Week 13 Reading Diary B: Battle of the Pandavas and Kauravas

This reading mostly covered the battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas. Even though I knew the Pandavas would win, I was still on the edge of my seat, especially when Arjuna fought Karna. I thought it was sad that Karna had to die. I was really hoping he would have a change of heart and join his brothers, though that was probably very unrealistic from the start. The whole battle is kind of sad, actually. Particularly when Arjuna explained to Krishna why it was so difficult for him to fight Bhishma, his grandfather. He remembered playing with him as a child, and he couldn't kill him right away. So it was kind of heartbreaking when he eventually did.

The reading ended with Duryodhana hiding out in a lake. Seemed kind of cowardly. His few remaining friends asked him to come out and fight with them, but he refused on account of he was tired. Sanjaya describes him as such an incredible warrior, but this was kind of a wimpy move, I think.

(Duryodhana found in the lake)

Week 13 Reading Diary A: Pre-Battle

One of the most interesting parts of this reading was the friendship between Karna and Krishna. Their conversation on the chariot was surprising because it previously seemed as though Karna scorned Krishna as an enemy on the Pandavas' side. Karna's loyalty to Duryodhana is so interesting because his brothers are the Pandavas. Further, Arjuna is his sworn enemy, but he's his brother! Krishna explains Karna's history and makes that argument, but Karna's mind is unchanged. Very interesting. I found a picture of that scene, which I have included below.

(Krisna explains to Karna)

Another thing that I suppose I have noticed in the readings but have not really commented on is the relationship between kings/warriors and their charioteers. Dhritarashtra speaks with Sanjaya as one of his most trusted friends and advisers. Similarly, Arjuna and Krishna are incredibly close. I think I remember that the Ayodhyan king had a strong friendship with his charioteer, too, in the Ramayana. He even married Kaikeyi, who drove his chariot when he was younger. It all really shows the great value of that position in that period of time.

Week 12 Reading Diary B: Exile in the Forest

This was my favorite reading thus far in the Mahabharata. The side stories were cool; I really enjoyed the one where Savitri reclaimed her husband from Yama. I also liked when Duryodhana had to be saved by the Pandavas.

My favorite part was the return of Hanuman! He was my very favorite character in the Ramayana, so I loved the part where Hanuman met Bhima and they talked about Hanuman’s assistance in Rama’s epic journey. Such an awesome little monkey. I was happy to see he’s still funny and sassy, and super strong -- stronger than Bhima, even. I kind of wish that part had lasted longer. Hanuman invited Bhima to return later, and I hope he does.

I also like the relationship between Krishna and Draupadi. They’re kind of pals. She calls him when she needs help, and he always shows up for her immediately. They also speak very openly with each other, and they’re pretty funny. It’s an unusual friendship, but it’s fun to read about.

(Draupadi satisfies Krishna with one pinch of Rice)

Week 12 Reading Diary A: Dice Games

For me, the main takeaway from this reading is NO DICE GAMES! Apparently, there is some kind of math to it because the Ayodhyan king said he could teach Vahuka (Nala) how to win at dice. Seems like guess work to me. I don’t understand why both Nala and Yudhishthira gambled away everything they had! After losing a couple of times, I would have quit. Probably a pride thing.

I especially liked the story of Nala and Damayanti. It was kind of a bummer most of the time, but it had a happy ending. I enjoy the inner stories Buck incorporates into the larger story of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. They add a good depth to the story that keeps it very entertaining.

One of my favorite parts of this reading was when Arjuna was brought up to heaven to meet his father Indra. That part was nice. I like reunion scenes like that.

(Indra Welcomes Arjuna)

Week 11 Reading Diary B: The Pandavas Leave Hastinapura

I really enjoy the story of the Pandavas escaping Duryodhana’s fire through a tunnel. What a victory! They live as brahmanas for a while, but they still find opportunities to do amazing things, like Bhima defeating the demon and Arjuna stringing the bow to win over Draupadi. Their cousins are always putting them at a severe disadvantage, but they just keep on winning.

I liked the story about Arjuna and Krishna helping Agni. Those two took on a whole host of gods and won, but it seemed like an epic battle. I definitely enjoyed Buck’s description of it, and I think many of the characters in it are very likeable.

