Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part B

Reading Notes

Mahabharata Part B:

After reading Part A of the Mahabharata, I took short notes on every chapter highlighting material that I could use in future stories, or just basic summaries to help follow the plot.  Most of these chapters however, were not useful to the story ideas I had for future writings.  For this note, and remaining reading notes to come, I decided to only make note of the most important story components that I think I would actually use.  

I think a fun string of stories to write, that are relatively tied together, would incorporate one of the 7 deadly sins in each story.  With this in mind, I kept relevant chapters noted below.

22.  Bhima nad Hidimba

- Pandava brothers face many dangers while they are living in hiding

This chapter could be used to set the framework of the 7 deadly sins.  Each danger that the brothers face could relate to a 7 deadly sin.  Use of future/past chapters can also feature one of the sins and appear either as a flashback or 'vision'.

23.  Bhima and Hidimbi

- love affair between Bhima and rakshasi Hidimbi is happy, contrary to love affiar of Surpanakha and Rama

Jumping back to the theme of love, this story could feature a ray of happiness and joy in a collection of stories about sins. 

27.  Wife of the Five Pandavas

- Draupadi has been won by Arjuna as his wife from the swayamwara, but she is also the wives of all five Pandavas

story of lust (Chapter 28:  The Story of Nalayani also follows along with the karma Draupadi receives as consequence of her 5 husbands) (Chapter 30: Arjuna and Ulupi follows with Arjuna breaking a rule in established marriage living arrangements)

32.  Arjuna and Chitra

- Chitra is a girl raised as a son, and she falls in love with the heroic Arjuna

Another love story

39.  Draupadi in the Assembly Hall

- Bhima swears terrible oaths and desires revenge

story of WRATH

Mahabharata carved into a Sun Temple.  Commons.Wikimedia.org.

The link to this reading can be found here.  The Public Domain Mahabharata includes a collection of various authors from various sources that can all be found in the link above.