Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Reading Diary B: 12 years in the forest

Arjuna rejects Urvashi because she looks like his mother, Kunti

  • Urvashi curses Arjuna to a life as a eunuch for one year
  • Indra, his father, orders that Arjuna learn music and dance
  • Indra also tells Arjuna that his year as a eunuch is his disguise for his 13th year in exile
  • Indra also teaches Arjuna how to use his divine weapon
(Image Source: Urvashi curses Arjuna by Ramanarayanadatta astri)

Yudhistira has a dream about ruining a deer

  • Bhima tells the story of Mankanaka [dangers of eating grass instead of deer]
  • Mankanaka only ate grass, cut himseld, and bled grass juice
  • Mankanaka was so happy about it he started a dance party throughout the whole world
  • The gods worried the dancing would ruin the world, Shiva comes to stop it
Rishyashringa was born

  • Vibhandaka saw Urvashi and ejaculated in the lake and a deer drank it
  • Rishyashringa was the son of that deer and Vibhandaka
  • Rishyashringa had never seen another human except his dad, Vibhandaka
  • He was the only person left with a pure heart to save the country of Agna from a drought
  • Shanta persuaded Rishyashringa to come to Agna with her charm and good looks
  • Vibhandaka thought the creature was a rakshasa (demon)
  • Rikyashringa went with Shanta to Agna
  • It rained at last!
  • Rikyashringa married Shanta
The Pandavas leave the forest and come to Mount Kailasa

  • Yudhistira falls and disturbs the silence of Rishava's mountain and the mountain attacks
  • Draupadi ask Bhima to build her a house made of white lotus
  • Bhima sets out to find them for his lady when he runs into a monkey blocking his path, HANUMAN
  • Bhima cannot move Hanuman's tail and Hanuman tells Bhima that the white lotuses are at the lotus lake
  • Manibhadra , lord of yakshas, tells Lord of Treasure, Vaishravana that Bhima is outside their palace
  • Bhima blows Vaishravana's armor away easily. Vaishravana allows Bhima to take the lotuses
Matali returns Arjuna to his brothers

  • Arjuna brings heavenly weapons along with ornaments and jewels for Draupadi
In the 12th year the Pandavas live near Dhritarashtra

  • Duryodhana tries to build a pleasure house near the Pandavas but the Gandharvas don't let him
  • Duryodhana is caught in the Gandharvas iron net 
  • Arjuna and Bhima rescue Duryodhana 
  • Duryodhana is embarrassed and decides to starve to death  
  • Kali encourages him to continue to the fight against the Pandavas where he will be honored
Jayadratha, Duryodhana's brother in law, tries to steal Draupadi

  • Arjuna and Bhima chase down Jayadratha but Yudhistira tells them to spare his life at Draupadi's request
Savitri

  • Krishna and Vyasa visit the Pandavas
  • Draupadi asks Vyasa to tell a love story
  • Savitri set out to find the man she wanted to be her husband because the others were lames
  • Savitri found Satyavan, son to a blind man in exile 
  • Savitri decides to marry him even though she knows he only has one year to live
  • When Yama, The Death god, came to get Satyavan, Savitri asked if she could follow him
  • Savitri got a gift from Yama for her courage but she could not wish for Satyavan's live back
  • Savitri asked for him to cure her blind father in law
  • Yama feels generous and offers another gift, Savitri asks him to restore her father in laws's kingdom
  • Savitri then asks if her fathe in law could have 100 sons 
  • Finally Yama told her to ask for something that was actually for her
  • Savitri asks to be given 100 sons from her husband, Satyavan
  • Savitri had to sacrifice half of her days in order to get her husband back and she willingly accepted
  • Satyavan was restored


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