Reading Notes:Mahabharata Reading A
In the PDE of the Mahabharata, there was a birth themed story, which relates to my storybook. Ganga, the goddess of the Ganges River, drowned her first eight babies who were really incarnated Vasus who had been punished in human form by the sage Vashishtha. I like how Ganga brings back a grown son from the heavens with the virtues of a Vasus. The carrying over of karma and virtues from a past life is an interesting idea that makes the idea of no birth no death, which is the theme of my storybook, more understandable. Your virtues and spiritual growth is something that is not touched by being in a different form.
Something I didn't like though was how the reincarnation was viewed as a punishment; if the Vasus were truly wise they would not need a heavenly form to be happy. They would transcend this by learning how to suffer well and enjoy their reincarnation, making a heaven on earth.
Also, the fact that the king allowed the beauty of a physical form to distract him from something he knew to be wrong was a little disconcerting. I did not like this aspect of this character, which shows weak character.
The theme of boats and ferries seem to come up a lot in stories as a sign of peace or making your way to peace. Satyavati only smells good when she is a virgin, which is an unfortunate reinforcement of sexist ideas.
Devrata gave up an entire future family to satisfy his father, but was this making his father happy or satisfying his impulsive desire for a physical form? Also, Devrata is even caught in an illusion because the real cause of the suffering of his father is the fisherman, the father of Satyavati. This person is the real cause for them not being together and could easily be disobeyed if Satyavati was actually written with her own brain. She could say, "no father, I will marry this man who is much much older than me because I want to" and then do just that. Also, the reoccurring theme of women marrying much older men in old stories is not a very good one. Sorry, I am off my soapbox.
It would be interesting to make the two sons of Satyavati Vasus reincarnates or perhaps a reincarnation of a made-up character from the storybook.
The fact that Bhils shows his skill by hurting an animal is very sad indeed. I do like how the character from the lower caste is the one with the surpassing skill. I also think the way the author made Bhils willing give up his skill because he was so brainwashed by the idea of castes he would do anything for Drona was very heartbreaking and, thus, effective. The violence caused by both men in this story is very dramatic. Violence is always a difficult literary tool to read.
Something I didn't like though was how the reincarnation was viewed as a punishment; if the Vasus were truly wise they would not need a heavenly form to be happy. They would transcend this by learning how to suffer well and enjoy their reincarnation, making a heaven on earth.
Also, the fact that the king allowed the beauty of a physical form to distract him from something he knew to be wrong was a little disconcerting. I did not like this aspect of this character, which shows weak character.
The theme of boats and ferries seem to come up a lot in stories as a sign of peace or making your way to peace. Satyavati only smells good when she is a virgin, which is an unfortunate reinforcement of sexist ideas.
Devrata gave up an entire future family to satisfy his father, but was this making his father happy or satisfying his impulsive desire for a physical form? Also, Devrata is even caught in an illusion because the real cause of the suffering of his father is the fisherman, the father of Satyavati. This person is the real cause for them not being together and could easily be disobeyed if Satyavati was actually written with her own brain. She could say, "no father, I will marry this man who is much much older than me because I want to" and then do just that. Also, the reoccurring theme of women marrying much older men in old stories is not a very good one. Sorry, I am off my soapbox.
It would be interesting to make the two sons of Satyavati Vasus reincarnates or perhaps a reincarnation of a made-up character from the storybook.
The fact that Bhils shows his skill by hurting an animal is very sad indeed. I do like how the character from the lower caste is the one with the surpassing skill. I also think the way the author made Bhils willing give up his skill because he was so brainwashed by the idea of castes he would do anything for Drona was very heartbreaking and, thus, effective. The violence caused by both men in this story is very dramatic. Violence is always a difficult literary tool to read.
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