DOCSLIB.ORG

Andhayug: Politics and Its Consequence

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Andhayug: Politics and Its Consequence ISSN No. 0974-035X An Indexed, Refereed & Peer Reviewed Journal of Higher Education Towards Excellence UGC-HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, GUJARAT UNIVERSITY, AHMEDABAD, INDIA ANDHAYUG: POLITICS AND ITS CONSEQUENCE Malhar Jayesh INTRODUCTION My idea or intention in this research paper is to show how politics is still we can see in our current time and its evil consequence on us and most of the people, so therefore one can aware that if we do bad politics (treachery, violence) there will be evil consequence. So we should have to contribute in the fight against bad politics and we have to do good actions with putting truth in the center and live in harmony. To justify my idea or intention, I took Dharamveer Bharati’s most famous play “Andhayug” and The story of the Mahabharata and some contemporary great people’s actions. Dharamveer Bharati (1926-1997) was a renowned Hindi novelist, poet and playwright, a Padmashree award winner. The play “Andhayug” (originally written in Hindi and translated by Alok Bhalla in English) is also called “the blind age” is a verse play written in 1954 by a renowned play writer by Dharamveer Bharati, which is based on the ancient Sanskrit epic, The Mahabharata written by sage Vedvyasa. This five act tragedy is also known as the first important play of modern age, following the 1947 partition of India atrocities, as allegory to its destruction not just human lives, but also ethical/moral values, and is metaphoric meditation on the politics of violence and aggressive selfhood. The Mahabharata war dehumanized both individual and society, thus the victor and vanquished loose eventually. Bharati made a political statement against war and violence through this work (Andhyug). Bharti wrote this play just after the independence and partition of Indian subcontinent. He wanted to show the people the moral consequence of war at that time by comparing Hindu/Muslim fighting in 1947 with pandavas/kauravas fighting in Mahabharata (kurushetra) March, 2017. VOL.9. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 38 Towards Excellence: An Indexed, Refereed & Peer Reviewed Journal of Higher Education / Mr. Malhar Jayesh / Page 38-46 war. The play “Andhayug” throught gives the lesson of not fighting to their characters and the characters are shown either guilty or tired from war. Dharamveer Bharati wants to tell people through this wonderful play not to fight for land otherwise they will have to face such consequence. ABOUT POLITICS There are two types of politics one based on the treachery and the other based on truth. One serves the king’s personal interest while the other serves the nation. The aim of the first is to be on the throne forever while the aim of the second is to remain in the hearts of the people. REASONS FOR MAHABHARATA WAR As based on Epic Mahabharata it is interesting to know why the war happened and the reasons of war because everything has happened due to war. The war was occurred because of the throne of Hastinapur. Firstly as I know (because there are a lot of versions of Mahabharata) the big reason for the war was Dhritrashtra’s ambivalence and filial love for his son Duryodhana who became arrogant and has wrong ambitions. Secondly when Duryodhana at the Indraprasth (the Pandavas live after the division of Hastinapur city) which is also called Mayanagari (iluusion home) fell down into a little water pond by illusion. At that time Draupadi laughed irresponsibly at him and tells Duryodhana that, “The blind man’s son is also blind.” This leads Duryodhand hate to Draupadi and becomes revengeful. And the last reason can be said to be the