X for X Marks the Spot: Jayadratha’s Death - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaskar, 

This alphabet needed some thinking before I could finalize a topic. During the Kurukshetra War, Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu was killed by the Kaurava side when he penetrated the Chakravuyha formation. Arjuna was distraught upon hearing the news that evening. When Yudhistira told him that Jayadratha (king of Sindhu and husband of Dushala, the Kaurava sister) prevented the four Pandava brothers from following Abhimanyu into the formation, Arjuna was livid. 

He vowed to kill Jayadratha the next day before the sunset to avenge Abhimanyu’s death. Jayadratha had earlier (during the exile) lusted after Draupadi and abducted her. Bhima and Arjuna wanted to kill him, but Yudhistira let him go with a punishment (shaving his head and mustache). 

Jayadrathavadha is a Upaparva in Drona Parva and is described in high detail. The Kaurava side did their best to prevent Arjuna from getting closer to Jayadratha (and failed eventually). Arjuna was said to have killed eight akshauhini of the Kaurava army that day. Imagine the carnage! 

(One Akshauhini = 21,870 chariots; 21,870 elephants; 65,610 horses and 1,09,350 foot soldiers)

After much effort, Ajurna, with Krishna as his charioteer, got at a shooting distance from Jayadratha (Arjuna’s arrows could easily travel one krosa, which is appx. 3 KM, and hit the target). Right before Arjuna aimed, Krishna told him an important story about Jayadratha’s birth. 

When Jayadratha was born, a voice spoke from heaven. It announced to King Bridhakshatra that his son would be a powerful ruler known for his prowess but would be beheaded by an enemy on the battlefield. To prevent this, King Bridhakshatra cursed the (then unknown) enemy and said that one who let his son’s head fall on the battlefield would die immediately as his own head would shatter into a thousand pieces. 

Krishna then told Arjuna that Bridhakshatra had later left for a forest called Samantapanchaka and had been doing tapasya for years. He advised Arjuna to shoot his arrow in such a way that Jayadratha’s head would not fall on the battlefield but into the lap of the old king (Bridhakshatra) in the forest. 

Arjuna nodded and charged his arrow with divine mantras. He aimed and shot it at Jayadratha. The arrow severed Jayadratha’s head and continued onward, carrying it on the tip. Arjuna shot more arrows in succession to support it. Everyone (including Bhima, Satyaki, and others) stared in amazement as the arrows and head traveled away from the battlefield at high speed. The arrows reached the outskirts of Samantapanchaka, where the old Bridhakshatra was sitting under a tree in meditation. Jayadratha’s head dropped into his lap. 

After a while, Bridhakshatra finished his meditation and stood, not registering his son’s head on his lap. The head rolled to the ground. He stared at it, aghast, and his own head shattered into a thousand pieces. Thus, the father and son died, making the prophecy and the curse come true. 

So, that’s how Arjuna avenged his son’s death and the arrow reached the spot X. 

You can read a detailed summary of Jayadrathavadha Upaparva on Draupadi Parashakti's Facebook Page (a series of seventeen posts). 

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Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday - Book Review

Series: #1 (couldn’t find the series title)

Publication Date: 23rd April 2024

Genre: Regency Romance 

3.7 stars 

One Liner: Slow-paced but entertaining 

1821

Archibald Fielding-Burton, the Earl of Harcourt, calls himself lucky for having two best friends who would do anything for him. Simon and Effie are his dearest friends and partners in crime. The trio plans an all-men trip every year and calls it the Earl’s Trip to unwind from the pressures of daily life. 

That year was no different until Archie got a letter from Sir Albert Morgan, an old family friend, begging for help. His daughter Olive has eloped with someone. His other daughter, Clementine, has rushed to rescue Olive. Now, Archie has to rescue them both and bring them back safely. 

Archie and Clem go back a long way. They were always good friends, but Archie finds the grown-up even more alluring. When Clem shares a proposal, Archie knows he would accept it. But where will this lead? 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Archie and Clementine. 

My Thoughts: 

As the premise suggests, this is a fun book that deals with some serious topics. However, the overall tone is lighthearted and entertaining. 

The beginning is slow but in no way boring. We get enough laughs as the characters are introduced and established. At the same time, we get a glimpse of the deeper emotions these characters feel. 

Dementia/ early memory loss, found family, sibling relationships (between sisters), loss of a parent, dysfunctional families, etc., are some themes explored in the book. Not all of them are prominent, though. A few more tropes are modernish, but it has almost become a norm, so I won’t complain. 

Archie is surprisingly easy to like. He is lively, friendly, mischievous, understanding, supportive, and fun. Yet, he has his pain, uncertainties, vulnerabilities, and doubts. Clem is nice, though not as much as Archie. He is a gem. 

