Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part C

In this section, I liked the political maneuverings after the Pandava's exile has ended. Duryodhana's inability to concede anything against an insurmountable enemy reminds me of Circe's power-hungry blindness in Game of Thrones. (Spoiler alert!) As it led to Circe's downfall at the hands of Daenerys' attack on King's Landing with her dragon (also motivated by a sort of blindness--madness), the powerhungriness of Duryodhana will lead to his downfall to a superior foe who has the power to level his city--the Pandavas who, like Daenerys, view the kingdom as their birthright.

The Pandavas' Khaleesi: Yudhishthira of the House of Pandu, First of His Name, Protector of the Realm, yadda yadda yadda... Source.

Also, I was sad to see that Draupadi was raped and could not be protected by any of her husbands. Death by hug for her rapist Kichaka is darkly poetic.

The roles of the brothers intrigued me, as they took servant roles to the King instead of slipping unnoticed among the populace. While this eventually has a purpose, with the rape of Draupadi and the vanquishing of Duryodhana when he tries to attack the city in which they are taking refuge.

I am excited to read the battle scenes which are likely the bulk of Part D of the Mahabharata, and I see much of the Iliad in this epic--probably only more when arrows start flying! Though that does bring up one important distinction between the two: to be an archer in India is honorable, but in Greece to be an archer is to be cowardly. An interesting contrast which will be something I follow into the last section of the story.

Bibliograpy: Narayan, R.K. The Mahabharata.