Reading Notes PDE: Mahabharata Part B

The Burning of the Forest 

The story begins with Krishna and Arjuna at a great picnic that the Pandavas had going. The women there were heavily intoxicated, and the men were giving them many gifts to be with them. Krishna and Arjuna were sitting together telling old stories when a brahmin approached them. The men stand not knowing what to do and they ask if he is hungry. The man says that he is hungry and that desires to eat the Khandava forest. The brahmin turns out to be a fired god. He tells them that he has tried to devour it many times but each time he tries Indra has always been there to thwart him. Every time his fire sought to eat the trees Indra would put it out with rain. Agni asked the two heroes to help him for he had consumed a lot of this drink called ghee that had made him weak. The only way to fix this was for Agni to consume the Khandava forest. The heroes both agreed to help on the condition that each of them would receive celestial weapons. Agni agreed and gave them a bow from a god called Varuna along with arrows and a chariot full of weapons. Krishna also received a mace and a discus. The battle with Indra ensued as the two heroes fought off the rain Indra sent their way. While the forest was being devoured the two heroes extinguished the rain with the arrows they received. Many animals were devoured in the flame. Only a few survived, among them was a snake called Ashwasena and four birds from Maya the demon. At the end of their battle Agni was full and satisfied. Now he was more vibrant than before having filled himself with the life of the forest. The two heroes walked away with weapons in hand.

Bibliography:  Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie

 

God of Fire, Agni, of the Medicine Buddha Mandala by Unknown

Reading Notes PDE: Mahabharata Part A

Vyasa, and King Shantanu and Satyavati

    Vyasa starts off with explaining the author of the Mahabharata and how Vyasa was in charge of writing down the Vedas. Ganesha would be chosen for the task and the writing would begin. There was a king called Uparichara that was to be bribed by the gods so that he would not rob them of their power. Indra was sent to bribe him with a crystal car. While passing over the ocean semen fell from Indra and was swallowed up by a female fishing resulting in a male and a female baby. The king took possession of the boy and a fisherman took possession of the girl. The girls name was Satyavati and she smelt like a fish. She was not fond of this smell and wanted it to be gone. One day while she met a man walking beside the river that turned out to be king Shantanu. She later met a pious brahmin named Parashara that wanted to have sex with her. He promised that even though he would have sex with her he would make sure she was still a virgin after. She agreed only if the fish smell she has surrounding her went away. The man agreed and cast a cloud around them so they could have sex. Later when she birthed her son he grew quickly turning into a man before her eyes. She would go on to name him Vyasa. Vyasa said goodbye to his mother and told her if she should ever have need of her to think about him. The king Shantanu thought about her a lot and decided to ask her father to marry her off to him. The man agreed only if his daughter’s son would be the heir to the throne. The man was heartbroken because he already had a first born. 

Bibliography:  Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie

 

Vyasa by Ramanarayanadatta Astri