While it is good to have Regency FMC as a vegetarian, even if it doesn’t seem realistic for the period, Clem comes across as a bit too judgmental about others. (I’m a vegetarian, too, but I don’t go around wrinkling my nose at meat eaters). Moreover, she doesn’t seem to make the same effort to understand Archie the way he tries to get to know her thoughts and takes them seriously. 

The relationship takes time to progress. This gives space for enough scenes and conversation between them. Things don’t feel rushed, despite what the blurb states. 

The side characters are developed enough to go beyond what’s initially defined for them. There’s more than what meets’s eye applies here. Olive’s arc is very good. I did like her more than the FMC sometimes. 

The repetition slows down the pacing, which could have been trimmed a little. The chapter length also contributes to the slowness due to the extended length (I like short chapters). 

The book has some steam, though I don’t know why it changed toward the end and skipped over the scene (which was important). Didn’t make sense to me, but maybe they had a page limit to work with (?). 

To summarize, Earl’s Trip is an entertaining book with a loveable male lead and worthy side characters. It works well as a standalone. The last chapter could be considered a lead for the next book, which I would love to read. 

Thank you, Edelweiss+ and Kensington Books, for eARC. 

W for Why the Vindhya Mountains Swelled - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste, 

Mahabharata has many short stories from different Puranas. This is one such story from Aranyaka Parva, shared with Yudhistira during the early years of the Pandava exile. 

Rishi Lomasa presented the following story about why the Vindhya Mountain started swelling and how the situation was handled. 

A long time ago, the Vindhya Mountain noticed how the sun (Surya Deva) would do a pradakshina (circumambulation) around the divine Mount Meru every day. After a few days, the Vindhya asked the sun why he did that only for Meru. 

The sun replied that it wasn’t his choice but how the creator carved his path, which he followed every day without fail. 

This annoyed the Vindhya Mountain. It expanded in size and swelled large enough to block the sun’s path. The gods went to soothe and convince the mountain to get back to its previous size. However, no amount of pleading worked. The Vindhya Mountain continued to obstruct the path of the sun, moon, and stars to satisfy its ego. This also caused trouble for the rishis and earth-dwellers in the region as the days and seasons went off cycle. 

A group of rishis went to Rishi Agastya and explained the situation, asking for help. He assured them he would take care of the matter. The rishi went to the Vindhya Mountain and asked it to create a passage for him to travel southward. The rishi said the mountain could close again once he came back. The mountain agreed. 

Rishi Agastya went to the south but stayed there. The mountain had no choice but to keep the passage open, as per their agreement. This resulted in the mountain shirking into its previous size. It could no longer obstruct the sun’s path or interfere with nature’s cycle. 

Interesting, isn’t it? 

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V for Varuna’s Sabha - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste, 

Narada described various celestial courtrooms (Sabha) to Yudhistira during his visit to Indraprastha for the first time. This event took place in Sabha Parva. We have seen Brahma’s Sabha, Dwaraka, Indra’sSabha, and Kubera’s Sabha until now.

Varuna is the god of rain, water, ocean, seas, rivers, etc. His Sabha is called Pushkaramalini and was built by Vishwakarman, the celestial architect. True to his powers, Varuna’s Sabha is located underwater (in an ocean) and has the right temperature for everyone to thrive. It has white walls and arches and is the same size as Yamadharmaraja’s Sabha (we’ll do this next). 

The Sabha is surrounded by celestial trees with gemstones, lovely blooms, and fruits. Plants of all colors - turquoise, yellow, black, purple, white, and red can be found in this Sabha. Exotic birds are also a part of it. The sweet melodies of the birds fill the Sabha.

The rooms are large and artfully decorated to suit Varuna’s taste. He is accompanied by his queen Varuni and lords over the Sabha with many heavenly creatures, beings, rishis, kings, and gods. For example, the Nagas are predominantly found in his Sabha. Similarly, Kings like Bali, Prahalada, Naraka, and many daityas (anti-gods) are also present. 

The oceans, seas, and rivers are a part of Varuna’s Sabha, along with lakes and tiny ponds. All aquatic creatures can be seen in this Sabha, sharing space with the Gandharvas, Yakshas, and apsaras. Varuna’s minister Sunabha, with his sons and grandsons, waits on him near the holy place of pilgrimage called “Gau” or Puskara.

Sounds beautiful, doesn’t it? 

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A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall - Book Review

Series: The Sunken Archive #1 (cliffhanger)

Publication Date: 25th April 2024 

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Epistolary 

3.5 stars

One Liner: Ultra-slow-motion; but beautiful! 

E. sends a letter to renowned scholar Henerey Clel after she spies an intriguing aquatic animal outside her window. Soon, they correspond regularly and fall in love. However, life in the underwater world has its risks. When the duo uncovered a mystery, they didn’t know it could destroy E.’s home. E. and Henerey vanish, presumed dead. 

