Reading Guide: Women of Mahabharata Part A
I chose to read Nine Ideal Women because women often just act as supporting characters in a lot of Indian epics so I wanted to see more stories focused on their background and their character development to understand them better.
The first story was about Saviriti. She was a well-loved princess named after the fire goddess. One day, she sees a handsome stranger in the forest but doesn't talk to him. Later, she becomes friends with a blind old man and she learns that the handsome stranger is his on Satyaban. They learn that his father is the exiled King of Abani and that he is the crown prince. Her parents initially do not approve of the relationship, but a family friend Narad convinces her father that Satyaban is a worthy match. However, Satyaban is destined to die in a year's time. They tell Saviriti, but she still wishes to marry him. Her parents bless their marriage and she goes to live with Satyaban. Everyone loves her, but the dreaded day arrives. Satyaban goes out to get wood, but he does not feel well. Savitri sits with him in his last moments and grieves his death. Yom, the Lord of Death, visits her and asks to take her husband. She asks to follow him since her husband is her world and she also asks Yom to restore Abani's sight. She also asks for sons and Yom is astounded by her love for her husband. He tells her that her love transcends death so he gives back her husband's body. He comes back to life and Saviriti and her family live happily ever after.
The second story is about Damayanti. The Maharajah Bhimsen is unhappy so he asks for a child. The queen has a daughter. When she gets older, she has many admirers who vie for her hand in marriage. Prince Nal hears about her and he tries to get her attention too. Damayanti hears about him from her friends and she falls in love with him. One day, he sends her a love note using a swan. She sends one back and Nal tells the gods that he will marry Damayanti. However, the gods want her as a wife too, so he feels pressured by the competition he has. He disguises himself and tells Nal that there are gods that are willing to marry her, but she tells him that her love is only for Nal. She comes upon 5 "Nals" and she prays to the God of Love that she picks the right one. She picks the Nal looking at the floor and she is right, so the gods bless their union. However, Sani is insulted and he vows to avenge Damayanti's choice. Nal becomes king and they have a son named Indrasen. Sani becomes Nal's younger brother Pushkar's imaginary friend and he turns him against Nal. They play a dice game and Nal bets everything and loses. He tells Damayanti and he tells her to leave him. However, she decides to stay with him and send their children to her parents. They leave and enter their exile. Sani disguises himself as a bird and tries repeatedly to break up their marriage. Sani hypnotizes Nal to leave Damyanti and she wakes up one night to find him gone. She waits for him and searches for him. The Maharani sees Damayanti in her plight and the king is her uncle in law, so she offers herself as a maid servant. She becomes a lady in waiting for her aunt, but her aunt doesn't know who she is since she can't reveal her face. Meanwhile, Bhimsen hears about what befalls his daughter and Nal so he sends a man named Sudeb to find her. He finds her and her aunt discovers her identity. Her father welcomes her back, but her heart still aches for Nal. Nal wanders the forest aimlessly, still under Sani's spell. He tries to save a snake from a fire, but becomes disfigured. He hears Sani's voice again and regains his memories. He eventually finds works as Maharajah Rituparna's driver. She asks her friends to help her find Nal, but she also says she wishes to remarry. Nal hears and drives Rituparna to Bidarva. He talks to one of her ladies in waiting about his life and sees his children with her, but the lady doesn't realize that is Nal. She asks him to cook for Damayanti. With a taste of his curry, she realizes that it is her husband. She visits him, but he doesn't tell her who he is out of shame and tells her to be happy. The angels tell him to take Damayanti back and the gods bless their union again. They reunite and Nal wins back his kingdom from his brother in another dice game. They all live happily ever after.
Source: Nine Ideal Indian Women by Sunity Devee (1923)
The first story was about Saviriti. She was a well-loved princess named after the fire goddess. One day, she sees a handsome stranger in the forest but doesn't talk to him. Later, she becomes friends with a blind old man and she learns that the handsome stranger is his on Satyaban. They learn that his father is the exiled King of Abani and that he is the crown prince. Her parents initially do not approve of the relationship, but a family friend Narad convinces her father that Satyaban is a worthy match. However, Satyaban is destined to die in a year's time. They tell Saviriti, but she still wishes to marry him. Her parents bless their marriage and she goes to live with Satyaban. Everyone loves her, but the dreaded day arrives. Satyaban goes out to get wood, but he does not feel well. Savitri sits with him in his last moments and grieves his death. Yom, the Lord of Death, visits her and asks to take her husband. She asks to follow him since her husband is her world and she also asks Yom to restore Abani's sight. She also asks for sons and Yom is astounded by her love for her husband. He tells her that her love transcends death so he gives back her husband's body. He comes back to life and Saviriti and her family live happily ever after.
The second story is about Damayanti. The Maharajah Bhimsen is unhappy so he asks for a child. The queen has a daughter. When she gets older, she has many admirers who vie for her hand in marriage. Prince Nal hears about her and he tries to get her attention too. Damayanti hears about him from her friends and she falls in love with him. One day, he sends her a love note using a swan. She sends one back and Nal tells the gods that he will marry Damayanti. However, the gods want her as a wife too, so he feels pressured by the competition he has. He disguises himself and tells Nal that there are gods that are willing to marry her, but she tells him that her love is only for Nal. She comes upon 5 "Nals" and she prays to the God of Love that she picks the right one. She picks the Nal looking at the floor and she is right, so the gods bless their union. However, Sani is insulted and he vows to avenge Damayanti's choice. Nal becomes king and they have a son named Indrasen. Sani becomes Nal's younger brother Pushkar's imaginary friend and he turns him against Nal. They play a dice game and Nal bets everything and loses. He tells Damayanti and he tells her to leave him. However, she decides to stay with him and send their children to her parents. They leave and enter their exile. Sani disguises himself as a bird and tries repeatedly to break up their marriage. Sani hypnotizes Nal to leave Damyanti and she wakes up one night to find him gone. She waits for him and searches for him. The Maharani sees Damayanti in her plight and the king is her uncle in law, so she offers herself as a maid servant. She becomes a lady in waiting for her aunt, but her aunt doesn't know who she is since she can't reveal her face. Meanwhile, Bhimsen hears about what befalls his daughter and Nal so he sends a man named Sudeb to find her. He finds her and her aunt discovers her identity. Her father welcomes her back, but her heart still aches for Nal. Nal wanders the forest aimlessly, still under Sani's spell. He tries to save a snake from a fire, but becomes disfigured. He hears Sani's voice again and regains his memories. He eventually finds works as Maharajah Rituparna's driver. She asks her friends to help her find Nal, but she also says she wishes to remarry. Nal hears and drives Rituparna to Bidarva. He talks to one of her ladies in waiting about his life and sees his children with her, but the lady doesn't realize that is Nal. She asks him to cook for Damayanti. With a taste of his curry, she realizes that it is her husband. She visits him, but he doesn't tell her who he is out of shame and tells her to be happy. The angels tell him to take Damayanti back and the gods bless their union again. They reunite and Nal wins back his kingdom from his brother in another dice game. They all live happily ever after.
Source: Nine Ideal Indian Women by Sunity Devee (1923)
Nal and Damayanti
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Comments
Post a Comment