The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic
By R.K Narayan
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Part C: Page 85-131
Draupadi's rant in the woods to Yudhistira is super interesting. It can be contrasted with Sita's passiveness in the woods during Rama's exile I think. And it's a key part where this book seems to take a deviation from the plot to explore more philosophical thoughts which I really enjoy.
-She ends up asking why he is so calm, and isn't consuming his enemies and blazing with anger. She says that the evil minded will never be affected by compassion, therefore he shouldn't let himself be taken advantage of
-Then she talks about God and free will: "We are told that it is all God's will and everything happens according to it. We are like straws wafted about by strong winds"
-Yud responds by saying "I do not trade in virtue as merchandise, to weigh its profit and loss" which I like
The story of the lake:
One by one, the brothers approach this lake, and ignore a voice telling them not to drink until they've answered questions. When they drink, they fall down dead until finally Yud comes and ends up interrogated in depth for awhile until the voice is satisfied. Some of the questions were super interesting, like "Who is the friend of the exile? The companion on the way. Who is the friend of one about to die? The charity done in one's lifetime"
I feel like story-wise this is an interesting format that would be fun to explore.
When Arjuna is going to help Uttara save his kingdom's cows, he absolutely gives away all of his and his brothers' identities--how is that just glossed over as fine?
Dang at one point Arjuna literally daughter-zones a woman who falls for him, and is able to get her married off to his son. How would their ages even have to play out for this to be realistic? Maybe if the woman is 25, he's like 40, and his son is 20?
Duryodhana trying to get Krishna's help is entertaining--he goes "Both Arjuna and I are your kinsman and you must treat us with equal consideration." which he immediately follows with "I was the first to arrive to pay attention to me"
Another period of philosophical abstraction, is with the king trying to put off being decisive again. One interesting quote "The soul that is constantly being affected by the pursuit of objects and experiences becomes clouded." It's passages like these that make me want to read a less-abridged version of this epic, because I know there must be so much more to these little interludes, and probably even a lot of variation across different versions and retellings.
Duryodhana's "him or me" conviction is so strong--it reminds me of Javert in Les Mis, how it literally kills him because he can't handle the thought of a world with both of them in it. "I will sacrifice everything, but I will not live side by side with the Pandevas"
It's also interesting how much is foreshadowed/foretold in this tale? Like they make it so clear that the Pandevas are going to win this war. What is the moral of this epic going to turn out to be?
Part C: Page 85-131
Draupadi's rant in the woods to Yudhistira is super interesting. It can be contrasted with Sita's passiveness in the woods during Rama's exile I think. And it's a key part where this book seems to take a deviation from the plot to explore more philosophical thoughts which I really enjoy.
-She ends up asking why he is so calm, and isn't consuming his enemies and blazing with anger. She says that the evil minded will never be affected by compassion, therefore he shouldn't let himself be taken advantage of
-Then she talks about God and free will: "We are told that it is all God's will and everything happens according to it. We are like straws wafted about by strong winds"
-Yud responds by saying "I do not trade in virtue as merchandise, to weigh its profit and loss" which I like
The story of the lake:
One by one, the brothers approach this lake, and ignore a voice telling them not to drink until they've answered questions. When they drink, they fall down dead until finally Yud comes and ends up interrogated in depth for awhile until the voice is satisfied. Some of the questions were super interesting, like "Who is the friend of the exile? The companion on the way. Who is the friend of one about to die? The charity done in one's lifetime"
I feel like story-wise this is an interesting format that would be fun to explore.
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| Yaksha Prashna (Source) |
When Arjuna is going to help Uttara save his kingdom's cows, he absolutely gives away all of his and his brothers' identities--how is that just glossed over as fine?
Dang at one point Arjuna literally daughter-zones a woman who falls for him, and is able to get her married off to his son. How would their ages even have to play out for this to be realistic? Maybe if the woman is 25, he's like 40, and his son is 20?
Duryodhana trying to get Krishna's help is entertaining--he goes "Both Arjuna and I are your kinsman and you must treat us with equal consideration." which he immediately follows with "I was the first to arrive to pay attention to me"
Another period of philosophical abstraction, is with the king trying to put off being decisive again. One interesting quote "The soul that is constantly being affected by the pursuit of objects and experiences becomes clouded." It's passages like these that make me want to read a less-abridged version of this epic, because I know there must be so much more to these little interludes, and probably even a lot of variation across different versions and retellings.
Duryodhana's "him or me" conviction is so strong--it reminds me of Javert in Les Mis, how it literally kills him because he can't handle the thought of a world with both of them in it. "I will sacrifice everything, but I will not live side by side with the Pandevas"
It's also interesting how much is foreshadowed/foretold in this tale? Like they make it so clear that the Pandevas are going to win this war. What is the moral of this epic going to turn out to be?
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