Reading Notes: Mahabharata, Part A
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| Mahabharata: the epic story of love, heros, villains, war, and importantly, a culture of India. Source: Wikipedia. |
King Shantanu of Hastinapur fell in love with river goddess, Ganga, and asked her to marry him.
Ganga said yes but made Shantanu promise her that he would never question her decisions.
And so Shantanu said nothing as Queen Ganga killed each and every one of their newborn children.
Finally one day, Shantanu could no longer bear Ganga's killings, so he interfered with her attempt to kill their eighth son, Devavrat. Ganga explained to him that all of the children she killed were celestial beings and she meant to end their mortality by drowning them in the river. Since Shantanu disregarded Ganga's wishes to never be questioned, Ganga left him and took their only son.
Episode 2 - Devavrat returns
Sixteen years after Ganga left him, Shantanu was strolling alongside the river when he noticed a young archer had tamed the river with bows and arrows. Shantanu was impressed by the skill and force of this young man, who he later found out was none other than his son. Devavrat was taught the art of war by sages. Shantanu brought his son back to the kingdom.
Time passed and King Shantanu fell in love with Satyavati, who already had a son. Satyavati's father refused the king's intention to marry her, since Satyavati's son, by default, would never be king. Devavrat sacrificed his birthright to be king of Hastinapur, so that his father could marry his beloved Satyavati.
Episode 3 - Decacrat becomes Bhishma
Devavrat begged the fisherman for Satyavati to marry Shantanu. Devravrat agreed to give up the throne. Father wanted a guarantee that Satyavati's child would be king. Devravrat swore an oarth. Never marry, never father children, he swore this for the sake of his father's
Bhishma - he of the terrible oath
King felt sense of doom. Recognized son's sacrified and granted Devravrat a boon, he would be able to grant his own death.
Episode 4 - Desperation of Bhishma
Bhishma kept his promise and never took the throne. The kingdom rieamined strong.
kidnaps girls so that his brother
Chitrangad and Vichitraveerya both died.
Bhishma decided to get his brother a wife. Princesses Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika were kidnapped from Kashi.
Episode 5 - Amba's Ruin
Shalva- the men she loved, she can go wherever she liked.
Welcomed the others.
She was met by rejection, since she was taken by another man. Beg Bhishma to marry him. Heart in a thousand pieces. Asked him to marry him. But Bhishma reused. Amba had no place in his life. Her life was ruined. She blamed him for ruining her life.
Everyone refused to be Amba's chap
Parshuram gave Amba hope.
Never give up his vow to celibacy.
There was no winner after 23 days.
Parshuram gave up.
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