Week 7: Reading Mahabharata: Part C
The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic
R.K. Narayan
We pick up again with Duryodhana not trusting the Pandavas. He sends out a spy to see what they are up to. They find out that they have weapons and he then decides to set up camp outside of their kingdom. By doing this, it is a form of humiliation for the Pandavas. The gods see this and they send out a gandharva to provoke Duryodhana. There is a battle and the gandharva's capture Duryodhana, but the Pandavas set him free and further make him feel humiliated. The Pandavas leave and come upon a brahmin. They chase after a deer upon the brahmin's request, but cannot catch it. Nakula dies at the lake because he does not answer the questions before drinking. Yudhishthira answers the questions and all of his brothers come back to life. They are granted the gift of unrecognizability. They spend their thirteenth year in disguise at the court of King Virata. Draupadi is raped and ask Bhima to avenge her. He kills Kichaka. Duryodhana hears of this story and becomes suspicous of the events that took place. One of Duryodhana's companions suggest stealing some cattle. Brihannala and Uttara retrieve some of Pandava's weapons. Their identity is revealed and Virata gives his daughter to Arjuna's son. Krishna request that half of the kingdom be given to the Pandavas while also preparing for war against Duryodhana. Krishna allies with Arjuna and Krishna's soldiers go to Duryodhana's army. The Pandavas try to make peace and request only 5 villages. Dhritarashtra almost agrees until he hears Duryodhana's voice. Duryodhana is boastful that he will win because he has a larger army. Gandhari denounces the war and her son - Duryodhana. Vyasa informs Dhritarashtra that the war will be their doom.
Bibliography: R.K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic, 1978
R.K. Narayan
We pick up again with Duryodhana not trusting the Pandavas. He sends out a spy to see what they are up to. They find out that they have weapons and he then decides to set up camp outside of their kingdom. By doing this, it is a form of humiliation for the Pandavas. The gods see this and they send out a gandharva to provoke Duryodhana. There is a battle and the gandharva's capture Duryodhana, but the Pandavas set him free and further make him feel humiliated. The Pandavas leave and come upon a brahmin. They chase after a deer upon the brahmin's request, but cannot catch it. Nakula dies at the lake because he does not answer the questions before drinking. Yudhishthira answers the questions and all of his brothers come back to life. They are granted the gift of unrecognizability. They spend their thirteenth year in disguise at the court of King Virata. Draupadi is raped and ask Bhima to avenge her. He kills Kichaka. Duryodhana hears of this story and becomes suspicous of the events that took place. One of Duryodhana's companions suggest stealing some cattle. Brihannala and Uttara retrieve some of Pandava's weapons. Their identity is revealed and Virata gives his daughter to Arjuna's son. Krishna request that half of the kingdom be given to the Pandavas while also preparing for war against Duryodhana. Krishna allies with Arjuna and Krishna's soldiers go to Duryodhana's army. The Pandavas try to make peace and request only 5 villages. Dhritarashtra almost agrees until he hears Duryodhana's voice. Duryodhana is boastful that he will win because he has a larger army. Gandhari denounces the war and her son - Duryodhana. Vyasa informs Dhritarashtra that the war will be their doom.
Bibliography: R.K. Narayan, The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic, 1978
(Pandavas meet Vyasa: Wikimedia Commons)
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