'Mahabharat- Different Versions -Perspectives' - Page 41

Udyoga Parva - Vignettes and Questions on Udyoga Parva

Warning: Starting with a Joke, Not in Epic

A tribute to Krishna from Arjuna
(Paraphrasing The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho; if someone objects blame Aftab Rai, he wants original sources)

Itni shiddat se Krishna tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai
ki har zarre ne tumhein humse milane ki koshish ki hai...

Duniya mein sab mitne ke baad goonji yahi baati hai,
Kehte hai agar jis taraf krishna hotein hain,
Poori kaynath usse Jitane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai...

(Whole nature comes on the side of who Krishna wants to win; and why even there was sun eclipse to help kill Jayadratha :-))

Duryodhana (paraphrasing Aditya Chopra, I believe he not Gulzar wrote it) in message to Krishna and Pandavas

Mahal ki alindiyoein ki namkeen mastiyaan
wahan goonji hansi ki beparwaah gustakhiyaan
Jamuna ki lehrati angdaiyaan
nahi doonga main
jab tak hai jaan, jab tak hai jaan

the beautiful galleries of the palace, (Maya Sabha)
the carefree laughter echoing there, (making fun of me)
the waves of Yamuna river singing,
I'll not give, as long as I live..

tere rajya ki Sui ke barabar zameen chodna
tere dharma pe rukh modna
apne kal se palat ke phir na dekhna
nahin maaf karunga main,
jab tak hai jaan, jab tak hai jaan..

Leaving land size of a needle of your kingdom,
to follow your dharma,
to go against my nature,
I'll not do it, (I will never be forgiven)
as long as I live.
as long as I live..

baarishon pe bedhadak govardhan uthhane se
baat baat mein durvasa ko bhi manane se
chhoti chhoti teri vivsrupi badmashiyon se,
nafarat karunga main
Jab tak hai jaan, jab tak hai jaan..

On rains you picked up Govardhan,
even handled durvasa,
your small, childish mischiefs like Visvarupa,
I'll hate them all,
As long as I live, As long as I live..

Mere jhoothe kasme vaadon se,
shanti ki jalti sulagti chitaoein se,
Bhim ki beharam gada se,
mohabbat karunga main,
Jab tak hai jaangh, jab tak hai jaangh

My false promises,
will burn your dreams,
Bhima's heartless gada,
I'll love only that,
As long as I have thighs, As long as I have thighs..
pat pat pat pat

============================

Kunti describes her sons

Yudhishthara

He is endued with modesty, is firm in truth, with senses under control and compassions for all creatures;
He has vanquished both lust and malice and always travels the path of the righteous;
He has always born the heavy burden of Rajarshis like Ambarisha, Mandhatri, Yayati, Nahusha, Bharata, Dilip and Sivi Ushinari and other royal sages of old;
He has an excellent character and disposition, Is conversant with Dharma, and whose prowess is incapable of being baffled;
He is fit to become the monarch of the three worlds for possessing every accomplishment,
The foremost of all the Kurus in law, and in respect of learning and disposition,
Who is handsome (meri nazar na lage) and mighty-armed and is AjatSatru
and of complexion like that of pure gold? (24 carat pure soul)

Bhima
He of the strength of ten thousand elephants and the speed of the wind;
He that is mighty and ever wrathful amongst the sons of Pandu;
He always works for good of his brothers and is, therefore, dear to them all,
He slew Kichaka with all his relatives;
He is the slayer of the Krodhavasas, of Hidimva, and of Baka, Equal to Indra in prowess, to Vayu in might,
He is as terrible, and in wrath is equal unto Mahadeva himself,
He that is the foremost of all smiters, my wrathful son of Pandu and chastiser of foes,
Restraining his rage, might, impatience, and controlling his soul, is obedient to the commands of his elder brother,
That smiter of immeasurable valour, that Bhimasena, who in aspect also justifies his name,
Vrikodara possessing arms like maces, that mighty second son of Pandu

