E for A Year as Eunuch: The Story of Brihannala - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste,

Yes, I know we aren’t supposed to use the term anymore. I have to make an exception this once to suit the day’s alphabet. We saw a mention of the celestial apsara Urvashi cursing Arjuna for rejecting her (in Chitrasena's post). 

It so happened that when Arjuna was in Indra’s palace in heaven, Indra noticed Arjuna looking at Urvashi and thought he desired her. He sent Chitrasena (the Gandharva) to Urvashi to arrange a meeting. When Chitrasena spoke about Arjuna, Urvashi was impressed. She willingly went to Arjuna's house that evening. 

However, there was a twist. It turned out that Arjuna indeed looked at her but wasn’t lusting after her. Instead, he was thinking about how she was the mother of the Pauravas (the Kuru dynasty). He explained this to her and said he considered her his mother. 

This enraged Urvashi. She was an ageless eternal beauty and didn’t have to abide by the human laws. When Arjuna was firm, she cursed him that he would ‘have to live among women, without respect, as a dancer and be deprived of virility.’ 

Later, Indra assured Arjuna that he could use the curse to his advantage during the last year of exile when the Pandavas had to live in disguise for a full year without being identified. Thus, Arjuna became Brihannala, a transwoman dance teacher who taught music and dance to King Virata’s daughter in Matsya kingdom. Learning these skills from Chitrasena made him a proficient teacher. 

Of course, it wasn’t easy for Arjuna to convince King Virata. He had the body of a warrior, and no matter how much he hid the scars with his dress and long hair, the king asked many questions and even had Brihannala (Arjuna) tested before offering the job. Brihannala is referred to as she and he, depending on the context. 

Virata Parva is the fourth Parva in Mahabharata and has a fast-paced narration with drama, anguish, and death. 

Now, I have to share this video. It is from the movie Narthanasala (1936), where the great NTR played Arjuna (and Savitri was Draupadi). The movie deals with the year of disguise and ends with the wedding of Uttara (the princess) and Abhimanyu (Arjuna’s son). 

Of course, it is a retelling with elements different from the original, but a complete entertainer! 

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This was one of the toughest prompts to create an image. AI just wouldn't understand what I wanted, and I had to word the prompt to avoid triggering the block.

D for Dwaraka’s Description - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste,

Dwaraka (gateway to heaven) is a city Krishna and the Vrishni clan built as their safe haven when Jarasandha continued to attack Mathura. It is said to be built by Vishwakarman, the celestial architect. Dwaraka is an island kingdom (or a coastal region), with close association with the (now Arabian) sea. 

In Sabha Parva, we get a detailed description of Dwaraka during the Rajasuya yagna. Bhishma shared the story of Krishna’s greatness and why he was the right person to receive the honor of the yagna. 

According to the descriptions – 

The city was surrounded by exquisite gardens and trees on all sides. Fruits and sweet-smelling flowers were found in abundance. The buildings shone like the sun and moon and were sky-high, resembling the Meru Mountains. Moats surrounded the place, filled with lotus blooms and gliding swans. The gardens in Dwaraka were much like the celestial gardens and had a variety of plants. Just about every tree and herb grew in the city’s gardens. 

The Raivataka Hill was on the east, while the Latavesta Hill (also known as the Rainbow Hill) was on the south. Sukaksa Hill was on the west side, and Venumanta Hill was on the north. Krishna had personally planted Vaijayanthi flags on these hills. 

The western part of Dwaraka had a lake called Puskarini, which was measured as spread over a hundred bow lengths. Indradyumna is another large lake in the city. There were fifty gates to enter the city, with all entrances fortified with gigantic machinery and weapons to prevent invaders from entering. Eight thousand chariots lay waiting outside the city gates. 

The central area was eight yojanas wide and twelve yojanas long (one yojana is appx. eight kilometers). The adjoining regions were double in size. The city had eight main roads and sixteen large crossroads. By-lanes extended into the interior regions from seven main roads. 

Sweet music could heard anywhere in the city. The houses had large porches with gold-washed rooftops and whitewashed walls. The windows, domes, and grillwork were studded with gemstones. The houses were made of different materials to suit people’s tastes. Some were of gold, some of brick, and some of marble, with Jambu-gold (gold from River Jambu) and blue stone doors. All houses in Dwaraka had bells. 

Krishna’s palaces (all together) were four yojanas square and had so many rooms that it was impossible to not get confused. Krishna’s personal palace was one yojana square, built to suit Rukmini’s taste. Satyabhama’s palace was white and had gem-studded staircases designed for cooling effect. Between Rukmini and Satyabhama’s palaces was Jambhavti’s palace, reflecting her preferences. Similarly, the other five queens also had their own palaces. 

Then there was Viraja, Krishna’s favorite resting place with perfect symmetry. 

All this is only a part of the description. Just imagine how magnificent Dwaraka was. A fitting abode for Krishna! 