(Agni Meets Krishna and Arjuna)

One thing I like better about the Mahabharata than the Ramayana is that we have more characters to cheer for. With the Ramayana, we had Rama and friends, but there was really only one hero. It’s cool that there are five Pandavas that each have their own incredible strengths and talents. It’s kind of like reading a comic book about one superhero versus reading a comic book about a team of superheroes. 

Week 11 Reading Diary A: Starting Buck’s Mahabharata

When I read Narayan’s version of the Ramayana and Buck’s, I found them to be pretty comparable as far as how easy they were to follow. With the Mahabharata, however, I am noticing a very significant difference in how well I am able to keep up with Buck’s version. It is straightforward, and he frequently restates the relationships between characters, which I find super helpful. Since my comprehension is so much better, I am finding Buck’s Mahabharata a lot more enjoyable than Narayan’s.

One of the stories I wrote in my storybook was about Kurma the turtle, an incarnation of Vishnu that helped the gods hold up Mount Mandara when they were trying to churn the ocean of milk. I thought it was super interesting that this story was included in the Mahabharata, but Kurma was left out of it. There were also some notable differences from the Kurma story I read. For example, I originally read that the reason the gods needed the nectar of immortality was because Indra had gotten them cursed and they all had become mortal. I’m sure there are a lot of variations to the story, so it’s neat to read the different ways it’s told.

(The Churning of the Ocean of Milk)

Week 9 Reading Diary A: Starting the Mahabharata

I like the Mahabharata a lot so far, but it is for sure a little less straightforward than the Ramayana. There are so many characters to keep track of! I definitely needed to refer to the Reading Guide a number of times to remember who was who and who did what.

The birth stories are really interesting. I like the rivalry between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The competitiveness and conflict between them is fun to read about, and I find myself always cheering for the Pandavas. I think I’m supposed to feel that way. But I have a superstar sibling, so I can feel sympathetic to the Kauravas, too.

My favorite part of the first reading was when Vidura warned them that the house they were staying at in Varanavata was going to be burned down, so they built a long tunnel right in the middle of it! The code part was cool, and I bet that was a neat engineering feat, as well.

(Draupadi and Pandavas)

Week 7 Reading Diary B: The End of the Ramayana

There was a lot of cool stuff about Pushpaka at the end of the book. I only briefly alluded to it in the introduction of my storybook, but I hope I can incorporate more about it within my stories in the upcoming weeks.

One thing I kept thinking during the final chapters is this: Why is everyone so mean to Hanuman!? Even Rama! I get that he’s kind of a jokester, but he saved the day a number of times. Rama would never have been able to save Sita and defeat Ravana without him. But he’s always bossing Hanuman around, and so are the other characters. And they’re not even nice about! Very demanding, even though he faithfully and unquestioningly does some unbelievable tasks for them that no one else could do. The only person who’s really nice to Hanuman is Sita. She is appropriately kind to him, and that’s good.

I didn’t really like the ending. I remember Narayan ended his story with a ‘happily ever after’ when Rama kills Ravana, returns home, and is crowned king. And he ruled many years, and he was awesome. The end. As best as I can recall, I think Narayan said something about there being more to the story but wanting to end it there on that happy note. I liked that better. Buck’s ending was kind of a bummer. Rama seemed, to me, to be sort of cowardly. The majority of the Ramayana is about Rama going to extraordinary lengths to save his wife, and then years later, he abandons her—pregnant with twins!—in the forest alone just because of scandal. So weird! I did enjoy reading about what happened with his sons, Kusa and Lava, but I preferred Narayan’s ending, for sure.

(Lava and Kusa)

Week 7 Reading Diary A: Rama and Ravana Battle

In this week’s reading, it was really interesting to see what was different between Narayan’s and Buck’s versions. There were new things in Buck’s that were not in Narayan’s and things that he left out. For instance, the part about Ravana’s pre-battle dance was new. I thought it was funny how he danced and Rama and the animal warriors just watched. However, he left out the part about Rama testing Sita’s faithfulness (which is good, because I didn’t really like it the first time). I really enjoyed all of the detail in Buck’s descriptions of the battle. He made it very easy to visualize such a complex scene.

I am left with many questions after reading the letter Ravana sent to Rama even before the battle. He made it sound like the whole battle and his theft of Sita were all part of a big plan to lure Rama because he wanted to die at Narayana’s hand. It really just appears to be a grand plot for a noble death. But in the earlier readings, he just acted like a selfish jerk, even when he was alone. So I question the sincerity of his letter. It’s the kind of thing I want to believe, though. I don’t know. Many questions.

