Reading Notes: Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution, Part C


Arjuna and Karna in War via WikiMedia Commons

This week I'm continuing my viewing of Epified's retelling of the Mahabharata and taking notes on character's. I have had a lot of trouble keeping all the characters' plots straight in my mind so writing out a cheat sheet has made it much easier to understand.

Karna

  • biological son of Kunti and Suryadev, the sun god who Kunti sent down the river in a basket
  • raised by Adhiratha, a charioteer, and Radha
  • had enchanted armour and golden kundals all his life that grew with him
  • wanted to be a Kshatriya, elite warrior, and asked Drona to teach him, but Drona refused because he was not born into that class
  • student of Parashurama
  • excellent archer and could use very powerful celestial weapons
  • When Karna silently withstood the pain of a scorpion sting, Parashurama became convinced he was a Kshatriya and banished him.
  • cursed by Parashurama to forget his battle skills when he needs them most
  • outshone Arjuna in archery at the exhibition
  • made the King of Anga by Duryodhana so that he would be of appropriate rank to do battle with the Pandavas
Parashurama
  • a Brahmin who had wiped the earth of Kshatriya  21 times
  • refuses to teach Kshatriya the art of war
Drona - teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas
  • master of archery and weapons
  • became friends with Drupada when they were young and training to be warriors
  • asked Drupada to honor his promise later as a grown, married man after living in poverty
  • vowed revenge against Drupada for insulting him by denying he promised to give him half his kingdom
  • eventually invited by Bhishma to train the Pandavas and and Kauravas

Drupada - King of Panchala and former fiend of Drona
  • promised to give Drona half his kingdom once he became king
  • refused to give Drona part of his kingdom
  • wanted a son to kill Drona to prevent him from being attacked
Duryodhan - eldest Kaurava
  • jealous of the Pandavas' skill and talent
  • planned revenge on the Pandavas in Vanavrata with Karna and Shakuni
    • the plan involved luring the Pandavas to Vanavrata for a festival for Shiva
    • having them stay in a house Duryodhan ordered Purochan, his assistant, to have built for them that's made of dry and flammable materials that would burn easily
    • Purochan was to then light the house on fire while they slept
    • the Pandavas were warned by Vidura of the plot
Pandavas
  • on discovering the palace in Vanavrata was built of combustable material had Vidura secretly send a miner to them
  • the miner dug an escape tunnel out of the palace
  • After a party Bhima lit the palace ablaze and the Pandavas and their mother, Kunti, escaped through the tunnel.
  • Everyone assumed the fire was an accident and that the Pandavas and Kunti had died
  • lived in the forest after escaping
  • eventually hid in the city of Ekashakra disguised as Brahmans

Bhima
  • carried his exhausted brothers and mother through the forest once they didn't have the energy to continue
  • after carrying his family, walked miles more to fetch water
  • stayed at night to keep watch over his family
  • agreed to deliver food to Bakasur and successfully killed the Asura
Bakasur
  • Asura in Ekashakra that would eat the people of the city 
  • the people of Ekashakra made a deal with Bakasura that they would send someone with a cart full of food for him to eat (the food and the person) every week if he wouldn't terrorize the city any more
  • the scholar who housed the Pandavas was designated to be the sacrifice
Dhrishtadyumna - Drupada's son
  • born from a yagya, fire ritual, after his father prayed for a son
  • born with garlands and and a sword
Draupadi - Drupada's daughter
  • unexpected
  • predicted to destroy many Kshatriya
  • many honorable men were invited to her Swayamvara to try and win her hand in marriage
Bibliography.
Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution, Part C by Epified. Source

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