'Mahabharat- Different Versions -Perspectives' - Page 24

The Indonesian Drona Part 1:

Indonesia has been host to Indian and Mahabharata legends for a long time almost 2000 years. They are also longer and many of them have been preserved as is from 1st century so they may be older than the 4th century texts we have existing in India. The basic premise of story is same with some variations. The Indonesian legends exist in three styles. There are Wayang Puppet plays. Basic premise of story is same with extra characters and lot more dialogue. It is closer to human experience and literally would make a fantastic serial if they just use the original text as is.

Then there is the Parva style as is our Mahabharata. The Parva style has 8 Peace Parvas (Adi, Amartya, Indraprastha, Sabha, Aranya, Virata, Shanti, Ashwamedha) while there is separate War Book called Bharata Yudhha (Udyoga, Sveta, Bheeshma, Drona, Karna, Salya, Stree). Then there is Madhya Parva (Middle age) which represents period between Ashwamedha and start of Indonesian historical records.

Lakon style: The Peace Parva style is also in the Sub-Parva level. Our Mahabharata had 100 sub-parvas while Indonesia has 149 (they are called locally lakons). Now our Mahabharata especially in Northern recessions have left 86000 slokas; of this 28K are Anushasana, Santi and last Parvas; 32K are War Parvas; Remaining Epic is 25000 slokas with half of it Vana Parva (including teerthayatra descriptions not in Indonesian version).
This entire section is there in Indonesian version in 32 Upaparvas (larger by a third than our Mahabharata storyline). On top of it is almost 23 Sub Parvas of Indonesian Javanese legends added to the Mahabharata. These additions alone are the size of the main storyline itself as big as our Ramayana.

On top of this is the huge 94 Sub-parvas section which is larger than entire complete Indian Mahabharata, larger than Skanda Purana (the largest Purana) which is focused on Pandava rule in Indraprastha (the golden age in Indonesian reckoning). The setting up of their kingdom and empire. This entire section covers very few chapters in our Mahabharata. In Indonesian versions, this section covers 40 plus years and filled with hard work and deeds of Pandu princes and is very familiar to the locals, who look upon their energy and work as inspiring, that is why the names of the Pandava princes and their family are still in vogue in modern Indonesia. As Kats and Brandon in their 1923 lecture on first examination of this huge mass described the largest section thus. (translated from Dutch)

94 Lakon are set during the long golden period of the Pandawas ruled the Kingdom of Amarta. (Amarta == Indraprastha, Amartya is name for Indra)
"A golden age of the Pandawas, a time of youthful self-confidence, when they and their children lived exuberantly, reveling in excitement and in adventure".
"A life of power and recklessness, of spirituality and material success, giving rise to ceaseless battles with ogres who threatened man and the gods, to better the life of populace of commons, and to an almost unbroken succession of bridal conquests and bridal contests, through which the most beautiful princesses and daughters of holy seers were brought into the royal palaces of the Pandawas as their family welcomed sons, daughters and grandsons and grand daughters." (Kats)

These sections have two Teerthyatras of Arjuna. There is separate set of adventures for Nine Vayavya brothers (Bhima, Hanuman and seven sons of Vayu), Adventures of Abhimanyu, Ghatotkacha, Panchalya and other sons and even their grandsons. There are large sections devoted to Sahadeva and his adventures as well as Nakula and his sons, grandsons and their deeds. Twelve generations of family are described ending with Parikshita. Vyasa is 8th generation. The final author is Krishna Dwaipayana II also known as Parikshita and the scribe is Charudeshana, son of Krishna.

Thus, you can understand that Indonesian Mahabharata is very large. I will attempt to summarize Drona from the huge mass of human emotions and deeds he represents.

Drona was son of Rishi Bharadwaja HarkaJambu and his wife Devi Kumbhini. Drona was born as Kumbayana and had a brother Kumbayaka and sister Kumabyani. He also had a paternal half-brother Seibu. (This would be the Javanese character). Born in unsettled times but in lap of luxury, he was named Prince (Bambang) as a child. He had a very happy childhood and enjoyed a strong family life and circle of nobles and sages. He went out of his way with his kindness to be friends with his half brother Seibu and an orphan his father took pity on.

See, the King Santanu had created some problems. He had married for a second time late in life and had created situation which caused his elder son Devavrata to leave the throne and kingdom. This caused ripples in the politics of the period. Santanu was a younger son of a younger son so people naturally started looking towards other candidates who had been passed over. The seven older sons of Ganga had their own destinies while Bheeshma had left the earth for one of the heavens and was helping the Gods fight ogres. When Parasara was born, he was born a sakti (with divine powers) and was aware that he has equal right to the throne of Hastinapur as any other candidate. As a young child, he played near his great grandfather's hermitage on Revata bhumi and made friends with the animals of the forest. This is very much like Jungle book and Kipling picked this probably as the inspiration. (Kipling published his first tales in 1894 and though previous Dutch translations existed, 1907 was first English Wayang translation so we can give Kipling the benefit of doubt!!). Anyway, Parasara's powers affected his childhood friends and all the animals got powers to speak like humans and they soon became humans themselves. The names of these childhood ex-animals now humans are same as lot of the brahamins and sages we encounter in our Mahabharata. Anyway, Bharadwaj was a childhood companion of Parasara. Parasara cleared a thicket of forest and build a palace for himself in the jungle. On clearing the thicket, a huge and powerful Elephant came out but he was pacified and made the mount of Parasara. This was the elephant Antasura. Later, Parasara's father gave Antasura to Santanu as gift and to act as real life emblem for the city of the elephant (Hastinapur).