(The Celestial Chariot)

I liked the descriptions of Pushpaka at the end. That flying chariot is one of my favorite things in the Ramayana, and I wrote about it some for my storybook project, so I enjoy that it keeps showing up in the readings.

Week 6 Reading Diary B: Everyone was Dead and then Everyone was Not Dead

What a comeback! I admit I was shocked when Indrajit killed Sugriva and Angada and all of the monkeys and bears. When I read that he killed Rama and Lakshmana, I had to go back and reread the last couple of pages because I thought I read it wrong. How could Rama be dead!?! I already know this story --- it has a happy ending! If this happened in Narayan’s version, either I have forgotten it or I overlooked it the first time, because I was surprised, for sure. At that point I figured there had to be some sort of magic revival coming because Rama is the hero! Leave it to good ol’ Hanuman to restore a whole army in almost no time flat.

I liked Kumbhakarna more in this version than in the last. In Narayan’s, he just seemed like a brutish, bloodthirsty warmonger. In Buck’s, I got more of a sense that he really thought Ravana was in the wrong, but that he fought for him out of brotherly loyalty. For that, I felt more sympathetic to his character. He didn’t really pose much of a threat to Rama’s army, though I expected he would.

Indrajit, however, dealt a swift and massive blow. Within a paragraph, he wiped out all of my favorite characters! And by the next, he had killed Rama and Lakshmana, and Hanuman was out for the count too. But only temporarily. Lucky Rama had that awesome monkey warrior fighting on his side. Hanuman’s the real MVP.

(Indrajit's Attack)

Week 6 Reading Diary A: Hanuman in Lanka

I decided to continue with Buck’s Ramayana this week because I’ve really been enjoying it thus far. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Sampathi and Jatayu’s mishap with the sun for the Storytelling assignment. So I thought it was fun to read Buck’s description of it this week, and I was kind of happy to see that I hadn’t written anything too contradictory to his version.

One story that I think I might retell for this week is that of Mainaka the mountain. It was a neat idea that all of the world’s mountains used to have wings, but they were careless with them, so Indra cut them off. I really liked that he explained that the severed wings turned into clouds. What a weird and cool origin story for clouds! Like, “Where did clouds come from?” “Oh, they’re mountain wings.” I think that’s funny. I might write about that.

I enjoyed reading about Hanuman’s initial trip to Lanka in Buck’s version because he included a lot of really cool detail that gave me a better idea of what Lanka and its inhabitants are like. I also liked that Hanuman just wandered around as a cat for a good portion of it. He’s such a likeable character in any form.

I also found it interesting to see more of what Sita’s imprisonment was like. We didn’t hear a lot about it in Narayan’s book, and that was something I was sort of left wondering about. I read a few Storytelling blog posts that reimagined it that were really good and piqued my curiosity. So I liked that Buck painted a picture of it for the reader through the eyes of Hanuman.

(Hanuman Encounters Sita)

Week 5 Reading Diary B: The Search for Sita

I was able to notice more differences between Narayan’s and Buck’s versions of the Ramayana in today’s reading. For example, in Narayan’s story, Ravana has to carry the ground around Sita, but in Buck’s, he just grabs her. Also, Vali’s Queen Tara kills herself in Buck’s version, and Sugriva’s Queen Ruma talks down Lakshmana, which I think is different from Narayan’s, if I recall correctly. Lastly, I think Sugriva’s reaction to Lakshmana’s return was quite different -- much less apologetic. He seemed to be on top of things, even in his drunkenness, in this version. These are only a couple of the differences I noticed.

I liked that Buck provided a very in-depth backstory for Hanuman. He was one of my favorite characters the first time around, so it’s cool to know even more about him reading it this time. He is such a strong character, but also very humble, so I enjoy reading about him. We also got to know a little bit more about Jambavan the Bear King. While I thought he played a very important role in Narayan’s version, it was admittedly a pretty small role. So it’s nice to see more of him in this one.

(Sugriva, Angada, and Jambavan)

I really like how Buck incorporates a lot of shorter stories within Rama’s larger tale, and sometimes even stories within those. He provides a lot of background information for all of the locations and characters we come across, but he also keeps it entertaining.

Sugriva’s descriptions of the impending searches in each direction were very long.