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy begins to archive her articles. She contacts Henerey’s brother Vyerin, and they begin to go through the letters and notes to discover more about their siblings and the mystery.   

What happened and why? How does the truth change their lives? 

The story comes in the form of letters, news reports, and other snippets shared by different characters. 

My Thoughts: 

Firstly, a huge thanks to an early reviewer. Her review helped me go into the book with the right expectations (ultra-slow pacing, almost non-existent plot, and a cliffhanger). I’m sure I enjoyed the book more because I knew what it was going to be. 

The beginning is intriguing but soon dissolves into a lengthy character-building exercise. While the idea of showing character development only through letters and journal entries is a great idea, it cannot come at the cost of the plot. 

I continued to read and read and read and finally, after 70%, saw a ray of hope. Maybe if the letters were shuffled to provide two tracks – one to get to know the characters and another to follow the mystery, we might feel better involved in the book. 

The underwater setting is ambitious. It takes time to understand the whole thing, so wing it until you get a hang of it. There are enough details to picture the setting, so it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Moreover, the technology and stuff used can be compared to what we have, making it even easier to create parallels. 

There’s no denying E.’s arc. It is indeed beautifully done. Sophy and others are well done, too, but E. shines just as she should. Henerey is equally adorable. My only grouse is that the plot and pacing needed to be sacrificed for this. 

The letters are formal, with many post scripts, dashes, and parentheses. Do I mind it? Nope! That’s how they are supposed to write. It aligns with their professions and backstories. However, I wish the voices were a little more distinct. Giving them each a quirky trait might have helped. On a side note, I have no idea how this would work on audio. 

The last section is truly where things start to come together. But it shouldn’t have been left until that point. Strengthening the threads from the midpoint would have worked even better. 

Also, sorry, but E. Cidnosin sounds a bit too close to e coli (at least to my brain). It’s a me thing, but I had to mention it. Her full name, though! Poor girl. I understand why she preferred E. 

To summarize, A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a character-driven book that sets the stage for the next book while providing snippets of information. Whatever is revealed is my kinda stuff, so I would love to read the next book and see where it goes. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Little Brown Group (Orbit), for eARC. 

#NetGalley #ALettertotheLuminousDeep

U for Usinara’s Test - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste, 

Usinara is one of the Hindu kings from ancient times (Dwapara Yuga). He was known as a fair ruler and a yagna performer. One day, he was participating in a massive yagna that surpassed even Indra’s attempts. Indra and Agni wanted to test Usinara to check if he was his dedication to justice and dharma was true. 

Indra became a hawk, and Agni turned into a dove. The dove flew towards Usinara and asked for his protection as the hawk swooped behind. Unisara shielded the dove with his hands. 

The hawk said to Usinara that he was acting against dharma by preventing him from eating his food (the dove). The dove trembled in Usinara’s lap in response. 

Usinara replied that his dharma was to offer protection to the dove that took shelter in his arms. The hawk retorted that eating its food was its dharma and that it would die without food. It asked Usinara to do the right thing. 

The king said he would offer as much meat as the hawk wanted to consume. He gave the hawk options like ox meat, boar meat, buffalo meat, etc. The hawk didn’t want any other meat, as doves and pigeons were its food. 

King Usinara said he would offer all his wealth and anything the hawk asked except for the dove, which was under his protection. The hawk demanded a portion of the king’s flesh in the same weight as the dove. The king readily agreed. 

The guards brought a scale. Usinara cut a piece of his flesh and placed it on the scale. The dove was heavier. This happened a few times. At last, the king stepped on the scale and asked the hawk to consume him.  

The hawk and the dove transformed into Indra and Agni. They praised him for his dedication to dharma and healed his body. Indra blessed Usinara that his glory would be sung forever and that he would find a place in heaven after his demise. 

The same story is also attributed to King Sibi, Usinara’s son. Both can be found in Aranyaka Parva of Mahabharata. It is a popular story in the folklore and has been retold in many ways over the years. 

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T for Takshaka, the Naga King - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaskar, 

We have read about Takshaka in Janamejaya’s SnakeSacrifice. He is the king of Nagas from the Patala (underground kingdom) and is a descendant of the Airavata family. 

Takshaka was first mentioned in Adi Parva when he stole earrings from Rishi Uttanka. This incident angered Uttanka, who later went to King Janamejaya’s court in Hastinapura and informed him of Takshaka’s role in the death of Parikshit (J’s father). 

Parikshit was a capable and loving ruler of Hastinapura. One day, however, during a hunt, he was tired and went to a rishi's ashram, where he insulted a rishi who was in maun-vrat (vow of silence) by placing a dead snake around his shoulders. Though the rishi forgave the king, his son Sringin cursed Parikshit that he would die in a week due to a snake bite. The old rishi sent his student to inform Parikshit about the curse. 

