CULTURAL QA 05-2024-21 The below QA is from Quora digest to me on 21-05-2024.
.Compiledand posted byR. Gopala krishnan, on 21-05-2024 Q What is a brief summary of the full story ofMahabharatha? A ÁnushGudimetlá, Reading the BORI Mahbharata(2022-present)Updated 2y It is quite hard since Mahabharata is full of interconnectedand interwoven stories. I will give the briefest summary. There was a king named Shantanu and he had Ganga as his wife.They had a son, whose name was Devavrata. He became a good prince. My addition- After the birth of Devarata, Gangaleft king Santhanu according to the agreed marriage condition by king Santhanu withGanga. Years passed. One day Shantanu fell in love with Satyavati.Shantanu asked Satyavati’s father whether he can marry her. He agrees but onone condition - The person to inherit the throne shouldn’t be Devavrata and itshould be Satyavati’s children to inherit it. Shantanu, however, didn’t like this and he declines. ButDevavrata, on coming to know this, went to Satyavati’s residence ,met her father, and took a vow that he would remain celibatethroughout his life and will remain bound to the throne.Because of this vow hetook, Devavrata came to be known as Bhishma, one of the most wisest and mostpowerful characters in Mahabharata. Then Satyavati and Shantanu marry, and give birth to 2children, named Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada should inherit thethrone, but he dies in the battle with Gandharvas. Then Vichitravirya becomes the ruler and he marries two womennamed Ambika and Ambalika. But before they gave birth to children,Vichitravirya died. Satyavati had another son named Vyasa(he is also author of the Mahabharata). Sherequests him to grant children to both the women through the niyoga tradition. Then Ambika and Ambalika gave birth to two sons. They were -Dhritarashtra and Pandu. Dhritarashtra should rightfully have been king afterhis father passed, but since he was a blind person, he was disqualified fromkingship. His younger son, Pandu was made the king. Pandu ruled his kingdom nicely for a time. However hishappiness was short lived. One day he was hunting and he kills a deer. He realizes thatthe deer is actually a sage. The sage, then curses him that, he can’treproduce, and won’t be able to produce a heir. Upset by this, he handed theempire to Dhritarashtra and went to the forest with his 2 wives, Kunti andMadri. Dhritarashtra was then happy that, now there no longer willbe anyone to claim the throne(Pandu can’t have children), and the next thronewill belong to his sons only. But however, there was a loophole — Kunti had a boon fromsage Durvasa, that she could have a child by any god whom she respects withouthaving any marital affair. She had to chant a mantra with great devotionfocusing on a god of her choice, and that god would come down to Earth and giveher a child. Kunti, in the forest, chanted the mantra to 3 gods — Yama,Vayu, and Indra and bore three sons — Yuddhistira, Bhima, and Arjunarespectively. She taught this to Madri too, and Madri chanted mantra to theAshwini twin gods, and got two sons - Nakula and Sahadeva. These 5 sons are known as Pandavas. Another importantstory to note - When Kunti first had this mantra, she dedicated it to Surya thesun god to see whether it worked or not. It gave birth to a boy. This boy isKarna, who is an important character in Mahabharata. But, she wasunmarried that time. Hence, Kunti abandoned the newly born Karna adrift in abasket on the Ganges, in the hope that he finds foster parents. The basket was discoveredand Karna was adopted and raised by foster Suta parents named Radha andAdhiratha. They requests Surya to give Karna the Kavach Kundal, apowerful shield to protect body. __________________________________________________ But unfortunately one day, Pandu died. Heart-broken, Madriflung herself into his funeral pyre and died, leaving Kunti to take care of all5 boys alone.She decides to head back to Hastinapura. A lot of things had happened in the Hastinapura during allthis time. Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari, gave birth to, well, 100 sons and a daughter. They were all born at almostsame time, and not naturally too. Once Vyasa granted Gandhari a boon, and sherequested hundred sons. She became pregnant, gave birth to flesh, which was cutinto hundred and one pieces by Vyasa, and were incubated in a mud pot. Coming back to story now. Kunti arrived at Dhritarashtra’splace. He allowed them to stay in there. The 105 princes grew up together. They were taught lessonsunder Drona. Even Karna whom I told before was taught here. In all the lessons and departments, the Pandavas outraneveryone. Yuddhistira was the most honest and upright(he was called Dharmaraj),Bhima was strongest, Arjuna was the best archer, Nakula and Sahadeva were besthorsemen. This made the Kauravas, especially Duryodhana very jealous. Once, he along with Shakuni and Karna decide to poison Bhima.But Bhima survives. Then after all the education of the princes, there was anevent. After this, Yuddhistira was crowned as the king. This was against the will of Duryodhana and Shakuni. So,again they plot a plan to kill Pandavas. They build a palace made ofinflammable material and invited Pandavas to stay at night.Vidura, the primeminister at Hastinapura warns Pandavas of this plan. That night, Pandavas, before the house was set on fire,escape from that place.This was the time they understand Duryodhana’s enmity onthem.Pandavas went undercover.One day they heard of Draupadi’s swayamwara.In her swayamwara, the person hadto shoot a bird by looking at its reflection. Everyone failed. Then Arjuna who was in disguise shot thetarget with precision. Draupadi then weds Arjuna. (One important note- This eventis when Krishna first appears in Mahabharata. Then he becomes friendswith Arjuna. Little did Arjuna know that the man who he was friends with wasthe parabrahman itself.) After the event, Arjuna brings Draupadi home. He says, “Mom,look what I brought home!” Kunti misunderstands what Arjuna brings home for a fruit andsays, “Whatever you brought share it among yourself”. Now mum had spoken, the was no going back. Draupadi thenbecame the wife of all the Pandavas. Hearing about the person who shot the target at Draupadi’sswayamwara, Duryodhana realizes that it was Arjuna, since only he could shootwith such precision. Dhritarashtra then comes to know this. He gave them someland. The land was barren and a wasteland.But, Pandavas turn this barren landinto their beautiful kingdom. This kingdom is called Indraprastha. This kingdomwas a beautiful paradise and prospered under their rule. Duryodhana becomes really jealous after seeing theirprosperity. He plots another cunning plan. He decides to exploit the weakness and the bad quality ofYuddhistira - Gambling and Pachisi, the game of dice. He invites Yuddhistira for the game. Duryodhana asks Shakunito play on his(duryodhana’s) behalf. The game of dice is a game of pure chance and luck. There isno way to guarantee winning. Shakuni,was a grandmaster of cheating in this game, Throughout the whole game, Yuddhistira kept losing andShakuni kept winning. But Yuddhistira didn’t stop playing, convinced that luckwould turn his way soon(he didn’t know that the game was rigged). In each round in the game, both sides had something big atstake - palaces, territories etc. Yuddhistira lost everything. He then staked his 4 brothers,Draupadi, and himself too.He lost everything. Entire kingdom, his family,himself, and his beloved wife. Then, the Kauravas, dragged Draupadi to the middle of thewhole assembly. In the midst of the assembly, Karna orders Dushasana to disrobeDraupadi in front of everyone. Draupadi prays to Krishna. Krishna then makes the saree ofDraupadi infintely long, saving her. Dhritarashtra then setsin, and insists on giving back Pandavas everything. Then after all this, Krishna promises Draupadi that he willpunish all of them for insulting her like this. After few months, they invited Yuddhistira again. This time,the loser would have to go on exile for 12 years followed by 1 year of spendingin incognito. If they get caught during this time, they should go on an exileagain. Yuddhistira played again, and… lost again.He,his wife, and all his brothers go on an exile. During this time, Arjuna