Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Part A
Santanu was the ruler of an ancient kingdom. He came across a beautiful woman one day while hunting and decided he wanted to marry her. She agreed to marry him only if she could still have her freedom and he never questioned her. Eventually, the two had a baby that she drowned in the river. Santanu was shocked, but could not ask her any questions due to their agreement. From then on, every child they had she drowned in the river until they got to the eighth child. Santanu followed her to the river and begged her to stop. She agreed to spare the child, but stated that they had to part. He begged for her to tell him why.
He discovers his wife was the deity of the river: Ganga. She had taken human form in order to give birth to the babies that only he was worthy to give her. In the babies' past lives, they had been the eight vasus which were Indra's attendants. They had been cursed to be born on earth due to stealing Sage Vasishta's rare cow. She told him that the seven other children returned to heaven while the eighth one, the one who had actually stolen the cow, would live a celibate human life that would have brilliant accomplishments. She then told Santanu that she would return the child to him at a later time and then disappeared into the river with the baby.
Years later, Ganga returned with the baby who was now in his youth. His name was Devavratha and he would become a great warrior that mastered the use of astras as well as he had rare mental and spiritual qualities.
Years later, the King came upon another beautiful maiden in the wood and begged for her to marry him. Her father agreed except with the condition that her son would be the successor and not Devavratha. The King denied this request and returned to the palace frustrated. He told Devavratha his worry about having only one son, especially since Devavratha was a warrior.
Devavratha thus went to the fisherman's hut and bargained with the man. He claimed to never marry so that his daughter's children would carry on the lineage. Pleased, the man allowed his daughter to marry the king. She bore the king two sons, but one was killed in battle. Devavratha, now known as Bhishma, would become regent until her other son became older. During this time, he met three princesses that he took away for his half-brother to marry. He, Vichitravirya, married two of the princesses. They were happy until he died seven years later of disease.
The King's wife then summoned her eldest son Vyasa which she had given birth to on an island that maintained her virginity. He agreed to give the two widows children. Three children were born, one blind since the widow shut her eyes, one pallid since the widow had become very pale, and one normal. They were known as Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura.
Pandu had been cursed so that he would die if he tried to copulate with his wives. However, his two wives had a mantra so that they could have children with gods. They had a total of five children that would be known as the Pandavas. Dhritarashtra had 100 sons who would later become enemies with the Pandavas. Unknown to others, one of the wives had a son with the Sun God, his name would be Karna. She floated him down the river where he would be raised by a charioteer. Pandu dies when he decides to become passionate with one of his wives.
Dhritarashtra took in the five sons and treated them as his own. All of them were trained to become warriors. One day, there is a public showing of their strength. One of the five sons (Arjuna) is much better than the others. However, the unknown son, Karna, shows up with equal power as Arjuna. They argue and eventually Karna is appointed as King so he would "officially" have more power than Arjuna.
Dhritarashtra then plans on exiling Pandu's five sons, as they are outshining his own. He sends them away to a town where they are planned to be murdered. The Pandavas discover this and hire a miner to dig them a tunnel. They escape, but Dhritarashtra does not know this. They eventually meet Vyasa who directs them to the town of Ekavrata. They have to leave later on in fear of being discovered. They go to a palace where a giant gathering is being held for a princess to find a groom. Here, they are discovered by Krishna, who is the eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu. Arjuna is the only person there who successfully completes the task to win the princess, so they become betrothed. There is a commotion, as the Pandavas currently look like low-class people.
They go home where the mother tells them to share the princess. Thus, the princess is told to have five husbands. They eventually get married and she switches between the husbands every year.
Bibliography: Narayan, R K. The Mahabharata. The University of Chicago Press, 1978.
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