Week 5 Reading Diary A: Bharata's Return and Forest Life

Just as I was with Narayan’s version, I am very impressed by Bharata’s character in Buck’s version of the Ramayana. I like the way that Guha described his loyalty to Rama: “They call you a true man, a real friend, they wonder if there is anyone else like you on Earth, who would give back a kingdom…” (120). He truly seems to have not a single trace of greed, and for that, he is for sure one of my favorite characters.

I really liked some of the origin stories in the reading for this week. One in particular was the story about Agastya and how powerful he was, that he was able to bring the Vindhya Hills back down to size, as well as put an end to the demons Vatapi and Ilwala’s slaughter. Each of those was an interesting tale itself, and I might look at retelling one of them for the Storytelling assignment this week.

(Vishnu on Garuda)

I also enjoyed the story about Garuda. We didn’t hear about him a lot in Narayan’s version, so it was neat to read about his origins here. It was interesting to me that he was born from an egg along with Aruna, the charioteer of the sun god. I wrote about Aruna some in my story about Sampathi and Jatayu a couple of weeks ago, so I was happy to know how he came to be the sun’s charioteer. I noticed, too, that a lot of the stories within Rama’s story even have stories within themselves. The tale of Indra and Dadhicha told as an aside during the tale of Garuda is an example of this. Buck writes these stories in quite a deep frame.

Week 4 Reading Diary B: Rama's Exile and Guha

This part of the reading read a lot like Narayan’s, in my opinion. The big difference I noted was the elaboration of Guha’s character. He was very interesting, a funny little woodsman, and I think it might be fun to retell one of his stories this week.

I was really surprised by his story about the first time Kaikeyi brought up her two wishes to Dasaratha. I don’t think that was in Narayan’s version, or if it was, I can’t recall it now. Up to the point where she uses the wishes for Bharata’s coronation and Rama’s exile, she seems very pleasant and innocent, especially by Rama’s account of her. But Guha’s story indicates that her meddling nature was evident earlier on. She was willing to learn the animal language from him on his funeral pyre. Her selfishness is clearer knowing this story, which doesn’t come for the reader, or for Rama, until his exile in the forest.

(Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana in the forest)

It struck me, in both versions, just how forgiving Rama is. He really bears no ill will to Kaikeyi at any point, even when all of Ayodhya disparages her ruthlessly. He is fully willing to serve his exile, and he remains fond of his traitorous step-mother throughout.

I am so far a big fan of Buck’s version. It is easy and fun to read, and the plot flows well. I look forward to reading the rest of it. As class reading goes, this one is definitely a pleasure.

Week 4 Reading Diary A: Starting Buck's Ramayana

I really like Buck’s Ramayana. There is a lot of background information before Rama starts out on his journey with Vishwamitra, which I found super helpful as a reader. The explanation of the war between Ravana and Indra, as well as what led up to it, was really detailed. It was a great setup for the rest of the story, so I feel like a very well-informed reader. I also really enjoyed the explanation of Valmiki early in the reading. It’s interesting to know the reason why he recited his Rama epic in the first place.

I found myself wondering about Ravana’s origins a lot while reading Narayan’s Ramayana because there a number of passing references as to how he became so powerful. So it was cool to read Buck’s version with such an in-depth explanation.

There are a lot of characters in this first part of the reading. Many, many characters. I found them all a little difficult to keep track of, but I found a character list at the beginning of the book, which helped a lot. I also remember a lot of the characters from Narayan’s version, which helps, but is also interesting because I learn more or different things about them.

One of the ideas I had for my storybook was to write about the magical chariot Pushpaka that flies by thought and varies in size. So it was great to read about how that was created and how it transferred ownership to Ravana. That will be really helpful for me if I decide to use that in my storybook this week.

(Ravana's Pushpaka chariot)

Week 3 Reading Diary B: Battle and Conclusion

A particular episode I liked in this reading was the building of the bridge to Lanka. I thought it was neat how animals dragged rocks and things into the ocean to help Rama across. The author mentions that even squirrels rolled pebbles for the construction, which is kind of cute (147).

Hanuman is a great character. I liked when Ravana punished Hanuman’s trespassing by lighting his tail on fire, and Hanuman used it against him by burning all of Lanka to ash with it. That is for sure making the best of a bad situation. And after Rama has been poisoned during battle, Hanuman carries him on his shoulders to fight Ravana. At the end of the story, after the battle, Hanuman is swift enough to reach Bharata to deliver Rama’s message before he immolates himself. Hanuman’s just kind of a rockstar and, no doubt, invaluable to Rama.

