Reading Notes: Mahabharata: Karmic Revolution - Part A

Plot Summary

Story 1

  • Shantanu and Ganga were married.
    • He promised to ask her never question her decisions.
    • Seven of their children were killed by Ganga
      • They were Vasus
    • The eighth child lived and went away with Ganga
The River Ganga (Source)

Story 2

  • 16 years later Shantanu was on the Ganga
    • He heard fighting
    • An archer had tamed the river Ganga
    • Ganga appeared and the archer was his son Devavrat
    • Shantanu got the keep his 8th sun
    • Shantanu fell in love with Satyavati, but she was a peasant
    • Devavrat took his fathers sadness into his own hands

Story 3

  • Devavrat swore an oath that he would never marry or have children
    • This was to convince the fisherman's to allow Shantanu to marry Satyavati
    • Devavrat became known as Bhishma - he of the terrible oath
  • The prince got a boon that he would be able to choose the time of his death

Story 4

  • Bhishma keep his promise
  • He trained his step brothers to be members of the state
    • After this one of the brothers died, leaving only an ill brother
  • Bhishma decided that his brother needed a wife in order to establish a blood-line for the kingdom
    • This is when he kidnaps the 3 princesses Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika

Story 5

  • Amba had already fell in love with someone
    • She complained to Bhishma and was freed
    • However Amba was not accepted by her previous lover
    • She returned to Bhishma and asked him to marry her, but his oath forbade it
    • Amba vowed to punish Bhishma for ruining her life
      • She went to the Sage Parshuram to help her
      • Parshuram went to fight Bhishma, they fought for 23 days
        • Parshuram gave up

Story 6

  • At the death of the last remaining prince Satyavati reveals that she had another son
    • He was the sage Vyas
    • He was not good looking and the sight of him alone scared Ambika and Ambalika
    • Vyas mush father the future king

Story 7

  • When Vyas took Ambika she was afraid and closed her eyes the whole time
    • Therefore the first son would be born blind
  • Since Ambilika was second she was told to hold her eyes open the whole time
    • She did so, but was still afraid, and turned pale
    • As a result her child would be born pale and ill
  • A maid was givin in place of Ambika
    • The servant was not afraid
    • Her child grew healthy
  • There are now three princes for the throne

Story 8

  • The blind and first child was the first to become the king
  • However Pandu (2nd) was the one that realistically ran the kingdom

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