Parikshit then built a tower with no doors and windows and stayed in it. Many rishis, even from far-off places, arrived to treat him if the need arose. However, Takshaka found a way to hide in a basket of fruits carried by the rishis. When Parikshit grabbed a fruit, Takshaka rose from the basket and bit the king, ending his life as per the curse. 

This information made Janamejaya angry, which led to the snake sacrifice. Of course, we know that even that wasn’t successful, and Takshaka was saved in the last moment when Janamejaya agreed to grant Astika’s boon. 

If we see the events, we notice how determined Takshaka was to end Parikshit’s life. But why? 

Well, we could say the answer lies in the past. Takshaka and his family lived in the Kandava forest, the same one Agni wanted to consume as food. Arjuna and Krishna helped Agni devour the forest, which led to the death of Takshaska’s family (he wasn’t in the forest when the incident occurred). His wife saved their son, Asvasena, in the burning. 

However, Asvasena wanted revenge and waited many years. When Karna and Arjuna had a face-off on the 17th day of the Kurukshetra War, Asvasena became an arrow in Karna’s quiver. Krishna saw this and pressed the chariot wheels into the ground, thus causing the arrow (Asvasena) to strike Arjuna’s crown. Asvasena asked Karna to use his as an arrow again, but Karna refused, saying he didn’t need anyone's help to kill Arjuna. Asvasena attacked Arjuna directly but was killed by his arrows. 

We can assume that Takshaka held Arjuna responsible for everything. When Parkishit was cursed, he made sure it was he who fulfilled the curse and got his revenge by killing Arjuna’s grandson. It took Astika and Janamejaya to create a truce between the Kurus and Nagas.  

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S for Samudra Manthan: The Churning of the Ocean - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaskar, 

This is my second most favorite topic of the challenge. Samudra Manthan, or the churning of the celestial milky ocean, is a wonderful episode from Srimad Bhagavatam. It gets a brief mention in the Adi Parva before the actual story begins. 

So, one day, the gods held a meeting on Mount Meru and discussed how too many of them were getting killed or injured due to the constant attacks of the daityas (anti-gods). They asked Brahma for help, who took them to Maha Vishnu. He advised them to churn the Kshera Saagaram (Ocean of Milk) to obtain the nectar of life, amrita (an elixir that would make them immortal). He also told them to strike a deal with the anti-gods since the churning wasn’t an easy task. 

Once the whole thing was settled, Mount Mandara was chosen as the churning rod. However, it sank into the water. That’s when Kurma Raja (the king of Tortoise) agreed to hold the mount on his back. The ocean agreed to allow them to churn her if they shared the gifts with her. 

Acting on Maha Vishnu’s advice, the gods requested Ananta (Sesha Naga), a majestic snake, to carry Mount Mandara to the ocean and act as the rope. The anti-gods held Ananta’s face while the gods held his tail and began to churn. 

It was a back-breaking job, but both sides refused to give up. Maha Vishnu gifted them the necessary strength to keep going. The order and list of items that appeared from the ocean vary in different versions. 

As they churned, the moon rose from the water and went into the sky. Then came out goddess Lakshmi, sitting on a lotus flower. She married Maha Vishnu. 

Suradevi (the goddess of wine) came out of the waves. The anti-gods thought it was nectar, but realized the truth later. The gods invited Suradevi (also called Varuni) to live in heaven. She accepted the invitation. 

Note: There’s a Sura Devi Temple in Dehradun. 

The Kaustuba jewel came out dazzling and adorned Maha Vishnu’s chest. It is a large and radiant ruby. 

The apsaras came out dancing and chose to stay in the heaven. 

Next, the Kalpavriksham (the wish-fulfilling parijata tree) appeared from the ocean. Indra’s wife, Sachi Devi, requested to place it in her celestial garden. 

Three animals – Surabhi (Kamadhenu)- the wish-fulfilling cow, Airavata- the four-tusked elephant, and Ucchaihsravas- a winged white horse, also appeared as a result of the churning. Surabhi was gifted to the rishis by Brahma. Indra took Airavata, and King Bali asked to keep Ucchaihsravas. 

Halaahala or Kalakuta, the most deadly poison, came out fuming, choking everyone. They were terrified and asked Shiva to handle the poison as it could destroy the world (in many versions, the poison comes out first and is followed by other items). Shiva agreed and held the Kalakuta in his throat. This turned his throat blue, and he got the name Neelakanta. 

I recently read a book, Floral Folklore, which had a mini addition to this story. According to the story in the book, a few drops of the Kalakuta still dripped onto the earth. Aconite plants grew from this poison and contain the same properties. 

At last, Dhanvantri, the physician of the gods, arrived through the waves, carrying a pot of amrita in his hands. The devas and daityas were excited. The daityas stole the pot from him and ran away into the caves. 

