Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part A

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There was a lot of information presented early on in this reading, and I struggled at first to keep track of who everyone was. I've included a Kuru family tree graphic, it helped quite a bit with mentally organizing the characters. The story of Amba intrigues me for several reasons. Rendering herself unavailable to Vichitravirya for marriage material in her quest for King Shalwa's hand has dire repercussions for her sanity; the Bhishma obsession she cultivates following her rejection by King Shalwa seems a trifle misplaced. Her journey to rage and holiness could be a very dark story as a standalone piece, but I think I would like to wait on her until the rest of her story emerges.

Kunti's eldest son, Karna, has a seriously strange backstory. Kunti herself had a nymph for a mother, and her dalliance with Surya (which really smacks of Zeus), produces a son she cannot care for. His trip down the river instantly connected with the story of Moses. I would like to see what other renditions of her story relate, especially as pertains to Surya's visit. She uses the charm Durvasas gifted, and she then chooses not to keep the son of Surya's heritage? I can't wait to read more about Karna, but I would enjoy focusing on the circumstances of his birth.

The Pandavas in King Drupad's Court
Image Source: Flickr

The meeting of the Pandavas and the Kauravas has so much potential. I enjoyed The Five Brothers portion so much I will probably track down a copy of it. The rivalry and tension between both sides reminds me of nothing so much as the Game of Thrones series; Bhima's poisoning, Duryodhana's (somewhat justified) jealousy of Arjuna, and the years of cohabitation wearing away at both sides under the rule of a blind maharajah with a limited number of years left in his reign. Were Gandhari and Kunti friends? Did they treat each other's sons well, or did they push them against each other, spurring them into rivalries and competition? Were the boys always enemies, or could they have once been friends, when the Pandavas first arrived?


Kuru family tree
Image Source: Wikipedia

Bibleography
Amba, Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists, Sister Nivedita
Kunti and Her Son, Indian Myth and Legend, Donald Mackenzie
Pandavas and Kauravas, The Five Brothers, Elizabeth Seeger

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