game of dice between Pandavas and Kauravas leading to Mahabharat. POLITICS OF TREACHERY As talking about politics of treachery, Yudhisthir who is regarded as essence or symbol of truth was not left to do politics. He did not tell the lie but in kurushetra war. While Drona was fighting against pandavas and for kauravas side and there were no chance left to defeat him so Yudhisthir, told Drona that Aswtthama is died. (Aswtthamaa is Drona’s son’) and Drona threw his weapons down on the battlefield and at that time Dristmanyu the son of Drupad, the brother of Draupadi who was fighting for pandava in war, he seeing Droana unarmed, killed him to pieces with his sword. The politics is played here by treachery that Ashwatthama is the name of an elephant which is Yudhisthir’s half truth, which is morally not right because Drona thought that he was his son Ashwatthama. March, 2017. VOL.9. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 39 Towards Excellence: An Indexed, Refereed & Peer Reviewed Journal of Higher Education / Mr. Malhar Jayesh / Page 38-46 Shakuni was regarded as the most brilliant strategist, treacherous man. First he planned to kill Bhima by giving him poison in his food when he was a child. But Bhima became stronger after having that poison. Then when Yudhistir became Yuvaraja, Shakuni crafted a plan to burn them in Laakshagraha (wax house), but Pandavas saved by Vidura’s ethics. The most cautionary politics of Mahabharata was regarded as the game of dice. Shakuni first emotionally blackmailed Dhritrashtra for arrange dice game between Pandavas and Kauravas. And tell Duryodhana that when the play begins tell I, Shakuni will play for you, it is not more that he gave his dices to Duryodhana and tell give it back in the game because Shakuni knows that Vidura’s athics will not allow to play with Shakuni’s own dices.So he made treachery by taking back his own dices by the hands of Duryodhana. The dices was army of war for Shakuni and boon for his ancestors made by bones that it has to do what Shakuni would say. The dice game between the Pandava and Kaurava became reason for the war because in that Pandavas lost their everything-wealth and honour. Even Kauravas humiliated not only Kuru clan and also whole mankind through the disorbing of Dhraupadi as she then became very angry and want revenge for that humiliation, tells pandavas that she need Dussashan’s blood to wash his hair which he had dragged in the kingdom of Hastinapur. The Krishana, the Lord of universe who is regarded as a moral centre was also playing mind politics (brain washing) He knows everything what will be happened in the future. He was the one who can stop the war if he wish but for the Dharma he was doing this.The example of krishna’s mind politics is shown, while Gandhari ordered Duryodhan that I will open my blind fold and make your body adamantine polish of precious stones. So go and bath in ganga and come return nude in front of me that Bhima will never defeat you in the fight. As Duryodhana came after the bath, Krishna saw him and stop him made Duryodhana mind brain-washed by telling him. As you had humiliated your land Hastinapur or Kuru clan and now what are going to do. You are nude and go to stand in front of your mother. Is this call a warrior? Duryodhana after krishnas words, wears a leaf cloth around his thighs and when in the Kurukshetra war Bhima and Duryodhana were fighing, Bhima was almost defeated that time it was Krishana who knows that it is the break the code of law in war to hit down the chest in a mace fight but Krishna March, 2017. VOL.9. ISSUE NO. 1 www.ascgujarat.org Page | 40 Towards Excellence: An Indexed, Refereed & Peer Reviewed Journal of Higher Education / Mr. Malhar Jayesh / Page 38-46 treacherously tell Bhima to hit at