Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata - Part B

Karna (image source from Wikipedia)

Karna is the son of Surya the Sun God and Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. She gave birth to Karna before she married King Pandu. When Karna was born, he had earrings and armor showing that he could not be killed. Kunti had to release him from her posession and set him adrift in a river to be adopted by Adhiratha. 

Karna grows to be a formidable warrior that Indra worries that Karna might kill his son, Arjuna. Indra wanted to deprive Karma of the supernatural protection with his earrings and armor. So Indra disguises himself as a brahmin and begged Karna for the earrings and armor. Karna is not an idiot but sees right through the disguise, knowing it is Indra. He offered to give Indra the earrings and armor in exchange for the an invincible weapon. Indra gives Karna a deadly dart that can only be used once. 

Karna cuts off his earrings and gives it to Indra. As Indra took the items, he ascendeda smile to heaven. The news went around how Karna was no longer invincible.

Sister Nevedita, The Arrow of Death, Link

Reading Notes: PDE Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists: Mahabharata - The Boar Part A

Arjuna with his bow and arrow (image source from Wikipedia)

Arjuna is the third Pandavan brothers. He was out worshipping one morning by offering flowers and clay image of the Great God then a boar came by. He decided to try and kill the boar with his bow and arrow given from his worshipper. Once his bow was up in the air; suddenly the atmosphere got quiet, the birds were not chirping, streams not flowing, and suddenly it was dead silence. Arjuna still had the mindset of killing this boar no matter what. As he pulled back the string, he shot the boar.

After a couple of seconds, the boar was shot again with a dart and died. Arjuna did not know who shot the boar and called it his "unknown rival". As the other hunter stood there towering over Arjuna, which seemed like a king that was being accompanied by his queen. 

Arjuna was upset someone shot the boar because it was his quarry and demanded for a battle. As he saw the huntsman swallow up the darts, he knew he could not have beat the huntsman. He wanted to duel for a wrestle and threw himself at the opponent. Once he threw himself at the huntsman, he felt the touch of the Great God on his heart. 

Arjuna was crying out for the Great God because he did not know it was him, so fell on his feet. He apologized and was worshipping at his feet. The Great God placed out his hand and blessed the worshipper with divine weapons as he could be hurled by the mind, eyes, words, and by the bow. 

In the end, the Great God gave Arjuna a divine bow and blessed him. Then he walked away into the caves and snow that went up into the sky with all his train. 

Bibliography: Sister Nivedita, The Boar, Link

Week 9 Story: Princess Salisa

The Three Sisters (image source from Wikipedia)

Taika and Himouto have always been close growing up. Girls were always attracted to Taika but never to Himouto. Himouto was born to be a king, but he would need a wife in his throne. So Taika gathered up princesses from around the different kingdoms and found three sisters. They were princesses of Geno; their names were Salisa, Syla, and Struta.

The princesses were given a chance to be fought over if they could take down Taika. A king named Java came to fight for Salisa. Java and Himouto were battling each other with spears until Himouto defeated him. Himouto gave Java mercy and spared his life.

The wedding came and Salisa came clean to Himouto. She told him that King Java was her secret lover that she has been with for three years. No one knew about her secret lover and she never expected herself to be married to the same man with her sisters. Himouto released her from her marriage with his brother.

Princess Salisa left the kingdom and went to go find King Java. Once she got to the kingdom, he did not what anything to do with her. He did not see her as his lover or his property. King Java lost fair and square with Taika and felt that she was his rightful owner. He felt unworthy of Salisa and demanded she go back to her rightful owner, Taika. King Java had to block his feelings and affections towards her and turned her away.

She felt humiliated and disgusted with herself. Princess Salisa only saw herself with King Java and now she got that taken away from her. She could not go back to Geno because she felt ashamed already for not marrying Himouto or being reunited with her true love; she had nothing left in the end. Princess Salisa ran off to live by herself to figure out how to fix it.

For the next couple months, she lived in a village called Norta. She stayed in that village and cried for months. She barely ate, barely drank, and barely wanted to survive. Her sadness took over herself. She wanted her life to swivel away because she felt like it was not worth living. So, a goddess heard her cry and came to her village.

The goddess was named Hanos. Hanos was a goddess who granted wishes to people that mourned the most. Hanos asked her what she truly wanted and Salisa said, “I want to be with King Java”. Hanos responded saying, “ I cannot grant you that wish but I can bless you with a second life, but there are demands for it.”

In order for the second life to be granted, Princess Salisa had to die and rebirth. But in her second life… she has to kill Himouto in order to be with King Java. In order for a rebirth to happen, she had to burn herself in the pits of fire. Once she was reborn, she would remember everything that has happened to her and the demands Hanos gave.

Princess Salisa dug up a pit with sticks in it and lit it on fire. Once the fire was big enough, she threw herself in it and said "This is for my true love, Java."

Authors note: I used the story with Amba who was arranged to marry Vichitravirya. Amba and her sisters, Ambika and Ambalika, were arranged to marry the same guy. She was in love and committed with the king of the Shalwas. Once he heard of what had happened, he came to fight for her. He fought against Bhishma and was defeated with his life spared. No one was able to beat Bhishma, so his brother was still going to marry the three sisters. When the wedding day came closer, Amba admitted she was in love with the king of Shalwas and they were in the secret committed relationship. Bhishma released her from getting married and she tried to reunite with her lover. The king of Shalwas denied her because she did not belong to him anymore and Bhishma was the rightful owner when he got defeated. Once she left, she knew it was Bhishma's fault. She was so sad and depressed that the Great God came to her to answer her prayers. Amba was granted a wish that she would become a man in her next life to kill Bhishma.

Sister Nevedita, Amba, Link