Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata: Mourning - Part D

Dhritarashtra attacking the statue of Bhima (Image source from Wikipedia)

Dhirtarashtra had been mourning about the death of his hundred songs. His wife, Queen Gandhari and the wives of Kaurava princes were deeply sadden and sorrowed. The wives cried for their husbands with their children beside them- moaning for their sons death. The air was just filled with bitterness and broken hearts.

Dhirtarashtra was plotting to kill Bhima who slayed Duryodhana. He placed a strong image of

It was told that Bhima was still alive and he embraced his son’s slayer by asking for forgiveness.

Kunti met back with her five songs to embrace them. Drapadi fainted in her arms and wept for the dead.

There were bodies of the rajahs and princes are being gathered together to be wrapped in linen and be burned. It was a funeral pyre happening and the first pyre kindled was Duryodhana. The Pandavas had mourned for their kinsmen. Next, they were bathed in holy Ganges that took up water and sprinkled it out for every name of the dead hero being called. Then all the remaining bodies were burned on the battlefield.

Donald A. Mackenzie, Mourning, Link

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata: Bhima and Hanuman - Part C

Bhima trying to lift Hanuman's tail (image source from Wikipedia)

Bhima was going to gather lotuses for Draupadi and saw a monkey in his pathway. This monkey was laying in the pathway with his tail outstretching the region. Bhima tried to lift it up but could not move it then he realized it was not an ordinary monkey. He started to ask the monkey who he was, and the monkey responded he was Hanuman; who went on great adventures with Rama.

Hanuman revealed himself in his gigantic shape and form. He also begins to explain how in the first age or Krita Yuga, there was no sin or gods and demons not existing.

The second yugas, Treta Yuga, where sacrifices were introduced. There were men who had high morals and devoted to asceticism.

The third yugas, Dwapara Yuga, where the Vedas were broken up into four parts and virtue decreased by one-half. With the sacred books, men divided it by opinions and observance of different religious rites. So, it made them become less devoted to the truth and more about passion. Slipping away from the truth, they became the subject to disease and other calamities.

Lastly, Kali Yuga, came with a one fourth of a virtue left. During this age- evil prevail, famine existed along with diseases, and lots of anger.

Hanuman was explaining how the four castes were and explains how the brahmin secured heaven by asceticism, the Vaishya through gifts and hospitality, and kshatriya by protecting men. 

In the end they realized that both Bhima and Hanuman were sons of the god, Vayu.

John Mandeville Macfie, Bhima and Hanuman, Link

Week 6 Lab

Dog Meme (image source from Wikipedia)

“Why Not revise As You Go Along” – Carolyn See

I never thought I should revise as I’m writing because I would lose the momentum. When I am creating a story or writing notes, I keep writing until my thoughts are done. For me, I know if I stopped writing in the middle of the paragraph to revise, I would forget what I would write about. I do not want to revise something if I do not have the whole story finished.

“Learn How to Be in Your Head” – Lin-Manuel Miranda

It talked about how his friend had so much creativity through a stick. We all have the skill to be creative, but we just have to be open minded and explore. When I write my stories, it takes me a while to get started because I do not have any inspiration to kickstart it. I usually have to read my notes over and over again until something clicks. I try to always be creative, but my style is very minimalist.

“How Can You Teach Anybody How to Write?” – Charles Bukowski

Writing and English has always been my toughest subject in my early childhood. Maybe because Vietnamese was my first language, but it definitely was a struggle. I feel like I have improved my writing skills over the years. It took years and years of writing to finally be decent at it. I realized it is okay to make mistakes when I write because I can always get better by practicing.

Link to Advice