Duryodhana’s thighs (by signing language) and therefore Bhima broke Duryodhana’s thighs and killed him. As the Mahabharata story ends after so much treachery, the people finally realised that they ultimately found truth (Dharma) with the cost of millions of people’s death. The last survivoers became tired and realised the futulity of war. The story of Mahabharata gives the message of not to fight and recognize the evil ones (like Shakuni, Dhitrastra) in contempary society. The evil flourished even today as it did in ancient Hastinapur. You will see untruth disguise as truth, but if ones suffered remind the last word of Mahabharata story that, “Life is the result of your actions.” POLITICS OF VIOLENCE As we talk about politics of violence, I would like to give examples of the characters from the text ‘Andhayug’. The Characters are either became violent of violence, feels guilty or looks tired after the dangerous war of Mahabharata. As we talk about violence, revenge which was spread all around Kurukshetra or Hastinapur, we can assume that people like Ashwatthama, Bhima, Yudhisthira, Duryodhana, Kritvarma, Arjuna or many other were fighting because their mind was either brain-washed, morally blinded or they are ambitious or in a wild rage but when we saw Kripacharya who was the Kulguru of Kuru clan, Whose duty was to give lesson of not to fight but after Duryodhana’s death we saw him fighting, attacking on the Pandava camp with Ashwatthama and Kritverma burned the Pandava camp with fire. The most terrific vengeance and violence is shown from the character of Ashwatthama, which is the central character of the play. He is one of the survivors and only savior left from the Kaurava clan, who was still thirsting for revenge after the annihilation of Kaurava clan (Kuruvansh). Ashwatthama embodies what the Kaurava have stood for all along – ambition instead of peace, power instead of companionship, avoidance of responsibility instead of justice, contempt for everything instead of hope for the well being of all things.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Complete List of Books in Library Acc No Author Title of Book Subject Publisher Year R.No
    Complete List of Books in Library Acc No Author Title of book Subject Publisher Year R.No. 1 Satkari Mookerjee The Jaina Philosophy of PHIL Bharat Jaina Parisat 8/A1 Non-Absolutism 3 Swami Nikilananda Ramakrishna PER/BIO Rider & Co. 17/B2 4 Selwyn Gurney Champion Readings From World ECO `Watts & Co., London 14/B2 & Dorothy Short Religion 6 Bhupendra Datta Swami Vivekananda PER/BIO Nababharat Pub., 17/A3 Calcutta 7 H.D. Lewis The Principal Upanisads PHIL George Allen & Unwin 8/A1 14 Jawaherlal Nehru Buddhist Texts PHIL Bruno Cassirer 8/A1 15 Bhagwat Saran Women In Rgveda PHIL Nada Kishore & Bros., 8/A1 Benares. 15 Bhagwat Saran Upadhya Women in Rgveda LIT 9/B1 16 A.P. Karmarkar The Religions of India PHIL Mira Publishing Lonavla 8/A1 House 17 Shri Krishna Menon Atma-Darshan PHIL Sri Vidya Samiti 8/A1 Atmananda 20 Henri de Lubac S.J. Aspects of Budhism PHIL sheed & ward 8/A1 21 J.M. Sanyal The Shrimad Bhagabatam PHIL Dhirendra Nath Bose 8/A2 22 J.M. Sanyal The Shrimad PHIL Oriental Pub. 8/A2 Bhagabatam VolI 23 J.M. Sanyal The Shrimad PHIL Oriental Pub. 8/A2 Bhagabatam Vo.l III 24 J.M. Sanyal The Shrimad Bhagabatam PHIL Oriental Pub. 8/A2 25 J.M. Sanyal The Shrimad PHIL Oriental Pub. 8/A2 Bhagabatam Vol.V 26 Mahadev Desai The Gospel of Selfless G/REL Navijvan Press 14/B2 Action 28 Shankar Shankar's Children Art FIC/NOV Yamuna Shankar 2/A2 Number Volume 28 29 Nil The Adyar Library Bulletin LIT The Adyar Library and 9/B2 Research Centre 30 Fraser & Edwards Life And Teaching of PER/BIO Christian Literature 17/A3 Tukaram Society for India 40 Monier Williams Hinduism PHIL Susil Gupta (India) Ltd.