(Rama and Hanuman fighting Ravana)

One part I took special note of was when the author said, “During his narration the story-teller would not miss any chance for a contemporary reference. He would compare the Pushpak Vimana to a modern airliner, with the additional capacities that it could be piloted by mere thought and that its space could expand to accommodate as many as would want to get into it” (169). When brainstorming for my storybook, I was thinking I might want to try to work around some sort of contemporary framework, so I liked the passage. It inspired a lot of ideas I intend to further consider in the next few weeks as I start to set up my storybook.

Week 3 Reading Diary A: Rama Prepares a Rescue

My favorite character from this reading assignment was Hanuman. He is so wise and dedicated, and he doesn’t ever give up on helping Rama. And the author frequently mentions his amazing powers, but he is still very humble. I know from my Week 2 Topics Brainstorm research that Hanuman is a super important character in the Ramayana. I also know we’ll read about him again in Mahabharata.

(Hanuman slaying demons)

I also really liked Sampathi and Jambavan. They don’t appear a lot in the reading, but I think they’re vital to the story. Sampathi’s aid was invaluable; Hanuman may never have found Sita without the information he gave him. And Jambavan helped him realize his power to cross the sea to Lanka, so that Hanuman could actually get to her. The rescue seems sort of hopeless until they show up, but their assistance really reinvigorates the plot. They are very necessary and helpful characters.

One part of the reading that really caught my attention was Hanuman and Angada’s brief journey underground (131-132). Described with such brevity—only a couple of paragraphs—the two discover an incredible city below the surface with only a single inhabitant, a woman who had been a goddess but was doomed to stay there alone until she was found. And then they leave. I think it would be neat for the Storytelling assignment this week to elaborate on this story because it’s definitely interesting enough to expand it.

Week 2 Reading Diary B: Rama’s Exile in the Forest

Again, Rama’s relationship with his brothers really resonated with me. I particularly liked the part where Bharata and Rama argued about who would be king, each trying to persuade the other of his right to the throne. I like the author’s explanation of it: “In a world where we are accustomed to rivalries over possession, authority, and borders, and people clashing over the issue, ‘Ours,’ or ‘Mine, not yours,’ it is rather strange to find two people debating whose kingdom is not, and asserting: ‘Yours, not mine’” (80). Lakshmana, too, is so devoted to Rama that he followed him into exile and swore to be his personal bodyguard. There is no rivalry between any of the brothers. They only fight to be more supportive of each other. As far as I have read in other texts (which, admittedly, is not much to boast about), this is very unique between brothers.

Although I think I will retell a story from Reading A for this week, it would definitely be interesting to further explore the story of the golden deer. Maricha recounts for Ravana the first time he used this tactic to attack Rama, but it might be neat to retell it with more detail, particularly how it affects his character development. After his failure, he tried to lead a good and moral life, which is quite a drastic change from his earlier behavior and deeds. That would make for a good story, I think.

 

(Maricha and Ravana. Web Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Week 2 Reading Diary A: Starting the Ramayana

One of the things that struck me most about this portion of the reading was how much everyone loves Rama. Even his brothers. From what I have seen and read in other media, brothers from royal families traditionally endure deep-seated rivalry, sometimes overt and sometimes undetectable at the start. A good modern example I can think of is Thor and Loki in the Marvel comics and movies. But Rama’s brothers really support him and want him to be king. Lakshmana claims he’ll fight the whole world to make Rama king. Kaikeyi is even afraid to tell Bharata about her changes to the coronation plans until after Rama has been exiled because of how devoted he is to Rama. It makes sense that everyone would love Rama because he is a heroic figure, so what meant most to me in regard to his popularity was his relationship with his brothers.

(Rama and Lakshmana. Web Source: Wikimedia Commons)

There were a lot of episodes that would make for good storytelling, particularly the stories Vishvamitra told during their journey. When I have to retell one later this week, I think I’ll focus on the one about Mahabali and the Dwarf (36). That would be manageable for me, and I think I can do something interesting with the advisor who turned into a bee to stop the water oath. Perhaps I will retell it with him as the main character, because his ability to shrink down to the size of a bee was only briefly mentioned, but it could be neat to explore further.