins and it is just as intense as you would imagine.

(Karna and Indra making their trade.)

Source: Public Domain Mahabharata

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