Arjuna
Arjuna of two arms always regarded himself superior to Arjuna with thousand arms,
He at one stretch can shoot five hundred arrows,
the son of Pandu who in the use of weapons is equal unto king Kartavirya, in energy unto Surya, in restraint of senses like sadhu, in forgiveness like the Earth, and in prowess like Indra himself,
He by his prowess had obtained this extensive empire, blazing with effulgence,
whose strength of arms is always adored by the Pandavas, that son of Pandu, who is the foremost of all atirathis and who has never lost, no one has escaped with life after battle with him unless he commands,
Who is the conqueror of all, but who is incapable of being conquered by any,
The brother and friend of Krishna,

Sahadeva
He that is compassionate to all creatures, is endued with modesty and acquainted with mighty weapons,
Is soft and delicate and virtuous, (Sahadeva would cry mummy!! No!! I am hard and angry)
He is dear to me, that mighty bowman, that hero and ornament of assemblies,
who is youthful in years, (mera chunnu munnu) Is devoted to the service of his brothers,
and is expert with both Dharma and Artha,
whose brothers always applaud the disposition of that high-souled and well-behaved son of mine, (sona bacchha),
that heroic Sahadeva, that foremost of warriors,

Nakula,
Who always looked upon his elder brothers and so reverentially to me,
He is delicate and youthful in years, he is brave and handsome in person,
This son of Pandu who is dear to his brothers as also to all,
who is their very life though walking with a separate body,
Conversant with various modes of warfare, Endued with great strength and is a mighty bowman,
Dear child of mine, who was been brought up in luxury,
the mighty car-warrior, that delicate youth brought up in every luxury and undeserving of woe,
I would know no peace for losing sight of Nakula even while blinking eyes,

This also informs us that three eldest were brought up in forest but Nakula and also Sahadeva never remember those hardships. Again points to some gap between the Twins and Arjuna as well.

In Vana Parva we got an impression; Sahadeva is favorite of Kunti and in Udyoga, it is Nakula. So, looks like she loved the twins equally or like many of the people unable to differentiate between them
No, there is enough description that fraternal twins were not identical.
Nakula and Bhima have no moustaches now.

==========================
Last Udyoga Vignettes:

Upalavya to Hastinapur is 140 miles. Krishna broke camp at Vrikaprastha or Baghpat some 55 miles from Hastinapur. On first day Krishna travelled 85 miles.
The fastest Ratha in Dhritrashtra's stables was pulled by mules and could do 112 miles in a day. (Sanjaya travelled from Karnal/Kurukshetra to Hastinapur on death of Bheeshma, that would be 84 miles or one day's travel at Krishna's pace or three fourths day at fastest pace Sanjaya can make.)

Dushasana had a better, more well-illustrated Palace than Dhritrashtra and Duryodhana. He had the best interior designer or his wife had good taste. This Palace went to Arjuna. Dhritrashtra mentions that all expensive things and all jewels and treasury was also kept in Dushasana's palace. (Beginning of 2D scam, Dushasana Dussaha scam!!)

Krishna's message is greeted by following stories by following seers
(Illustrating what I have been telling about adding stories as lifeboats on the Great Ship Mahabharata sailing through history)
o Parasurama tells the story of Nara & Narayana. Three of his disciples are in audience.
o Narada tells the story of Sumukha, cousin to Kunti and Uncle to Krishna and his marriage to Gunakesi. We also learn that Garuda killed major Dityas and Asuras like Shrutashri, Shrutasena, Vivasvan, Rochnamukha, Prasarta and Kalkaksha (just in case you are looking for rare baby names).
o Vyas tells a story. It is actually missing. It may be in some other section of Mahabharata.
o Bheeshma tells a story. Krishna describes it later. This is the story of birth of Pandu, Vidura and Dhritrashtra and Drona adds that Pandu left kingdom to both but Vidura took a subordinate role deliberately. Drona nailed his colors to Bheeshma's mast. Vidura advised Bheeshma to go to forest with him and Dhritrashtra. Gandhari also notes that kingdom is both Dhritrashtra and Vidura's.
o Gandhari states that kingdom on whole of it is Pandava's.
o Gandhari tells story of Chandravansha and Gandhari's father's mother was daughter of Pratipa.
o Devapi family description. Gandhari even states Duryodhana is not son of Dhritrashtra.