When Sanatanu died, his sons by Satyavati were too young and the Panchala King proposed marriage to Satyavati and unite the thrones. Satyavati was undecided and played for time. Panchalas overplayed their hands. The idea was to imprison Santanu's children and rule alone. Devavrata came back on learning the deception and challenged the Panchalas. Most of the family rallied around Bheeshma including Prince Senggana who was a kuru cousin but also a Panchala. The Kuru-Panchala war was a disaster for Panchalas. Devavrata killed the king and most of the princes. Panchala was left open and Gandhvayu, descendent of Lord Vayu and cousin of Kurus was selected to rule Panchala. Despised by Panchalas, Senggana was given the role of PM (Patih) in Hastinapur away from his homeland.

Devavrata again refused to take the throne as per his oath so royal elephant Antasura was sent out to select the right interim ruler. Antasura immediately went to the hermitage of Parasara who was selected as King and married Queen Satyavati. That now meant royal favors for Parasara's retinue especially Bharadwaja. After some years, Parasara left on death of his great grand-father and took over as the hermitage head, exchanging secular crown for spiritual one. He left his 2 step-sons and 6 sons and daughter with Queen Satyavati.

The eldest Chitrangada took throne but soon died in war against Gandharvas along with loyal PM Senggana. Bheeshma came back again on death of Chitrangada and appointed Sangara, son of Senggana as PM and Vichitravirya as king. The story follows as in our Mahabharata except on death of Vichitravirya, Vyas becomes King (Antasura selects him among his brothers) and fathers Dhritrashtra and Pandu on wives of Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Soon after, Vyas send Sangara to help Kuru viceroy King Gandhavayu to put down Panchala rebellions of the old dynasty. PM Sangara dies in action but Panchalas come to peace. It was agreed that Gandhvayu's son baby Gandhaman will inherit Panchala kingdom on condition for marrying all the Panchala princesses of old dynasty especially Princess Prishadha who was also a baby then.

Pandu and Dhritrashtra grow up in hermitage with Gandhamana and Kumbhayana as class mates and best friends. There was an orphan who was escorted by no other than Devavrata to the school. He was young Suchitra, son of Sangara. His father was dead and he had no real prospects on hand. His family was despised in his homeland of Panchala. At school, Gandhamana and Suchitra became fast friends as did Pandu also. Drona, our Kumbhayana, was most generous with his gifs to the young orphan Suchitra. Titled as Prince of realm, Kumbhayana was friendly and generous to fault. One day the young friends, Drona and Suchitra made a pact. If Drona ever comes to a throne (which seemed likely) as Pandu looked like developing into a powerful and strong king and will start conquering other lands, then Drona will share his kingdom with young Suchitra. Similarly, Suchitra promised that if young Pandu gave him a kingdom in future, that will be shared with Drona. So, passing time building castles in air, young men left childhood and games of children behind and took a step towards becoming men. Once an incident with his step brother Seibu opened Drona's eyes to previous holders of titles like Princes who now beg on the roads and he stopped taking his current station in life for granted. Both Suchitra and Kumabhayana became serious students and started concentrating on becoming the best they can in order to advance their careers. They also did not forget their oaths.

Drona started concentrating on arms and archery while Suchitra concentrated on administration but retained an avid interest in art of warfare. Pandu excelled in all arts and Dhritrashtra was a strong man while YamaVidura, the palace maid's son was excellent in Dharma and Justice. Vyas whose interests and mind was more towards working with Vedas and writing rather than ruling was in a quandary. Noting their sibling's preoccupation with books, his brothers started creating schemes and wanted to seize power themselves. Thus, Vyas was having his issues with his brothers one of whom was PM. To stop the fraternal conflict from becoming public spectacle, it was decided by Bheeshma that Pandu will be crowned as King (confirmed by Antasura) and on his request, Suchitra was created as Patih or PM. Vyasa retired to his hermitage Sokalima while his brothers were exiled and found refuge with their brother-in-law, King of Matsaya.

Gandhamadan left for Pancala while Drona left for further studies under Parasuram on Bheeshma's advice.

End of Part 1.

• In the Jain retelling of the MB, Bhishma castrates himself to show Satyavati that he will never father a child
• the story of Satyavati's birth is perhaps a dramatic tale to cover up a king's affair with a fisherwoman
• Iravati Karve's Yuganta shows how the status of women deteriorates from Ganga, Satyavati and then Amba
• the reason Yudi is dharmraj: he is said to be an incarnation of Yama to help the Blue God of the Trinity in his mission of his samouran avatar. Thus he meticulously follows dharma and protocol.
• It is said in Gujarati folklore that Kunti and Gandhari are forms of the goddess Shakti
• Some folklore belives the killing of sage Kandam to be a dramatic con-incidence to cover up Pandu's inability to father a child