Why Mahabharat continues to fascinate - Page 8

Originally posted by: -Jamy-

@Riti- yeah. In some parts of Kerala, Dury is still considered with love and devotion because he was never a nightmare for his subjects.

@JustMySelf- yeah. Dury was a man unlike what we've heard. Almost all of us have heard only stories about his worst side. Apart from his rivalry with Pandavas, he was a great man. If you read Urubhanga (means the breaking of thigh), a Sanskrit text written on Duryodhana's death, by the most famous Sanskrit play writer Bhasa who is considered to be lived sometime around Veda Vyasa himself, his both sides are explained very beautifully.

@amritat- I've already stated I don't know how much of it is authentic. But when a system founded by him got adopted by a State Goverment and it is still functioning very well, we can't completely discard it also. Only that I meant.

@Neutral2- I've heard about the Malanada Duryodhana temple and kaurava temples you mentioned.😃

Originally posted by: AnuMP

Hmm, I find VH to be the defining incident in the epic. Or at least the turning point. I too, have grown up hearing that Syyodhan was actually a good king. I have some sympathy for Karna. None at all for Dushy.

But for their part in VH, I cannot find much in these characters to dislike. That is why I dislike Yudhishtir almost as much as Dushy (may be even more). Wagering on your wife and brothers, like they were your cats or dogs!😲. I liked the ending of Parva, where Bheem tells Krishna that he and Arjun are going to be the rulers while Yudhi remains the figurehead.

Originally posted by: AnuMP

Bharti

Thx for the response. I AM a Malayali and read it in the original. I remember that part


I dislike that book intensely, I have read MTs other books and feel they have a strong misogynistic tone to them. Randamoozham's characterization of Drau is also inconsistent. On one hand, she is strong willed as well as manipulative and OTOH she hides to eavesdrop on convos? 😕 Not only that he portrays her indifference to other wives as something bad and her anger at other wives also as bad. My personal opinion is that he seems to have an issue with strong women


Also it is ambiguous on Krishnas role in all this? Why is he there? 😕

Originally posted by: AnuMP

I agree Bharti

But the anger at other wives is portrayed as bad and so is indifference or pleasant behavior. 😕

Also in parts she is strong and in other parts just sneaky; Drau was no saint but she was fairly straightforward in most versions

I also like human presentations but my question stands. MT did not have a reason for Krishnas presence there. So he goes after a character that he thinks will sell more books but shows intellectual cowardice when describing Krishna

Originally posted by: Cotswolds

This is a wonderful thread with great discussions and insights.👏⭐️

I am interested in reading mt's book randamozam on bheema which is considered his greatest literary work. I read its free form english translation by prem panicker and loved characterization of bheema. Honestly, i did not pay much attention to drau but will read those parts closely.