Maha Vishnu transformed into a beautiful young woman called Mohini and went to retrieve the pot of amrita. He then distributed the amrita among the gods. A daitya sneaked past and consumed a drop of the amrita. Though he was captured and killed, the amrita made him immortal. He became Rahu and Ketu (Rahu is the head and Ketu is the body), the two shadowy planets added to the rest in Vedic astrology. 

The remaining amrita was safeguarded in the secret chambers of heaven with guards and magic protecting the place. 

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Invitation to Italy by Victoria Springfield - Book Review - Blog Tour

Genre: Contemporary Fiction 

Publication Date: 14th March 2024 

Purchase Link (US): https://www.amazon.com/Invitation-Italy-Victoria-Springfield-ebook/dp/B0CF4S132C 

Purchase Link (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Invitation-Italy-Victoria-Springfield-ebook/dp/B0CF4S132C 

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195963232-invitation-to-italy 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Heartwarming 

Book Blurb

Abi is distraught when her ex-husband Alex takes their twelve-year-old daughter, Chloe, to spend the summer with his glamorous fiancée Marisa and her parents at their home on the beautiful Italian island of Procida. Persuaded by her best friend to book a holiday at the island's Hotel Paradiso, Abi finally meets the woman she's been avoiding for so long. Will the two women's strained relationship survive the summer?

One-time teenage swimming sensation Loretta has run the Hotel Paradiso since leaving Capri broken-hearted. When childhood friend Salvo comes to stay, Loretta is forced to confront her past and the fears that have kept her away from the water for forty years. But just as she finds the courage to open her heart, she discovers all is not as it seems with Salvo...

It's a summer of new beginnings for Abi and Loretta - and one they will never forget.

Take a trip to Italy with Victoria Springfield for a summery getaway any time of the year!

My Thoughts: 

The story comes in the third-person POVs of Abi and Loretta, with a couple of sections from Flavia and Chloe’s POVs. 

I grabbed this book mainly for the setting and am happy with the results. The Italian island, Procida, comes alive on the pages; be it the alleys, the artwork, the summer sun (eek!), the food, or the sparkling waters surrounding it. With the characters exploring the place, it is easy to join them on a virtual tour and visualize the elements while reading about the local history. 

The characters are decently done. Chloe is pretty much a tween; a kid but not a kid. Kind of mercurial like most kids of that age. Abi’s growth is well done, though I wouldn’t have minded a little more. Loretta shines throughout! I really enjoyed the scenes with her and how she manages the hotel. 

Bill and Alex are a bit 2D. What you see is what you get. That’s okay since they do their job to keep the story going. Bill has a better arc and more space, which is a good thing. And oh, I have to mention Cherry. Everyone needs a friend like her! 

The stories run in parallel, and a couple of minor threads open midway. One of those could have been handled better. It was summed up in a line later. 

The main tracks give us both stories. We see how Abi and Loretta have to do something different than what they are used to and heal from the past to move on and find happiness. There are quite a few secrets, too. 

The book has (squeaky) clean romance, which is more of a natural progression of the plot rather than the primary focus. The priorities continue to be clear from start to finish, making it easy to enjoy the story. 

Things do get worse before they get better, so in a way, we have the third-act breakup and disturbance on multiple levels. They get resolved one by one and it comes together in the final chapter. 

There’s a short epilogue to tie up everything into a neat bow. I like epilogues and wouldn’t mind if it was longer and a bit more detailed. 

To summarize, Invitation to Italy is a heartwarming and steady-paced read with a wonderful setting. It’ll make a good beach read you can finish in a couple of sittings. 

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Orion Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

***

About the Author – Victoria Springfield 

Victoria Springfield writes contemporary women's fiction immersed in the sights, sounds, and flavors of Italy. Victoria grew up in Upminster, Essex. After many years in London, she now lives in Kent with her husband in a house by the river. She likes to write in the garden with a neighbor’s cat by her feet or whilst drinking cappuccino in her favorite café. Then she types up her scribblings in silence whilst her mind drifts away to Italy.

Connect with her: https://twitter.com/VictoriaSwrites 

***

This has been a stop on the #InvitationToItaly blog tour conducted by Rachel's Random Resources. (@rararesources) Thanks for stopping by!

R for Ravana’s Family History - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste, 

Wondering what Ravana is doing in Mahabharata? Ramanaya is summarized in Mahabharata in three or four instances by different characters. Rama, Sita, Hanuman, and Ravana are mentioned quite a few times. Vibhishana (Ravana’s brother who ruled Lanka after his death) had a small role in Sabha Parva as one of the kings who sent tribute to Yudhistira for the Rajasuya. Vibhishana is a chiranjeevi (someone who lived for a really long time) and was still ruling Lanka even as the Treta Yuga changed to Dwpara Yuga. 