    [Show full text]
  • The Epic Imagination in Contemporary Indian Literature
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School May 2017 Modern Mythologies: The picE Imagination in Contemporary Indian Literature Sucheta Kanjilal University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies Commons Scholar Commons Citation Kanjilal, Sucheta, "Modern Mythologies: The pE ic Imagination in Contemporary Indian Literature" (2017). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6875 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Modern Mythologies: The Epic Imagination in Contemporary Indian Literature by Sucheta Kanjilal A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy with a concentration in Literature Department of English College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Gurleen Grewal, Ph.D. Gil Ben-Herut, Ph.D. Hunt Hawkins, Ph.D. Quynh Nhu Le, Ph.D. Date of Approval: May 4, 2017 Keywords: South Asian Literature, Epic, Gender, Hinduism Copyright © 2017, Sucheta Kanjilal DEDICATION To my mother: for pencils, erasers, and courage. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS When I was growing up in New Delhi, India in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, my father was writing an English language rock-opera based on the Mahabharata called Jaya, which would be staged in 1997. An upper-middle-class Bengali Brahmin with an English-language based education, my father was as influenced by the mythological tales narrated to him by his grandmother as he was by the musicals of Broadway impressario Andrew Lloyd Webber.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mahabharata Twenty-Five Years Later
    THE MAHABHARATA TWENTy-Five YEARS LATER Peter Brook in conversation with Jonathan Kalb t age eighty-five, Peter Brook does all he can to avoid interviews. He has no interest in his own legend, and as for his theatrical ideas, he has said it all before, in his autobiography (Threads of Time), in his other books (The AEmpty Space, The Shifting Point), and in the body of influential productions that established him as one of the giants of twentieth-century theatre. At the request of a common friend, he nevertheless kindly agreed to speak to me on the subject of his magnum opus, The Mahabharata—a focus of the book I was writing at the time (Great Lengths: Seven Marathon Plays from Three Decades, forthcoming). Brook was in New York rehearsing his adaptation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute at Lincoln Center and accompanying the Theatre for a New Audience presentation of Love is My Sin, his staging of Shakespeare sonnets. Although he announced in 2008 that he was giving up day-to-day operation of his theatre in Paris, Bouffes du Nord, he has been notably active. Among his other recent projects have been: Fragments, a program of five short pieces by Samuel Beckett; Athol Fugard’sSizwe Banzi is Dead; The Grand Inquisitor, adapted from Dostoyevsky; and Tierno Bokar, a parable about tolerance and fundamentalism rooted in a spiritual dispute among Sufis. The Mahabharata was Brook’s eleven-hour stage adaptation of the massive, epic cor- nerstone of Hindu literature, religion and culture, originally produced in French in 1985 and performed in English for a 1987 world tour that included the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Majestic Theatre (now The Harvey).
    [Show full text]
  • Dharma and Caste in the Mahabharata
    TIF - Dharma and Caste in the Mahabharata RUDRANGSHU MUKHERJEE February 5, 2021 Assembly of Warriors, illustration to the Gemini Ashwamedha of the Mahabharata | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Francis H. Burr Memorial Fund and Friends of the Fogg Art Museum Fund The Mahabharata is peopled by the ‘higher’ castes but there are important personages from the ‘lower’ castes whose presence gives a radical salience to ‘dharma’ as set out in the epic, to the point of even suggesting a subversion of the dominant ideology. There is a scholarly consensus that below the apocalyptic events---covered in five of the 18 books--- that form the core of the epic, the idea of dharma serves as a principal theme. Many dimensions of the idea are explored through characters, sub-tales and events; even transgressions of dharma illuminate it.1 In comparison, the great book has very little to say explicitly about caste or varna in the sense that it does not address the question of inequality that the operation of the caste system inevitably engenders. It need hardly be emphasized that most of the main characters come from the two top castes and the language of the epic is Sanskrit, the language of these two castes. The second caste, kshatriyas, not surprisingly, dominates the epic. According to one calculation, there are as many as 175 references to kshatriyadharma in the epic (Hiltebeitel: 2014: 528). In contrast, the vaisyadharma and sudradharma receive nine and six references respectively (Hiltebeitel: 2014: 528). Page 1 www.TheIndiaForum.in February 5, 2021 The argument that this essay seeks to present through the narration of certain episodes and characters, is that the lower castes do make significant appearances in the epic and that those appearances are not unrelated to the epic’s approach to dharma—in fact, those appearances give a radical salience to the question of dharma.
