'Mahabharat- Different Versions -Perspectives' - Page 52

Originally posted by: bheegi

@Abhijit sir, as far as I know the Critical edition doesn't have any citation on this aspect of Karna-Arjun relationship

If you have a few moments, would you let us know what your views on this Star Plus' version are?

Most of us enjoy the show despite the distortions. This show has also inspired a lot of us to read the Mahabharat and various books associated with this great epic. Overall, it's been a positive experience for most of us.

I'm just curious to know what reputable authors like you feel.

@Bheegi, I have all the time for the kind of excellent discussions you have on this forum. In my humble view, I look upon the Star Plus projection of the MB with a touch of mixed feelings. Obviously, the research team is a very competent one, who are set upon presenting a 'bold' and modern 'bard' version of the Great Epic. As you know, unlike the Vedas, a reasonable degree of freedom was traditionally there for the bards (sootas) to make some contemporaneous changes in the Epics and Puranas. And the changes/'distortions' here are done so expertly that they seem to fit the ethos of that age. I also specially like the aplomb with which the serial's Krshna puts across his philosophy for easy comprehension by all and certain other episodes like Parashurama's curse on Karna and the episode of Karna-Kunti Samvaad. I also agree that the TV show has revived interest in the MB among the youth of today. The only thing I would be a bit wary about is that the changes should not be such as to convey to unsuspecting viewers an expertly doctored 'fake' as the true basic structure of the Epic's storyline. I also see a touch of avoidable melodrama and gory sensationalism in presentation of some of the events. The MB to my mind has enough dramatic contents to do without such excesses. I was disappointed in Yudhishthira and the Yaksha-Prashnas being given a short shrift, and also in totally transforming Karna into a bleeding-heart and oft-weeping character. Karna was a great and magnanimous hero with some strikingly negative sides, and the original epic enlivens this human mix in him so that his trials and tribulations and his Purushakaara impact so palpably on us. But I have talked a lot. And of course I may not be infallible in my assessment. Regards.

Originally posted by: abhijitbasu

@Bheegi, I have all the time for the kind of excellent discussions you have on this forum. In my humble view, I look upon the Star Plus projection of the MB with a touch of mixed feelings. Obviously, the research team is a very competent one, who are set upon presenting a 'bold' and modern 'bard' version of the Great Epic. As you know, unlike the Vedas, a reasonable degree of freedom was traditionally there for the bards (sootas) to make some contemporaneous changes in the Epics and Puranas. And the changes/'distortions' here are done so expertly that they seem to fit the ethos of that age. I also specially like the aplomb with which the serial's Krshna puts across his philosophy for easy comprehension by all and certain other episodes like Parashurama's curse on Karna and the episode of Karna-Kunti Samvaad. I also agree that the TV show has revived interest in the MB among the youth of today. The only thing I would be a bit wary about is that the changes should not be such as to convey to unsuspecting viewers an expertly doctored 'fake' as the true basic structure of the Epic's storyline. I also see a touch of avoidable melodrama and gory sensationalism in presentation of some of the events. The MB to my mind has enough dramatic contents to do without such excesses. I was disappointed in Yudhishthira and the Yaksha-Prashnas being given a short shrift, and also in totally transforming Karna into a bleeding-heart and oft-weeping character. Karna was a great and magnanimous hero with some strikingly negative sides, and the original epic enlivens this human mix in him so that his trials and tribulations and his Purushakaara impact so palpably on us. But I have talked a lot. And of course I may not be infallible in my assessment. Regards.

@abhijitbasu -Thanks for giving views .I share similar views on distortions .I am also thankful to this star version though for making me more interested in reading books and having discussions on Mahabharat.

@abhijeetbhasu
Welcome to the forum, it's great to have an author and mytho scholar among us. I just had this discussion with Sangeeta as well. What is your opinion on Shishupal vadh? Death penalty for insulting seems a bit much, even for the era. Esp considering that the same Krishna admonishes Arjun later on for wanting to kill Yudhishtir after he insults Gandeev and asks him to retaliate with another insult

sir, we are honoured by your presence here in this forum, and, anu, shishupal's punishment given to him was not because of his insult, he commited rape, muder and many other things, his insults were just last few of his crimes,the beheading of him was the punishment of his hundread crimes.

