Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata Part A
I found this story much more difficult to follow than the story of Rama in Ramayana. There is a ton of characters but the main one seems to be Bhishma, once known as Devavrata, is the son of King Shantanu and the goddess Ganga. Due to his mix in parents, he is human with god like powers. Bhishma later on won the right to have the three daughters of King Kashi and takes them to Vichitravirya, his half brother to marry them. Only two end up marrying Vichitravirya while Amba grew a great hatred towards Bhishma. She wanted to defeat him. In order to do this she would take on a new body and become a fierce warrior.
Vichitravirya, died before his two wives gave birth to sons Dhritarashtra and Pandu and so they were raised and taught by Bhishma (I hope I have all of this interlocking of the family dynamics correct). King Pandu will end up marrying Kunti who had a son named Karna much earlier at a very young age.
Pandu, wile hunting one day, came across a two headed deer and which he struck. This was the wrong deer to cross and it cursed him. Pandu was very freaked out by this curse and became celibate. The curse ended up bringing Pandu death and along with him, his favorite wife, Madri died in honor of him too.
(There is still so much happening I am hoping what I am picking up from the stories is correct)
We are then told of Pandu's brother Dhritarashtra, who is king and rules over Bharatavarsha. He is blind and marries Gandhara whom wears a blind fold in honor of his inability to see. They had 100 sons one in which was Duryodhana, a boy who many advised the king to get rid of. He did not and Duryodhana grew to become very selfish.
Kunti is now alone as her husband Pandu died. She is a widow trying to take care of 5 sons. This is very difficult and so she takes them to be raised along side their 100 cousins under their uncle Dhritarashtra.
As mentioned before, Duryodhana is a very selfish boy and when him, his brother and cousins begin to be taught by the guru, Drona, his immaturity grows. Pandu's sons are receiving Drona's teaching quicker and Duryodhana is not happy about this.
All the boys are fully trained under Drona and now it is time for them to show their skills off. Arjuna, Pandu's third eldest, shows the greatest strength in the contest when all of a sudden his half brother, Karna shows up. The two do not know they are related at this point.
It is now time for Drona to be repaid for teaching the boys but his choice in payment is some what odd. He would like for the boys to take out his childhood friend turned enemy, King Drupada. Pandu's sons had much success on their own in this battle and that of course caused Duryodhana to become angry as he and his brothers had failed. He made plans to get rid of Pandu and Kunti's sons including Kunti.
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