    [Show full text]
  • Masculinity and Transnational Hindu Identity
    Nidān, Volume 3, No. 2, December 2018, pp. 18-39 ISSN 2414-8636 Muscular Mahabharatas: Masculinity and Transnational Hindu Identity Sucheta Kanjilal University of Tampa [email protected] "Hence it is called Bharata. And because of its grave import, as also of the Bharatas being its topic, it is called Mahabharata. He who is versed in interpretations of this great treatise, becomes cleansed of every sin. Such a man lives in righteousness, wealth, and pleasure, and attains to Emancipation.” - Mahābhārata (18.5) translation by K. M. Ganguli Abstract The climax of the Sanskrit Mahābhārata is undeniably muscular, since it involves a kṣatriya family fighting a brutal but righteous war. Many 21st century Mahabharata adaptations not only emphasize the muscularity of the epic, but also flex these muscles in an arena beyond the Kurukṣetra battlefield: the world. Through an analysis of texts such as Chindu Sreedharan’s Epic Retold (2015) and Prem Panicker’s Bhimsen (2009), I suggest that the increased visibility of epic warrior narratives across global platforms indicates a desire to re-fashion a hypermasculine identity for Hindus in the transnational religio-political sphere. I see this as an attempt to distance Hinduism from Gandhi’s ‘passive resistance’ and colonial conceptions of the ‘effeminate native’. Instead, it aligns with the nationalist and global aims of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who emphasizes the importance of Hindu traditions and physical fitness for collective prosperity. While these new epic adaptations certainly broaden the reach of Hindu culture beyond national boundaries, I suggest exhuming only warrior narratives from the epic texts oversimplifies Hindu values and threatens a range of gender identities and religious affiliations.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter Iv Data Analysis
    CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS Ramayana and Mahabharata are Wiracarita, the heroic stories which are well – known from one generation to another. These two great epics are originally written in Sanskrit. The author of Ramayana is Walmiki, and the author of Mahabharata is Bhagawan Wyasa. Ramayana and Mahabharata have been translated into various languages. In Indonesia, these two great epics have been retold in various versions such as Wayang kulit performance, dance, book, novel, and comic. For this research, the writer chooses the Mahabharata novel by Nyoman. S. Pendit. With the focus of the research on the heroic journey of Arjuna in this novel. In this chapter, the writer would like to answer and to analyze three problem formulations of this research. First, the writer would like to retell Arjuna‟s journey based on the twenty parts selected in the Mahabharata novel. After that, as the second problem formulation, the writer would like to compare to what extent the journey of Arjuna on the twenty parts selected in the Mahabharata novel fulfills the criteria of the Hero‟s Journey theory proposed by Joseph Campbell. The Hero‟s Journey theory itself consists of seventeen stages divided into three big stages: Departure – Initiation – Return. It can be seen from the journey of Arjuna in the Mahabharata novel by Nyoman. S. Pendit. After going through the several archetypal journey process framed in the Hero‟s Journey theory, Arjuna gets or shows the life virtues in himself. Therefore, as the third problem formulation, the 34 writer would like to mention what kind of life virtues showed by Arjuna on the twenty parts selected in the Mahabharata novel.
    [Show full text]
  • 2. a Superhit Goddess
    Ganesh, lord of auspicious beginnings and father of goddess Santoshi Ma. A Superhit Goddess Jai Santoshi Maa and Caste Hierarchy in Indian Films Part One Philip Lutgendorf “Audiences were showering coins, perennials of its vast output, yet they quarter of national cinematic output) flower petals and rice at the screen constitute one of the least-studied enjoys the largest audience in appreciation of the film. They aspects of this comparatively under- throughout the Indian subcontinent entered the cinema barefoot and set studied cinema. Indeed, I will venture and beyond. Sholay (“Flames”) and up a small temple outside…. In that for scholars and critics, Deewar (“The Wall”), were both Bandra, where mythological films mythologicals have generally been heavily-promoted “multi-starrers” aren’t shown, it ran for fifty weeks. It “hard to see.” Yet DeMille’s words belonging to the then-dominant genre was a miracle”. —Anita Guha, also belie the fact that most sometimes referred to as the masala (actress who played goddess mythologicals—like most commercial (“spicy”) film: a multi-course cinematic Santoshi Ma; cited in Kabir films of any genre—flop at the box banquet incorporating suspenseful office. The comparatively few that drama, romance, comedy, violent 2001:115). have enjoyed remarkable and action sequences, and song and Genre, Film & Phenomenon sustained acclaim hence merit study dance. Both were expensive and Cecil B. DeMille’s famously both as religious expressions and as slickly made by the standards of the cynical adage, “God is box office,” successful examples of popular art and industry, and both featured Amitabh may be applied to Indian popular entertainment.