In Arnyaka Parva, Rishi Markandeya narrated Ramayana to Yudhistira to cheer him up. Unlike other versions, this one began with Ravana’s family history. 

• Ravana was the grandson of Prajapati.
• Prajapati had a mind-born son Pulastya. 
• One of Pulastya’s sons was Vaisravana-Kubera (the Yaksha king).

When Kubera chose his grandfather over his father, Pulastya was enraged and created another being from himself called Visravas. (This form wasn’t a son but the darker version of Pulastya. Alter ego types.)

Meanwhile, Prajapati was pleased with Vaisravana-Kubera and gifted him wealth, guardianship duties, a kingdom called Lanka, a son called Nalakubera, and a golden flying vehicle, the Pushpaka. 

When Kubera found that Visravas was created by his father's anger and harbored the same hate for him, he sent wealth, gifts, and three rakshashis (demonesses) - Puspotkata, Raka, and Malini to serve him. Visravas calmed down after a while and gave a boon to the rakshashis. Each of them had children with the qualities she desired. 

• Puspotkata had two sons named Kumbakarna and Ravana 
  
• Raka had a son called Khara and a daughter called Surpanakha 
• Malini had a son called Vibhishana 

While Vibhishana was the most handsome, he was also dharmic and pious. Ravana was the strongest and bravest. He performed penance to get a boon from Brahma that he wouldn’t face defeat or death from ‘Gandharvas, Gods, Kinnaras, Anti-Gods, Yaksas, Rakshasas, Serpents, and Bhuta-Spirits’. Brahma granted him the boon, saying none except humans could harm Ravana. 

Meanwhile, Kumbhakarna got a boon from Brahma that he could sleep for as long as he wanted. Vibhishana asked for a different boon. He wanted a boon that would not allow him to deviate from dharma no matter what. Pleased, Brahma granted him this and also made him a chiranjeevi, though he was a rakshasa. 

The boon (almost assured immortality) made Ravana invincible. He attacked his brother Vaisravana-Kubera and captured Lanka. Kubera and the yakshas gandharvas, kinnaras, spirits, etc., left Lanka and moved to Gandhamadana. Then Ravana made Kubera give up the Pushpaka. 

Kubera cursed him, “This will never carry you - It will carry him who will kill you in war; because you have insulted me who am elder, you will soon die.”

That’s how Ravana became the ruler of Lanka and owned the golden flying vehicle. His two brothers and sister also accompanied him to the kingdom. 

A few years later, Ravana, during one of his pursuits, saw Ramba (an apsara) and sexually assaulted (raped) her when she refused his advances. Ramba was Nalakubera’s fiancé (technically Ravana’s daughter-in-law). When Nalakubera found out, he cursed Ravana that his head would burst into a thousand pieces if he touched any woman without her consent. This incident was mentioned in Aranyaka Parva. Trijata shared the story with Sita to assure her that Ravana would find his end in Rama's hands. 

Trijata said to Sita: "... Gentle lady, have no fear of Ravana who is cursed by the entire world. You are protected by Nalakubara's curse. This wretched scoundrel earlier raped his own daughter-in-law, Nalakubara’s wife Rambha, and was cursed - he cannot rape any other woman. Your intelligent husband, accompanied by Sumitra's son and protected by Sugriva, will come soon and rescue you." (Section 280)

Ravana waiting for Sita (after kidnapping her) to change her mind and accept him had nothing to do with chivalry but was an act of self-preservation. 

Check out a few short stories from Mahabharata. 

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Q for Queens in Mahabharata - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste, 

For me, there’s no kingdom without a queen. Women had played varied roles over the years. Mahabharata has many queens, some known, some powerful, and some left unnamed. 

Here, I’ll mention three queens from three generations who set the stage for future events. Of course, queens like Satyavati (Bhishma’s stepmother), Rukmini (Krishna’s wife), Sudeshna (King Virata’s wife), Damayanti (King Nala’s wife), etc., also had important roles. Even Kunti (though she was technically not a queen for most of her life) contributed to the events. 

River Goddess Ganga 

As you read in the post about Ashta Vasus, Ganga was destined to give birth to the Vasus. For this, she had to marry King Shantanu (son of Pratipa) of the Kuru dynasty. 

Even before the Vasus were cursed, King Mahabhisa of the Ikshvaku race was cursed by Brahma for staring at Ganga doing an important ritual. The king was to be born as a human, and Ganga would help break the curse. Later, the Vasus requested her to give birth to them when they had to be born as humans. 

One day, when King Pratipa was doing tapasya at the banks of the Ganga, she went to sit on his right leg and asked him to marry her. The king said the right side was meant for daughters and daughter-in-law, so he would welcome her as his son’s wife and made a promise. Years later, his son Shantanu went to the river bank, saw Ganga standing there, and fell in love with her. She agreed to marry him only if he promised never to question her actions. He agreed. However, unable to see her drown their children, Shantanu questioned her. She revealed the truth and left with the eighth child (Bhishma). Once the child was trained and old enough, she handed him over to Shantanu as the heir to the throne. 

