Reading notes: Mahabharata Part C

Arjuna and Krishna: Wikimedia Commons

• Plot
• The Pandavas must go live in the forest in exile because of their gambling losses. During their stay they visit many sages and learn a lot. Each of the brothers also embarks on their own journey.
• Because the Pandava brothers go into the forest, so must Draupadi. At the beginning of their exile, Krishna goes to speak with Draupadi and attempts to make Draupadi feel better about the situation. Krishna succeeds to a point, but Draupadi is still sad.
• Arjuna goes on his own adventures at this point to secure divine weapons for the rest of the Pandava brothers to help them in the journey. He secures weapons from the great god and spent the next five years in his father Indra’s abode learning dance and song. During Arjunas absence, the other brothers spent their time being visited by great sages who taught them valuable skills.
• During cattle inspections that the Kauravas had to undertake, the gandharvas and apsaras entered into battle with the Kauravas and was defeated. The Kauravas were then taken prisoner only to be set free by the Pandavas. The Kauravas jealousy grew and the Pandavas swore retaliation.
• At some point, Indra came back to take Karnas celestial armor and earrings and in return gave him an invisible dart
• Draupadi was held up by a rajah, but the rajah was captured by Bhima and the rajah declared himself a slave of Bhima
• In the Pandavas final year of exile, they go into hiding in King Virata’s court each showing off their individual talent under a different guise. During this, Draupadi was almost raped by a prince, but the prince was killed by Bhima.
• The Kauravas hear that the prince had died and go after the cattle in the kingdom. After the cattle had been stolen, the Pandavas offer their support to King Virata to get the cattle back. When confronting the Kauravas, the Pandavas reveal that their sentence is up, and war is inevitable.
• Krishna tries to buy peace between the two sides, but that proves unsuccessful. Arjuna then asks to have Krishna by his side in battle.
• Karna and Arjuna still do not know they are brothers and the battle begins to draw closer with one side helping the Kauravas and one side helping the Pandavas. Arjuna begin to have doubts when he sees his relatives fighting against him but he still fights.
• Bibliography
• Author: Various Contributors
• Title: Mahabharata
• Source: PDE Mahbharata