However, everything good has to come to an end. In Mausala Parva, we read about the destruction of Dwaraka and the end of Krishnavatar. 

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Finding Hope in Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson - Book Review

Series: Starshine Cove #3 (Standalone)

Publication Date: 24th April 2024 

Genre: Contemporary Small Town Fiction, Romance 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Heartwarming but a bit heavy 

Lucy Brown has been in hiding for a decade, thanks to her ex. However, she finally ventures out to meet her best friends and attend a wedding in the small town of Starshine Cove. The trip proved to be a great decision for her and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Rose. 

But then, Lucy is stunned to see a man she impulsively flirted with at the airport and gave a fake name. They seem to have a connection, but Lucy is a long way from healing. With the past threatening to spill, Lucy has to decide what she needs from her life. 

The story comes in Lucy’s first-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

The book works well as a standalone despite the presence of recurring characters. They are the supporting cast and enhance the plotline. 

This is a heavier book than it appears to be. It deals with psychological domestic abuse and its after-effects on the victims. Lucy has panic attacks, and there’s another character going through a similar phase. The book is not exactly a light read, though it has many sweet and humorous moments. It can be triggering to some readers. 

Now, that’s done, I have to admit that the author writes teenagers very well. Rose is a doll! She is childish but mature, composed but dramatic, stable and reliable, but prone to sulking. In short, she is easy to love and relate to (though I haven’t been a teen for a while). Rose is my favorite character in the book. 

Lucy’s narration takes some time to get used to. She is frantic and rambles, the result of living with a controlling spouse. However, we don’t know this at the beginning, and the first chapter has her monologue, which made my eyes glaze. NGL, I was worried about where it would go. Fortunately, there's a reason for it. We can get used to her thought process. 

Starshive Cove is a beautiful place, and we are once again transported to an almost magical land with kind and helpful neighbors. This book is set in spring, so the flowers have started to bloom! 

Josh is an adorable guy. The adults act like adults and can communicate, so that’s a big plus. Lucy and Rose also have meaningful conversations, which I like. 

I knew there would be a third-act breakup, but it doesn’t happen until around 93%, which is too late, IMO. That leads to an HFN ending, which is okay since this is a series, and we’ll meet the characters again. However, I am disappointed that Lucy’s self-healing journey doesn’t come across clearly. 

When the FMC calls herself a mess for most of the book in feel-good fiction, I have the right to hope she would realize and openly acknowledge that doesn’t define her. Circumstances forcing her to be stronger is not the same as self-healing, which Lucy needs. I don’t want to say more, as they’ll be spoilers. 

The pacing is on the slower side due to the topics handled. Since these are important social aspects and are well-handled (as far as I know), I didn’t mind the slow pace much. 

To summarize, Finding Hope in Starshine Cove is a heartwarming story with likable characters and a lovely setting. It has dogs and kids, too, so yay! 

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for eARC. 

#NetGalley #FindingHopeInStarshineCove

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Extra:

I’d like to thank the author for handling the henna scene carefully. I appreciate the inclusion of the question about cultural appropriation. 

It came at a time when I also found out about how Holi is being termed a South Asian (what is that even!) festival. Please read this piece to know more. 

Holi, Yoga, Oman, Carnatic music, etc., are Hindu. Our pagan gods and rituals are the roots of these and will continue to be. There is no such thing as South Asian ethnicity, where several cultures lose their identities to form a single convenient group. 

C for Chitrasena, the Gandharva - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste,

Gandharavas are celestial beings known for their beauty, musical expertise, and magic. They are semi-divine and have the power to gift or curse humans. They are skilled in sixty-four arts and are efficient in warfare. Gandharvas prefer to keep to themselves and dislike being disturbed or intruded upon. 

Chitrasena is a Gandharva (celestial being excelling in music and dance) who belongs to the court of Indra (King of Heaven). He is first mentioned in Sabha Parva, where he and other Gandharavas played musical instruments and entertained everyone during the Rajasuya. 

However, Chitrasena’s major role is in Aranyaka Parva when Arjuna goes to Swarga (Heaven) to stay at Indra’s court and learn various arts. After Arjuna trained in using the celestial weapons, Indra (his birth father) told Arjuna to learn other skills like music and dance. Chitrasena was Arjuna’s tutor. The duo became fast friends during this period. It was the same time Urvashi cursed Arjuna for rejecting her advances (we’ll read more about this during letter E’s post). 

Later, Arjuna got back with his family and was living in the Dvaita forest when Dhuryodhana, Shakuni, and Karna, with some army, arrived. They planned to attack and kill the Pandavas during the exile and used the ruse of counting cattle to set on the quest. However, before they could attack the Pandavas, Dhuryodhana and others insulted the Gandhavaras camping in the region. This led to a war headed by Chitrasena, who captured Dhuryodhana and planned to kill him. 