The kingdom of Hastinapura flourished with abundance and prosperity when Ganga was the queen and lived in the palace with Shantanu. And why not? She was the source of life, after all! 

Queen Gandhari 

Gandhari was the princess of Gandhara (present-day Afghanistan), the daughter of King Subala. Gandhari worshipped Shiva and got a boon that she would give birth to a hundred sons. When Bhishma got to know of this, he approached King Subala with a proposal to get Gandhari married to Dhritarastra. However, the king didn’t agree, as Dhrtarastra was blind. Bhishma won him over with persistence. When Gandhari heard of this, she showed her acceptance by wrapping a silk cloth over her eyes. She said she didn’t wish to see his lack of sight and would continue to keep the blindfold until her last breath.  

Gandhari was shown as a regular flawed human in Mahabharata. Be it her jealousy when Kunti delivered a child or her desire to protect her son Dhuryodhana despite knowing his flaws. In Udyoga Parva, Gandhari was also asked to come to the Sabha to convince Dhuryodhana to make peace with the Pandavas. Her words were quite ruthless compared to Dhritarastra, who loved his sons a little too much (and was already jealous of the Pandavas). She straight out told Dhuryodhana that he was wicked and would remember their warnings when he faced death in the form of Bhima. She added that she could see it was too late to change his mind. 

While Gandhari’s role as a queen is not explored, she does come into the limelight with her curse on Krishna. The Curse of Gandhari by Aditi Banerjee presents the epic from her POV. (I haven’t read the book, but know Aditi is a dharmic person)

Empress Drapuadi 

Draupadi is the princess of Panchala, the daughter of King Draupada, and the wife of the five Pandava brothers. Draupadi was born from the yagna fire and is known as Yagnaseni. She wasn’t born as a child but as a teenager, along with her brother Dhrstadyumna, who came out of the yagna fire wearing armor and holding a sword. 

Draupadi was the queen of Indraprastha and became an empress when Yudhistira completed the Rajasuya. However, she had to spend the next thirteen years of her life in exile when Yudhistira lost the game of dice to Shakuni. After the war, Draupadi became the queen of Hastinapura and ruled the kingdom for 36 years. 

In Aranyaka Parva, Draupadi and Satyabhama had a conversation in the forest. Krishna and Satyabhama went to visit the Pandavas to offer support. Draupadi spoke about her role as a wife, daughter-in-law, and queen. We learn she was right in the middle of things and had complete control over the administration and finances. 

To quote Draupadi, “It was I who listened to complaints and laid down rules to be observed. I knew the entire palace system, from the maidservants and other palace workers to the palace cowherds and shepherds. I was the one, not the Pandavas, who knew the details of income and expenditure; I alone knew their total revenue. My husbands went about their various pursuits, and I managed their treasury, as inexhaustible as Varuna’s ocean.”

Draupadi was capable, confident, and assertive. Unlike the modern retellings, she wasn’t presented as an arrogant woman but an assertive one who spoke her mind when the need arose. She wasn’t proud of her beauty either. Her beauty was only a part of her but didn’t represent her entire personality. In a way, some feminist retellings have done more disservice to Draupadi than elevate her. 

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P for Pasupata Astra: The Battle Between Shiva and Arjuna - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste, 

Have you heard of the battle between Shiva and Arjuna? This event happened in Aranyaka Parva when Arjuna was performing tapasya to please Rudra-Shiva and ask him for the Pasupata Astra. 

Shiva changed his form into a hunter from the Kirata tribe and went to the mountaintop where Arjuna was his tapasya. Parvati Maa and a group of devotees followed Shiva and were witnesses to the duel. 

Both Shiva and Arjuna spotted a boar advancing Arjuna and shot it with their arrows. The boar fell dead, revealing its original form as a demon that came to attack Arjuna. 

Shiva picked up a fight with Arjuna by asking why he aimed at the boar. Arjuna said Shiva had no right to kill it since the boar was about to attack Arjuna (Arjuna killing it would be self-defense). Things escalated, and soon, they went from the war of words to direct war. 

During the fight (with bows and arrows), Arjuna’s subconscious prodded, hinting at the truth. More than once, he considered the idea that the hunter-man could be Shiva in disguise. Yet, he continued with the fight. They even got into a fistfight at one point, and Arjuna fell unconscious from the impact. As he regained consciousness, he prayed to Shiva, visualizing his acts of worship. 

When Arjuna opened his eyes, he found the hunter standing before him, wearing the same garland and flowers Arjuna mentally offered to Shiva. He then realized that his intuition was right. He fell at Shiva's feet and worshipped him again. 

