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Showing posts with label Week 6. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week 6. Show all posts

Monday, February 27, 2017

Reading Notes: Mackenzie. Nala and Damayanti Part A

PDE Version: Mackenzie. Nala and Damayanti.


4 Gods want in on action even though they were enamoured with Nala’s looks too
Indra of Heaven, Agni of Fire, Varuna of Water, and Yama of Death
Nala tells her of their wishes and to pick them so she will have a robe never sullied by dust
Damayanti picked him in a line-up of all 5 look-a-likes and so the Gods gave Nala gifts

Indra – Behold the Godhead Sacrifice, Power to walk unhindered by any obstacle wherever he wanted
Agni – Power over fire, Power over three worlds(Heaven Earth and Underworld)
Varuna – Power over water, Power to obtain fresh garlands at will
Yama – Subtle skill in preparing food, Eminence in every virtue

Demon Kali wants to marry Damayanti and is going there with Dwapara when they pass the Gods who told him if he tried to curse Nala it would backfire since he has been blessed by the Gods. So he plans to enter Nala’s body and have Dwapara enter some dice.

Kali entered Nala and challenged Nala’s bro – PushKara to a game of dice, which they wagered the kingdom, They played for months and Damayanti tried to stop it. The wagers got larger. She sent the kids off to live with her dad.

Final straw was a wager for Damayanti, Nala stood up stripped his last riches and left. Pushkara threatened kingdom if they provide for him it would be death. Damayanti followed him.

They drank only water for 3 days when he tried to catch some birds with gold wings with his last garment. They flew off with his clothing mocking him. Now their task complete since he was naked and left with nothing. Now Nala and Damayanti share her garment

Kali still inside Nala got him to leave Dama in the middle of the night

She awoke and wandered all over looking for Nala until a snake rose from the ground and coiled around her. A huntsman killed it then washed her, fed her, and asked what was up….Kinda weird that he washed her.
Damayanti in the forest after Nala leaves
Image Source:Web
She figured out his bad intentions and her anger killed him dead like lightning, then she wandered more. She kept saying how she was helpless and asking where he was because he promised to be there to protect her. There were many animals and demons alike, but her virtue protected her. A clan of holy men told her soon she would be reuinited and sin would be cleansed then they disappeared.

She came to a group of male travelers, boys, men, and sages. They thought she was crazy and were worried about their things. She told them her story and asked if they had saw Nala, which they hadn’t. She traveled on with them to Chedi to the King of Subahu.

The camp was destroyed on the way by crazed elephants and the survivors thought she was a witch and it was her fault. She ran and found Brahmans who lived, in the morning they headed toward the city. She met with the queen, set her terms of not eating scraps, nor doing menial service, or laying in bed with another man. She was set as a handmaiden of the princess Sunanda and they were happy friends. The queen set Brahmans in search of Nala.

Bibliography:

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata Part D

Amba is brought back to be the destroyer of Bhishma as once promised to her by her vows. Now, Shikhandin in the lead and Bhishma won’t fight so Arjuna is able to wound him enough to guarantee death. He still pleads with Dury to end war, but Dury refuses.

****Drona takes over place instead of Karna?? Why, Dury has wanted Karna to take over this whole time, I do not understand.

Eww, Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu dies a gruesome death, but due to Krishna’s trickiness Arjuna found Jaya and got revenge

Awe, Bhima’s son Ghatotkacha died by Indra’s special dart given to Karna

****Psyching out Drona by killing an elephant of the same name as his son

****Bhima seriously drank Duhsasana's blood!

Woah!!! Arjuna actually beheaded Karna with his arrow after Krishna reminds him of his misgivings of not being manly

****Drona’s son throws himself into a fire to appease and worship Shiva who was protecting the Pandava camp at night but he doesn’t die because Shiva accepts this as a good sacrifice, so now Ashwatthaman can attack the Draupadi’s sons

****Again, Draupadi wants vengeance even though Krishna points out other wives and mothers lost their sons and husbands, she at least hasn’t lost her husbands. So she asks for Ash’s family jewels.

