Fan fiction that imitates the style of the original (e.g. Mahābhārata)

Bhaimi-Dauryodhani-dvandvam

The Duel of Bhīma's Son and Duryodhana's Son

यद् इहास्ति तद् अन्यत्र सूत-र्षि-परिकीर्तितम् ।

विषमैः सुलभा ख्यातिः समैर् अत्यन्त-दुर्गमा ॥ १

yad ih’āsti tad anyatra sūta-rṣi-parikīrtitam

viṣamaiḥ sulabhā khyātiḥ samair atyanta-durgamā

What's here is elsewhere, made famous by bards' and sages' recitation.

Easily acquired by heteros, renown for homos is extremely inaccessible.

अत्राप्य् उदाहरन्तीमम् इतिहासम् अतर्कितम् ।

भैमि-दौर्योधनि-द्वन्द्वं तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम् ॥ २

atr’āpy udāharant’īmam itihāsam atarkitam

Bhaimi-Dauryodhani-dvandvaṃ tumulaṃ loma-harṣaṇam

Even here they bring up this example, a history unexpected,

The duel of Bhīma's son and Duryodhana's son, tumultuous and body-hair-thrilling.

स्मरन्तौ व्यसनं पित्रोर् वैराय कृत-निश्चयौ ।

मैथुनं चक्रतुः प्रीत्या लक्ष्मणश् च घटोत्कचः ॥ ३

smarantau vyasanaṃ pitror vairāya kṛta-niścayau

maithunaṃ cakratuḥ prītyā Lakṣmaṇaś ca Ghaṭotkacaḥ

Both remembering their fathers' trouble, both determined upon enmity,

Both Lakṣmaṇa and Ghaṭotkaca lovingly engaged in sex.

कृत-वैवाहिकौ वीरौ रमयित्वा परस्परम् ।

ततो बभूवतुर् युद्धे भारते संगमोत्सुकौ ॥ ४

kṛta-vaivāhikau vīrau ramayitvā parasparam

tato babhūvatur yuddhe Bhārate saṃgam'otsukau

Two heroes who had pleasured each other after their wedding rituals were performed

Thereby became eager for an encounter in the Bhārata War.

रत्नेषु वज्र-भिन्नेषु सूत्रस्य गतिर् अञ्जसा ।

कन्था-कृतोऽपि नोत्साहः कथं कथयितुं कथाम् ॥ ५

ratneṣu vajra-bhinneṣu sūtrasya gatir añjasā

kanthā-kṛto’pi n’otsāhaḥ kathaṃ kathayituṃ kathām

In jewels bored by a diamond, the thread's path is direct.

How would even a patchwork-maker not be eager to narrate a story?

I just published a fan fiction on Mahābhārata that begins with these Saṃskṛta śloka verses that serve as a trigger warning. Whoever wants to read the full story may join the Saṃskṛta Text Discussion forum and then access the story.

In this topic, we can discuss the challenges of writing fan fiction that imitates the style of the original. For example, my story imitates the Saṃskṛta vocabulary and rhythm of Mahābhārata, the tendency of Mahābhārata characters to argue ethics and cite precedents, and the elaborate patronymic, matronymic, familial, and dynastic epithets by which Mahābhārata characters address or refer to each other.

Stories within Mahābhārata often begin with the phrase atr’āpy udāharant’īmam itihāsaṃ purātanam, so I parodied the phrase, changing purātanam = from an earlier time to atarkitam = unexpected to introduce my story. The adjectives tumulaṃ loma-harṣaṇam = tumultuous and body-hair-thrilling are standard for battles in Mahābhārata, so I used them for a metaphorical battle. Mahābhārata famously claims, yad ih'āsti tad anyatra yan n'eh'āsti na tat kva cit = what's here is elsewhere and what's not here is nowhere, so I used it as a springboard for an LGBTQ+ story.

What style of the original have you imitated in your fan fiction?

Edited to add:

I was asked to prove that the romantic relationship between Ghaṭotkaca and Lakṣmaṇa is "canonical" = sourced from either the official text or folklore. Here are several movies and cartoons based on the folktale of the wedding between these two characters, in which they engage in romantic touching, stepping on each other's feet and holding hands playfully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N34a07NQg9E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_SHuAEC71k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5BBFETl19g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWNSWZwRp-c

https://iskconeducation.org/media_library_old/059220Ghatotkacha.pdf

Pretty original way of linking these two guys.

Thanks! When you have read the full story in the Saṃskṛta Text Discussion forum, do let me know what you think.