Reading Notes Mahabharata: Part B

The Pandava and Queen Kunit

Part B was pretty enjoyable to read. One thing that I was kind of upset about was the planning of the death of the Pandava and their mother Kunti. Not really that they were platted against by their own cousins, but that the lower caste women and her sons were killed. If the Pandava were so good and noble, why did they just let them die in the fire? They were allowed in to eat but they paid for it with their lives. If I do write about this story I would probably change it so that it explains why they were left to die. Maybe they couldn't be awoken because they were in a drunken sleep. Or maybe the Pandava knowingly left them there so that they could hide that they survived. Either way, I hate not knowing the reasons why characters do things. 

The Indian Heroes by C. A. Kincaid (1921).

Mahabharata Reading Notes: Part A

Vasaya

So this story is so interesting. I was immediately drawn in with all the things happening since it's like they happen one after the other. Like how Vayasa's mother was born. The king's semen just fell into a river and a fish just ate it. Two kids just happened to pop out of a fish. I also noticed that these people take honor and birth seriously but there are people in the monarch that are not even of royal blood. Satyavti is only royal because she married the king. He son died and she brought Vayasa to father the next monarch. I wonder why no one is disputing it. And the fact that one of the wives was like, " no, I'm not sleeping with this guy again." and sends her maiden. Wouldn't she get punished for disobeying the queen mother? And that has to be a big hit to Vayasa's ego since he was so repulsive that his babies came out with some kind of defect. My favorite part by far that I found so funny was when King Pandu kills a deer and turns out to be a sage in the form of a deer. The sage isn't even made that he was killed. It was that he didn't get to finish having sex with his mate. He literally cursed Pandu because of it. My roommate and I both laughed so hard at this part.


The Mahabharata

Sita Sings the Blues: Reading Notes Part B

Still of Sita Sings the Blue

Again, I loved the intro of the second half! It's super mesmerizing and the music just added to that. I think that I might add some music for my story next time. I finally got what the San Francisco couple had to do with the story line. It's just a modern story that parallels with the original. I don't think I could write a story that has parallel story line since that would be confusing. Also I don't think I would be able to do it within the word limit. I really enjoyed this movie, not only was it entertaining, it was super informative.

Sita Sings the Blues

Sita Sings the Blues: Reading Notes Part A

Still of Sita and Rama in "Sita Sings the Blues"

So I am going to be quite honest, I was a little confused in the beginning. The introduction with the different gods and the music was super mesmerizing. That was one of my favorite parts of the first half of the movie. I was a little confused about the San Francisco couple and how it pertained to the story at first. I loved the retelling of how Rama got banished. I literally laughed out loud when Kaikeyi told Rama to not let the door hit his ass on the way out. I think I would like to add some of that modern and slightly less than royal feeling that this movie gave to my story for this week.

Sita Sings the Blues

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Reading Notes: Ramayana Part D

Sita Proves Her Purity

So the part of the Ramayana where they rescue Sita kind of pissed me off a little bit. I'll put some of my notes that I wrote down while reading.

• Sita literally did nothing wrong and is accused of infidelity
• Rama says it's improper to take her back after she is gone for a year
• Like she said, how is it her fault that she is taken
• why doesn't he choose her over what is "proper"?
• does he not trust her?
• if he knew her he would know that she wouldn't cheat on him
• they are literally reincarnations that are MADE for each other

• She has to step into a fire to PROVE that she is pure. 
• What the heck? If he was taken, his purity would not be in question.

Narayan's Ramayana

Storytelling: Sita and the Golden Deer

Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana with the Golden Deer

I sat there with my hands in my lap, my heart filled with worry. How could I have been so stupid? What was a beautiful golden deer compared to my husband? Rama, even with all his reservations still went to go capture the deer I was so enamored with. He loved me very much and would do anything to keep me happy. He protested but I selfishly pushed and insisted until he finally relented. I sat their quite pleased with myself. I had known he would say yes.

"I don't want to leave you here for some deer," he had said. "What if something happens and I'm too far away to help you?"

 "I'll be fine Rama! Lakshmana will stay here and protect me." I reassured him.