Pleased, Shiva blessed Arjuna and gifted him the powerful Pasupata astra (also known as Brahmasira) and shared the mantra to summon it. Shiva advised that the astra should not be used without reason or at a weak enemy. 

Interestingly, Arjuna doesn’t use the Pasupata astra during the war, not for Bhishma or even Karna. It remained unused throughout. However, this episode is vital as it reinforces the role of Gods in the events that occur afterward. 

Moreover, Shiva had a prominent role in Mahabharata even though Krishna (Vishnu) was the key player. He gave a boon to Amba to take revenge on Bhishma. He gave a boon to Draupadi in her past life. As the god of destruction, Shiva ruled over the battlefield and was sighted by Arjuna (in Drona Parva). He was invoked by Ashwatthaman in Sauptika Parva. Ashwattaman then went on a killing spree by butchering the sleeping warriors in the Pandava camp. The Parva ends with praising the glory of Rudra (the Rudra avatar of Shiva). 

Check out this thread by Sutradhar to know more! 

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O for Omens in Mahabharata - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaskar, 

Omens are a recurring theme in our epics and stories. In fact, we love using omens as a foreshadowing tool in storytelling. Mahabharata is no different. There are ample signs indicating the approaching doom or victory, depending on the situation. 

Let’s look at some important omens we come across in Mahabharata. 

In Adi Parva, Dhuryodhana was born from the first jar (Gandhari got impatient when Kunti delivered children first. She tore open her stomach and found a block of flesh instead of a child. Vyasa helped her cut it into a hundred pieces and stored them in jars filled with ghee). One by one, the flesh in the jars became children). Soon after birth, he brayed like a donkey, and the donkeys in the kingdom answered the call. Strong winds flew throughout, and fires erupted without a cause. 

Vidura told Dhritarastra that these were signs of destruction and that Dhuryodhana would be the cause for bringing ruin to the Kuru dynasty. In fact, Vidura even advised Dhritarastra to disown him and not consider Dhuryodhana his heir. But Dhritarastra doesn’t agree. 

In Sabha Parva, after Yudhistira lost the dice game, Duhshasana dragged Draupadi into the court by her hair. She was in her period and wearing a single cloth wrapped around her body. She still displayed her dignity even if the Kauravas acted like barbarians. Vidura repeatedly urged Dhritarastra to stop them, but the king didn’t listen to his advice. 

However, the insults by Karna, Dhuryodhana, and Duhshasana went too far. Fierce winds blew through the palace. Donkeys, jackals, and vultures cried loudly. The voices echoed inside the courtroom, making everyone shiver. Vidura reminded him it was a repeat of events from Dhuryodhana’s birth. This brought some sense to Dhritarastra, who was worried for his son’s life and began damage control by offering boons to Draupadi. 

In Udyoga Parva, we have several pages dedicated to omens. The first set is when Krishna went to Hastinapura with a peace treaty. The omens were good and bad – good wherever Krishna passed and bad elsewhere, indicating the result of his attempts. 

Later, Bhishma and Drona mentioned omens like thunderbolts striking from cloudless skies, unexpected fires, strange births, etc., urging Dhuryodhana to consider peace. 

Karna listed many ill omens to Krishna, saying he had been having nightmares about the war and knew it was inevitable. 

In Bhishma Parva, Vyasa listed countless omens to Dhritarastra and warned him that the war would destroy everything he held dear. Vyasa also gives planetary positions (we’ll see this in another post), stating that everything hints at the Kauravas losing the war to the Pandavas. 

In Shalya Parva, a few ill omens were noticed before the clash on the eighteenth day of the battle. Again, right before the famous mace duel between Dhuryodhana and Bhima, Sanjaya listed omens indicating the death of Dhuryodhana. Mysterious darkening of the sky, fierce thunderbolts, meteor showers, echoing cries of jackals with flames in their mouths, and a sudden and unexpected solar eclipse. 

Of course, there were a few good omens, too. 

In Drona Parva, Arjuna heard celestial music and felt a scented breeze caressing his face on the day he was to kill King Jayadratha. Arjuna told Satyaki that these omens meant he would be successful. 

In Karna Parva, Arjuna again sensed a fresh breeze wafting on the battlefield littered with mutilated bodies and celestial music playing around him. It indicated that he would kill Karna that day. Karna also saw omens but ill ones, predicting his end. 

The Kurukshetra War saw two untimely eclipses very close to one another. A rare event indeed! 

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I realized I could not conclude the challenge without sharing at least a single video of NTR as Krishna. Not that this is a relevant post, but it'll have to do! This is from the movie Sri Krishna Tulabharam (1966), the scene where Satyabhama donates Krishna to Narada Muni and plans to win him back by offering wealth equivalent to his weight. However, nothing equals Krishna's weight, and he is forced to follow Narada Muni. 

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