Here, Yudhistira asked Arjuna and Bheema to save the Kauravas. The two brothers have a small battle with the Gandharvas. But when Chitrasena realized it was Arjuna, they settled it peacefully and came to a truce. Chitrasena agreed to free Dhuryodhana only because of Arjuna’s request and their close bond. 

Of course, Dhuryodhana’s ego took a hit and made him more determined to defeat the Pandavas. 

Check out a few short stories from Mahabharata. 

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B for Brahma’s Sabha - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste! 

In Sabha Parva of Mahabharata, Mahamuni Narada visited Indraprastha after the palace and the illustrious Mayasabha were constructed. After the initial greetings, Yudhistira, the oldest Pandava brother, asked Narada to describe the different Sabha’s (palace courtrooms) he visited on the earth and in the celestial realms. Narada described many exquisite Sabhas (some of which are included in my Mahabharata Mashup series). 

Bhagavan Brahma is one of the Trimurtis (Holy Trinity) in Hinduism and the creator of the universe. 

Narada told Yudhistira that Surya Deva (Sun God) advised him to do tapasya to gain access to Brahma’s sabha. When he did, Sura Deva himself took Narada to the Sabha. 

Brahma’s Sabha is described as – 

A place impossible to describe and with indeterminate dimensions as it shape-shifts constantly. Nothing in the world compared to it. However, anyone who enters Brahma’s Sabha is happy. Hunger, thirst, confusion, fear, tension, and neurosis disappear. The temperatures are perfect; neither hot nor cold. 

The Sabha has no foundations. There’s no beginning or end. It is eternal and has its own radiance brighter than the sun’s dazzle. In the center sits Brahma, protecting the universe with his maya. The Prajapatis sit around, along with the celestial rishis, the sun, the moon, the eight branches of Ayurveda, the Adityas, Marutas, Viswakarman, the Vasus, the Vedas, the Vedangas, the planets, the constellations, the cosmic wheel of time (Kala Chakra), the seven classes of pitrs (ancestors), the Nagas, the Daityas (anti-gods), the Yakshas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, etc. 

It’s a place where everyone finds peace, happiness, and safety, protected by the creator of the universe. 

You will notice that many celestial beings are mentioned as a part of other heavenly Sabhas. That’s because they belong everywhere and need to be in different Sabhas at different times to keep the universe going. 

Note: Mahabharata has many mentions of Brahma when discussing stories from the Puranas. Check out this story about how Brahma pacified Agni after his dispute with Rishi Brighu. 

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A for Ashta Vasus - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste, 

And we start the challenge with the first alphabet. 

In Mahabharata, Ashta Vasus (eight Vasus) are the sons of Prajapati (in one version) and sons of Aditi and Kasyapa rishi (in another version). They are celestial deities associated with the elements. The Vasus belong to Indra’s Heaven and work for Maha Vishnu. They are among the thirty-three gods listed in Hinduism (contrary to the popular myth, we don’t have 33 crores of gods). 

A Vasu is someone who gives. As rulers of elements and natural forces, they nourish and punish. Different texts use different names for the Vasus, but their core elements remain the same. 

The Ashta Vasus are: 

1. Earth – Prithvi / Dhara 
2. Fire – Agni / Anala / Pavaka 
3. Wind/ Air – Vayu / Anila 
4. Water – Varuna / Aapa / Aha 
5. Sky/ Ether – Dyaus / Prabhasa
6. Sun – Aditya / Pratyusha 
7. Moon – Chandra / Soma 
8. Stars – Nakstrani / Dhruva 

One day, the Vasus and their wives visited Mount Meru. They saw the wish-fulfilling cow belonging to Maharshi Vasishta and stole her. But before they could leave, they got caught. The rishi cursed them to be born as humans for their crime. However, the Vasus pleaded mercy. He amended the curse for seven of them and said they could return to their original self after a year. However, the one who committed the crime, Dyaus, aka Prabhasa, would have to stay on the earth for a long time. 

The Vasuses requested River Goddess Ganga to give birth to them on the earth and wished to be born as the sons of King Pratipa’s son. That was how Shantanu (Pratipa’s son) saw and fell in love with Ganga and married her. As promised, she gave birth to the seven Vasus year after year and drowned them in the river soon afterward. The eighth son was Devvrata or Gangadatta. He grew up to become Bhishma, the key member of the Kuru dynasty. 

Note: This story is found in the Adi Parva of Mahabharata. 

On the tenth day of the Kurukshetra War, Bhishma fell to Arjuna’s arrows and lay on the bed of arrows on the battlefield. The Vasus visited him in celestial form to take him back home. Finally, almost two months later, when the Uttarayan begins, Bhishma left the mortal world to become a Vasu. 

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PS: If you are wondering, the 33 gods are -

12 Adityas 

11 Rudras 

8 Vasus 

2 Ashvins 

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