Lakshmana and Rama were very close. Lakshmana had a twin but if you would hear about their devotion to each other, you would think Rama was his twin. After all, Lakshmana had chose exile out of devotion to his brother. If Rama was to trust anyone with my life, it would be Lakshmana. With this reassurance, he finally left to capture my deer. He was gone for a while when we heard Rama cry out. My heart felt like a stone in my chest. I could not manage a breath. Something happened to my Rama, and it was all my fault. I sent Lakshmana to go see what was wrong.

"I cannot leave you, Sita. I promised Rama I would guard you with my life!"

"You will not have a brother to keep your promise to if you don't go help him! Please Lakshmana! I cannot lose him."

Lakshmana left after his brother reluctantly. I sat there, filled with worry and regret. I was so involved in my own thoughts that I didn't hear the door the first time. I went to open it and there was and old hermit. How could I not let him in? Just because I was suffering did not mean I couldn't ease another's. Besides, it would make for a good distraction until the men returned.

Author's Note

I decided to write my story over Sita getting kidnapped by Ravana. There was a demoness who tried to kill Sita because she fell in love with Rama and wanted him for herself. Lakshmana ended up mutulatinrg her and the demoness ran to tell her brother Ravana after Rama and Lakshmana killed her other brother and his demon army. Ravana fell in love with Sita just by the description he was given by his sister. He decided he wanted her as his own and got his demon uncle to disguise himself as a golden deer to lure Rama away from their home. Rama refuses at first because of an omen he was told before. Sita convinces him to go anyways and Lakshmana is left with her. When Rama kills the deer, it cries out in Rama's voice. Sita sends Lakshmana after him even though he knows something isn't right. Ravana, disguised as an old hermit, goes to Sita. He reveals himself and Sita tells him to leave before Rama comes back. Ravana literally picks up the ground she's standing on and takes her away. I decided to write it in Sita's point of view so we could see her perspective up until the point she was kidnapped.

Ravana Abduts Sita from Narayan's Ramayana 

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part C

The fight of Jatayu and Ravana

Thus far this epic has been so amazing. There is so much going on with conspiracies and exiles, dying fathers, demons. My favorite part in the is section was the continuation of how Ravana is trying to get revenge for his sister Shurpanakha. Hell hath no fury like a women scorned. The saddest part was how Jatayu tired to rescue Sita and dies. There's so much detail that really makes the story so if I were to write a story over this, I would keep a lot of the original parts and just switch the point of view to maybe an onlooker.

Ramayana Part C http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2015/05/week-1-of-2-narayans-ramayana-reading.html

Week 3 Story: Kooni

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Queen Kaikeyi and her servent Kooni

Have you ever had a friend who is so beautiful but so daft? She is so pretty and has such a good heart that she does not see the knife aimed at her heart? That is my Queen Kaikeyi. She suffers from the affliction of beauty. You see she is King Dasaratha’s favorite wife. She is young enough to be his daughter, mind you. She saved the old sod and he granted her to requests, but I am getting ahead of myself. Let's start from the beginning. 

My name is Kooni and unlike my beautiful queen, I am not. Around the palace I am called a freak because of my humpback. My nickname "Kooni" was given to me because of my humpback. People think that these people, these royals, are so noble and kind. They are wrong. Queen Kaikeyi, she was the only one to ever treat me as a human being and not some sort of freak. I was her favorite, you see. The favorite of the king's favorite. That had power. 

I spent most of my days in Queen Kaikey's mansion. It was the only place I felt comfortable to be myself. I love looking out over her terrace and see the city. This particular day, I hobbled my way up to her terrace and looked over the city. I noticed there were lights being hung and flower garland chains being hung up. It wasn't a holiday or anything, not that I would be invited. Still, the queen had not said a word about any celebration and she was the king's favorite. She had the right to go. 

It took me a good while to make it down to the city and even longer to find someone to tell me what was going on. There was a celebration for Rama. He was to be King Dasaratha's successor. Now that was troubling news. Remember how I told you the king was old enough to be Kaikeyi's father? In order for her father to agree to a marriage, the king told her father that he would make their son his successor. That means the Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, should be king, not Rama. No this would not do. I would not let the king swindle my queen out of her son's birthright. She would use her two wishes the king gave her to put Rama on the throne. I just have to find the right way to tell her.  

