In this version of the epic, they focus on Karmic Revolution. I chose to "read" this version of the Mahabharata because I am focusing on Karma.
The epic starts with Shantanu and Ganga's meeting. She made him promise to never question her. As they began to have children, one by one Ganga drowned each in the river. On the eighth child, Shantanu had had enough. Ganga told him about the 8 Vasus who were cursed and how Ganga agreed to give birth to 8 celestial spirits in order to free the Vasus from mortality. Ganga then left Shantanu, taking his last son. Karma is quite prevalent as Ganga would have good Karma done onto her as she was sacrificing her sons to free the Vasus. Shantanu also had consequences for breaking his wife's promise which led to her leaving and taking his son.
Devavrat is introduced, as Shantanu and Ganga's son. Devavrat and Shantanu reunited and returned to the kingdom where the people welcomed him with open arms. Shantanu fell in love with the fisherman's daughter, Satyavati, but she declined his marriage proposal because she and her father did not think her children with him would ever become kings. Shantanu returned home alone, but stopped attending to his kingly duties. Devavrat went to the fisherman to make his father happy and get Satyavati. He begged but it did not work, no matter what he offered. Devavrat swore to never marry, therefore never have kids to take over the throne. Devavrat then became known as Bhishma. The fisherman then agreed to let Satyavati marry Shantanu.
Bhishma watched over the palace and was welcoming to his half-brothers. Bhishma got his brother, who was on the throne, 3 princesses to be his wife. The eldest, Amba, wanted to go to be with her love, so she left but the other two remained. Except her love rejected her because it would humiliate him since she was taken by another man. Bhishma was blamed by the eldest and would not rest until she got her revenge on him. She could not find anyone who was willing to take Bhishma down. Parshuram was the one who ended up fighting him yet there was no winner after more than 20 days. They were too evenly matched. Eventually Bhishma prevailed and Parshuram gave up. The eldest princess did not give up as she believed she would one day be the reason for Bhishma's death.
An illness took the kings life and there was not a king or a prince. The king died childless. Bhishma was asked to marry and have children, but he refused. Bhishma found out he had a brother, Satyavati's other son. Vyasa, the son, would appear when summoned by his mother. Vyasa fathered the children of the 2 remaining princesses, Ambika and Ambalika, but not without some hesitation due to his frightening looks. The first child would be blind due to Ambika not looking at Vyasa. Satyavati made sure Ambalika kept her eyes open. She did but turned pale with fear which caused her child to have bad health. Ambalika was sent to have another child but she sent a servant girl instead. The servant girl had no fear of the sage and gave birth to a son. Ambika gave birth to Dhritarashtra, who was blind but grew to be strong and kind. Ambalika had Pandu, the pale one, but was a great archer and popular with the people. The servant gave birth to Vidura, the wisest.
Dhritarashtra became king and Pandu was the commander of the armies. Pandu was known as the one who ruled the palace. Bhishma arranged for Dhritarashtra to marry Gandhari. Gandhari gave up the gift of sight as well. Gandhari's brother was very mad with her decision. Pandu also married Kunti and Madri.
Throughout the videos, the ideas of Karmic consequences has been very prevalent. Since I already know what happens in the epic, it is interesting now to go back and see why they happened and what actions were taken to cause them to happen.
Bibliography: Epified. "The Mahabharata." Youtube, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrWYQjLLbXch4II3e8ke0S-6u7JpPSCmJ
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| (Mahabharata in sanskrit; Source: Wikimedia) |
The epic starts with Shantanu and Ganga's meeting. She made him promise to never question her. As they began to have children, one by one Ganga drowned each in the river. On the eighth child, Shantanu had had enough. Ganga told him about the 8 Vasus who were cursed and how Ganga agreed to give birth to 8 celestial spirits in order to free the Vasus from mortality. Ganga then left Shantanu, taking his last son. Karma is quite prevalent as Ganga would have good Karma done onto her as she was sacrificing her sons to free the Vasus. Shantanu also had consequences for breaking his wife's promise which led to her leaving and taking his son.
Devavrat is introduced, as Shantanu and Ganga's son. Devavrat and Shantanu reunited and returned to the kingdom where the people welcomed him with open arms. Shantanu fell in love with the fisherman's daughter, Satyavati, but she declined his marriage proposal because she and her father did not think her children with him would ever become kings. Shantanu returned home alone, but stopped attending to his kingly duties. Devavrat went to the fisherman to make his father happy and get Satyavati. He begged but it did not work, no matter what he offered. Devavrat swore to never marry, therefore never have kids to take over the throne. Devavrat then became known as Bhishma. The fisherman then agreed to let Satyavati marry Shantanu.
Bhishma watched over the palace and was welcoming to his half-brothers. Bhishma got his brother, who was on the throne, 3 princesses to be his wife. The eldest, Amba, wanted to go to be with her love, so she left but the other two remained. Except her love rejected her because it would humiliate him since she was taken by another man. Bhishma was blamed by the eldest and would not rest until she got her revenge on him. She could not find anyone who was willing to take Bhishma down. Parshuram was the one who ended up fighting him yet there was no winner after more than 20 days. They were too evenly matched. Eventually Bhishma prevailed and Parshuram gave up. The eldest princess did not give up as she believed she would one day be the reason for Bhishma's death.
An illness took the kings life and there was not a king or a prince. The king died childless. Bhishma was asked to marry and have children, but he refused. Bhishma found out he had a brother, Satyavati's other son. Vyasa, the son, would appear when summoned by his mother. Vyasa fathered the children of the 2 remaining princesses, Ambika and Ambalika, but not without some hesitation due to his frightening looks. The first child would be blind due to Ambika not looking at Vyasa. Satyavati made sure Ambalika kept her eyes open. She did but turned pale with fear which caused her child to have bad health. Ambalika was sent to have another child but she sent a servant girl instead. The servant girl had no fear of the sage and gave birth to a son. Ambika gave birth to Dhritarashtra, who was blind but grew to be strong and kind. Ambalika had Pandu, the pale one, but was a great archer and popular with the people. The servant gave birth to Vidura, the wisest.
Dhritarashtra became king and Pandu was the commander of the armies. Pandu was known as the one who ruled the palace. Bhishma arranged for Dhritarashtra to marry Gandhari. Gandhari gave up the gift of sight as well. Gandhari's brother was very mad with her decision. Pandu also married Kunti and Madri.
Throughout the videos, the ideas of Karmic consequences has been very prevalent. Since I already know what happens in the epic, it is interesting now to go back and see why they happened and what actions were taken to cause them to happen.
Bibliography: Epified. "The Mahabharata." Youtube, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrWYQjLLbXch4II3e8ke0S-6u7JpPSCmJ
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