Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part C & Part D

Mahabharata Part C & D

When reading Part C and D of the Mahabharata, I only took notes on stories that would be relevant to helping me in the future.  These include stories that had the theme of love, or could be used to depict one of the 7 deadly sins.

49.  Jayadratha and Draupadi

    - LUST: Draupadi is taken by Jayadratha; she quotes "[Jayadratha] is worthy of death, for he is the worst of kings and the vilest of men.  Have not the sages said that he who carries off the wife fo another in times of peace must certainly be put to death?"

    - Jayadratha is punished as a consequence- his hair is cut, he had to pay homage to Yudhishthira, declare himself his slave, and prostrate himself.  

50.  Riddles at the Lake

This quote, taken directly from the story can be used in one of the stories about the sins.  Maybe in the last story as a conclusion about the dangers of sin and the evils that may tempt men.  

-can function as an overall warning/statement about the general evils 

The Voice said, "Who is spoken of as the unconquered enemy of man? What is spoken of as the enemy's disease? Who is regarded as holy? Who is regarded as unholy?"

Said Yudhishthira, "Man's unconquered enemy is anger, and his disease is covetousness; he who seeketh after the good of all is holy; he who is selfishly cold is unholy."

52.  Bhima and Kichaka

    -LUST: Prince Kichaka tries to rape Draupadi and her husbands cannot even acknowledge her openly.

55.  Krishna and His Army

- LOVE:  Krishna and Arjuna's relationship is very intense; when given a choice between Krishna alone and the whole army of Dwaraka, Arjuna is glad just to have Krishna by his side.  

63.  Abhimanyu and Jayadratha

-WRATH: this story can show how the evil of wrath brings death to an innocent, young boy and the pain and sadness his father feels after losing him.  Pointless violence, and unnecessary killing or murder causes lots of pain.

Arjuna Slays Jayadratha.  Wikipedia.

Bibliography:

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.