Author's Note:

My story is about how Kooni convinces the king's favorite wife to use her two requests the king granted her (because she saved his life) to put her son on the throne. King Dasaratha had promised the father of Kaikeyi that he would put their son on the throne if he agreed to give her as his wife. When the king realizes that he is getting old, he decides to put Rama on the throne in his stead. He sends Bharata, the second eldest and son of Kaikey and Dasaratha, to see his grandfather. He tells his chief minister to basically invite everyone except for Kaikeyi's dad saying that their was no need to inform the relatives. Queen Kaikeyi is not aware of the deal the king made with her dad so when Kooni tells her the news, she is very happy. She sees Rama as her own son. Kooni poisons her mind, saying that Rama's mother would be all powerful and make her a handmaiden once Rama is king. Kaikeyi panics and asks Kooni what she should do. Kooni then reveals the deal the king made and tells her to use the two requests the king gave to send Rama into exile and put Bharata on the throne. I decided it would be fun to write the story on Kooni's point of view.

"Plans for Rama's Coronation" Narayan, R. K.. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic web source

Ramayana Reading Part B

Bharata and Rama

So I really enjoyed reading about Rama since I have learned a bit about the Hindu gods in other classes. I would say that Rama's Exile was one of my favorites since it shows how Rama is understanding and just wants peace. He goes further away from Ayodyah because he knows that people will try and convince him to come back. His father is dying, he was exiled, he lost his position as his father's successor. He didn't do anything wrong. He finds some solace in meeting an old friend of his father's but he too wants to die since friend is dead. This whole section is just really sad. 

I know that Bharata had no idea about what his mother did to make him king. I think that it was really honorable that he not only was upset but he did something about it. He tried to make it right. Rama understands but he wants to fulfill his exile because that's they way these guys are. They are honorable. I think if I were to write a story about these two brothers and the exchange Bharata and Rama had in the forest, I would keep their character the way they are. It's really sweet to see a guy do right by his brother. 

Narayan, R. K.. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Penguin Classics) (p. 66). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

Feedback Thoughts

Feedback

So I've read some of these before but I think my favorite is How to Take Feedback Like a Champ. Its really hard to not get defensive to criticism, especially when it comes to something that you have worked longed and hard for. I think this article is perfect for anyone who feels like they are too sensitive when it comes to feedback. The tip about being uncomfortable is part of the growth process can really put things into perspective. 

I am a psych major, the other article I read was obviously The Psychology of Comparison and How to Stop. I personally have had some dealing with this especially, in comparing myself to others and having other's compare themselves to me. I have a friend who compares her gym progress to mine and gets upset with herself that I lift heavier weights than she does. We had a talk that each person has their own journey and that the only person to compare yourself to is yourself, to just be better than you were yesterday. Even if you fail, to realize you are human, not perfect, and just move on. I feel like this article really explains some of that.  

Topic Brainstorm

Storybook

I'm really excited to do another story book this semester! My last storybook in Mythology in Folklore was based off the evil witches in the different English fairy tales.

 

1. As I was going through the some of the storybooks and topics, one thing that really interested me was the gods/ devas. I am not too familiar with the Hindu gods but I had to take Comm 2003 a few years ago and we went over the gods very briefly. 

http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2017/07/project-idea-gods-devas.html

2. I took World Dance last semester and there were some dances that embodied some of the religious aspects of Hinduism. We learned some things about Devi so writing about this will give me a better understanding about the goddess. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devi

3. So we did learn about Vinshu a little bit in World Dance and Comm 2003 but the most notable situtation I remember Vinshu is in the movie Slumdog Millionaire when he sees Vinshu in the form of Rama. It would be cool to get a deeper look into this. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu

4. The Avatars of Vinshu seems pretty cool to look into. Since I do know a little bit about Vinshu, reading the different avatars could provide a lot of material to write a storybook about. 

http://freebookapalooza.blogspot.com/2016/07/besant-avataras.html