o Then we have long story of Galava Madhavi. Someone with a female perspective should transcribe and comment on it. Galava is son of Viswamitra and Madhavi is daughter of Yayati. This story's other section is in Adi Parva. This is one of most unique combinations. Madhavi is a lady who for her father sacrificed everything and never asked for anything from her sons. But, for one decision by a person who followed the letters of the request rather than the spirit, the story would be simple and no one would remember. Galava followed a restricting dharma. Later he or his sishya parampara Galava would become to disciple to Yudhishthara and expound on the new vibrant jeeavdharma. But this is a long and great story. (Nudge nudge hint hint).

The image is Karna walking out and Bheeshma walking out

Source : Link

The other Wives

Published in Devlok, Sunday Midday, September 05, 2010

Everyone knows that the five Pandava brothers in the epic Mahabharata shared a wife called Draupadi. What most people do not know is that each of the brothers had other wives too.

In fact, the first brother to get married was not Arjuna or the eldest, Yudhishtira, but the mighty Bhima. After the Kauravas attempted to kill the Pandavas by setting alight their palace (made of lac) on fire, the Pandavas hid in the forest, disguised as the sons of a Brahmin widow. During this time, Bhima killed many Rakshasas such as Baka and Hidimba. Hidimba's sister, impressed by his strength, chose him as husband and they had a son called Ghatotkacha.

Even before this, according to folktales in Rajasthan, and Orissa, Bhima had married a Naga woman. When the Kauravas tried to poison him and drown him in a river, he was saved by Ahuka, a Naga, and taken to the realm of the serpents, where he was given a wife. From that union was born a child called Bilalsen, who played a role in the war later on. In variants of this legend, Bilalsen, also known as Barbareek, was the son of Ghatotkacha, and hence was grandson of Bhima, not son.

The brothers agreed that Draupadi would stay with one brother for a year before moving to the next one, a shrewd move to prevent jealousy and to identity paternity of Draupadi's children. In the four years between, each brother spent time with another wife.

Yudhishtira married Devika, the daughter of Govasana of the Saivya tribe, and begat upon her a son called Yaudheya. Bhima married Valandhara, the daughter of the king of Kashi, and begat upon her a son named Sarvaga. Nakula married Karenumati, the princess of Chedi, and begat upon her a son named Niramitra. Sahadeva obtained Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra, and begat upon her a son named Suhotra. All these wives lived with their sons in the house of their fathers.

When Draupadi agreed to be the common wife, her condition was that she would share her household with no other woman. In other words, disregarding popular practice of the times, the Pandavas could not bring their other wives to Indra-prastha. Arjuna, however, succeeded in bringing one wife in. She was Krishna's sister, Subhadra. And with a little advise from Krishna, she was able to trick her way into the household.

Though Draupadi's favourite, Arjuna had the most number of wives amongst all brothers. The story goes that Arjuna once entered Draupadi's chamber while she was with Yudhishtira. To atone for this trespassing, he went on a pilgrimage'. During this time he married many women.

In the classical Sanskrit retelling, Arjuna married the Naga Ulupi, the princess Chitrangada of Manipur and finally Krishna's sister Subhadra during this pilgrimage. But in Tamil retellings of the Mahabharata, he married totally seven women. One of them was a warrior woman called Ali who refused to marry him but Arjuna was so besotted that he sought Krishna's help. Krishna turned him into a snake and he slipped into Ali's bed at night and frightened her to become his wife. Some say he forced her to be his wife as he managed to spend the night in bed with her in the form of a snake. This clandestinely erotic folktale alludes to Pisacha-vivah, or the marriage by way of ghosts, that is condemned in the Puranas.

Thus the world of the Mahabharata very comfortably refers to polyandry (many husbands for one woman) as well as polygyny (many wives for one man). What is interesting to note is that most storytellers are embarrassed only by the former than the latter; hence there are tales to explain' Draupadi's many husbands but none to explain each Pandava's other wives.

Source : http://devdutt.com/articles/mahabharata/2-of-5-the-other-wives.html