goes to the heavens to train himselfin warfare. Then in the final year, the Pandavas successfully spend their timein incognito in the Virata kingdom. Yuddhishthira took up employment as a king's counsellor,Bheem worked in the royal kitchens, Arjuna turned himself into a eunuch andtaught the palace maidens how to sing and dance, Nakula and Sahadeva worked atthe royal stables, and Draupadi became a handmaiden to the queen. They weren’t caught. And, they returned to Duryodhana, toreclaim their land. But Duryodhana refused to give back the kingdom.Yuddhistiraasked for just 5 villages, and Duryodhana refused and said that he won’t giveland that would fit on the needle-head. Krishna went on a peace mission and failed.o, therewas only one option left - to declare a war. Preparations started from both the sides. The Kauravasgathered a lot of rulers from throughout the subcontinet. Then for the war, both Duryodhana and Arjuna reach Krishnafor help. They both wanted Krishna on their side. Krishna smartly made an offer- one can have his whole powerful army - the Narayani Sena and the other canhave Krishna himself. But on one condition that, Krishna wouldn’t pickupweapons in the war and would just be the charioteer. Duryodhana chose the Narayani Sena, and Arjuna, was happy tohave Krishna himself on his side, even as the charioteer. The day of war has come. The war wasset at a place called Kurukshetra. Just a small time before war, some one hour before, Arjunaasks Krishna to drive him through the battlefield. Then Arjuna, saw that thepeople from the enemy side were none other than his own relatives, his unclesand cousins and everyone. He gets depressed. He says Krishna that he doesn’t want tofight. This was when Krishna says Arjuna to fight, and why he should fight.This was when, Krishna reveals Arjuna the wisdom of Bhagavad Gita. After listening to Krishna, Arjuna decides to fight and picksup his bow. People from both the sides fiercely fight the war. Pandavas,whose army was much smaller than Kauravas fight courageously. The war was 18 days long. Krishna guided Arjuna throughoutthe course. Mighty warriors from both sides were killed. After 10 days of the war, Bhishma was defeated. Then 5 dayslater, Drona was killed. 2 days later, Karna was killed. On the last day, Duryodhana was killed and war ended. After the war, Yuddhistira was crowned as king of Hastinapurand Indraprastha. ThePandavas ruled for 36 years, after which they abdicated in favour ofAbhimanyu's son, Parikshit. The Pandavas and Draupadi proceeded on foot to the Himalayas,intending to live out their last days climbing the slopes heavenwards. One byone, they fell on this last journey and their spirits ascended to the heavens. Only Yuddhishtradoesn't fall but enters heaven and then leaves his life. Draupadi, Pandavas, and Dharmaraj Yuddhistira ascended toheavens together As for Krishna, it ended in tragedy.He and his clan was cursed by motherof Kauravas Gandhari that, they would fight among themselves and die. She didthis in the sadness that her children died. Krishna’s clan Yadava was destroyed.He, then, one day goes toa forest and lies under a tree. A hunter mistakens him for a deer, and shootsan arrow at his foot.he hunter asks for forgivence. Krishna forgives him, andleaves the material body. It was after Krishna’s departure that made Yuddhistira givesup throne. Vyasa(whom I talked about in the starting) narrated thisstory to Lord Ganesha. After Yuddhistira, his son Parikshit becomes the ruler. Hedies because of a bite from a naga named Takshasa.Then, Parikshit’s son,Janmejaya, decides to start a snake sacrifice, Sarpa Satra. Just before going on the sacrifice, Vaisampayana, thedisciple of Vyasa, says the epic to Janmejaya.This whole telling, came to beknown as the Mahabharata. Thanks for reading! ~Ánush Gudimetlá (అనుష్ గుడిమెట్లా) EDIT : Thanks to Kavana.N , Sūrya S A (सूर्य.एस्.ए), Mahi Soni, Nischal R, and Prakhar (प्रखर) sir for pointing the mistakes and/orsuggesting the edits. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thatha_patty+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/163400225.1688168.1716300420590%40mail.yahoo.com.
