Week 7: Mahabharata Part C

The Pandavas begin living their exile in the forest and they meet sages along the way that help them. They live in the forest for 12 years with Draupadi and Dhaumaya. Krishna visits them and expresses his sorrow for their fate. This visit demoralizes Draupadi and she misses her old life. Meanwhile, Arjuna lives in the Himalayas and worships the Great God there, who helps him on his adventures. Next, Arjuna goes to Swarga and lives there for 5 years. He learns music, dance, song, and how to use weapons. After learning, he wages a war with demons and giants in Hiranyapura and he wrecks their city. Indra, his father, praises him and gives him a diadem and a war shell as a reward. The Pandavas miss Arjuna, so they head towards the Himalayas to reunite with him. They found Arjuna and then they returned to Kamyaka and visited by the sage Markandeya. The sage revealed the Deluge to them. Duryodhana and Karna tried to spy on the Pandavas, but the spirits wouldn't grant them passage in the forest, so they battled. They lost and Duryodhana and his followers were taken prisoners. Some of the followers escaped and told the Pandavas, who saved them, to Duryodhana's dismay. As a result, Karna resolved to kill Arjuna to save Duryodhana from his humiliation. Karna was born with golden armor and earrings that granted him invincibility, so Indra tries to take them away to protect Arjuna. He negotiates with Karna and grants him an invincible dart called Vasava in return for the armor and earrings. One day, Jayadratha was passing through the woods and abducts Draupadi because he becomes enamored by her. The Pandavas find out and Bhima finds them and cuts Jayadrathas hair and makes him promise to be Yudhisthira's slave as punishment. One day, the brothers are at a lake, and they have to answer riddles by an unknown voice within the lake. Yudhisthira answers the riddles correctly, so the voice reveals itself to be Dharma. Dharma is the sire to Yudhisthira and he bequeaths them the power to bring any brother back to life within a year. The brothers disguise themselves and enter the service of King Virata. At the kingdom, Prince Kichaka tries to rape Draupadi, so her husbands aren't allowed to address her in public. However, in secret, Bhima hatches a plan to trick Kichaka into another "tryst" and kills Prince Kichaka by choking him. On the last day of the Pandava's exile of 13 years, a cattle raid occurs and Duryodhana captures King Virata. The Pandavas protect the king and the king offers his daughter Uttara to Arjuna (for his son) out of gratitude. The Pandavas also reveal their identity. There is the wedding for Abjimanyu (Arjuna's son) and Uttara, but the tension of war grows stronger. Krishna tries to make peace to avoid war, such as telling Karna that he is the Pandava's brother too. However, Karna refuses to abandon the Kauravas. The war starts and people pick their sides. There are 7 days of battle and Bhishma, a general of Duryodhana's army, kills Arjuna's son Iravat. Bhima's son Ghatatokacha avenges his death, defeating Duryodhana's army in battle. As a result, Duryodhana tells Bhishma to let Karna replace him.

This part had more filler, but we finally get to see the battle. The tension builds higher between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. I predict that the Pandavas will win, but I think there will be unforeseen consequences that they will deal with too, such as Karna. In part C, I was surprised to see that Drapaudi was almost raped and how disrespected women are in Indian mythology. However, I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Bhima stood by her (although not publicly) and Price Kichaka is punished for his actions. Bhima's reaction was very different from Rama's in the Ramayana, and I was happy to see him support Drapaudi.

Battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas 

Source: Wikipedia

Bibliography: Indian Myth and Legend  by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)