Reading Diary B: Week 10

Krishna's mission

• Dhritarashtra finds out that Krishna will soon arrive, and he calls for a lavish reception. This is a different opinion than what Vidura insists what Krishna would like. Krishna is believed to stand for what if right. Krishna in this story is depicted as the harbringer of peace, and yet Duryodhana is the polar opposite, with plans to take Krishna prisoner and has no hope for any peace or reconcilliation

War

• Krishna, while opposed to war in general, still insists that Dhrishtadyumna become the commander of the troops.
• The Bhagavad-Gita is essentially the hype up song for the entire battle. I could see writing a contemporary version of the exchange between Arjuna and Krishna before the battle turning into a coach trying to get his football team hyped up in preparation for the state championship game. After the hype music is over, the team has become electric and proceeds to fly out to the field to take on the opposing team.

Bhishma's Death

• Bhishma is shot from behind by Arjuna, which definitely correlates back to the story in the Ramayana where it was not right to shoot someone in the back. 
• This is an example of another one of the themes in these Epics where a woman is used to exacerbate the fatal flaw of Bhishma.

Ganga and Bhishma

• Bhishma is finally cremated and laid out on the shores on the Ganges, in a cyclical example of Karma. This is a nice juxtaposition of how nice of a mother the Ganges had become once Bhishma died compared to what she was when drowning her first 7 sons.
• Since I have written a twitter conversation previously, there's no reason that the interaction between Bhishma and his mother can't be done through social media again! 

Reading Diary A

Duryodhana and the gandharvas

•  Gandharva is a name used for distinct heavenly beings
• In hinduism, they are male nature spirits, husbands of Apsaras. They have superb musical ability. Often depicted as singers in the court of Gods.
• Pandavas are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu. All married to Draupadi, although they have other wives
• There needs to be a part of the story where Dhritashtra brings all of his spies and the Pandavas to drink at a bar an talk of this occasion.

Voice in the lake

•   Pandavas are approached by a brahmin.
• Instead of mysterious golden deer from Rama, the animal sage comes in form of a mysterious giant deer. The Pandavas also have difficulty catching the deer without a bow like Rama has. 
• This story is actually incredibly sad if it does not end with Yama returning the Pandavas to life.
• Title of this section of the story: Tough love from father.

In the Court of King Virata

•  A common theme in both of these epics have been exiles. Why might this be important as a punishment?
•  There is more gambling in this story.
• Probably the most serious note of the story so far.  Draupadi is raped and requests for revenge at the hands of Bhima. This is a prompt for a court drama. You would initially be cheering for Bhima to get his revenge, but once he goes too far and kills Kichaka, knowing that Bhima is destined for jail. The scene could close with Drapadi moving away to start a new life.
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