L for Love Stories in Mahabharata - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaskar! 

Well, the Mahabharata has some love stories with varying themes. I’ll do my best to keep it as brief as possible. (This is still a long post!) 

In Adi Parva, we have two stories – 

Rishi Ruru and Pramadvara  

Rishi Ruru is the grandson of Rishi Chyavana. Pramadvara is Menaka and Visvavasu’s (Gandharva) daughter, abandoned by the mother after birth. Rishi Sthulakesa found the baby and named her Pramadvara. He brought her up as his daughter. 

Years later, Ruru saw her and fell in love. He shared it with his parents, who fixed their wedding when Pramadvara consented. However, Pramadvara died of a snake bite when spending time with her friends. Ruru was distraught and said that if his tapasya was pure, his beloved would live. A messenger from heaven told him it could be done, but only if Ruru was willing to share his lifespan with her. Every year added to Pramadvara’s life would be reduced from his. He gladly agreed and gave away half his life to bring his lady love back alive. 

Read it here in detail. 

Shakuntala and Dushyant 

Shakuntala is also Menaka’s daughter but with Rishi Viswamitra and abandoned at birth in the Himavant valley near Rishi Kanva’s ashram. She grew up into a beautiful young woman. One day, when King Dushyant of Hastinapura went hunting in the forest, he came across the ashram and met Shakuntala. It was love at first sight, and the couple got married. He left for the kingdom, after promising to send for her but didn't. When Shakuntala went by herself with their child, Bharat (first named Sarvadamana), Dushyant denied knowing her. 

Shakuntala took him to task with her speech. A voice from heaven spoke, declaring her truthful. Dushyant apologized to her and said he deliberately acted as if he had forgotten her since he wanted everyone to know the truth from the celestial voices. He said no one would dare to question her and their child’s parentage now. 

Note: Kalidasa’s Shakuntala is a dramatized retelling and differs from the Mahabharata version. 

In Aranyaka Parva, we have two more stories – 

Nala and Damayanti 

Nala is a Nishada king, and Damayanti is the princess of Vidharba. The swans share stories and make the couple fall for each other even though they don’t meet until later. Though Damayanti’s parents called the gods for her swayamwar, she chose a human king, which irked Kala/ Kali. After many years, Kala managed to enter Nala’s body and made him lose the dice game with his brother. Nala lost everything and left for the forest. Damayanti followed him. Unable to see her plight, Nala left her and went searching for work, hoping she would go back to her father’s kingdom. 

However, Damayanti went to another kingdom and stayed there as a maid until she was discovered by her father’s ministers. She went back to Vidharba and continued to search for Nala. Nala was working as a charioteer in the Samsumara kingdom. He learned the game of dice from the king, and in exchange, taught him everything he knew about horses. 

Finally, Nala and Damayanti were united again when she cleverly called for a second swayamwara to bring him out of his disguise. Nala played one game with his brother and won back everything. He also forgave his brother, shared half the kingdom, and lived happily with Damayanti. 

(This story has many parallels with what happened to the Pandavas)

Savitri and Satyavan 

The story of how Sati Savitri brought back her husband alive by following Yamadharmaraja into hell is popular and retold countless times over the years. Though the story belongs to Devi Bhagavata Purana, it is narrated by Rishi Markandeya to Yudhistira in Aranyaka Parva. 

Savitri was the princess of Madra. When she was of the marriageable age, many kings were eager to wed her. However, Savitri wanted to marry Satyavan, the son of Dyumatsena. Though Satyavan was a prince, his father’s old age and lack of sight resulted in an enemy conquering their kingdom and exiling the family. They lived in a forest when Savitri came across Satyavan and found his devotion to his parents admirable. 

Savitri married Satyavan, knowing he had a short lifespan and would die a year and a day after the wedding. Very soon, the fateful day arrived. Savitri accompanied him into the forest to chop wood. She was with him when he felt faint and passed away. She saw Yamadharmaraja himself arrive to collect Satyavan’s soul, as her husband was a nobleman with no flaws. 

Savitri followed Yamadharmaraja, who told her not to do so. She engaged him in a conversation, discussing the qualities of friends, life partners, dharma, etc. Yamadharmaraja was so impressed by her knowledge and grace that he gave her a boon after boon, and finally, Savitri managed to get a boon to have many children. When he granted the boon, she pointed out the loophole that she couldn’t have children without her husband and wanted his life back. 

Yamadharmaraja was so impressed by her that he restored Satyavan to life and blessed the couple to lead happy and long lives. By the time they went back home, Savitri’s other boons also began to work. Her father-in-law’s eyesight was restored. Later, he regained his kingdom. His father had more children to continue his lineage. Savitri and Satyavan also had kids and lived happily ever after. 

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The AI images are made on Bing.