    [Show full text]
  • S3issue 3.1 March 2021
    www.theuniversejournal.com The UNIverse Journal ISSN 2582-6352 An International Quarterly Refereed Open Access e-Journal https://www.theuniversejournal.com/index.php https://www.theuniversejournal.com/edboard.php https://www.theuniversejournal.com/current_issue.php https://www.theuniversejournal.com/join_us.php Issue 3.1 March 2021 1 www.theuniversejournal.com The UNIverse Journal ISSN 2582-6352 An International Quarterly Refereed Open Access e-Journal Shruti Tiwari [email protected] India “ Free to Be You, Free to Be Me ” Disclaimer: This story is a fictionalised account of the epic Mahabharata. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are used in a fictitious manner and no offence to any mythological figure is intended. PROLOGUE 3102 BCE, Outskirts of Dwarka “Are you sure about this, brother?”, asked Dushasana yet again as he cradled his eight glass of wine between his fingers. He shouldn’t be drinking while making crucial decisions, after all, the importance of being at his best game in situations like these was drilled into his head since he was ten. But, right now, he wanted- needed- to escape into oblivion even if it were for a few minutes. “Enough with your doubts. We are doing this. In order to beat those sons of bitches, we need Krishna and we need him before those Pandavas get to him.”, snapped Duryodhana as he paced in circles. He stopped to look around the magnificence of the palace. People were right indeed, the city of Dwarka had something about it. Some called it the abode of the divine but Duryodhana knew better.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mahabharata
    VivekaVani - Voice of Vivekananda THE MAHABHARATA (Delivered by Swami Vivekananda at the Shakespeare Club, Pasadena, California, February 1, 1900) ​ ​ ​ ​ The other epic about which I am going to speak to you this evening, is called the Mahâbhârata. It contains the story of a race descended from King Bharata, who was the son of Dushyanta and Shakuntalâ. Mahâ means great, and Bhârata means the descendants of Bharata, from whom India has derived its name, Bhârata. Mahabharata means Great India, or the story of the great descendants of Bharata. The scene of this epic is the ancient kingdom of the Kurus, and the story is based on the great war which took place between the Kurus and the Panchâlas. So the region of the quarrel is not very big. This epic is the most popular one in India; and it exercises the same authority in India as Homer's poems did over the Greeks. As ages went on, more and more matter was added to it, until it has become a huge book of about a hundred thousand couplets. All sorts of tales, legends and myths, philosophical treatises, scraps of history, and various discussions have been added to it from time to time, until it is a vast, gigantic mass of literature; and through it all runs the old, original story. The central story of the Mahabharata is of a war between two families of cousins, one family, called the Kauravas, the other the Pândavas — for the empire of India. The Aryans came into India in small companies. Gradually, these tribes began to extend, until, at last, they became the undisputed rulers of India.
