Reading Notes: Mahabharata Movie, Part A

The first episode of Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution begins with the phrase that Epified takes the Mahabharata from a "how every event is both a result of what happened before it as well as a cause of what follows" perspective. I thought this perspective was unique and it drew me into wanting to watch more of the videos. The first episode is about King Shantanu and his wife Ganga, and how he learned that Ganga had to drown their children for the eight Vasus. At the end, Ganga leaves Shantanu with their eighth child. In episode two, Devavrat, son of Shantanu and Ganga, is reunited with his father and brought back as the long-lost prince of Hastinapur. As time went on, Shantanu falls in love with Satyavati, who was a humble fisherman's daughter. Even though Shantanu loved Satyavati, they did not get married and Shantanu was devastated and became secluded. Therefore, as a result, Devavrat decided to take matters into his own hands and made a groundbreaking oath the he would never marry or never have any children so long as that Satyavati and Shantanu could be together. As Devavrat swore upon this oath to the gods, he became known as Bhishma. As Bhishma brought Satyavati back to his father, Shantanu was not as happy as Bhishma expected him to be. However, Shantanu realized the virtuousness of his son and granted to him the power to choose when he would die. As time passed, Shantanu dies and Bhishma gains two half-brothers to which he acts like a father to them. One of the brothers dies to which this was a wake-up call to Bhishma that he needs to find his other brother a wife; therefore, he goes into the neighboring kingdom and kidnaps the three princesses. The eldest princess was Amba and she told Bhishma that she was in love with King Shalva to which they allowed Amba to go to her love, but when she did, she was greeted with the opposite reaction that she was hoping for. Shalva did not want anything to do with her. As Amba goes back to Bhishma and asks him to marry her, he refuses because of the vow he made. Amba becomes furious and promises that she will ruin Bhishma's life as he did to hers. However, Amba could not find a warrior to take on Bhishma so she finally resorted to ask the sage Parshuram to battle Bhishma to which they did but neither one of them could defeat each other. Finally it was Parshuram who gave up and Bhishma won by default. As Bhishma returns from battle, his other brother dies, leaving the kingdom without any ruler. Satyavati begged Bhishma to break his celibacy and marry for the sake of the kingdom's future. Bhishma refused and that was when Satyavati told him of her secret son, Vyasa. Vyasa came to the kingdom and Satyavati asked him to father the children of Vichitravirya's widows. As time went on, finally there were three princes for the kingdom's throne. The sons of Vyasa were taught by Bhishma. There was contempt brewing between two of the brothers for the throne but Bhishma did not recognize it. It was Dhritrasthra that became king and for him Princess Gandhari became his wife. Princess Gandhari gave up her sight for her husband.

Bibliography: Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution by Epified (link)

Bhishma (a.k.a. Devavrat) introduced to his father, Shantanu. Source: Wikimedia Commons.