Blind Rajah Dhrit smashing clay Bhima is funny to picture

Bhishma finally passes on the summer solstice and when all visit the water, Ganga cries but Krishna tells her not to sorrow for he lived a full life and is happy in heaven. She should know this, she is a goddess.

****How did the Brahma weapon held by Ashh kill Uttara’s baby in the womb?

****Land of women warriors on Arjuna’s adventure with the horse for the Ashwemeda, Arjuna just made peace even though their Raj detained the horse…They should be offended. Story?

****Hmmm, Arjuna’s other son, Babhruvahana, kills Arjuna because he doesn’t believe he’s his son and they have to fight because of the horse thing. However, he travels to the Nagas and gets a jewel to restore his life.

****The horse sacrifice is pretty fancy and can be expanded

****The gold mongoose, Yudi’s gifts of gold and wealth were not the same of the last bits of food the Brahmin shared with the hidden Dharma. What would have been?

****Peeps in the city of Dwaraka – no drinking wine! The one night party led to death and destruction!

****Balarama – World serpent

****Krishna is cousins to the Pandavas!!! His dad and Queen Kunti are siblings – finally figured it out.

****Awe, I teared up when the hound ended up being Dharma. Just the fact that Yudi wouldn’t leave him because he was his faithful friend on the way up the mountain made me smile.

Wow! Yudi still had to endure a test, like he was in the underworld. In the end it sounded like if you atone for your sins, you can still attain heaven.

Final note: Glad this one is over. I liked the story, dislike so many different characters, and the battle was too long and boring.



Bibliography
Image Source

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata Part C

Yudi was so sad about being exiled to forest crying to the Brahmin, and he sounds afraid of starving or being eaten by a wild animal. He is supposed to be a KING!!! The Brahmin tells him to call the SUN God who give him a copper pot with never ending food.

****They still don’t know that Karna is the SUN god’s kid and their half-brother. I think the sun god should tell them too bad so sad because you have been mean to my kid
Indra and Gandiva the special bow – expand the fight between him and the huntsman/Shiva

Urvashi cursed Arjuna barely knowing him just because he didn’t like her back, but he was there with his dad and after being gifted with celestial weapons and completing many austerities. “wilt for a season live unregarded among women as a dancer and musician.” WTH does that mean?

The evil giant women of Hiranyapura could be sirens

****Say What??!! Hanuman and Bhima are half-brothers? That Wind God is a busy guy. Way cool that he tells Bhima of his adventures with Rama, I didn’t know that one story knew of the other.

****Krita Yuga – a story of when there was always inherit goodness, no austerities needed to be completed. Kali Yuga, the last which has ¼ of virtue religious acts had a contrary effect – that is like the some of the Jataka tales I have read where the Bodhisattva explains what will happen if the next person performs the act

****Woah! Dury is favored by the daityas and danavas which Arjuna beat down as they were enemies of Indra his Dad.

Hmmm, Indra trading a special dart for Karna’s golden armor and invincible earrings

****Riddles?! Oh my goodness, how could he remember each one spoken in four at a time? What if he hadn’t asked for his brother’s to be restored?

****A story of the Pandavas in their disguises?

****The Dark Princess Draupadi – is called that because she must be in hiding and disguise, but the fact that she wanted to watch Prince Kichaka’s death shows that there is a sinister side. She always wants revenge. Story?

Dury did not know that Krishna was the divine being – Vishnu – do the Pandavas, Arjuna, know?

****So Kunti finally tells Karna he is her son. It is too late though. He thinks that Dury has befriended him, but in reality it is only because he saw that Karna is a good warrior. Something should be done with Karna’s story. Change it, expand it…?

****What?! Bhishma has to lead the Kaurava army in the fight against the Pandavas? He has to be torn over this!

Why is Ghatotkacha appearing as Hanuman? Yes it is Arjuna’s son appearing as Arjuna’s half-brother, but why?

Huh, Yuyutsu switched sides to the Pandavas.

****Arjuna wanting to give up on battle because of the upcoming destruction. Krishna urges him on because of reincarnation. Can I make this into laments terms?

Dury keeps asking Bhishma to give up his main spot to Karna, but Bhishma says he will lead the fight knowing Dury’s cause is dumb and a losing battle. This seems asinine.