Originally posted by: AnuMP

@abhijeetbhasu
Welcome to the forum, it's great to have an author and mytho scholar among us. I just had this discussion with Sangeeta as well. What is your opinion on Shishupal vadh? Death penalty for insulting seems a bit much, even for the era. Esp considering that the same Krishna admonishes Arjun later on for wanting to kill Yudhishtir after he insults Gandeev and asks him to retaliate with another insult

anu I don't know but I read an article long time ago that shishupal vadh was not like always shown.it was kind of trial. krishna counted sins of shishupal like rape etc. don't remember properly but I hope someone can put light on this particular subject

Exactly...even I have heard of this...

Originally posted by: abhijitbasu

@Bheegi, I have all the time for the kind of excellent discussions you have on this forum. In my humble view, I look upon the Star Plus projection of the MB with a touch of mixed feelings. Obviously, the research team is a very competent one, who are set upon presenting a 'bold' and modern 'bard' version of the Great Epic. As you know, unlike the Vedas, a reasonable degree of freedom was traditionally there for the bards (sootas) to make some contemporaneous changes in the Epics and Puranas. And the changes/'distortions' here are done so expertly that they seem to fit the ethos of that age. I also specially like the aplomb with which the serial's Krshna puts across his philosophy for easy comprehension by all and certain other episodes like Parashurama's curse on Karna and the episode of Karna-Kunti Samvaad. I also agree that the TV show has revived interest in the MB among the youth of today. The only thing I would be a bit wary about is that the changes should not be such as to convey to unsuspecting viewers an expertly doctored 'fake' as the true basic structure of the Epic's storyline. I also see a touch of avoidable melodrama and gory sensationalism in presentation of some of the events. The MB to my mind has enough dramatic contents to do without such excesses. I was disappointed in Yudhishthira and the Yaksha-Prashnas being given a short shrift, and also in totally transforming Karna into a bleeding-heart and oft-weeping character. Karna was a great and magnanimous hero with some strikingly negative sides, and the original epic enlivens this human mix in him so that his trials and tribulations and his Purushakaara impact so palpably on us. But I have talked a lot. And of course I may not be infallible in my assessment. Regards.

Commencement on a fabulous thread.

Originally posted by: AnuMP

@abhijeetbhasu
Welcome to the forum, it's great to have an author and mytho scholar among us. I just had this discussion with Sangeeta as well. What is your opinion on Shishupal vadh? Death penalty for insulting seems a bit much, even for the era. Esp considering that the same Krishna admonishes Arjun later on for wanting to kill Yudhishtir after he insults Gandeev and asks him to retaliate with another insult

@ AnuMP Mahabharata and the inner meanings of Indian mythology are like an ocean and I am but a student of that vast subject. As regards Shishupal, there is a lot of legend, not only in the MB, but in the Vishnu-Purana too. The common part of those mythical traditions, as you may be already aware, is that Shishupal was a Cousin of Krishna and became a sworn foe of him after Krishna carried away a much-too-willing Rukmini, whom Shisupal fancied as his would-be wife. But there was a longer history that ordained Shishupal's ultimate death in Krishna's hand. He was born a freak, supposedly with four arms and three eyes. An oracular voice had then predicted that the extra organs will drop when an unspecified great person would take the baby in his lap, but that he would ultimately die at the hands of the same person. When Krishna held his younger cousin, the weird members disappeared. At the behest of Shishupal's mother, Krishna promised her (his aunt) that he would pardon him hundred offences. He did commit many reprehensible acts, like the ones mentioned by the other correspondents here, but the obnoxious insults he heaped on Krishna and Bheeshma were the 100th offence. There also are some deeper nuances to Krishna's summary action which I have sought to present in the book 'Marvels and Mysteries of the Mahabharata', which some of you have read. For one thing, it needs to be noted that the killing of Shishupal was the only one done by Krishna himself in the whole MB story (Kamsa's killing was a pre-MB episode). It was not premeditated (unlike the crafty disposal of the mighty Jarasandha), done as a spur-of-the-moment decision to save Yudhishthira's Rajasuya Yajna, which was about to be ruined by Shishupal's defiance. Shishupal's revolt in the open Imperial Court at the fag end of the Rajasuya would have ruined that Yajna, and was a clear breach of his already accepted suzerainty of Yudhishthira, which was the very purpose of the Rajasuya sacrifice. Hence his killing was covered under the Kshatriya code of ethics.