    [Show full text]
  • Transition Into Kaliyuga: Tossups on Kurukshetra
    Transition Into Kaliyuga: Tossups On Kurukshetra 1. On the fifteenth day of the Kurukshetra War, Krishna came up with a plan to kill this character. The previous night, this character retracted his Brahmastra [Bruh-mah-struh] when he was reprimanded for using a divine weapon on ordinary soldiers. After Bharadwaja ejaculated into a vessel when he saw a bathing Apsara, this character was born from the preserved semen. Because he promised that Arjuna would be the greatest archer in the world, this character demanded that (*) Ekalavya give him his right thumb. This character lays down his arms when Yudhishtira [Yoo-dhish-ti-ruh] lied to him that his son is dead, when in fact it was an elephant named Ashwatthama that was dead.. For 10 points, name this character who taught the Pandavas and Kauravas military arts. ANSWER: Dronacharya 2. On the second day of the Kurukshetra war, this character rescues Dhristadyumna [Dhrish-ta-dyoom-nuh] from Drona. After that, the forces of Kalinga attack this character, and they are almost all killed by this character, before Bhishma [Bhee-shmuh] rallies them. This character assumes the identity Vallabha when working as a cook in the Matsya kingdom during his 13th year of exile. During that year, this character ground the general (*) Kichaka’s body into a ball of flesh as revenge for him assaulting Draupadi. When they were kids, Arjuna was inspired to practice archery at night after seeing his brother, this character, eating in the dark. For 10 points, name the second-oldest Pandava. ANSWER: Bhima [Accept Vallabha before mention] 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Rajaji-Mahabharata.Pdf
    MAHABHARATA retold by C. Rajagopalachari (Edited by Jay Mazo, International Gita Society) Contents 39. The Wicked Are Never Satisfied 1. Ganapati, the Scribe 40. Duryodhana Disgraced 2. Devavrata 41. Sri Krishna's Hunger 3. Bhishma's Vow 42. The Enchanted Pool 4. Amba And Bhishma 43. Domestic Service 5. Devayani And Kacha 44. Virtue Vindicated 6. The Marriage Of Devayani 45. Matsya Defended 7. Yayati 46. Prince Uttara 8. Vidura 47. Promise Fulfilled 9. Kunti Devi 48. Virata's Delusion 10. Death Of Pandu 49. Taking Counsel 11. Bhima 50. Arjuna's Charioteer 12. Karna 51. Salya Against His Nephews 13. Drona 52. Vritra 14. The Wax Palace 53. Nahusha 15. The Escape Of The Pandavas 54. Sanjaya's Mission 16. The Slaying Of Bakasura 55. Not a Needle-Point Of Territory 17. Draupadi's Swayamvaram 56. Krishna's Mission 18. Indraprastha 57. Attachment and Duty 19. The Saranga Birds 58. The Pandava Generalissimo 20. Jarasandha 59. Balarama 21. The Slaying Of Jarasandha 60. Rukmini 22. The First Honor 61. Non-Cooperation 23. Sakuni Comes In 62. Krishna Teaches 24. The Invitation 63. Yudhishthira Seeks Benediction 25. The Wager 64. The First Day's Battle 26. Draupadi's Grief 65. The Second Day 27. Dhritarashtra's Anxiety 66. The Third Day's Battle 28. Krishna's Vow 67. The Fourth Day 29. Pasupata 68. The Fifth Day 30. Affliction Is Nothing New 69. The Sixth Day 31. Agastya 70. The Seventh Day 32. Rishyasringa 71. The Eighth Day 33. Fruitless Penance 72. The Ninth Day 34. Yavakrida's End 73.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mahabharata
    THE MAHABHARATA A SUMMARY Rani Ramaswamy An introduction Rani Ramaswamy The rivers, they say, ran red with the blood of those who perished in this war that pitted the Pandavas, royal princes of the Kuru dynasty against their evil cousins the Kauravas. The famous battle of Kurukshetra, as it came to be known, is described in detail in the Mahabharata, which along with the Ramayana is part of the larger body of Hindu Scriptures. These two great epics bring to life the philosophy and the complexity of thought contained in the Scriptures to a level easily understood by the common man. The Mahabharata was composed by the Sage Vyasa, himself the stuff of legend; his life and his work are a testament to the genius of a society that conceived of a system where rishis [or teachers] renounced the everyday life for the tranquility of the jungles. Isolated, in total peace, they were able to focus their minds and tap into their inner resources and acquire miraculous powers; they had the ability to do things that are difficult to explain in today’s world of science and logic. But we must keep in mind that the story occurred in more innocent times. With more than 100,000 verses, the Mahabharata, is not one story, but many. Some of the stories have morals to tell, some simply are there to entertain. To those familiar with Indian mythology, Krishna seems so real, yet he exudes a divinity that makes him more than just what appears on the surface. This strange mixture of the human and the superhuman makes for great drama, and there is never a dull moment.
    [Show full text]