Reading Notes: Mahabharata Movie, Part C

When Karna was a baby, he was found floating in the river by his father. Karna already had the beautiful armor to protect his body and had tremendous rings on his ears when he was a baby and grew as he turned into a man. By knowing about his story, Karna knew that he was a Kshatriya, therefore, he was on a quest to prove it. Karna finally got Parshuram to accept his has his pupil. Karna was an eager and attentive student, but one-day Parshuram figured out he was a Kshatriya when Karna held the pain of spider's bite as to not wake up Parshuram who was sleeping on Karna's lap. One-day a tournament was held and Karna showed up uninvited to show his power and that he could defeat Arjuna. Karna did in fact beat Arjuna who was insulted, but since Karna was not invited, he could not claim rightful victor. The Pandavas wanted to fight Karna but only could fight if he was of royal blood. Karna told his story and at that moment, Kunti (the Pandavas' mother) fainted and Duryodhan named him king of Anga so that he would be worthy to battle the brothers. King Drupad was once a pupil of Drona, the man who is teaching the art of war to the Pandavas. Drupad and Drona were once close friends and Drupad made the promise that Drona could get half his kingdom one day. When Drona went to visit Drupad and acquired about the promise, Drupad was a different man and told Drona that he had never made such promises. Drona vowed to himself that Drupad would pay for humiliating him. Duryodhan, one of the Kaurava brothers, created a plan to kill his cousins, the Pandavas, because he knew that they would be the next rulers and did not like that. Duryodhan's plan was to burn the brothers to their death in a palace made of wax. Upon reaching Vanvrat, the Pandavas realized that the palace built for them was made of combustible material. Therefore, they quickly assembled a plan to escape by building an underground tunnel. This plan of escape was successful. As soon as Kunti and the Pandavas escaped their death trap, it was Bhim who took his family (literally) onto his own shoulders. He took care of them and protected them as they journeyed through the forest. The Pandavas finally settled in a quiet city known as Ekachakra and disguised themselves as Brahmans. The once wealthy and powerful Pandava family were now begging for food and staying at a kind scholar's house. The asura named Bakasur would eat the townspeople as they gave him food to eat. This week it was the scholar's turn to face Bakasur and he knew that this would be his death. When Kunti heard this story from the scholar, he told him that her sons can and did defeat Bakasur. As the Pandavas lived their lives, Drupad was granted a son and beautiful daughter named, Draupadi. She grew up to become a young woman whose beauty was unmatched. 

Bibliography: Mahabharata by Epified (link)

Arjuna and Karna battling each other in the tournament. Source: Flickr. 

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Movie, Part D

The Pandavas, disguised as brahmins, decided to attend Draupadi's swayamvar to win her hand and heart. As the swayamvar began, a mighty bow was placed in the middle of the room. To win Draupadi's hand in marriage, a suitor had to watch the reflection of a fish swimming in a bowl of oil and shoot an arrow to penetrate the fish's eye. All the princes and various other suitors could not fulfill the challenge. However, when Arjuna came up to string the bow, he did what no one thought he could. Arjuna successfully fulfilled the challenge. However, another man wanted his try at the challenge and his name was Prince Karna. Now Karna was a charioteer's son which did not bring him any respect. Therefore, before he could even attempt to string the bow, it was Draupadi herself who told him he could not. Karna returned to his seat humiliated. Now that Arjuna won the hand of Draupadi, they returned to their home. The brothers were looking for their mother and found her praying in their hut. Kunti thought that her sons brought food and without looking behind her told them to share what they have. Little did she know that what they brought was a new wife, Draupadi. She realized her mistake but did not take it back for fear that it would tear the brothers apart. However, the brothers felt weird about it because they believed it was Arjuna who was the rightful husband of Draupadi. As the brothers felt unsure about the request of their mother, a sage came by and said that Draupadi was destined to have a husband with five virtues. The brothers took this as their sign and all married the beautiful Draupadi.




Bibliography: Mahabharata by Epified (link)

Draupadi and the Pandavas. Source: Wikimedia Commons.